What is an anti virus and how does it work to protect hosts?
Anti virus is a software that detects, prevents and at times deletes a virus or malware (malicious software) from endpoint devices. Anti virus has recently morphed into anti malware software so that it can comprehensively handle other malware attacks, such as worms, rootkits, ransomware and more, besides to virus protection.
Anti virus works by employing different techniques. It firstly checks computer programs and files against a database of known types of malware signatures. However, due to zero-day vulnerabilities and new viruses, anti virus or anti malware software products are supported by advanced security solutions such as EDR (Endpoint detection and response).
The best strategies to get the most from anti malwares, individuals and organizations should continuously update and patch their systems. Besides to latest anti malware products, security awareness programs also play a crucial role in preventing viruses and other malwares infections and distributions.