{"id":4468,"date":"2011-06-20T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2011-06-20T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/anti-virus-software\/"},"modified":"2024-11-18T17:17:47","modified_gmt":"2024-11-18T17:17:47","slug":"anti-virus-software","status":"publish","type":"definition","link":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/antivirus-software","title":{"rendered":"Antivirus Software"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span id=\"what_is_antivirus_software\">What is Antivirus Software?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Antivirus software is a third-party software suite or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/operating-system-os\">operating system<\/a> (OS) utility that is designed to block, isolate, and\/or remove <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/virus\">computer viruses<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/antivirus\/best-antivirus-software\">best antivirus software<\/a> apps today bundle antivirus programming with other types of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/25873\/anti-malware\">anti-malware<\/a> programming to provide continuous protection against both <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/top-cybersecurity-threats-and-how-to-protect-your-data\">known cybersecurity threats<\/a> and new types of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/24748\/cyberattack\">cyberattacks<\/a>. Antivirus software downloads may also be referred to as <i>AV software<\/i> or <i>virus protection software<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/What-is-Antivirus-Software.jpg\" alt=\"What is Antivirus Software?\" width=\"1200\" height=\"575\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-356930\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/What-is-Antivirus-Software.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/What-is-Antivirus-Software-300x144.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/What-is-Antivirus-Software-1024x491.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/What-is-Antivirus-Software-768x368.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/What-is-Antivirus-Software-130x63.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/What-is-Antivirus-Software-104x50.jpg 104w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/What-is-Antivirus-Software-83x40.jpg 83w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/What-is-Antivirus-Software-1536x736.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/What-is-Antivirus-Software-1200x575.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/What-is-Antivirus-Software-1980x948.jpg 1980w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\"  style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">\n<h2><span id=\"key_takeaways\">Key Takeaways<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Antivirus software scans files for malicious software.<\/li>\n<li>Antivirus software can be run manually or scheduled to run automatically on a regular basis.<\/li>\n<li>Most operating systems, including Windows and macOS, have native antivirus utilities that provide baseline protection against common cyberthreats.<\/li>\n<li>Supplementary antivirus software can be acquired from a reputable third-party vendor.<\/li>\n<li>Regular updates are essential to ensure antivirus software can protect a computer against evolving threats.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div>\n    <section class=\"toc-sticky w-100 bg-white \">\n        <div class=\"toc-sticky__container container\">\n            <div class=\"toc-sticky__open d-flex align-items-end\" data-bs-toggle=\"collapse\"\n                 aria-controls=\"multiCollapse1\"\n                 data-bs-target=\"#multiCollapse1\">\n                <button\n                        class=\"btn btn-primary collapse-action-btn p-1 rounded-circle\"\n                        type=\"button\"\n                >\n                    <i class=\"icon-chevron-up\"><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n                <span id=\"toc-current-title\" class=\"d-flex align-items-center\">\n                    Table of Contents\n                <\/span>\n                <span class=\"toc-main-title-permanent\">Table of Contents<\/span>\n            <\/div>\n            <div\n                    class=\"collapse my-3\"\n                    id=\"multiCollapse1\"\n            >\n                <ol class=\"StepProgress\">\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item current\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"what_is_antivirus_software\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"what_is_antivirus_software\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">What is Antivirus Software?<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"key_takeaways\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"key_takeaways\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">Key Takeaways<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"antivirus_software_vs_anti-malware_software\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"antivirus_software_vs_anti-malware_software\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">Antivirus Software vs. Anti-malware Software<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"how_does_antivirus_software_work\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"how_does_antivirus_software_work\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">How Does Antivirus Software Work?<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"types_of_antivirus_software\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"types_of_antivirus_software\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">Types of Antivirus Software<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"5_important_virus_detection_techniques\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"5_important_virus_detection_techniques\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">5 Important Virus Detection Techniques<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"is_it_still_necessary_to_purchase_antivirus_software\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"is_it_still_necessary_to_purchase_antivirus_software\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">Is It Still Necessary to Purchase Antivirus Software?