Description: This article contains some of the most frequently asked questions about Antivirus and Antimalware software from Winter 2019.

Q: What is antivirus software
A: Antivirus software refers to programs that you can install on your computer that are designed to prevent, detect, and remove viruses or malicious software from your system.

Q: What is malware?
A: Malware, or malicious software, is a kind of software that is designed specifically to cause harm to you or your system. There are many different types of malware that can affect your computer in different ways - some of the most common and well-known types are referenced below.

Q: What is a computer virus?
A: A virus is software that can attach or hide itself in what appear to be harmless programs and can then copy and insert into other programs when the original program is opened. How they affect your computer depends on the virus. Common things they do are deleting data, continuously duplicating data, corrupting programs and causing significant performance issues.

Q: What is a computer worm?
A: Worms are similar to viruses but spread in a different manner. Rather than attaching themselves to another program like a virus, worms are standalone programs that try to copy themselves over a network to infect other systems. Viruses require user interaction to spread, whereas worms will spread on their own.

Q: What is a trojan?
A: A trojan is a malicious program that disguises itself as a normal program, then once installed and opened will perform some type of harmful action. Trojans can cause a wide variety of issues, like deleting data, copying personal information or even hijacking internet traffic or the computer itself, or can be used to distribute other forms of malware.

Q: What is ransomware?
A: Ransomware is software used to hold a person’s computer hostage in some way, such as encrypting data on it or threating the release of sensitive personal information. Ransomware is typically used to demand a payment from the user in return for restoring control of the computer back to them. Ransomware is often delivered by using a trojan.

Q: What is a rootkit?
A: Rootkits are designed to gain access to areas of your computer that are normally unauthorized and to assume control over a system while being very difficult to detect. Some rootkits can even embed themselves in the firmware (BIOS) of the system, in which case specialized tools will likely be required to remove it, or even replacing the hardware entirely.

Q: What is adware?
A: Adware is a kind of program designed to push ads to the user while they are using their computer. Some adware is also malware and can be harmful to your system, other adware is not actually harmful to the system but is intrusive or annoying during normal use.

Q: How does malware get on your system?
A: There are a variety of ways malware can infect a system. Commonly it will be attached to files downloaded online and through emails. They can also be put on a system if an external device containing the malware is attached to the computer or installed by somebody who has gained unauthorized access to a computer.

Q: How do you avoid getting malware?
A: The best thing you can do is to be careful. Always make sure when you are browsing online that you are evaluating the website you’re on and try to stick to well known and reputible websites. Whenever possible, avoid clicking popup ads on webpages. Double check the address emails are being sent from and avoid clicking on links or attachments in emails that seem suspicious or unfamiliar. Don’t plug devices into your computer that you are unfamiliar with. You can also use antivirus or antimalware software on your system to be proactive in preventing infections.

Q: Do I need to buy antivirus software?
A: Although Windows and Mac computers have built-in basic antivirus software, a full featured currently subscribed antivirus program and or an antimalware utility are always a good idea. With careful and knowledgeable browsing habits it can be possible to avoid getting your system infected without purchasing antivirus, however purchasing it is helpful because it will take a more active approach in preventing infections from occurring in the first place. Many antivirus programs offer a host of other helpful features such as parental controls, password management, anti-theft, and more, so if those are of interest to you an antivirus may be a good investment.

Q: How do I remove malware from my computer if it gets infected?
A: Antivirus or antimalware software can scan your system and automatically detect and remove infections, however they are not foolproof. While good antivirus software will usually remove most infections, the only 100% guaranteed method is to reformat the drive with a fresh reinstall of the operating system.

Q: Can you use more than one antivirus at a time?
A: Multiple antivirus programs can and usually will conflict with each other if installed and active at the same time. This can potentially cause very serious issues with your computer, namely extremely slowed performance. Some antivirus and antimalware programs can be run alongside each other, but it’s important to research and make sure of that before attempting to install more than one to avoid complications.

Q: What is the best antivirus software?
A: This is really an opinion question to which there is no definitive answer. There are a large number of antivirus programs on the market and each one has slight differences that have to be accounted for. It’s best to do thorough research to see which one fits your needs best and which ones other consumers have good experiences with.