Ensuring that your devices are safe from malicious software is important in today’s digital world. Antivirus and malware scanner are widely used because of the increasing threats from hackers and cybercriminals. Both are designed to safeguard your devices; they serve slightly different purposes. Understanding these differences is important for choosing the right protection for your needs. In this article, we will take a look at some of the key differences between antivirus software and a malware scanner.
Antivirus Software
Antivirus software is made to detect, prevent, and remove viruses from your computer or mobile device. Usually, antivirus programs were designed to deal with viruses specifically, but over time, this has evolved to describe software that provides complete protection against a variety of cyber threats, including worms, Trojans, spyware, and even ransomware.
Most antivirus programs use signature-based detection, where they compare files on your system with a database of known virus signatures. If a match is found, the antivirus program alerts the user and can either quarantine or delete the infected file. Some advanced antivirus programs use heuristic analysis, which scans files for suspicious behavior, making it effective against new or unknown threats.
Malware Scanner
Malware scanner focuses on detecting and removing all types of malicious software, not only just viruses. Malware is a term that usually referred to a variety of harmful programs, including viruses, ransomware, spyware, adware, trojans, and worms. A malware scanner looks for these threats and eliminates them to keep your system safe.
Malware scanner use a combination of signature-based detection and behavioral analysis to identify threats. Unlike traditional antivirus software, which focuses heavily on known threats, malware scanners tend to have a more general approach to detecting malicious programs. Mostly these scanners are designed to run in the background and provide real-time protection, while others may only be activated for on-demand scans.
Difference Between Antivirus and Malware Scanner
Protection
- Antivirus software focuses mainly on viruses and other specific threats like worms and Trojans.
- Malware scanners detect a wide range of malicious software, including viruses, ransomware, spyware, and more.
Detection Methods
- Most antivirus programs use signature-based detection, identifying known threats using a pre-existing database.
- Malware scanners use a combination of signature-based detection and heuristic or behavioral analysis, allowing them to detect both known and unknown threats.
Real-Time Protection
- Antivirus programs offer real-time protection, constantly monitoring for threats as soon as when they arise.
- Malware scanners provide real-time protection and are designed to be used for periodic scanning rather than continuous monitoring.
Conclusion
Both antivirus software and malware scanners are important for maintaining your device’s security. Antivirus programs provide foundational protection against common and popular threats, malware scanners provide a wide range of defense by detecting various forms of malicious software.