The Difference Between Antivirus & Spyware
Spyware and viruses come in many forms. Each acts differently and can affect a host computer in different ways. It is often impossible for the user to determine if a virus or spyware is infecting a computer. Anti-virus and anti-spyware programs are not only designed to diagnose what the user cannot, but they also delete whatever infections the host computer may come across.
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Defense
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There are many types of viruses and spyware that can infect a computer. Luckily, software programmers have created different defenses to control what programs are loaded, or not loaded, on a computer. These defenses come in the form of anti-virus and anti-spyware programs.
What is a Virus?
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Viruses are programs that are made with no purpose other than to disrupt how a computer functions. Usually when a virus infects a computer system, it uses that maximum amount of resources, which in turn slows the computer exponentially.
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What is Spyware?
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Spyware programs gather information about a user of the computer in which it resides. This information is often gathered and sold to corporations. These corporations in turn send the user information through the United States Postal Service or by the user's email.
Anti-virus Programs
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For an anti-virus program to work properly, a person must keep the definition updated. Definitions are the program's memory of what viruses it can protect the host computer from. As long as the definitions are kept up to date, the anti-virus program can continue to work as it was programmed. When the program is properly operating, the anti-virus program will scan the computer's hard drive, detect, quarantine and delete any infections found.
Anti-Spyware
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Anti-spyware programs work the same as anti-virus programs. As long as the anti-spyware program's definitions are up to date, it will continue to function as it was designed.
Conclusion
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The difference in the programs is not how they work, but what they are designed to detect. An anti-virus program will not find spyware, and an anti-spyware program will not find viruses. A person looking for both types of programs will usually find them bunched together in a larger program that includes an anti-virus, anti-spyware and other programs.
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