<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"antivirus_software_benefits_and_challenges\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"antivirus_software_benefits_and_challenges\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">Antivirus Software Benefits and Challenges<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"the_bottom_line\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"the_bottom_line\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">The Bottom Line<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                                                        <li class=\"StepProgress-item\">\n                                                <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                            <a data-id=\"faqs\"\n                               onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"faqs\")\n                               class=\"StepProgress-item__link\" data-level=\"2\">FAQs<\/a>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <\/li>\n                                    <\/ol>\n                <div class=\"toc-sticky__container__disperse\"><\/div>\n                <div class=\"toc-sticky__btn-top justify-content-center\">\n                    <button class=\"btn btn-link d-flex align-items-center\" onclick={btnTop()}><p>Show Full Guide<\/p><img decoding=\"async\"\n                                src=\"\/wp-content\/plugins\/table-of-contents\/assets\/images\/arrow-up-circle.svg\"\n                                alt=\"arrow-up-circle\">\n                    <\/button>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n    <div class=\"toc-sticky-list\">\n        <div class=\"toc-sticky__container container\">\n            <div class=\"toc-sticky__open d-flex align-items-end\" data-bs-toggle=\"collapse\" aria-controls=\"multiCollapse2\" data-bs-target=\"#multiCollapse2\">\n                <button class=\"btn btn-primary collapse-action-btn p-1 rounded-circle\"\n                        type=\"button\">\n                    <i class=\"icon-chevron-up up\"><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n                <span id=\"toc-current-title\" class=\"d-flex align-items-center\">\n                    Table of Contents\n                <\/span>\n            <\/div>\n            <div  class=\"collapse my-3\" id=\"multiCollapse2\">\n                <ol class=\"StepProgress\">\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t                                                     <li class=\"StepProgress-item current \">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"what_is_antivirus_software\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"what_is_antivirus_software\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">What is Antivirus Software?<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t                                                     <li class=\"StepProgress-item \">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"key_takeaways\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"key_takeaways\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">Key Takeaways<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t                                                     <li class=\"StepProgress-item \">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"antivirus_software_vs_anti-malware_software\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"antivirus_software_vs_anti-malware_software\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">Antivirus Software vs. Anti-malware Software<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <span class=\"show_moretoc\">Show Full Guide<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"how_does_antivirus_software_work\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"how_does_antivirus_software_work\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">How Does Antivirus Software Work?<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"types_of_antivirus_software\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"types_of_antivirus_software\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">Types of Antivirus Software<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"5_important_virus_detection_techniques\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"5_important_virus_detection_techniques\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">5 Important Virus Detection Techniques<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"is_it_still_necessary_to_purchase_antivirus_software\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"is_it_still_necessary_to_purchase_antivirus_software\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">Is It Still Necessary to Purchase Antivirus Software?<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"antivirus_software_benefits_and_challenges\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"antivirus_software_benefits_and_challenges\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">Antivirus Software Benefits and Challenges<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"the_bottom_line\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"the_bottom_line\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   data-level=\"2\">The Bottom Line<\/a>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                                                    <\/li>\n                    \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t  \t\t\t\t\t                                                      <li class=\"StepProgress-item ms_hidetoc\">\n                                                    <div class=\"StepProgress-item__group\">\n                                <a data-id=\"faqs\"\n                                   onclick=handleScrollToTitle(\"faqs\")\n                                   class=\"StepProgress-item__link\"\n                                   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    top: el.offsetTop - 60 - headerHeightDifference - 10,\n        });\n    }\n<\/script>\n\n<h2><span id=\"antivirus_software_vs_anti-malware_software\">Antivirus Software vs. Anti-malware Software<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Antivirus software was originally designed to detect and remove computer viruses when