What Is Antivirus Software? How It Can Protect Your Device
Understand what antivirus software does, what it can and cannot protect against, and how to configure it effectively.
Antivirus Software Basics
Antivirus software is a class of security tools designed to prevent, detect, and remove malicious software from your devices. Early products focused primarily on classic computer viruses that modified or attached themselves to files. Over time, antivirus suites evolved into broader antimalware solutions that guard against many different types of threats.
Most operating systems now include built-in antivirus capabilities—for example, Microsoft Defender on Windows—but third-party products can add additional layers such as web filtering, email scanning, and sandboxing.
Strengths and Limitations of Antivirus Protection
Antivirus tools are very effective at catching known threats, blocking dangerous downloads, and cleaning up many common infections. They run in the background, scanning files as they are opened or executed, and can perform scheduled full-system scans to look for dormant malware.
However, no antivirus can catch everything. Brand-new malware, targeted attacks, and threats that exploit misconfigurations or weak passwords may bypass traditional detection. Antivirus should be viewed as one component of a defense-in-depth strategy rather than a complete solution on its own.
Getting the Most from Your Antivirus Software
To maximize protection, keep your antivirus engine and its signatures up to date, and enable real-time scanning features. Avoid running multiple real-time antivirus programs simultaneously on the same device, as they can conflict and reduce performance.
Regularly review quarantine logs and alerts so you can understand what threats are being blocked and adjust settings if necessary. Combine antivirus with safe browsing practices, careful handling of email attachments, and strong authentication to significantly reduce your risk of infection.