antivirus

An antivirus program is software designed to detect, prevent, and remove malware from computers, networks, and other devices. It typically runs in the background to monitor activity in real time and performs on-demand scans. Modern antivirus suites may add features such as ransomware protection, web filtering, and firewall controls, but core functionality remains detection and removal.

Origins and evolution: Antivirus technology began in the 1980s with signature databases to identify known threats. Early programs scanned for specific virus signatures and removed infected files. Over time, products incorporated heuristics, behavior monitoring, sandboxing, and cloud-based detection to address unknown threats and code-less attacks.

How it works: Detection uses multiple techniques, including signature-based matching, heuristics, and behavior monitoring. Some products employ sandboxing and cloud-assisted scanning to speed up analysis and reduce local database size. When malware is found, items can be quarantined, deleted, or repaired, and software definitions are updated regularly.

Types and deployment: On-device antivirus software protects individuals and organizations on PCs and mobile devices. Enterprise offerings often take the form of endpoint protection platforms that combine antivirus with other security controls. Cloud-based options perform much of the analysis remotely, while some products add browser or network protection.

Limitations and best practices: No solution is perfect; new or polymorphic malware can evade signatures, and some threats use encryption, fileless techniques, or rootkits. Performance impact and false positives are possible. To maintain protection, keep software updated, enable automatic updates and real-time protection, back up important data, and follow a layered security approach.