Initially, only executable files were corrupted or infected with viruses but with the new viruses, many files could also become infected requiring antivirus programs to manually search all files and folders that are available in the system.
There are also drawbacks to having antivirus programs such as false-positive. This is when the antivirus program detects a non-malicious file as a virus and deletes it from the system. If the file is an important file, it could cause the operating system to stop working or certain applications to crash. Hence, files should be reviewed before they are deleted from the system.
Spyware, true to its name is software that spies on shopping and browsing habits of users. A spyware that is installed on a computer is considered as a potential threat because it can use personal information by the user and provide them to advertising companies.
Some spyware such as keyloggers is installed by companies in order to keep an eye on their employees. These differences are not meant to put one above the other, but can help you decide what to choose for your security.
The biggest difference between the two types of software is the scope they cover. Anti spyware programmes are specially designed to just tackle spyware and remove it. On the other hand, antivirus software has a much wider scope. It detects most security threats, from viruses and worms, to spyware and malware. If you are working in an extremely data-sensitive field, a strong spyware programme is a no-brainer. However, in most other cases, antivirus software will protect your information satisfactorily.
Both antivirus and anti spyware programmes have their own techniques to do their job. At the most basic level, antivirus software will scan your hard drive in intervals, and will detect and deal with any threats there.
On the other hand, spyware looks specifically for any suspicious spying activity, and will check resources like your registry and start-up folder to see if spyware is already there or not.
Both of these software perform constant scans and deal with any threats they detect in their own ways. Their scanning frequencies may differ, depending on the software you choose. Last Updated : 25 Jul, Next Number of ways to cut a stick of length N into in even length at most K units long pieces.
Article Contributed By :. Easy Normal Medium Hard Expert. Writing code in comment? Please use ide. Computer viruses are believed to be one of the most critical and harmful threats to computers and have the capability of inflicting serious damage to files, data and information stored in a computer.
An antivirus detects and removes computer viruses. The solution or remedy for this nightmare is an antivirus software.
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