The best antivirus utilities. The best malware removal utilities

In this short review we will look at several applications that have been considered the best. These utilities will allow you to quickly detect and easily remove malware from your computer running Windows 10, 8, 7, XP.

How to remove malware

Currently, malware is widespread, as it uses a fairly simple method of infiltrating a user’s computer. These are not Trojans or vulnerabilities, but simple deception. Almost every one of us has installed a free application at least once. So, most often, such applications allow malware to penetrate the user’s computer, since the malware is simply integrated into their installer. When you install a free program, a bonus is installed - malware. But, we must add here that there are cases when paid programs also contain malicious programs, most often adware.

I would also like to remind you that malware poses a very serious threat, as it can cause great harm to your computer: damage or encrypt files on it, install a module or extension in the browser that will change its settings or begin to show a huge amount of intrusive advertising, and what else. not least important, it can work as a spy, collect detailed information about you, which will later be transferred to third parties. Therefore, it is obvious that the presence of malware on your
It is undesirable on your computer; it must be deleted immediately after being found.

The best malware removal utilities

Not all antivirus programs are good at detecting and removing malware, since malware most often behaves differently than regular viruses. Therefore, it is very important to have on your computer a utility specifically designed to solve this problem. Here you need to add that you can have one antivirus program installed on your computer, but you can use several utilities to remove malware. Each of them is an excellent addition to the security system of the Windows operating system.

AdwCleaner

Quickly find and easily remove malware. AdwCleaner will allow you to solve these two problems with ease.

If you need a utility that is small in size but can easily find and remove malware, then check out AdwCleaner. This is a very convenient program, which is primarily designed to quickly find and remove malware that infects web browsers and changes their settings.

In addition, this tool will easily help you get rid of adware and potentially unnecessary applications. The downside of the program is that AdwCleaner does not contain an auto-protection module and cannot protect you from new malware entering your system. In all other respects, this is a very effective tool and should be in the arsenal of every user who actively uses the Internet.

Zemana Anti-malware

Zemana Anti-malware is an excellent addition to your main antivirus, which allows you to protect your computer as much as possible from new malware.

Zemana Anti-malware is another great option among programs designed to search for and remove various types of malware. If you want to protect your computer as much as possible, then first of all we recommend that you install a classic anti-virus package, and as a means of protection against malware, choose the Zemana Anti-malware program.

This is an excellent application that appeared not so long ago, but has already earned respect among security experts. Zemana Anti-malware can analyze suspicious programs (called heuristic analysis) to see if their behavior exhibits characteristics that are characteristic of various types of malware, including adware and programs that change the settings of installed web browsers. This means that you will be protected from the latest malware, including the case where your computer is the first victim to be affected by a new malware and, accordingly, its description is not yet in the Zemana Anti-malware database of known threats. In any case, this malicious program will be quickly detected and safely removed from your personal computer. All this happens automatically, in the background.

We recommend scanning all downloaded files with Zemana Anti-malware before running them. This will allow you to prevent your computer from becoming infected with malware, as it will block them before the initial launch. And as you know, it is better to prevent infection than to treat it later.

As already mentioned, if you already have an antivirus program, paid or free, and you completely trust it, then you can additionally install Zemana Anti-malware Free. This program will not cause conflicts and will work as an add-on that will significantly increase the security of your computer.

Malwarebytes

Malwarebytes can easily replace your antivirus or work in tandem with it, thereby significantly increasing your operating system's protection against malware.

Thinking about replacing your antivirus? Then meet Malwarebytes. This is a well-known program, originally created specifically for finding and removing malware. But by now it has seriously changed and can not only save you from malware, but also protect you from its penetration, as well as find and neutralize ordinary viruses. In addition, Malwarebytes contains a module that allows you to protect your computer from the most dangerous malware - ransomware viruses.

Malwarebytes 3.0 - Scan Results

Despite its enormous capabilities, this program can scan your computer very quickly, having one of the fastest scanners among all antivirus programs. With it, you can forget about the fact that scanning the entire computer can take half a day or more. Any security threat to your computer will be detected and quarantined.

Malwarebytes is not intrusive, but will always warn you when there are attempts to launch malicious programs or when any programs attempt to perform potentially dangerous actions on your system. Additionally, what needs to be added is that when you install it, you get all the features for 14 days free of charge, and then you are given a choice. Buy a license and use all the features, or use the free version of the program. In free mode, the automatic protection module will be disabled, but Malwarebytes, without any restrictions, will scan your computer at your request and will be able to remove all detected malware as before.

Kaspresky Virus Removal Tool

Kaspresky Virus Removal Tool (KVRT) is a free utility that is based on the Kaspersky antivirus core. Of course, this application will not provide you with comprehensive computer protection against malware, but it will give you complete control over manual scanning.

Kaspresky Virus Removal Tool can detect all types of malicious software, including adware and spyware, as well as a variety of Trojans, viruses and rootkits. Once malware is detected, you can remove it quickly and easily.

If you suspect that a file you downloaded may contain malware, be sure to check it using Kaspresky Virus Removal Tool. This program will analyze it, and based on this analysis, recommend whether it is safe or not to run it. It is very easy and convenient, since this program scans very quickly and consumes virtually no computer resources. This is especially convenient if you are using a computer or virtual machine with limited resources.

Although you must initiate the scanning process yourself, this does not reduce the program's capabilities. Kaspresky Virus Removal Tool is a great tool to check your computer from time to time or keep on your PC in case malware gets into the system and urgent treatment is needed.

An ideal malware removal tool that does not require installation on your computer and contains several useful additional utilities.

