Antivirus: What it is, how it differs from anti-malware, and what it really does

Antivirus

What it is

An antivirus (AV) is a security app that spots and stops malicious software before it wrecks your day. It can watch in real time, scan on demand, and help undo changes after an attack. For a deeper dive, see our 
antivirus guide

Antivirus vs anti-malware (quick take)

Both fight malicious software. The practical difference: modern AV suites add system recovery and rollback tools after an infection, while “anti-malware” often focuses on finding and removing active threats.

What it actually does

  • Blocks known threats and suspicious behavior in real time

  • Scans files, apps, email, and downloads on demand or on schedule

  • Quarantines & cleans detected items; can restore system changes

Good to know

  • No tool is perfect; layered security matters (OS updates, MFA, safe browsing).

  • False positives can happen—quarantine first, review later.

  • Light, frequent scans beat rare, heavy scans on an outdated system.

Quick tips

  1. Keep AV and your OS auto-updated

  2. Enable real-time protection and scheduled scans

  3. Don’t run two real-time AV engines at once

  4. Use a separate on-demand scanner for second opinions when needed

    Glossary (A–Z)

    All A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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