Antivirus software are computer programs that attempt to identify, neutralize or eliminate malicious software. The term "antivirus" is used because the earliest examples were designed exclusively to combat computer viruses; however most modern antivirus software is now designed to combat a wide range of threats including:

• Worms
• Phishing & Pharming Attacks
• Rootkits
• Trojan Horses
• And other malware

Antivirus software typically uses two different approaches to accomplish this:

• Examining (scanning) files to look for known viruses matching definitions in a virus dictionary
• Identifying suspicious behavior from any computer program which might indicate infection.

Most commercial antivirus software uses both of these approaches, with an emphasis on the virus dictionary approach. Some people consider network firewalls to be a type of antivirus software, however this is not correct