Anti-malware software

Common prevention methods: Anti-malware software

1.4.2 Identifying and preventing vulnerabilities

Identifying and preventing vulnerabilities — Note 3 of 8

What you need to know

Anti-malware software scans files and programs for known malware by comparing them to a database of malware signatures. It can detect, quarantine, and remove malicious software.

What to know

When malware is detected, the software alerts the user and offers actions: quarantine (isolate) or delete the malware.
Can also block malware from being downloaded in the first place.
Must be kept up to date — new malware is constantly being created, so the signature database needs regular updates.

Key terms

Anti-Malware Software: Software that scans for and removes malware by comparing files to a database of known malware signatures.

Exam technique

Tip:Anti-malware software only protects against MALWARE (viruses, trojans, spyware). It does NOT protect against social engineering, brute-force, or DoS attacks.

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