What does a anti virus program do?

[Wrench]

I just want a more or less easy to understand definition.

[Spawn of Totoro]

It keeps track of incoming files and running process. It tries to detect anything that isn't supposed to be there or does something it is not supposed to.

Think of it as a security guard at a store. Watches the door for suspicious/known people and prevents them from entering, as well as watches what people are doing in the store to make sure the aren't stuffing shirts into their bags and trying to walk out.

That is the most basic explination I can give. And it leaves a fair amount out too.

[Ledow]

In reality, it scans every single file you access and (on a schedule) every single thing on your hard disk and in memory for a series of numbers which have been seen in programs that are viruses. That series of numbers is called a "signature", and can also occur in completely harmless programs (hence the ways that many AV programs in the past have detected parts of Windows as "viruses" by accident and broken entire machines). Also, that signature is only updated when the AV company finds a virus, analyses it and sends out an update.

So what it's actually doing is inserting itself into every single file access, scanning for thousands or millions of signatures every time you access the disk (there are some tricks to speed it up, but that's generally true), and those signatures might or might not include purely innocent data or vastly malicious viruses.

Hence why when you *do* have a known virus, say on a network of 450 PC's, and you upload it to something like VirusTotal, nearly half of the AV's won't know what it is and will say it's okay when it's quite clearly not, and yet some AV's still think perfectly innocent programs are viruses when they are not. Some AV's also include "heuristics", which is a way of saying "guess" - where the AV looks at programs on your computer and "guesses" if they are going to do anything bad. This is similarly inaccurate in both ways (false negatives and false positives) and slows the computer down even more.

Think of it as a bouncer (security) on the door of a nightclub. They have a list of names of known troublemakers from other nightclubs. If they see one of those names on the list, they stop that troublemaker coming in. But if you programs have the same "name" as a troublemaker, they are also stopped. And if a fight breaks out inside your computer, it might be months or even years before the troublemaker's name ends up on anyone's list.

[Wrench]

Ok thanks for the info! So its like the human auto immune system?

[blah]

lol ANTI VIRUS! whats not to understand?

[Spawn of Totoro]

Messaggio originale di Wrench:

Ok thanks for the info! So its like the human auto immune system?

In a way. Like the human immune system it can make mistakes too. Let a virus go and even attack healthy cells. It learns by sending the virus back to the "brain" (developer) who anylizes it and alters their system to better detect new varient with (hopefully) fewer false positives.

[Wrench]

Ok thanks.

[Rubik748]

Messaggio originale di Wrench:

I just want a more or less easy to understand definition.

Because people want everything easy in PCs do we have anti virus programs.

Long time ago, man made computer OS. Then it went comercial. Then it is hacked to be better. Then others cracked it to be bad.
You either pay hackers to protect your PC OS information. Or you let crackers destroy and or manipulate the OS information. Whoever is involved, money at the end of the day is wanted.

Or you could be one of those that uses a dirty PC to study

Messaggio originale di Spawn of Totoro:

Messaggio originale di Wrench:

Ok thanks for the info! So its like the human auto immune system?

In a way. Like the human immune system it can make mistakes too. Let a virus go and even attack healthy cells. It learns by sending the virus back to the "brain" (developer) who anylizes it and alters their system to better detect new varient with (hopefully) fewer false positives.

The human immune system never makes mistakes. Unless you mean the human "programmed" mind. Or the OS of the brain.

Observe the natural processes of life in all its forms without trying to break it down and analyze it...you will soon understand the nonsense the medical literature is passing onto you - just nonsense.

When the human is sick, he, she, is only rejecting any combination of; bad foods, bad air, drugs.
When there is snot, phlem, mucous build up in the nose or throat, acne build up in the pores of the skin, clogged arteries, when you may wake up and have a white tongue, child sicknesses, body odor, other disease terms, names etc. These are just the visual (and sensed) effects of your body getting rid of the stored up junk.

Longer story short, read up on an Arnold Ehret (and personal experience of) a mucousless diet. And maybe read into "fruitarian" diets. Because its makes bloody good sense and it does work if followed properly and carefully.

[Spawn of Totoro]

I was going t replay, but then I realised how much junk you took the time to write up.

Take a real medical classe. Don't read what a wana bw quack writes.

[Rubik748]

Messaggio originale di Spawn of Totoro:

I was going t replay, but then I realised how much junk you took the time to write up.

Take a real medical classe. Don't read what a wana bw quack writes.

Because you so strongly believe in what you read up, will you react with those choice of words. Even deleting or editing your reply. I could also say the way you typed the words is a sign of anger as well. But I'm not going there.

Don't tell me that what I read is junk or that the author was a "quack" (sic). Especially as what he explains and tells you and how to do it, does work. Again, personal experience.

And also, not you, not anyone else, is going to turn this into another troll or flame thread. I had to point something out that needed saying and now that is done. So no more arguments.

[Wrench]

I think What i meant was a PC AV is like a AIS in that it "scans" incoming "data" and outgoing, as well as fighting of breeches in the system.

[Wrench]

Ah well, comparison helps to understand sometimes.

[rotNdude]

http://www.ehow.com/topic_2448_anti-virus-basics.html