Nowadays, antivirus software consists of a multitude of different components, some of which even work independently of each other. The classic virus scanner and the Firewall are among the best known, but there are also numerous other functions such as the targeted search for pishing emails, the defense against malware and the surfing protection, as well as increasingly optimization tools that can improve the functioning of the computer and manage the memory independently. The basic functions that should be included in a good antivirus software are presented in the following sections once in brief. However, this can only happen in part, because between the individual providers there are significant differences in performance and functionality.
The virus scanner and the firewall
These two basic components are included in every antivirus program and are mainly concerned with defense and detection of threats. While the virus scanner scans the existing files and structures for viruses, the firewall is a pure defence instrument against known threats. The firewall virtually does the preliminary work and the virus scanner "cleans" the hard disk even more precisely and thoroughly. A firewall can also only provide limited protection against threats, because unlike a virus scanner, it only works with the Data of active Internet traffic and does not access already existing files. This separation is deliberate because it keeps the individual components more powerful.
The Pishing Filter
Although many email providers offer their own protection functions, a protection function against pishing attacks is indispensable, especially with the increased volume of communications via email. This function checks the e-mail for suspicious characteristics immediately after it arrives in the mailbox and automatically passes on warnings. This filter is special, but can also be applied more comprehensively, and often a check for malware and illegal content is integrated with parental control. Even though these additional functions often appear as separate and additional programs in the shore interface, they are often a part of the pishing filter and are managed independently by this part of the software.
Search for malware and adware
Although this function is often also performed by the virus scanner, there are often separate scanners for this purpose which can search much more efficiently and effectively by separating them from the normal virus scanner. These functions are specially designed for the known threats from malware and adware and search explicitly for such structures within the system. Especially computers with a lot of internet surfing are vulnerable and need an independent protection against malware and adware. In the user interface, the virus scanner and the malware blocker are similar and both have the possibility to treat the affected files according to their own taste or to let the system treat them automatically.
Automatic Updates - The most important function of an antivirus program
The automatic Updates are probably the most highly rated function of an antivirus program. This is because the automatic updates guarantee not only constant updating of the program and the functions themselves, but also the quasi vital updates of the virus databases and known threats. The automatic updates are thus in principle the gateway to the world of viruses for the program and provide the individual components with important information that is integrated into the search algorithms, thus guaranteeing optimum protection.
Performance Optimization Tools
While these tools are not necessarily a mark of good antivirus software, they are now almost standard. The functions of such tools deal entirely with memory management and ensure optimized memory usage either in the background or when activated. The tools take care of the registry, available memory, but also delete temporary files and Internet history. The latter in particular is a useful function, as it guarantees anonymous surfing on the Internet in the long term.
