Distinction among Antimalware & Antivirus

 

Distinction among

Antimalware & Antivirus

I help you navigate the worlds of anti-malware and anti-virus. Do you know what exactly the difference is between them?

If you don't already have an antivirus application or program running on your computer, you are leaving your computer open to attack. Most people know that having antivirus installed on your computer is as essential as having a means to view and edit documents, especially with devices that are often permanently connected to the Internet. Computer viruses seem to be more prevalent now than ever, so it is vital that your computer remains protected.

Antivirus software was first introduced in the 1990s for both home and business users as the first line of defense against viruses that infiltrate computers and entire computer networks.

However, although the threat landscape is growing, the different types of attacks have become more frequent and Antiviruses have had to change to keep up. And what about antimalware? They are programs designed to combat ransomware and Trojans. But will you need to have this new kind of virus control, or should you limit yourself to antivirus? What are the real differences and what is best for your team or organization? I explain everything here.

1. What is malware?

The term malware was coined at the same time as (computer) viruses and antivirus. However, it did not become a particularly popular or widely used term until the 2000s.

So what is it? A combination of "software" and "malicious". Malware refers to any type of harmful program, from ransomware to key loggers, spyware and botnet infections & recently, anything related to bitcoins mining.

Confusingly, computer viruses are also a type of malware, but the term "virus" refers to a particular type of malicious software with a specific set of attributes (see below).

So even though all viruses are malware, not all malware is viruses.

2. What is Antivirus Software?

If viruses are just one type of malware, then antivirus software can't fight all of these other threats, right? Well not exactly.

Malware first came to the fore in the early days of the Internet, along with the explosion of home connectivity. As the number of people with Internet access increased, malware could spread more easily, and the most common form of malware was the humble virus.

Thanks to flashy and exuberant examples like Cascade, Phantom, and Anna Kournikova, viruses received a lot of media attention. Cybersecurity companies took advantage of this and began marketing their products as "antivirus software," even though many of them were also protected against other forms of malware, and the name stuck.

Thanks to flashy and exuberant examples like Cascade, Phantom, and Anna Kournikova, viruses received a lot of media attention. Cybersecurity firms took advantage of this and began marketing their products as ' antivirus software ', even though many of them also protected against other forms of malware, the name stuck.

Today, so-called 'Antivirus' Software will protect against a wide range of different types of malware. In fact, viruses themselves are becoming increasingly rare, as more and more cybercriminals create more effective methods.

3. Are antivirus and antimalware the same?

Confusingly, antivirus and antimalware tools are not exactly the same. The antimalware programs, also known as tools malware removal, are slightly different depending on the traditional antivirus.

Antivirus focuses on prevention, protecting a machine from getting infected in the first place. Antimalware, however, is aimed at eradicating and destroying malicious programs that have already been downloaded and activated. While there are a lot of crossovers between the two tools, many security experts recommend using antivirus and antimalware tools together to maximize protection.