Antivirus software protects, detects and removes malicious software such as viruses from computers, laptops and mobile devices. Most antivirus solutions work by comparing files against an extensive list of known malware signatures.

More comprehensive suites offer additional security tools such as password managers, VPN connections and parental controls; some even provide multi-device licenses and PC speed-up tools.

Anti-malware

Anti-malware software is a specialized program designed to protect computers against digital threats such as Trojans, ransomware, spyware and worms. While antivirus programs typically only protect against established threats like viruses and worms, anti-malware programs can isolate and remove unknown forms of malware not previously detected by other security tools.

Anti-malware programs typically isolate suspicious software or files into an isolated sandbox environment before testing to see if they contain malware, then detect and eliminate threats without harming host systems.

Many premium programs include features that provide real-time protection and malicious website blocking to safeguard users against unwittingly downloading malware, thus protecting against the most popular cyberattack methods employed by hackers to penetrate data networks – including worms that infiltrate PCs by persuading people to click on suspicious links, trojans that capture files or take screenshots, and more nefarious acts by malware programs like worms or trojans – and also offer heuristic analysis, which examines suspect software or files to determine whether they pose any threat.

Anti-ransomware

Ransomware is an insidious form of malware that locks files hostage and demands payment in exchange for access. It often arrives via insecure websites, software downloads or spam emails and spreads quickly.

Modern anti-ransomware software detects ransomware attacks by monitoring suspicious activity on endpoints. Utilizing behavioral detection techniques assisted by machine learning, modern anti-ransomware software identifies unusual file alterations on endpoints that match that of ransomware attacks and triggers an alert if such behavior matches that of ransomware attack behavior. An anomaly report is then generated with details regarding affected devices and files.

Anti-ransomware software monitors all activities on an endpoint to detect post-compromise activity such as downloading and installing additional malware, thus protecting against ransomware from encrypting or locking up files and helping minimize its effect on business operations. Furthermore, such protection can help stop cybercriminals from soliciting payment from victims as well as provide recovery options to restore infected files.

Anti-phishing

Phishing is an advanced cyberattack technique that preys upon user ignorance, misplaced trust and human psychology to gain sensitive or monetizable data from users. Typical tactics used include sending malicious links or attachments which track keystrokes or download malware; or sending fake login requests that log keystrokes or download malware; even ransomware requests or wire transfer requests with fund requests are effective forms of phishing attacks.

Anti-phishing software aims to protect users from clicking on suspicious links and attachments in emails by blocking them from entering the email system or classifying them as spam or quarantining them. Some tools can even identify fake domains, DNS authentication issues and provide options such as DMARC, DKIM or SPF policies for additional protection.

DuoCircle’s PhishProtection software, provided under its brand, is easy to use yet doesn’t offer all of the bells and whistles of full security suites. This cloud-native solution offers phishing prevention as well as end user awareness training and integrations for Office 365 channels, G Suite accounts and private hosted email.

Anti-spam

Spam email has become a daily nuisance to anyone with an email account, not only disrupting individuals but also negatively affecting businesses’ operations and productivity.

Anti-spam software works to block junk emails from entering your business in the first place, protecting against threats such as viruses, malware and ransomware. Typically this type of software includes an inbound filter, outbound filter and/or content analysis engine.

Some anti-spam software offers blacklisting and whitelisting functions to allow you to select which messages should reach your inbox, for example N-able Mail Assure allows you to block email addresses that have sent unwanted mail to you.

SpamTitan is another email scanning tool that uses powerful scanning technology to identify phishing attacks and zero-day exploits, address spoofing attempts, and helps minimize email compromise risks. Available as both cloud-based version as well as hosted solution and hardware appliance solutions to meet different requirements, the tool has multiple configurations to meet diverse user requirements.