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Computer viruses can be classified into three main categories - virus that affects the boot sector of a computer, viruses that spread through macros and those that infect files. However, viruses are not the only ones affecting computer systems. There are other applications that can cause considerable damage. Examples include worms, adware, spyware, dialers, Trojans, etc.

They are executables that affect your system performance, can collect sensitive data and cause monetary damage or reputation loss.

Antivirus software helps to identify and remove all malicious applications including but not limited to viruses. They use scanning engines that can identify viruses by identifying the unique string of bytes that make up their composition. Most antivirus tools also study patterns to compare them with known traits of viruses. In case of infections, they are able to repair the files and in cases where repair is not feasible, they can quarantine the files or offer the option to delete the infected files from the system.

Your chosen antivirus solution should be able to offer you protection, at the minimum, from viruses that affect the boot sector, macro viruses, Trojans, worms and viruses that affect files. The other factors that might influence your decision of an antivirus solution are the speed and accuracy of the application and the usability.
These differ widely amongst vendors and you can do a feature by feature comparison before deciding on the application.

In the end, do remember that it pays to keep your antivirus software updated. With each passing day, more viruses are being created and released onto the computer networks. Most antivirus application developers keep researching and updating their application with the release of any known new virus or malware. Antivirus applications offer automatic updates or prompts whenever a new patch is available. It is advisable to avail the menu based definition updates or to opt-in for the updates whenever prompted to do so. Being on the safe side helps and it does when it concerns critical data that rests on your computer systems.