- May 7, 2016
- 1,307
Our Avast Threat Lab is Grand Central Station to malware. Somewhere between 600,000 and 1 million files come through the detection system every day. Nearly half of those are unknown files. That means that somewhere in the world, someone is targeted by cybercriminals. Avast Threat Lab analysts like Michal Salat, in the above picture, works to stop those attacks.
CyberCapture’s automated systems do most of the heavy lifting, but when needed, Avast analysts, like Michal, will examine an unknown file and make the final decision.
How does Avast detect malicious files?
Cybercrooks are software developers who create programs meant to steal your information, hold your data for ransom, or crash your machine. They are constantly modifying malicious code to make variants that travel from computer to computer. Avast has a massive database called FileRepthat contains more than 5 BILLION of these kinds of files.
Every day, 250,000 Windows executable binary files flow through FileRep and go through a 100-point checklist to determine if the files are safe or not. And every day, about 40,000 files are classified as malicious and are locked in quarantine so they won’t hurt you.
What happens when Avast discovers brand new malware?
Malware authors try every trick in the book to evade detection by antivirus software like Avast. One of those tricks is a shape-shifting technique called server polymorphism. This means that the malware code morphs or changes into something unrecognizable from its original code before it attacks another user. The engine that produces this code change actually stays within the system, like a website, and all the unique variations originate there. Cybercrooks like this method becuase it's an efficient, automated way to attack millions of machines with minimal human interaction and maximum impact.
Read More:How does Avast detect new malware?
CyberCapture’s automated systems do most of the heavy lifting, but when needed, Avast analysts, like Michal, will examine an unknown file and make the final decision.
How does Avast detect malicious files?
Cybercrooks are software developers who create programs meant to steal your information, hold your data for ransom, or crash your machine. They are constantly modifying malicious code to make variants that travel from computer to computer. Avast has a massive database called FileRepthat contains more than 5 BILLION of these kinds of files.
Every day, 250,000 Windows executable binary files flow through FileRep and go through a 100-point checklist to determine if the files are safe or not. And every day, about 40,000 files are classified as malicious and are locked in quarantine so they won’t hurt you.
What happens when Avast discovers brand new malware?
Malware authors try every trick in the book to evade detection by antivirus software like Avast. One of those tricks is a shape-shifting technique called server polymorphism. This means that the malware code morphs or changes into something unrecognizable from its original code before it attacks another user. The engine that produces this code change actually stays within the system, like a website, and all the unique variations originate there. Cybercrooks like this method becuase it's an efficient, automated way to attack millions of machines with minimal human interaction and maximum impact.
Read More:How does Avast detect new malware?
