And, if youre paying for a premium product, youll want to know what makes it tick.
This requires regular definition updates to counter the latest malware and doesnt work against brand-new threats.
Top security tools like Norton use heuristics and advanced machine learning to catch malware.
Before we dig any deeper, lets take a closer look at how viruses work.
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What Is a Virus and How Does It Work?
Viruses are meant to steal or destroy your data and damage your devices critical functions.
Unlike other malware, viruses are capable of replicating themselves.
However, virus is often used as a general term for all kinds of malware.
Next, Ill cover these specific types of malware.
What Can Viruses Do?
Ransomware
Ransomwareattacks are blunt but destructive.
If ransomware is successful, youll receive notifications threatening to delete your data unless you pay the hackers responsible.
Of course, even if you do pay up, theres no guarantee that theyll unlock your devices.
All sorts of people and devices get targeted by ransomware attacks, from huge multinational corporations to individual PCs.
Even non-profit organizations can be counted among the growing list of ransomware victims.
Little Red Door, out of Indiana, is one such example.
This means pop-ups which can occur even when your net web surfer isnt running.
A lot of adware can be categorized as potentially unwanted programs (PUPS).
Avoid clicking on any ads.
Thats generally a good rule, and it applies doubly if youre suffering from adware.
Spyware
As the name implies,spywareis created to spy on victims.
But the potential harm is far greater: were talking extortion and identity theft.
Most types of spyware are easily tackled by a premium antivirus likeNorton.
Spyware can affect all types of devices, so its important to exercise caution everywhere you go.
Worryingly, certain advanced types of spyware (namely Pegasus) cannot be easily countered.
The good news is that reliable antivirus tools do a good job dealing with these new threats.
Firstly, they use heuristic detection or analysis.
Thats not the only trick up their sleeve, though.
The antivirus will then watch what happens, and what the program tries to do.
Its only when everything checks out that the program will actually be allowed to run on your machine.
Last but not least, antivirus software layers machine learning onto these behavior-based techniques.
Youll notice that the key to antivirus software success isnt through one tactic.
What Features Do Antiviruses Offer?
The very best antiviruses will offer much more comprehensive protection than just simple virus scans.
While most antiviruses will be able to remove ransomware, that wont get you your files back!
We use them to browse the Internet, message friends, share photos, download media, and more.
If your antivirus doesnt offer any protection for your Apple or Android gear, youre leaving yourself extremely vulnerable.
Luckily, the best antiviruses have great protection forAndroidandiOStoo.
And thats just a taste of what advanced antivirus software can do.
Do I Need an Antivirus?
Antivirus software is a lot like insurance.
I recommend using an antivirus with web protection.
You probably wont be surprised to learn that most malware spreads via the internet.
Web protection works similarly to malware scanners, blocking malicious sites using databases and behavior-based detection.
Overall, antivirus technology has come a long way, and its had to.
The frantic pace of malware evolution has led to some truly amazing innovations in cyber-protection.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do antiviruses work?
In short,antiviruses detect threatsby looking for malware signatures and suspicious behavior.
This is essential, as antiviruses that only rely on malware databases are completely ineffective against brand-new threats.
Do antiviruses work on phones?
Yes many antivirus companies do make phone apps (and some are very good).
Note thatiOS antivirusesare far more limited than those forAndroidand dont perform traditional virus scans.
Do antiviruses work on Macs?
Yes, and some work quite well, blocking threats like malware, phishing sites, and more.
They also offer similar extra features like password managers and VPNs.
you could take a look at our recommendations forthe best antiviruses for Mac.
