Question 1

What are antivirus false positives?

Accepted Answer

A false positive occurs when an antivirus mistakenly labels a secure file as malware. There can be several reasons why different antivirus scanners treat different legitimate programs and files as threats, depending on whether the scanners are signature-based, heuristics-based, or use behavior analysis for malware detection.

Unfortunately, no antivirus program is immune to false positives. Still, based on my own test results, Norton returns very few false positives while still maintaining a 100% malware detection rate.

Question 2

Why do antiviruses raise false positives?

Accepted Answer

Hackers are constantly developing new malware, and antivirus companies are in a constant race with hackers to develop methods of detection that can catch these new threats. Antivirus developers have created innovative scanning tools that detect and block innovative malware files, but no tool is perfect — and mistakes are bound to happen.

Advanced antivirus programs like Norton, McAfee, and Bitdefender all use a combination of signature-based scanning, heuristic analysis, and machine learning to detect malware files — they may occasionally flag a false positive, but they’re also at the forefront of malware detection, blocking zero-day threats that can sneak past built-in scanners like Windows Defender.

Question 3

How to tell if your antivirus is identifying false positives or real viruses?

Accepted Answer

There are a few steps you can take when trying to determine if a flagged file is malware, such as updating your antivirus, contacting your antivirus’s customer support team, or doing a Google search to see what other people are saying about the file in question.

Question 4

How to prevent an antivirus from flagging legitimate programs as false positives?

Accepted Answer

If you’re 100% sure that the file or program being flagged is safe, you should try “whitelisting” it from your antivirus’s settings. Depending on the vendor, the option may be called something different. Either in the settings, quarantine menu, or the scanner window, you should be able to locate the option that says “whitelist”, “exceptions”, “allowed lists”, or something similar. Once you find it, add the false positive to the list and click on save. You can then run a quick scan to make sure the false positive isn’t being flagged anymore.

If you’re using a buggy antivirus program that is constantly issuing false positives, it’s probably time to choose a better antivirus solution. All of the programs on our list of the top 10 antiviruses in 2023 are highly secure, have perfect or near-perfect malware detection rates, and return a minimal amount of false positives during scans.

Question 5

What is a backdoor in cybersecurity?

Accepted Answer

A backdoor is any method that can allow another user to access your device without your knowledge or consent (and usually without the device’s knowledge, either). A backdoor can be installed by software and hardware developers, or it can be installed by cybercriminals in order to gain unauthorized access to a device, install malware, steal user data, or sabotage a network.

Question 6

How do backdoor attacks work?

Accepted Answer

In a backdoor attack, hackers first find a weak point or a compromised application in your device to exploit — this could be a vulnerability in an application, an open port on your network, an account with a weak password, or a piece of malware that was installed on your device.

The hacker then uses complex tools to deceive your device, your network, or your online account into thinking that the backdoor is a legitimate application.

Once your device is compromised, the backdoor can be used to deploy malware onto your device (like cryptojackers, rootkits, or ransomware), steal your data and spy on your activity, or just install viruses to crash your device.

Question 7

What can cybercriminals do with a backdoor?

Accepted Answer

Depending on how sophisticated a backdoor program is, it can allow hackers to perform malicious activities such as DDoS attacks, sending and receiving files, changing system settings, taking screenshots, and playing tricks like opening and closing the DVD drive.

Hackers can even remotely access your device from their computer using a backdoor, navigating all of your files and software from the safety of their own home.

Edward Snowden revealed that the NSA had forced backdoors into tons of user electronics and even widespread cryptographic protocols, enabling them to listen in on anybody’s conversations, activate microphones and cameras, and gather user data remotely.

Question 8

How can you prevent backdoor attacks?

Accepted Answer

There are strategies that can be used to prevent and reduce the risk of a backdoor attack, but the first and most important step in staying safe from malware is getting a reliable antivirus program.

For example, Norton 360 comes with real-time protection (which can prevent backdoor malware from being installed on your computer), a firewall (which can detect and prevent unwanted web traffic), a password manager (which can keep your accounts from getting broken into), a vulnerability scanner (which can tell you if you need software updates), and dark web monitoring (which can warn if your data has been breached).

Aside from that, just use good common sense online. Only use HTTPS websites whenever possible, avoid pirate websites, don’t give your personal information to untrustworthy sites, and scan any files you download with an antivirus program.

Question 9

What are zero-day threats?

