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November 18, 2022

How Advanced Malware Detection Tools Can Be Gamechangers

Malware comes in many different shapes and forms. The type of malware used by a cybercriminal depends on what they’re looking to accomplish and how they want to do it. Anti-malware software can help keep your computer—and all the important information on it—safe. However, not all antivirus software is the same! So, we’ll take a look at important features that will go a long way toward keeping your computer safe.

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What are the most common types of malware? Why are advanced malware detection tools necessary? To put it simply: there are so many types of malware that can spread throughout your computer network and to other devices you have connected to it. Scammers can use any of a variety of tricks to get access to your information, including:

  • Trojans
  • Spyware
  • Adware
  • Rootkits
  • Ransomware
  • Worms
  • Keyloggers
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Antivirus software would be pretty simple if malware was limited to these seven categories, but it’s not. Each type has additional sub-categories that make things much more complicated. For this reason, it’s important to look for advanced anti-malware software that has all these important features:

  • Malware prevention. The best way to combat malware is to keep from getting it in the first place. The aftermath of malware on your computer can be deleted files, stolen personal information, and, in the worst-case scenario, losing everything. Even if you can recover files and your operating system, it’s going to come at the cost of the lost time you could have spent doing something else. The most effective anti-malware software prevents it from getting on your computer in the first place with effective detection
  • Malware detection. Malware detection requires your antivirus software to be up to date with the latest in malicious code protection. Every time you update your antivirus software, it will add samples of malicious code to its database. Your antivirus will use its database to identify malware by comparing it to malware that is the same or looks similar to information in its database. Early detection helps to prevent your computer from getting infected with malware.
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“Scammers can use any of a variety of tricks to get access to your information.”
  • Malware response. The best malware removers are effective at containing a threat at the first sign of mal behavior at the endpoint. Your antivirus software and your firewall are considered security endpoints because they act as the first barrier in detecting a malicious threat with endpoint detection and response (EDR). It’s similar to having a security guard at the gate of property to keep out intruders. Advanced malware detection can identify threats if they’ve found another way besides the main entrance by using extended detection and response (XDR). XDR would be like having additional guards wandering the grounds of a property looking for intruders in addition to your guard at the entrance.
  • Malware removal. Safe and effective malware removal or quarantine is essential to keeping your device safe from malicious threats. While it would be nice to have the ability to remove all malware from your computer, it’s not always the best solution. Hackers are often very good at what they do and can build a fail-safe into their code that triggers destructive code when a delete command is given. In this case, it’s best for your antivirus software to quarantine the malware to a place on your device where it can’t harm anything else. The problem comes when the average user doesn’t know which solution is best. The best malware removers will prompt the proper solution to ensure that you’re resolving the problem in a way that’s best for your device.

Awareness is always going to be the best defense for your computer when it comes to avoiding malware. This means being suspicious of and not clicking links that come to your email inbox from unknown senders and not downloading software from websites you don’t entirely trust.

However, even the most vigilant computer users can get tricked one time, which is enough to compromise the security of their devices. Advanced malware detection tools will take your antivirus software to the next level by providing top-level protection for your computer, its network, and all your connected devices.

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