Definition[]
A virus checker, correctly called an antivirus, is a software program that automatically search a computer file for known viruses.
Overview[]
The checker scans files every time the computer is turned on or when new disks are inserted into the computer. The virus checker looks for patterns of code that resemble the code used in known viruses, and alerts the user when it finds a resemblance. Since new viruses are discovered every month, virus checkers must be updated often, although many viruses cause no damage or are not relevant to most users.