Antivirus software is a type of utility. used for scanning and removing viruses from your computer. While many types of antivirus (or “anti-virus”) programs exist, their primary purpose is to protect computers from viruses and remove any viruses that are found.

Most antivirus programs include both automatic and manual scanning capabilities. The automatic scan may check files that are downloaded from the Internet, discs that are inserted into the computer, and files that are created by software installers. The automatic scan may also scan the entire hard drive on a regular basis. The manual scan option allows you to scan individual files or your entire system whenever you feel it is necessary.

Features of an Effective Antivirus

The following features of any antivirus are to be looked for when you decide on installing one

Proactive scanning for malwares, and deleting once detected

Default-Deny Protection – Default-Deny protection that is implemented to prevent the entry of suspicious files by default.

Auto Sandbox Technology – A virtual environment where suspicious and unknown files are secluded and run to check for any malicious activity  without interfering with the normal operations.

Containment Technology – Validates and authorizes the programs that are executable and ensures that the processes are run without effecting  the regular operations  of the system.

Host Intrusion Protection System (HIPS) – This feature works on a protocol-based intrusion prevention system, that oversees all the application and program activities that aare processed in the system. The HIPS terminates any malicious activities once found. This prevents the malware from infecting the operating system, registry keys or personal data or system memory.