What's the Difference Between Viruses and Malware And Why Doesn't my Anti-Virus Stop Everything?

To understand the difference between viruses and malware, it is important to define the two terms. A virus is a program that copies itself from one place to another. Malware, on the other hand, is a much broader term. Malware is simply short for "malicious software" and includes other types of software such as viruses, trojan horses, worms, spyware, and adware.

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And Why Doesn't my Anti-Virus Stop Everything?

To understand the difference between viruses and malware, it is important to define the two terms. A virus is a program that copies itself from one place to another. Malware, on the other hand, is a much broader term. Malware is simply short for "malicious software" and includes other types of software such as viruses, trojan horses, worms, spyware, and adware. In fact, viruses were the first type of malware. It wasn't until the years of 2000 to 2005 when spyware and adware started to become such a problem that software companies started to specifically target these nuisances.

The reason why your anti-virus won't stop all types of malware is because the release rate of malware is simply too high. New malware is released every day and the anti-virus companies just cannot keep up. As a result, companies tend to target "just viruses" or "everything else" in order to stay competitive.

The good news is that, despite this ongoing battle, it's very easy to keep your business technology safe by utilizing a proven anti-virus. By using a continually updated anti-virus, you'll be able to detect and delete threats inside your business' network. If you have questions about your current anti-virus, or lack thereof, contact us!

Interested in increasing productivity and profit by reducing threats to your business? Contact us -- we're here to help!