Just as there are many variants and forms of electronic malware
and Internet-based threats around the globe, so there are many
forms of protection against these threats. Signature-based
detection is one of the multifarious forms of defense that have
been developed in order to keep us safe from malicious content.
Although signature-based detection can be argued to have been
overshadowed by more sophisticated methods of protection in some
environments, it remains as a core ‘technique’ featuring in the
anti-virus controls of packages and suites that work to protect
a user’s system today. How does signature-based detection work?
Signature-based detection works by scanning the contents of
computer files and cross-referencing their contents with the
“code signatures” belonging to known viruses. A library of known
code signatures is updated and refreshed constantly by the anti-
virus software vendor. If a viral signature is detected, the
software acts to protect the user’s system from damage.
Suspected files are typi