About Anti-Virus Software

What is Anti-Virus Software?

Anti-Virus software is like any other program: you install it, and run it as needed. More advanced Anti-Virus programs can be configured to automatically scan your computer for viruses and update itself as well.

How Does it Work?

It is a lot like creating a vaccine.  When a virus is discovered, technicians isolate it, and attempt to analyze its code. This provides insights into how the virus is transmitted, what actions the virus may take when infecting a computer,  how to repair any damaged caused, how to remove it, and ultimately how to detect it.

Because every virus is a small program, it contains unique code. Anti-Virus companies examine the virus code and use its unique characteristics as a method of identification, somewhat like a fingerprint. These fingerprints are then combined into one large database, often called "virus definitions".

When an Anti-Virus program checks your computer for viruses, it compares the contents of each file on your computer to each virus definition in its database. If it finds a match, generally a virus is present.

An estimated 500 new viruses a month are unleashed on the world, and while few spread very far, the potential for data loss is high. Since Anti-Virus programs rely on their virus definition databases of known viruses, it is crucial that users update these virus definitions. The security that Anti-Virus software provides is inversely proportional to the age of the virus definitions.

Bottom LIne: Update your virus definitions at least once a month!

Most companies release updates around the first of the month, with additional updates if a new, malicious virus is detected.