Antivirus software is a kind of software that guards computer systems from malware attacks. This includes viruses and Trojans as well as adware rootkits, spyware and worms. It can also assist in detecting and repair the damage done by these threats.

Antivirus software is a must-have for any laptop or device. They can protect against attacks from hackers, and detect and remove phishing attacks, ransomware and spam emails. They can also scan and secure connected appliances such as printers and SmartTVs.

When selecting an antivirus program, choose one that has been tested and has received favorable reviews from independent laboratories. Organizations such as Virus Bulletin, TechRadar, NSS Labs and AV-Comparatives run tests and provide thorough reviews of different antivirus software alternatives. They will let you know the protections they offer and how well they work and if the program is worth your money.

Traditional antivirus software relies upon the signature, or binary pattern of a virus is totalav safe to recognize it. However, hackers have kept up with this by introducing polymorphic and oligomorphic viruses which encrypt parts of themselves or alter their appearance in order to not match signatures of viruses stored in antivirus databases. Newer antivirus software is designed to be more effective against these sophisticated malware threats by using Sandbox analysis, which allows you to run the file in an environment that simulates what it does before allowing it into the system.