How do Antivirus programs work?

The term viruses and their types are among the things that have had a significant share on the Computer World blog, through many topics like how to make sure that the security program is working efficiently or how to remove viruses from the computer, and many other topics related to viruses, malware, antivirus programs, and security programs in general. However, despite all this information and numerous topics, we have not mentioned one of the most important things that everyone should know and that we all mention daily, but unfortunately many people do not know enough details about what antivirus programs are, how they work, and how to detect those viruses.

Therefore, we decided to share with you this important information that everyone should know, in the simplest way possible, to familiarize yourself with a common and famous term used by people in computers and smartphones, and even some companies. So try to follow along with a little focus… The operation of antivirus programs relies on two main concepts.


– File Scanning

In this method, you ask the antivirus program on your device to scan the files on your device to detect infected files and malicious software. This detection is done through what is known as a virus database provided by the security company that uses the program you are using. You might wonder how this is done? Simply put, every program on your device is a large set of programming lines, even the program you are reading this article with, and viruses are also sets of programming lines integrated with this program.

When you perform the scan, the antivirus program compares the malicious programming lines in its database with the files on your device. When there is a match, it means there is a virus or malicious software present, and you will be notified to take action, either by deleting or isolating it so it does not affect your device’s performance and remains secure. It is recommended to regularly update the virus definitions database of the program you are using to detect any new viruses or malware.


Read also >> Five Steps to Protect Your Computer from Computer Viruses

– Behavioral Analysis

The second method that antivirus programs use is scanning the behavior of programs. For example, if you install a program specialized in computer screen recording, but in reality, it is malicious software disguised as a legitimate program and is spying on audio, recording keystrokes, deleting files, or sending data to certain addresses. The antivirus program in the background monitors all activities and based on predefined behaviors by security companies, it detects whether this program is a virus or malicious software, and immediately stops or quarantines it. Sometimes, this method is crucial to detect the intentions or behaviors of programs that occur without your knowledge.

– Conclusion

Now you know how antivirus programs work in detecting and dealing with various viruses, and it is essential to pay attention to updating the virus definitions database of the program you are using regularly, as well as updating the program itself constantly to protect it from any viruses that may affect its ability to protect your device.