What is meant by virus detection?
Virus detection refers to the process of identifying computer viruses by security software. A computer virus is a type of malware that replicates itself and attaches to other files or programs to spread on a computer and cause harm. Virus detection is an essential component of antivirus programs and aims to detect, isolate, and remove infections to protect computer systems from damage.
Typical functions of software in the area of virus detection include:
- File and System Scanning: Performing scans on files, folders, and the entire computer system to look for viruses.
- Virus Signature Detection: Identifying known virus signatures and patterns in files or memory.
- Heuristic Analysis: Applying heuristic techniques to identify potentially harmful programs that do not have known signatures.
- Real-Time Protection: Providing real-time protection mechanisms to prevent the intrusion of viruses and take immediate actions.
- Quarantine of Infected Files: Moving infected files to quarantine areas to prevent further spread of viruses.
- Automatic Updates of Virus Definitions: Regularly updating virus definitions to stay protected against new virus variants.
- Reporting and Logging: Generating reports on detected virus infections and logging events for analysis and tracking.