A good antivirus program prevents malware infections and eradicates existing threats or attacks on singular computer devices, networks or entire IT systems. The programs scan websites, files, installed software and user data to search for malware types that are known to exist They also track day-to-day program behavior to identify possible threats and alert users.
The majority of antivirus protections provide multiple scanning options which include scheduled, on-access and quick scans. On-access scans look through directories of the operating system and common file regions to search for malicious code on the start-up. Scheduled scans allow you to set up a weekly, daily, weekly or monthly schedule to run a complete system scan at a specific time. The scans are usually quick and last a few moments and examine commonly used areas on your computer, including temporary files or the operating system directory.
Certain programs employ heuristics that scan for malware, looking for similar tendencies and patterns. This is a more advanced form of virus detection compared to signature-based security and can detect malware that other programs fail to recognize. These advanced forms of antivirus detection may not work as well for small businesses, as they are often prone to false positives–identifying secure parts of files and programs as potentially harmful.
As the world of business is becoming more interconnected, hackers are targeting businesses with more frequency to snag caches of consumer information or to make their name through hacktivism (disrupting professional systems for political or social reasons). Antivirus protection is essential for all businesses to have in place to safeguard against cyberattacks and ensure that your company and its customers safe.