CyberCertPrepSecurity FundamentalsSecurity ToolsEASYFree question
How does traditional antivirus software primarily detect malware?
- A.By checking file sizes for anomalies; signature based antivirus reliably detects previously unseen malware
- B.By scanning email subject lines
- C.By monitoring network traffic speed
- D.By comparing files against a database of known malware signatures
Why D 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.
Know someone studying for Security Fundamentals? Send them this one.