There are a few different ways that antiviruses protect against malware, but the most common way is through a regular scan of all the data and files on a computer's hard disk. For this reason, antiviruses are frequently interchangeably referred to as 'anti-malware' programs. They protect computers from all different kinds of malware, like spyware, rootkits, phishing, and ransomware. For starters, most antiviruses offer more than just 'virus' protection. Features Īntivirus software protects computers in many different ways. Even still, many free antiviruses today have excellent virus scanning capabilities and can give people suitable internet security protections without the need to purchase additional protections. These free versions usually have some features missing, and the missing features are only available to those who buy the 'full' version. There are many different types of antivirus software, and many antivirus programs can be downloaded for free.