WHAT ARE THE MAIN FUNCTIONS OF ANTIVIRUS?
Virus infections can cause system instability, data loss, and file corruption. Many users consider antivirus software essential, especially when accessing content online and downloading files or programs. Not all antivirus utilities are the same: some offer more features than just virus detection. Understanding the various functions offered by antivirus software allows you to compare the different programs based on what functions they offer and choose the virus protection that suits your needs.
Virus DetectionThe main function of antivirus software is to
detect and remove computer viruses. This is usually done by scanning files on
the computer and comparing data from the files to a database of known virus
signatures. This database is updated regularly, often several times each day,
to make sure that your antivirus program has the foremost up-to-date virus
definitions to detect all known virus threats. Most antivirus software has the
power to detect viruses both during a scan and in real time at the purpose of
infection.
System Analysis
Many antivirus programs also
monitor your computer for signs that system components are not working
properly, which can be an indication that your system is infected, even if a
virus has not been detected. By recognizing system problems that are likely caused
by an epidemic, antivirus software can initiate a scan to seek out the
explanation for the matter. If a virus is detected, the infected file will be
quarantined, deleted, or otherwise treated malware removal. Some antivirus
programs also detect and remove malware and other harmful programs that may be
installed on the computer. Separate malware scanners are needed in the past due
to the coding of the differences between virus and malware programs, resulting
in computer users who have just installed an antivirus getting infected with
malware and not knowing it. A growing number of antivirus programs now include
malware detection and removal to offer more comprehensive protection for your
computer.
File Quarantine
The ability to quarantine files
without deleting them is an important feature of many antivirus programs,
because it quarantines to protect your computer against false positives during
virus scanning. A false positive occurs when a program or file that's not
infected is identified by your antivirus as an epidemic file and action is
taken against it. If your antivirus is configured to quarantine files for later
review, the detected file is separated from system resources, but not removed
until you manually prefer to delete it or a predetermined period of time has
passed. If the file is safe you have the option to remove it from quarantine
and protect it from future detection threat identification. As new viruses and
malware threats are released, antivirus programs can help identify them. If
your antivirus has the ability to recognize potential threats that are not in
its virus signature database, you can send a copy of the potential threat to
its manufacturer for identification. This speeds up the process of new viruses
being identified and added to the virus definition files officially, ensuring
more complete protection, not only for you, but for others as well.
Online Security
Just as some antivirus software helps
protect against malware and other threats, some programs also have components
that help in other ways to keep you safe online. An intrusion detection, fraud
monitoring, phishing and recognition feature that alerts you if someone tries
to access your computer from a remote location or if a website tries to
redirect your browser or steal your personal information. Untrustworthy sites
or pages with potentially harmful downloads can be blocked, protecting your
computer by preventing harmful action before the site can load. Data Protection
Because there is still a risk of file corruption or other damage if a virus is
not detected immediately, some antivirus programs offer online backups of vital
files that can later be restored if files become infected, corrupted, or
damaged. This feature is normally available only with paid antivirus subscriptions;
the subscription price helps cover the cost of the host and the bandwidth
involved in creating and restoring backups.
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