How does antivirus software contribute to endpoint security?

Antivirus software contributes to endpoint security by scanning files, programs, and sometimes memory or processes for known malware signatures and suspicious patterns. Signature-based detection compares observed files or code characteristics against known malicious indicators. This helps identify viruses, trojans, worms, spyware, and other malicious software before or during execution. Antivirus may also include heuristic or behavioral detection, but the answer specifically identifies known malware signatures, which is a classic antivirus function. Strong password policies are part of identity security, not antivirus. Filtering unsolicited commercial email is a function of email security or spam filtering. Isolating untested applications describes sandboxing or application isolation rather than standard antivirus scanning. Antivirus remains a basic endpoint control, although modern endpoint protection platforms often add behavior analytics, exploit prevention, device control, and response capabilities. The objective is to reduce the chance that malicious files can execute or persist on user systems. Reference/topics: Endpoint Security 4.3, antivirus and endpoint security components; Cybersecurity 1.5, threat prevention practices.