Accepted Answer

Zero-day threats are brand new cyberattacks that either A) exploit software vulnerabilities which developers are unaware of, or B) utilize new malware code that isn’t recorded in any malware database. The term “zero-day” refers to the amount of time developers have had to update their protections — because zero-days are brand new, developers have had zero days to study them and devise a solution.

The majority of zero-day attacks that we hear about in the news are zero-day exploits. Exploit attacks target unintended bugs and weaknesses in software — they frequently target browsers and other web-facing tools (like JavaScript, Adobe Flash, or CSS), which are easier for hackers to access. Hackers use exploits to gain access to a system, at which point they can install malware, sabotage a system, steal data, or initiate a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack.

Once a zero-day has been deployed, it becomes a known exploit which developers can protect against with patches and software updates — so zero-days are usually deployed in high-profile attacks against extremely lucrative targets. Both zero-day malware attacks and exploit attacks are fairly uncommon, but zero-day exploits have been happening more frequently in recent years. Machine learning-based anti-malware detection (like Norton uses) is designed to detect zero-day malware threats.

Question 10

Is there a difference between zero-days and exploits?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Zero-days are simply exploit attacks that nobody has seen before. The moment a zero-day attack occurs, the exploit that was utilized in the attack becomes a known exploit, and developers set about patching the vulnerability that was targeted by the zero-day.

Once a patch is issued in a software update, users with up-to-date software can’t be targeted by exploits that target the patched vulnerability.

Exploits are a lot more common than zero-days, and they’re still a huge problem online because so many users fail to update their software.

Question 11

What are some real-world examples of zero-day attacks?

Accepted Answer

There have been quite a few notable instances of zero-days in the last decade, including:

Stuxnet malware. This spy-movie caliber attack targeted uranium-enrichment centrifuges in Iran by exploiting multiple zero-days in Windows and Siemens industrial computers.
Pegasus malware. This terrifying malware was deployed by multiple oppressive regimes (probably Saudi Arabia and the UAE) to spy on journalists at Al Jazeera.
Equifax breach. Ironically, this breach wouldn’t have happened if Equifax had kept its software up-to-date. One of the largest breaches in hacker history, it exploited a vulnerability in the Adobe Struts application that had been patched months before the breach occurred.

Question 12

Are cyber attacks increasing?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Cyber attacks are increasing. Over the past two decades, cyber attacks have been increasing exponentially. There are now more than 1 billion malware programs in existence, and it is estimated that 560,000 pieces of new malware are detected every day. That’s why it’s so important to protect your devices using a comprehensive antivirus suite like Norton 360.

Question 13

What are some recent examples of cyber attacks?

Accepted Answer

Here are some notable cyber attacks that have been reported recently:

A prominent hacking group targeted schools and universities in a phishing attack, stealing students’ Instagram, Amazon, Netflix, Facebook, and banking credentials.
Hackers stole voter registration data during the 2020 US elections by spoofing legitimate websites.
Facebook reported a plot by hackers to actively use its platform to spread malware and compromise user accounts. However, the company was able to disrupt this planned attack before it was successfully executed.
Hackers in New Zealand were able to breach the country´s central bank, accessing customers´ personally identifiable information (PII).

Question 14

Can cybercrime be stopped?

Accepted Answer

Unfortunately, no. Just as technology is constantly evolving, so too is cybercrime. Zero-day threats are on the rise and new malware variants are deployed every day, proving that hackers are constantly innovating and developing new methods to break even the strongest security protections. Cybersecurity is thus a constant battle of innovation between malicious hackers and white hat (ethical) programmers. However, most attacks can be prevented simply by using the right anti-malware technology — such as a powerful antivirus software like Norton.

Question 15

Are mobile devices also at risk of cyber attacks?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Although traditionally there has been less malware directed at mobile devices, it is consistently on the rise. A 2020 report found that 40% of all mobile devices are exposed to cyber-attacks, with data leaks, open WiFi networks, phishing attacks, spyware, trojans, and viruses all being common mobile-device threats. The good news is that there are plenty of antivirus software companies that also protect your mobile devices as part of the same package, such as Norton. You can also take a look at our top picks for best Android antivirus and best iOS security app.

Ben Martens

Other Articles

What Are Antivirus False Positives & How to Fix Them in 2023?

What Is a Backdoor & How to Prevent Backdoor Attacks (2023)

What Is a Zero-Day Threat? [Complete Guide 2023]

10 Common Cyber Attacks to Protect Against in 2023