How does anti-malware software detect viruses? What techniques are available, and how do they differ? Solution Generally Anti-malware software runs in the background on your computer, checking every file you open. This is generally known as on-access scanning, background scanning, resident scanning, real-time protection, or something else, depending on your anti-malware program. When you double-click an EXE file, it may seem like the program launches immediately – but it doesn’t. Your anti-malware software checks the program first, comparing it to known viruses, worms, and other types of malware. Your anti-malware software also does “heuristic” checking, checking programs for types of bad behavior that may indicate a new, unknown virus. It’s possible to use an anti-malware without on-access scanning, but this generally isn’t a good idea – viruses that exploit security holes in programs wouldn’t be caught by the scanner. After a virus has infected your system, it’s much harder to remove..