The term "real-time scan" refers to the continuous and immediate monitoring of files, processes, or data streams by security software as they are executed or accessed on a system. The objective of real-time scanning is to detect and block threats such as viruses, malware, ransomware, or other harmful activities before any damage occurs. This function is commonly found in antivirus software, firewalls, or endpoint security solutions.
Real-time file monitoring: Scanning each opened, downloaded, or modified file for potential threats.
Email and attachment scanning: Automatic inspection of incoming and outgoing emails for malware or phishing content.
Active process monitoring: Analyzing currently running applications and processes for suspicious behavior (e.g., unauthorized access, memory manipulation).
Web and network protection: Real-time scanning of data transmitted via browsers or network connections.
Signature-based and behavior-based detection: Matching against known threat patterns and analyzing program behavior anomalies.
Automatic quarantine and threat neutralization: Instantly isolating or removing suspicious files without user intervention.
Integration into the operating system and file system: Deep system integration to detect threats at the kernel or file system level.
An antivirus program immediately blocks access to an infected file opened from a USB stick.
An email security service detects a phishing link in an incoming message and automatically moves it to quarantine.
An endpoint security solution identifies abnormal behavior in a background process and terminates it automatically.
When visiting a compromised website, a web protection module prevents malicious JavaScript from loading.
A real-time scanner detects ransomware patterns before file encryption begins.