(ISC)2 Certified in Cybersecurity Practice Exam

What is the primary function of anti-virus software?

1. To manage user access to files

2. To prevent unauthorized network access

3. To detect and remove malware

4. To backup system data

The correct answer is: To detect and remove malware

The primary function of anti-virus software is to detect and remove malware. This includes a range of malicious software such as viruses, worms, Trojans, spyware, and adware. Anti-virus software uses various methods to identify potential threats on the system, including signature-based detection, which involves matching the known characteristics of malware, and heuristic analysis, which assesses the behavior of programs to spot new, unknown variants of malware. By scanning files, applications, and system behaviors for suspicious activity, anti-virus software plays a crucial role in maintaining a computer's health and security. Once identified, it can quarantine or eliminate the malicious software before it can cause significant harm to system integrity, loss of data, or compromise sensitive information. While managing user access to files, preventing unauthorized network access, and backing up system data are important aspects of cybersecurity, they do not fall within the core functionality of anti-virus software, which is specifically designed to protect against malicious software threats.