Antivirus software is a kind of software that protects PCs from malware infections. This includes viruses, Trojans, spyware, rootkits, adware, and worms. It also can detect and repair any damage caused by these threats.

Antivirus software is a vital tool for protecting any personal computer or mobile device. They can help prevent attacks by hackers, identify and remove phishing attacks, spam emails, and ransomware. They can also scan and protect connected appliances, such as SmartTVs and printers.

When choosing an antivirus program make sure you choose one that has been tested and has received positive reviews from independent labs. Virus Bulletin and TechRadar are among the organizations that run tests and reviews of antivirus software. They will let you know what security features are included in the program, how they perform and if the program is worth the investment.

Traditional antivirus software relies upon the signature or binary pattern of a virus, to identify it. However hackers have kept up with this by releasing polymorphic and oligomorphic viruses which encrypt parts of themselves or modify their appearance to not match the signatures of viruses stored in antivirus databases. Sandbox analysis is employed by the latest antivirus programs to tackle these sophisticated malware threats. The program executes the file inside the virtual environment to determine how it behaves.

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