they were the most serious type of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/25263\/cyberthreat\">cyberthreat<\/a>. As the threat landscape evolved, however, vendors began to add features that would address other types of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/4015\/malicious-software-malware\">malware<\/a> like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/4171\/worm\">worms<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/5484\/trojan-horse\">Trojan horses<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/4125\/spyware\">spyware<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Consequently, marketers began using the term &#8220;anti-malware&#8221; to differentiate their software&#8217;s capabilities from traditional anti-virus software. Today, even though antivirus software provides protection against a much broader range of threats, the name &#8220;antivirus&#8221; has persisted. This is partly due to historical reasons and partly because <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/antivirus\/how-to-tell-if-your-computer-has-a-virus\">viruses remain a significant cybersecurity threat<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"how_does_antivirus_software_work\">How Does Antivirus Software Work?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When antivirus software scans a file, email message, or web traffic, it compares the code against the vendor&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/1185\/database-db\">database<\/a> of virus signatures. If a match is found, the antivirus app quarantines the file, blocks the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/5411\/website\">website<\/a>, and\/or alerts the user.<\/p>\n<p>Today, most antivirus software combines <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/3989\/intrusion-signature\">signature-based intrusion detection<\/a> with other techniques like behavioral monitoring and heuristic analysis in a virtual sandbox environment to provide protection against a wider variety of cyberthreats.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/8181\/machine-learning-ml\">Machine learning<\/a> (ML) has significantly improved performance by decreasing the number of false positives and responding to previously unknown or emerging threats with greater accuracy and efficiency.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"types_of_antivirus_software\">Types of Antivirus Software<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Antivirus software applications can be categorized by their delivery method or by the types of threats they protect against.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Delivery method:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Stand-alone antivirus apps are installed directly on the user&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/2185\/device\">device<\/a> and perform most of the analysis locally.<\/li>\n<li>Integrated antivirus is built directly into a device&#8217;s operating system.<\/li>\n<li>Cloud-based antivirus subscriptions install a small <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/1292\/agent\">agent<\/a> program locally to monitor the device&#8217;s activity and send suspicious files to the cloud for analysis.<\/li>\n<li>Hybrid antivirus software balances local processing with cloud-based analysis for a more comprehensive and efficient approach to threat detection.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Types of threats:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Traditional antivirus focused primarily on detecting and removing known viruses.<\/li>\n<li>Next-gen antivirus software offers broader protection against a wider range of threats.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span id=\"5_important_virus_detection_techniques\">5 Important Virus Detection Techniques<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Virus signatures are still a reliable way to identify known computer threats, but to address a wider variety of threats in real-time, most antivirus applications today supplement signature-based strategies with these five other techniques:<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><div class=\"su-accordion su-u-trim\">\n<p class=\"p1\"><div class=\"su-spoiler su-spoiler-style-fancy su-spoiler-icon-plus\" data-scroll-offset=\"0\" data-anchor-in-url=\"no\"><div class=\"su-spoiler-title\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><span class=\"su-spoiler-icon\"><\/span><strong>Heuristic analysis<\/strong><\/div><div class=\"su-spoiler-content su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\"> Flags <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/16375\/obfuscation\">obfuscated code<\/a> and suspicious <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/api-call\">API calls<\/a>, which are often associated with malware, even if the specific threat is not in the signature database. <\/div><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\"><div class=\"su-spoiler su-spoiler-style-fancy su-spoiler-icon-plus su-spoiler-closed\" data-scroll-offset=\"0\" data-anchor-in-url=\"no\"><div class=\"su-spoiler-title\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><span class=\"su-spoiler-icon\"><\/span><strong>Behavioral-based detection<\/strong><\/div><div class=\"su-spoiler-content su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\"> Establishes a baseline for normal activity, monitors the actions of programs in real time, and compares them to the established baseline. Any significant deviation from the norm triggers an alert. <\/div><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\"><div class=\"su-spoiler su-spoiler-style-fancy su-spoiler-icon-plus su-spoiler-closed\" data-scroll-offset=\"0\" data-anchor-in-url=\"no\"><div class=\"su-spoiler-title\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><span class=\"su-spoiler-icon\"><\/span><strong>Sandboxing<\/strong><\/div><div class=\"su-spoiler-content su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/25266\/sandboxing\">Requires code<\/a> to be executed in an isolated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/4805\/virtual-machine-vm\">virtual machine<\/a> (VM) environment to avoid risking damage to the rest of the computing device. <\/div><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\"><div