When this happens, most antivirus software will eventually figure out what's going on and will round it up, quarantine, and scrub your computer clean. These viruses are so new they aren't listed on the malware lists antivirus apps use to identify threats. The most common threats to get through antivirus software are zero-day threats. While this is a legitimate way of stopping malware, there is a bit of a risk that something will sneak through. Instead, it waits for the file to open before snatching the threat, placing it in quarantine, and scrubbing your system clean. Usually, these are free antivirus programs. There is basic antivirus software that doesn't use real-time protection. It will also use browser tools, usually as an extension, to block websites the program knows harbors threats to reduce your risk of becoming infected. This means, while you are online, the antivirus recognizes a malicious file and stops your computer from downloading it. The best antivirus solutions stop threats in real-time.

These include viruses, ransomware, phishing schemes, bots, rootkits, and even identity theft. Malware is an all-inclusive word to describe every threat to your computer. The simplest definition of antivirus software is that it's a program that stops malware from infecting your system.

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