This is How Antivirus Software Works

 

This is How Antivirus Software Works

In these times, the use of an antivirus program is so important that no one should dare to use a computer without the protection of this type of software, which is so important for our security. Antivirus software tries to cover the main ways of attacking our computer. The consequences that can occur after an attack can be very serious for us, both personally and professionally.

That is why the protection of a good antivirus application is essential, but unfortunately many users still believe that by being lucky and not accessing sites that seem suspicious, they will be safe from any danger. Nothing further from reality. In this complete post on antivirus we will explain some details about the use of antivirus, its advantages and which one is the most suitable for us and our needs.

How an antivirus works

Basically, an Antivirus works in the following way:

o       It inspects (Scan) all emails that are received on the computer and looks for viruses to remove that may be hidden between our documents and folder structure and programs.

o      Monitors computer files as they are opened or created to ensure they are not infected. This is a real-time protection against viruses, which can affect computer performance.

o    Periodically inspect the entire computer to verify that there are corrupt files and remove existing viruses , in case they may have entered our PC.

Limitations of ANTIVIRUS

Antivirus Software, despite being very carefully developed and offering more and more functionalities, also have certain limitations when it comes to keeping our computer safe, although at present it is already very common for this type of program to incorporate other types of characteristics that allow them to expand the security they offer.

That is why, when selecting an antivirus, we must bear in mind some of the tasks that basic antivirus does not perform.

Here are some examples:

o    They do not prevent Spam, which must be removed with specific Anti-Spam software.

o    They do not prevent direct attacks from a hacker on the computer.

o    They do not prevent criminal activities online. The antivirus is not capable by itself of preventing these actions.

Cautions to be taken with the Antivirus

Despite the limitations, we should never stop the antivirus operation because it will leave the computer much more exposed to external attacks. In the same way, if we do not update the antivirus with the latest virus lists available on the internet, the software will become practically useless, since it will not be able to detect or remove the most recent viruses.

When a new virus is created, antivirus software companies analyze its characteristics, the way to remove the virus (if possible) and update the database with this information so that the antivirus can easily detect threats .

Advantages and disadvantages of Antivirus

At this point the advantages of having an antivirus installed on the computer are obvious, since they allow us to have a level of protection against malware and other external threats, which would otherwise access our PC and wreak havoc. As for the disadvantages, having an antivirus installed on the PC almost always means that our computer slows down a little more than necessary, that is, it works slower than it should.

This is mainly due to the fact that antivirus programs use a lot of system resources. A general rule of thumb in this regard is that the more functions the antivirus provides, the more resources such as RAM and CPU cycles it will use. With this in mind, from this point on, we will analyze what are the main types of antivirus today.