Information Technology Specialist (ITS) Cybersecurity Practice Exam

The primary function of antivirus software is to detect, prevent, and remove malware from computer systems. Antivirus programs are designed specifically to identify harmful software, such as viruses, worms, spyware, and other forms of malicious code that can compromise the security of a computer system. They continuously scan files and system activities, looking for known threats by comparing them against a database of malware signatures. Additionally, antivirus software may implement real-time monitoring to block malicious activities as they occur, reducing the likelihood of infection before it spreads.

In contrast, while optimizing computer performance, backing up important files, and managing user permissions are essential tasks for overall IT management, they fall outside the specific purpose of antivirus software. Performance optimization focuses on making the system run more efficiently and smoothly, backup solutions are meant to safeguard data against loss or corruption, and permission management deals with controlling access to resources within a network. Each of these functions is crucial in its own right but does not encompass the core role of antivirus software inherently focused on cybersecurity and malware protection.