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Is there a difference between PC malware and PC virus? In other words, can antimalware tool act a antivirus not necessitating an antivirus?

Hovsep A
2013-10-26 09:45:49
antimalware can do offline detection if you have updated database to the latest definition, you dont have to be connected to internet for scan to progress
Dalsan M
2013-10-14 19:47:33
Personally, I think Panda Cloud Antivirus is a good and light software. I'd rank it up near Bitdefender.I wouldn't trust antimalware software above antivirus software, but instead use them in conjunction with each other. The only thing is if both software actively scan, which would cause conflicts. Panda Cloud with Malwarebytes Antimalware free edition would be very good protection for your computer, since if one doesn't find any viruses or malware, the other one should. This isn't always the case, but it is better to have more than one solution for extra protection.
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Drsunil V
2013-10-20 17:20:24
Do you imply that Antimalware does offline detection and AV does online detection? though both detect viruses?
Shawn R
2013-10-14 12:43:27
I repair computers. The vast majority of my service calls are for malware problems. If my customers are not running Windows 8, which has a very good anti-virus program, I install the free version of AVG on their machines, even if they are running Norton or McAfee. I do this because those two paid programs take up a huge amount of space and cost a yearly fee. AVG is much smaller, is very highly rated and it's free. I also encourage them to buy Malwarebytes which has a one time cost but, in my experience, catches a lot of malware.
Bruce E
2013-10-18 11:41:15
Dalsan M
2013-10-13 23:51:51
Not much can be can be added to defining the difference between the generic term of malware and the more specific term for virus. Malware comes from the terms malicious software, so any software that performs bad or malicious actions would be included in malware, including spyware, adware, tracking software and cookies, ransomeware, and viruses. Viruses are, in fact, malware that spreads across multiple computer systems, much like a cold or flu virus. Since more malicious software have been created, a terminology to differentiate between the two had to be made, especially since, technically, malicious software that does not spread from one computer to another without physically installing the malicious software is not really a virus. Originally, viruses were spread through networks without any real user interaction. As far as protection against viruses and malware, it is best to have an active virus scanner and an antimalware software that you run on occasion. You can get by with just an antimalware program, but you would hand to be completely proactive against any threats. This, in itself, is not always an easy feat.
Drsunil V
2013-10-14 18:01:57
Please clarify : do you mean anti malware is a substitute to AV? even though it may not be the best substitutePlease also tell your view about cloud panda AV,
Oron J
2013-10-13 11:38:06
As Bruce says, "malware" is a general term which describes any software which is designed to do you (or your computer) harm, to steal information from you etc, whereas "virus" is a technical term which was coined in the early 80's and describes a specific type of malware. To quote from Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_virus), a virus is "a type of malware that, when executed, replicates by inserting copies of itself (possibly modified) into other computer programs, data files, or the boot sector of the hard drive; when this replication succeeds, the affected areas are then said to be "infected"..."Other "technical" types of malware include worms and trojans. Since the end of the 90's, the distintion between the types of malicious threats has waned and for a while most were described as "blended threats" or similar terms. Some AV companies chose to describe most such software as "trojans" even if its method of infection included elements of viruses or worms. A little later, the term "spyware" came into currency, and although stricly speaking "spyware" relates only to software which spies on the users (e.g. key loggers), it was often used for any malware which was not specifically a virus or a worm. Nowadays "malware" fulfils that generic role in product names, with the term spyware acting as its sidekick. When reporting malware, another category which is used is PUP (potentially unwanted software), which is emblematic of the problem with the terminology (some people might want all those toolbars on the browsers, after all...).As for your question regarding anti-malware vs AV software, here's the deal. Most antivirus software packages (including "internet security suites" etc), scan "on acceess", meaning that they scan any files as they are written to the disc or being read from it. To do this, they need to modify the system's standard file opening mechanisms. The implication of this is that only one AV package can run at a time, or there would be a conflict between the AV products, each trying to gain access to the file ahead of the other (this can cause the computer to "lock up", not a nice scenario!). Security software which uses other methods to scan the files, usually distinguish themselves from the "traditional" AV packages by calling themselves "anti malware" or "anti spyware". Those packages can be used at the same time as AV packages, and also as each other. For example, you can use AVIRA (an AV package), Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and SuperAntiSpyware all at the same time. Another distinction is that antimalware software often detects a much wider range of malware (including things such as tracking cookies and the PUPs mentioned above), but not all anti-malware is particularly good at detecting all types of security threats. As a result, you should do as Bruce suggests. Run a good AV program at all times, and have another anti-malware program installed, which you can use to scan the system when you deem necessary. Some anti-malware packages, such as the paid-for version of Malwarebytes, offer on-access scanning, and you *could* have that running, but in my opinion this is not worth it in the majority of cases as the performance hit would be more than the gain in security.
Drsunil V
2013-10-13 19:14:48
Can antimalware be used instead of antivirus in pc?
Bruce E
2013-10-13 07:59:24
A virus is a type of malware. Malware is the generic term for malicious or any software that is not necessarily desired on a computer. Some types of malware just have annoying pop-ups when you are browsing the internet. Others may hijack your default web page and search engine directing them to the writer's own page or engine (and generally generating money for them if you use it). A virus is a piece of code that inserts itself into other executable programs in order to propogate itself. A worm can propogate without having to latch onto another piece of code for transport. Worms, viruses, trojans, several toolbars, as well as other types of code are all considered malware.Most machines should be using an antivirus product that provides on-access protection for all files. You should also have an on-demand malware scanner (such as Malwarebytes) that is run only when directed by the user (and should be done at least weekly on high-use machines, more frequently on high-risk machines, less frequently on low-use or low-risk machines). Both types should be updated regularly (even if on-demand scanning is not performed as frequently, just to keep the database current). Just make sure you are not using on-access capabilities on multiple products simultaneously.
Drsunil V
2013-10-13 19:10:09
Thanks for elaborate reply.