A virus scanner, also known as an antivirus scanner, is a software component designed to search through your computer system to locate and remove any malicious threats on your device. It is a core part of most antivirus software packages.
What Does a Virus Scan Do?
According to common definitions and the provided reference, a virus scan's primary function is to actively seek out harmful software hiding on your computer or network. This process typically involves:
- Scanning Files and Directories: Examining files and folders for known patterns (signatures) of malicious code or for suspicious behaviors.
- Identifying Threats: Detecting the presence of malware based on signature matching, heuristic analysis, or behavioral monitoring.
- Quarantining or Removing Threats: Isolating detected malicious files to prevent them from causing harm or completely deleting them from the system.
Threats Detected by Virus Scanners
While the name implies only viruses, most modern virus scanners are equipped to handle a wide range of malicious software. Most antivirus software guards against malware, which is an umbrella term for various harmful programs. This can include threats like:
- Viruses: Self-replicating malware that attaches to legitimate files.
- Worms: Self-replicating malware that spreads through networks.
- Spyware: Software that collects information about user activity without their knowledge.
- Trojans: Malware disguised as legitimate software to gain access to a system.
- Ransomware: Malware that encrypts files and demands payment for decryption.
- Adware: Software that displays unwanted advertisements, often aggressively.
These scanners work by comparing code within files to databases of known malware signatures or by monitoring program behavior for suspicious actions that might indicate new or unknown threats. Regular updates to the virus scanner's database are crucial for detecting the latest threats.
