Definition
Anti-malware is a collective term encompassing all software and policies that protect computer systems against malicious programs. They scan computer files to detect malicious programs that could damage or steal data. The anti-malware then quarantines or removes any detected malware.
Anti-malware Types
- Sandboxing: The anti-malware isolates suspicious files to a virtual space ‘sandbox’ and monitors them to determine if they are a threat. They cannot run on the user space if they have malware traits.
- Recursive unpacking: The anti-malware decompresses suspicious files and scans all layers to uncover hidden malware.
- Behaviour-based (Heuristic evaluation): This type of anti-malware monitors the behaviour of all files and applications. It then quarantines any file that shows suspicious behaviour.
- Signature-based: They maintain an updated database of all known malware signatures. The anti-malware then scans all files and applications while comparing them with malware signatures in the database. All identified matches are flagged as malicious.
Real Anti-malware Examples
- Threat protection: This feature scans files while downloading to detect malware at an early stage before it takes root.
- Antivirus software: An antivirus is a utility program used to detect and remove viruses. Modern antivirus systems can also remove other types of malware, such as spyware and adware.
How Anti-malware Works
Anti-malware programs combine behavioural monitoring, heuristic analysis and signature identification to detect malware. While scanning a file, the anti-malware checks whether the file’s signature and behaviour fit the malware profile. The anti-malware then quarantines or removes all the detected malware and notifies the user.
Difference between Anti-malware and Antivirus
Anti-malware software protects you against various types of malware while an Antivirus mainly focuses on protection against viruses. A virus is just one type of malware, so if you need protection against other types of malware like ransomware and worms, consider using anti-malware.
Benefits of Using Anti-malware Software
- Improves performance: Anti-malware software removes malicious programs that consume system resources and affect performance.
- Restoration of corrupted data: Some anti-malware software has tools to restore data corrupted by malware.
- Protection of sensitive data: Anti-malware software stops malicious programs from accessing sensitive data without authorization.
- Regulatory compliance: Data privacy standards like GDPR require organizations to have controls and security systems for protection against malware.
- Continuous real-time protection: Anti-malware protects against malware throughout and scans any new files introduced to the system.