class=\"su-spoiler su-spoiler-style-fancy su-spoiler-icon-plus su-spoiler-closed\" data-scroll-offset=\"0\" data-anchor-in-url=\"no\"><div class=\"su-spoiler-title\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><span class=\"su-spoiler-icon\"><\/span><strong>Machine learning algorithms<\/strong><\/div><div class=\"su-spoiler-content su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/best-machine-learning-algorithms\">Can learn to distinguish between legitimate and malicious software with greater accuracy<\/a>. Their use can improve performance by reducing the number of false positives. <\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-spoiler su-spoiler-style-fancy su-spoiler-icon-plus su-spoiler-closed\" data-scroll-offset=\"0\" data-anchor-in-url=\"no\"><div class=\"su-spoiler-title\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\"><span class=\"su-spoiler-icon\"><\/span><strong>Cloud-based detection <\/strong><\/div><div class=\"su-spoiler-content su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\"> Reduces reliance on local system <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/6580\/compute\">compute<\/a> resources and can provide updates on new malware and vulnerabilities in real time. <\/div><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\"><\/div>\n<h2><span id=\"is_it_still_necessary_to_purchase_antivirus_software\">Is It Still Necessary to Purchase Antivirus Software?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/windows-10-vs-windows-11\">Windows<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/2639\/macintosh-operating-system-mac-os\">Mac<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/news\/ios-18-release-date\">iOS<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/5415\/android\">Android<\/a> operating systems each have built-in security features that provide a baseline level of antivirus protection. Windows has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/antivirus\/microsoft-defender-antivirus-review\">Defender Antivirus<\/a>, and MacOS has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/10990\/xprotect\">XProtect <\/a>and Gatekeeper. iOS and Android apps run in a sandboxed environment and have a strict app review process to prevent the spread of malware.<\/p>\n<p>This is why there is a growing debate in the cybersecurity community about whether third-party <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/antivirus\/do-i-need-an-antivirus\">antivirus software is still necessar<\/a> for everyday users.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, the decision to use supplementary antivirus software is a personal one. If you&#8217;re a casual user who practices safe browsing habits, the built-in security features of your OS might be sufficient. However, if you want extra protection, advanced features, or simply peace of mind, third-party antivirus can be a worthwhile investment.<\/p>\n<p>Before downloading and installing a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/antivirus\/best-free-antivirus\">free antivirus program<\/a>, it&#8217;s important to research the vendor&#8217;s reputation and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/antivirus\/how-to-choose-antivirus-software\">make sure the antivirus software you select<\/a> is compatible with your operating system&#8217;s built-in antivirus capabilities.<\/p>\n<p>Independent organizations like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.av-test.org\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\">AV-TEST<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.av-comparatives.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">AV-Comparatives<\/a> regularly test antivirus software and publish their results to help individuals and enterprises choose an antivirus program with a good detection rate.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/10-Reasons-to-Use-Supplementary-Antivirus-Software-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"10 Reasons to Use Supplementary Antivirus Software (1)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"2347\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-356944\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/10-Reasons-to-Use-Supplementary-Antivirus-Software-1-scaled.jpg 1309w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/10-Reasons-to-Use-Supplementary-Antivirus-Software-1-153x300.jpg 153w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/10-Reasons-to-Use-Supplementary-Antivirus-Software-1-524x1024.jpg 524w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/10-Reasons-to-Use-Supplementary-Antivirus-Software-1-768x1502.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/10-Reasons-to-Use-Supplementary-Antivirus-Software-1-786x1536.jpg 786w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/10-Reasons-to-Use-Supplementary-Antivirus-Software-1-1200x2346.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/10-Reasons-to-Use-Supplementary-Antivirus-Software-1-1980x3871.jpg 1980w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"antivirus_software_benefits_and_challenges\">Antivirus Software Benefits and Challenges<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Antivirus software provides many benefits, but it doesn&#8217;t work in isolation. It&#8217;s important for users to support its use with other security measures, such as using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/how-to\/how-to-create-a-strong-password\">strong passwords<\/a>, keeping all software apps updated, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/how-to-stay-safe-online-top-cyber-experts-advice\">practicing safe browsing habits<\/a>, to maximize the benefits of antivirus software and mitigate the challenges.