About Virus Pattern Files
To detect and clean viruses, PC-cillin uses an extensive database of virus "signatures," (inert sections of virus code) that hold the signatures of thousands and thousands of viruses.
As new viruses are written, released onto the public, and discovered; Trend Micro collects their telltale signatures and incorporates the information into the virus pattern file. By some estimates, thousands of new viruses are created each year, a rate of several each day. In fact, virus making has become so easy that free "virus kits" are even available over the Internet from rogue Web sites. Therefore, it is very important to keep the virus pattern file up to date.
To keep up with the onslaught of viruses, Trend Micro publishes a new virus pattern file weekly (available for download from our Web site). Both home and office users should consider scheduling weekly updates. Virus pattern file updates are available for a year to registered PC-cillin users.
The virus pattern file is located in the Trend Micro PC-cillin folder on your computer and will have a name such as Lpt$vpn.120. The number represents the pattern version. If more than one virus pattern file exists in the folder, the scan engine only uses the latest.
See also:
Viewing pattern file and scan engine information