Antivirus software was originally created to detect and remove computer viruses, but now protects against other threats like malware. Antivirus software runs automatically in the background to scan, detect, and delete viruses and other malware from a computer in real-time. Popular antivirus options include Bitdefender, Avira, AVG, McAfee, Malwarebytes, Avast, and F-Secure, with each option providing differing levels of protection and customization abilities. Antivirus software protects individual devices, networks, and IT systems from malware infections.