Overview

This article will explain the ACSIA alert called "antivirus".

Explaining the notification antivirus

An "antivirus" is a software designed to protect computer systems and networks from malicious software, also known as malware. Antivirus software scans files and programs on a computer for known patterns or signatures of malware. If it identifies any suspicious or harmful code, it takes action to remove or quarantine the malicious elements, preventing them from causing harm to the system.

Example of an attack where antivirus software plays a role:

Let's consider a company with a network of computers, each protected by antivirus software. An attacker outside the company wants to gain unauthorized access to the company's network and steal sensitive customer data.

The attacker decides to use a tactic known as "phishing." They send deceptive emails to employees, pretending to be from a trusted source or the company's IT department. The emails contain a malicious attachment, disguised as an innocent-looking document.

Some employees unknowingly fall for the scam and open the email attachment. The malicious file contains a form of malware called "ransomware."

Ransomware is designed to encrypt files on the infected computer, making them inaccessible to the user. Once the files are encrypted, the attacker sends a ransom demand, asking the company to pay a sum of money to get the decryption key needed to unlock the files.

However, the company's employees are not the only line of defense against this attack. The computers are equipped with antivirus software. As soon as one of the employees opens the malicious attachment, the antivirus software springs into action.

The antivirus software scans the file and recognizes the patterns and behavior associated with ransomware. It immediately blocks the malicious program from executing further and notifies the employee that a threat has been detected.

Thanks to the antivirus software's timely intervention, the ransomware attack is thwarted. The infected computer is isolated from the network, and the antivirus software removes the ransomware, preventing the attacker from gaining a foothold on the company's network.

In this example, the antivirus software played a crucial role in defending the company's network by detecting and neutralizing the ransomware attack. It serves as an essential line of defense against various types of malware, helping to keep computer systems and networks safe from cyber threats.

If you have the Bitdefender integration active, ACSIA alerts you when the antivirus has taken action against a threat.