What role does antivirus software play in cybersecurity?

Antivirus software plays a critical role in cybersecurity primarily by detecting, preventing, and removing malware. It scans files and applications to identify known malware signatures and behaviors, providing real-time protection against various types of threats, including viruses, worms, Trojans, and more. By doing this, antivirus software helps to safeguard computer systems from malicious attacks that can compromise sensitive information, disrupt operations, and cause damage to hardware and data integrity.

While creating secure connections is an important security measure, this is the function of VPNs or secure network protocols rather than antivirus software. Similarly, managing network traffic pertains to network security appliances and solutions that handle data flow across networks, which is outside the scope of antivirus capabilities. Encrypting sensitive data is a feature related to data protection, ensuring that information is unreadable without the proper decryption key; however, it does not fall under the primary functions of antivirus software. Thus, the primary focus of antivirus tools is on malware management, making the identification and remediation of such threats their essential role in the cybersecurity landscape.