Antivirus Policy and Threat Detection

Study Notes

Definition: Identifying and alerting on potential malware threats in real-time
Methods:
- Signature-based detection: Comparing code against known malware signatures
- Anomaly-based detection: Identifying unusual behavior patterns
- Behavioral-based detection: Monitoring system calls and API interactions
Importance: Enables swift response to emerging threats and minimizes attack surface

Definition: Scheduled or on-demand scans of systems and files for malware
Types:
- Full scan: Comprehensive scan of entire system
- Quick scan: Targeted scan of high-risk areas (e.g., system files, email attachments)
- Custom scan: User-defined scan of specific files or folders
Importance: Identifies and removes malware, reducing risk of infection and data compromise

Definition: Procedures for responding to and containing malware incidents
Steps:
1. Identification: Detecting and reporting malware incidents
2. Containment: Isolating affected systems and data to prevent spread
3. Eradication: Removing malware and restoring system integrity
4. Recovery: Restoring data and systems to normal operation
5. Post-incident activities: Analyzing incident, updating policies, and conducting training
Importance: Minimizes downtime, reduces data loss, and ensures business continuity

Definition: Ensuring antivirus software and signatures are up-to-date
Importance:
- Ensures protection against new and emerging threats
- Reduces risk of false negatives and false positives
- Maintains compliance with organizational security policies
Best practices:
- Regularly schedule updates and patches
- Automate updates where possible
- Monitor update status and troubleshoot issues

Definition: Isolating and containing detected malware for analysis and removal
Importance:
- Prevents malware from spreading and causing further damage
- Enables analysis and identification of malware characteristics
- Supports incident response and eradication efforts
Best practices:
- Implement quarantine policies and procedures
- Regularly review and analyze quarantined files
- Ensure timely removal or deletion of quarantined malware

Threat detection is the process of identifying and alerting on potential malware threats in real-time
Methods used in threat detection include signature-based detection, anomaly-based detection, and behavioral-based detection
Signature-based detection involves comparing code against known malware signatures
Anomaly-based detection involves identifying unusual behavior patterns
Behavioral-based detection involves monitoring system calls and API interactions
Threat detection enables swift response to emerging threats and minimizes the attack surface

Virus scanning involves scheduled or on-demand scans of systems and files for malware
Types of virus scans include full scan, quick scan, and custom scan
Full scan involves a comprehensive scan of the entire system
Quick scan involves a targeted scan of high-risk areas such as system files and email attachments
Custom scan involves a user-defined scan of specific files or folders
Virus scanning identifies and removes malware, reducing the risk of infection and data compromise

Incident response involves procedures for responding to and containing malware incidents
Incident response involves five steps: identification, containment, eradication, recovery, and post-incident activities
Identification involves detecting and reporting malware incidents
Containment involves isolating affected systems and data to prevent the spread of malware
Eradication involves removing malware and restoring system integrity
Recovery involves restoring data and systems to normal operation
Post-incident activities involve analyzing the incident, updating policies, and conducting training
Incident response minimizes downtime, reduces data loss, and ensures business continuity

Update management involves ensuring antivirus software and signatures are up-to-date
Update management ensures protection against new and emerging threats
Update management reduces the risk of false negatives and false positives
Update management maintains compliance with organizational security policies
Best practices for update management include regularly scheduling updates and patches, automating updates where possible, and monitoring update status and troubleshooting issues

Quarantine management involves isolating and containing detected malware for analysis and removal
Quarantine management prevents malware from spreading and causing further damage
Quarantine management enables analysis and identification of malware characteristics
Quarantine management supports incident response and eradication efforts
Best practices for quarantine management include implementing quarantine policies and procedures, regularly reviewing and analyzing quarantined files, and ensuring timely removal or deletion of quarantined malware