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><div class=\"su-row\"><div class=\"su-column su-column-size-1-2\"><div class=\"su-column-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\">\n<h3 class=\"p1\">Benefits<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><div class=\"su-list\" style=\"margin-left:0px\">\n<ul>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-check-circle\" style=\"color:#3CB371\"><\/i> Can usually detect other types of malware in addition to viruses<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-check-circle\" style=\"color:#3CB371\"><\/i> Antivirus apps run silently in the background but can also be run manually<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-check-circle\" style=\"color:#3CB371\"><\/i> Reputable antivirus software vendors update their virus signatures frequently and push updates to customers automatically<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-check-circle\" style=\"color:#3CB371\"><\/i> Antivirus software apps typically have intuitive, user-friendly interfaces to support non-technical users<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-check-circle\" style=\"color:#3CB371\"><\/i> Many antivirus suites include features like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/firewall\">firewalls<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/antivirus\/best-antivirus-with-parental-control\">parental controls<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/antivirus\/best-antivirus-with-vpn\">virtual private networks<\/a> (VPNs)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\"><div class=\"su-column su-column-size-1-2 pros_icons_\"><div class=\"su-column-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\">\n<h3 class=\"p1\">Challenges<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><div class=\"su-list\" style=\"margin-left:0px\">\n<ul>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-remove\" style=\"color:#e31f28\"><\/i> False positive rates can negatively impact both performance and the user experience<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-remove\" style=\"color:#e31f28\"><\/i> Requires frequent updates to stay effective, and outdated software may leave systems vulnerable<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-remove\" style=\"color:#e31f28\"><\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/27451\/zero-day-threat\">Zero-day threats<\/a> may not be recognized and bypass detection<\/li>\n<li><i class=\"sui sui-remove\" style=\"color:#e31f28\"><\/i> Does not prevent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/4115\/social-engineering\">social engineering<\/a> attacks<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<h2><span id=\"the_bottom_line\">The Bottom Line<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Antivirus software, by definition, is designed to detect and remove viruses that could harm a computer, cause disruptions, or steal data. Today, most operating systems include built-in antivirus protection by default, and most third-party offerings bundle antivirus capabilities with anti-malware features to address a wider variety of cyberthreats.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"faqs\">FAQs<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"man_faq_sec\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\"><section class=\"ms_faq ms_card \" ><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><div class=\"accordionButton\"><h3 itemprop=\"name\">What is antivirus software in simple terms?<\/h3> <\/div>\n<div class=\"accordionContent\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" style=\"display:none;\"><p itemprop=\"text\">Antivirus software (meaning an operating system feature, a dedicated software application, a cloud service, or a suite of security programs) prevents viruses and other types of malware from infecting a computing device. <\/p>\r\n                <\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<section class=\"ms_faq ms_card \" ><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><div class=\"accordionButton\"><h3 itemprop=\"name\">Do I really need an antivirus?<\/h3> <\/div>\n<div class=\"accordionContent\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" style=\"display:none;\"><p itemprop=\"text\">Yes, you need antivirus software to protect your computing devices and data from malware and other online threats. <\/p>\r\n                <\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<section class=\"ms_faq ms_card \" ><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><div class=\"accordionButton\"><h3 itemprop=\"name\">What software is used to prevent viruses?<\/h3> <\/div>\n<div class=\"accordionContent\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" style=\"display:none;\"><p itemprop=\"text\">Antivirus software or anti-malware software can be used to prevent viruses from infecting a computer. <\/p>\r\n                <\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<section class=\"ms_faq ms_card \" ><div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><div class=\"accordionButton\"><h3 itemprop=\"name\">What are five examples of an antivirus?<\/h3> <\/div>\n<div class=\"accordionContent\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\" style=\"display:none;\"><p itemprop=\"text\">Five examples of antivirus software are Norton Antivirus, McAfee Antivirus, ClamAV, TotalAV, and Bitdefender. <\/p>\r\n                <\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is Antivirus Software? Antivirus software is a third-party software suite or operating system (OS) utility that is designed to block, isolate, and\/or remove computer viruses. The best antivirus software apps today bundle antivirus programming with other types of anti-malware programming to provide continuous protection against both known cybersecurity threats and new types of cyberattacks. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7813,"featured_media":356928,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"definitioncat":[1534],"class_list":["post-4468","definition","type-definition","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","definitioncat-antivirus"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v23.8 (Yoast SEO v23.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What is Antivirus Software? Definition, Types &amp; Benefits - Techopedia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Antivirus software is designed to protect computers from viruses and other types of malware. Learn the full meaning of antivirus software here.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/antivirus-software\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Antivirus Software\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Antivirus software is designed to protect computers from viruses and other types of malware. 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