CyberCertPrepSecurity FundamentalsSecurity ToolsEASYFree question
How does traditional antivirus software primarily detect malware?
- A.By monitoring network traffic speed
- B.By checking file sizes for anomalies
- C.By comparing files against a database of known malware signatures
- D.By scanning email subject lines
Why C is correct
Traditional antivirus uses signature-based detection, comparing files against a database of known malware signatures (unique patterns or hashes). When a match is found, the file is flagged as malicious. This method is effective against known threats but cannot detect new (zero-day) malware that does not yet have a signature.
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