What is antivirus software:

Antivirus software, or malware protection software, is a tool that looks for malicious applications running on your computer (or smartphone) that shouldn't be there. It uses a number of ways to distinguish between a Word document you are editing and bad software that launches annoying pop-up ads or steals your bank details. It can also identify when applications have been compromised by a virus.

When antivirus software finds malware on your system, it usually offers options to isolate it (making it unusable) or remove it completely. While removing it ensures that your system is cleaned, isolation is also useful, making it easier for antivirus programs to analyze threats and develop ways to deal with them so that they are better able to defend against them in the future.

How does an antivirus program work?

Anti-virus software changed a lot over the years. Early versions were programs designed to target individual viruses. Today, there are millions of different malware programs. To combat this ever-changing threat, antivirus programs have changed and expanded. Today's antivirus software uses a range of different approaches to help protect your PC and Mac, as well as your smart devices and networks.

Signature: Signature scanning is one of the most tested and proven methods of protection against viruses and malware. Signature-based scanning looks for a specific numerical code of the virus when it is added, quarantined or deleted. This is similar to the fingerprint of a virus. The upside is that once the virus is identified, it can be added to the signature database stored locally or in the cloud and then accessed when the system is scanned. The downside is that it is not very useful for new threats. Malware can attack at least one person or system before the antivirus software can protect against it.

Behavioral analysis: Behavioral analysis is the latest technology for tracking viruses; instead of examining the nature of the software, it monitors the behavior and activity of that software.

The way a user may run certain programs, or an operating system such as Windows or MacOS performs certain functions, is quantifiable and relatively specific. Whereas viruses and other malware tend to perform functions that are not typical for the user. Malware attempts to stop or bypass anti-virus solutions, by automatically running every time you start your system without asking, or by connecting to an external server to download more malware to your system. Behavioral analysis looks for programs that attempt to perform such functions and isolates or removes them again when detected. While there is more potential for error in behavioral analysis than in signature, it is an essential part of antivirus protection because ransomware attacks that encrypt files and require payment to open require a very quick response and are unlikely to be stopped by signatures alone. Behavioral analysis, such as the analysis offered by BitDefender, can detect and stop encryption, and in some cases even erase any encryption that has been performed.

Machine learning: teaching computers to do something has always been difficult and time-consuming, but machine learning allows computers to learn themselves much more efficiently. This is exactly what antivirus software learns in order to provide an important layer of modern anti-malware protection. Antivirus programs that use machine learning can analyze application code and decide, based on their understanding of malicious and harmless programs, whether the program is dangerous or not. This is an artificial intelligence solution, used in conjunction with other security protocols, and has proven to be very effective in combating new and old threats. Machine learning requires an Internet connection in order to take advantage of the power of networked information databases.

Some suggestions for antivirus software

Some of our favorite antivirus programs include BitDefender's , Antivirus Free Edition, Avast Free Antivirus and Kaspersky. Among the premium solutions, MalwareBytes is one of the best, as it offers protection against all kinds of threats, and Active Web Protection helps you avoid questionable websites completely.