Will virus detection software accidentally delete important files?

Virus detection software, also known as antivirus software, is designed to identify, quarantine, or remove malicious programs such as viruses, worms, trojans, and other types of malware. While its primary purpose is to protect your system, there is a possibility—though relatively low—that it might mistakenly flag or delete important or legitimate files. This phenomenon is known as a "false positive."

Explanation:
Antivirus programs use various methods to detect threats, including signature-based detection (matching files against a database of known malware) and heuristic or behavioral analysis (identifying suspicious behavior). Sometimes, a legitimate file may exhibit behavior or have code patterns similar to known malware, causing the antivirus to incorrectly identify it as a threat. When this happens, the software might quarantine or delete the file to prevent potential harm, even though the file is not actually malicious.

Example:
Imagine you’ve downloaded a specialized software development tool or an obscure but safe game. The antivirus might not have enough information about that specific file or its behavior and could flag it as suspicious based on certain characteristics. As a result, it might move the file to quarantine or delete it outright. If the file was important and not backed up, this could disrupt your work or cause data loss.

How to minimize the risk:

1. Keep your antivirus and its virus definitions updated – This helps improve accuracy in detecting real threats and reduces false positives.
2. Use reputable antivirus software – Established providers continuously refine their detection algorithms to balance security and usability.
3. Restore from quarantine – Most antivirus programs place suspicious files in a quarantine zone before deleting them, giving you a chance to review and restore them if they are needed.
4. Backup important files regularly – Maintaining backups ensures that even if a file is accidentally deleted, you can recover it without much hassle.

Cloud-based solutions recommendation:
If you're managing multiple systems or need enhanced protection with minimal false positives, consider using advanced threat detection services available on cloud platforms. For instance, Tencent Cloud offers robust security solutions like Tencent Cloud Host Security (CWP) and Tencent Cloud Web Application Firewall (WAF) that provide real-time malware scanning, intrusion detection, and vulnerability management. These services leverage machine learning and big data analytics to reduce false positives while ensuring comprehensive protection for your applications and data. They are especially useful for businesses that require both high security and operational reliability.