Common information

The section contains common descriptive information concerning malicious programs and some peculiarities how to fight these programs using Kaspersky Lab’s products. If you failed to find the necessary information or you find these recommendations too complicated or inadequate, please send a request to the Technical Support service via the HelpDesk form.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus detects an infected file, but before the virus name writes not-a-virus. What does this mean? Are such viruses dangerous?
ID Article: 852	Other languages:	31	2008 Oct 03 20:11	Printable version

	Useful links
	What is Adware, spyware, riskware and how can I fight these programs? Kaspersky Anti-Virus 5.0 Personal: extended antivirus database Kaspersky Anti-Virus 5.0 Personal PRO: extended database

The Kaspersky Lab antivirus databases contain signatures of malicious programs that may harm your PC: damage some files on the hard drive of your computer; send some personal sensitive information stored on your computer to a hacker; use your computer as a zombi that would send infected messages etc.

Extended antivirus database has the signatures of potential Malware, that is not dangerous by itself, but can interfere with your work on the computer or it can be used by a hacker to get some personal information from your computer. All the programs of the kind when detected by any component of Kaspersky Anti-Virus have a prefix not-a-virus in their names. Example of the Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal informational window displaying the data about a detected not-a-virus is given below: