Both of these terms fall under the broader term ' cybersecurity.' What is cybersecurity?Ĭybersecurity, or computer security, is a catchall term for any strategy for protecting one's system from malicious attacks. Both antivirus and anti-malware typically detect and block threats, and remove any threats that make it on to a device. 'Anti-malware' is intended to be a broader description than 'antivirus,' but antivirus has broadened in common usage to describe the same type of software. The term antivirus refers to computer viruses that were early online threats, and anti-malware refers to the term 'malware,' which is an umbrella term for any kind of malicious software (including viruses). Today, the terms antivirus and anti-malware are often used interchangeably to refer to cybersecurity software that blocks viruses and other types of malware from computers and mobile devices. What's the difference between antivirus and anti-malware? Today, cybersecurity companies like Malwarebytes employ several different methods to detect, block, or remove malware from a device. Early antivirus programs would compare software file signatures against a list of known viruses to see if they matched, and if so, block them. Originally, it was created to protect against computer viruses, but now it's more of a general term to describe software that uses a combination of advanced technologies to protect against a variety of threats, including ransomware, spyware, and even never-before-seen zero day attacks. Sure, both refer to cybersecurity software, but what do these terms actually mean? What is the difference between antivirus and anti-malware, and are they both still relevant in dealing with today's online threats? Let's take a deep dive into the world of cybersecurity semantics and unpack these terms.Īntivirus is software that is designed to detect, protect against, and remove malware on a computer or mobile device.

At Malwarebytes, we're all for precision - especially when it comes to two commonly confused cybersecurity concepts that get used interchangeably: antivirus and anti-malware.

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