Will virus removal delete files?

Virus removal may or may not delete files, depending on the nature of the infection and the actions taken by the antivirus software.

When a virus or malware infects a system, it can embed itself within legitimate files, modify system settings, or create malicious files. Antivirus programs aim to neutralize the threat, but their approach varies:

1. Quarantine: Many antivirus tools isolate suspicious files instead of deleting them immediately. Quarantined files are stored in a secure location where they can’t harm the system, allowing users to review or restore them if needed.
2. Cleaning: Some malware can be removed from infected files without deleting the entire file. For example, if a virus appends itself to a document, the antivirus might strip the malicious code while preserving the original content.
3. Deletion: In cases where files are severely compromised (e.g., ransomware-encrypted files or irreparably infected executables), the antivirus may delete them to prevent further harm.

Example: If a Trojan horse is hiding inside a legitimate application file, the antivirus might quarantine or delete the entire file to ensure the threat is eliminated. However, if a browser extension is infected, the antivirus could disable or remove just the malicious component without affecting other data.

For enhanced protection and recovery, services like Tencent Cloud’s security solutions (e.g., Host Security or Cloud Workload Protection) can help detect and mitigate threats while minimizing data loss. Additionally, regular backups stored in secure cloud storage can ensure file recovery even if removal is necessary.