The increasing size and density of the human population is leading to an increasing risk of infectious diseases that threaten to spread yet another pandemics. The widespread use of vaccination has reduced morbidity and mortality associated with viral infections and in some cases eradicated the virus from the population entirely. Regrettably, some virus species retain the ability to mutate rapidly and thus evade the vaccine-induced immune response. New antiviral drugs are therefore needed for the treatment and prevention of viral diseases. Modern research into the structures and properties of viral proteases, which are of key importance in the life cycle of viruses, makes it possible, in our opinion, to turn these enzymes into promising targets for the development of effective viral disease control methods.