How does FortiGate protect against malware?

FortiGate protects against malware primarily through its antivirus feature, which includes real-time scanning and heuristics. Real-time scanning allows FortiGate to continuously monitor incoming and outgoing traffic for the presence of malicious content. This proactive approach ensures that threats are detected and mitigated as they occur.

Heuristics enhance this protection by enabling the system to identify potential malware based on behavioral patterns rather than relying solely on known virus definitions. This means FortiGate can recognize new or modified malware variants that have not yet been documented in its database. The combination of real-time scanning and heuristics provides a robust defense mechanism against a wide array of malware threats, ensuring that the network is safeguarded against both known and emerging risks.

In contrast, while regular software updates are essential for maintaining security and keeping the antivirus signatures current, they are not sufficient on their own to prevent malware. Isolating suspicious activity might be a part of a broader security strategy but does not directly address malware detection and prevention mechanisms. Limiting web access to trusted sites can reduce risk but does not actively scan for or eliminate malware. Thus, these approaches are complementary to the core malware protection provided by FortiGate through real-time scanning and heuristics.