If your computer has been infected with malware and you are faced with the fact that it works very slowly, or the installation of programs is blocked, or if you need a tool that can be stored on a flash drive, then Emsisoft Emergency Kit is perfect for you. This is an application that does not require installation on a computer and can be launched from a regular flash drive or any other external device.

Emsisoft Emergency Kit already has a database of malware signatures, but it requires an Internet connection to update. Immediately after launch, the program will scan your computer for malware and then allow you to move it to quarantine. This will block the ability of malware to harm your system.

Many manufacturers of security products produce free versions of antiviruses, which can be completely freely downloaded from the official website of the manufacturer and used on your computers.

Most developers only include anti-virus scanners without real-time protection in their free editions, but there are developers who provide a full range of tools to protect your data in their free version.

Below is a selection of antiviruses that you can download and use absolutely free.

07/19/2018, Anton Maksimov

The ranks of free antiviruses with constant protection have been replenished by a new version of the Kaspersky Lab product called Kaspersky Free. If previously they only had a healing utility (antivirus scanner Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool), now they also release permanent file system protection and protection against malicious sites on the network.

06/12/2018, Anton Maksimov

Security is never enough. Many manufacturers of security systems think so. Including the developers of the free antivirus 360 Total Security, which includes as many as 5 engines. Yes, this antivirus has many different engines, each of which performs its own task. This includes virus detection mechanisms from Avira and Bitdefender, proactive protection QVM II, the 360 ​​Cloud cloud system and the System Repair system recovery system.

04/18/2018, Anton Maksimov

Avast Free Antivirus is a free antivirus suite with always-on protection. Perfect for home use. In addition to the anti-virus module itself, it has a number of additional tools that will help save data and protect you from online threats.

01/11/2018, Anton Maksimov

So we got our hands on the free Comodo Internet Security. This is a set of tools to protect your computer, which includes a firewall, antivirus and proactive protection module. I will not describe all the features of Comodo Internet Security, because, in my opinion, they are standard and are present in most similar programs. The main difference between this program and the others is that it is free and amazingly reliable. When configured correctly, the program allows you to secure your computer to the maximum. The other day I reviewed several comparative tests conducted by various companies, and the results of these tests quite surprised me. As an example, I will give the results of one of these tests.

10/05/2017, Anton Maksimov

AVG AntiVirus FREE is a world-famous antivirus program that is available free of charge to home users and is already used by millions of people around the world. Unlike many free scanners from large antivirus laboratories, AVG is a full-fledged product that can ensure the full security of your PC. AVG Anti-Virus FREE is easy to use and does not slow down the operating system (has low system requirements).

07/12/2017, Anton Maksimov

Today I will talk about another free antivirus, Avira Free Antivirus, which recently settled on one of my computers. The situation with it is special, since this antivirus is not a simple scanner; it does not need to be downloaded every time you need to check the system. This antivirus hangs in memory and does everything on its own. Independently downloads and installs updates, independently checks files accessed by the operating system and various applications.

A massive attack by the WannaCry ransomware (WannaCryptor, WanaDecryptor) led to the infection of tens of thousands of computers in organizations and public institutions around the world. The malware uses a known vulnerability described in security bulletin MS17-010 and a combination of EternalBlue/DoublePulsar exploits that allow it to attack other vulnerable Windows systems on the same network. As a result, infection of one computer can lead to the compromise of the entire corporate network in the organization.

Once it appears on a computer through successful exploitation of the vulnerability, the WannaCry ransomware encrypts all files and documents of certain formats, executing remote commands sent via the SMB protocol and spreading to other Windows computers on the network.

Perhaps you are too trusting and therefore have not installed an antivirus on your PC, or the license for your antivirus has already expired, or the antivirus you have installed does not provide maximum protection, and... maybe your PC is infected!

02/20/2015, Anton Maksimov

For the vast majority of home users of Windows 7 and Windows 10, a standard antivirus product from Microsoft is quite suitable. In the Windows 10 operating system, it is already built into the system called Windows Defender and does not need to be additionally downloaded and installed. But for Windows 7 you will have to install it by downloading the Microsoft Security Essentials distribution from the Microsoft website. Essentially, they are the same product, but with different names for different systems.

07/22/2013, Anton Maksimov

Dr.Web CureIt! - an antivirus that is noticeably different from the programs everyone is familiar with. This utility does not work constantly, preventing the appearance of malware on the computer. It allows you to cure an already infected PC from viruses, Trojan horses, rootkits, etc. This feature of Dr.Web CureIt! determines the scope of application of this product. It can be used periodically to check the reliability of the antivirus installed on your computer, as well as in cases where, based on indirect signs, you can suspect a PC infection. In general, I benefit from Dr.Web CureIt! difficult to overestimate.

06/26/2013, Anton Maksimov

Continuing the popular topic of free antivirus, I would like to mention another development that I became acquainted with relatively recently and which I have not yet had time to write about. In theory, it would be possible to add this information to the original message, but I decided to put everything in the form of a separate note. So, today we will talk about a free antivirus from Kaspersky Lab called Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool.

10.21.2009, Anton Maksimov

An interesting free antivirus program is produced by Microsoft Corporation. The utility is called Malicious Software Removal Tool (Malicious Software Removal Tool for Microsoft® Windows® OS). This tool automatically scans your computer for a range of malicious programs and immediately removes them when found. The tool is not a replacement for a regular antivirus utility; it only allows you to perform a quick analysis for the presence of common viruses.

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If the antivirus installed on your computer does not detect anything suspicious, but the symptoms are obvious (freezes, strange running processes, autorun.inf appearing on flash drives, etc.), a “disposable antivirus” is necessary. It's easy to use - just download from the link and run it. In this case, during the scan, it is advisable to disable the antivirus that is installed on a permanent basis.

Advantages of disposable antiviruses

1. Free. For home use, almost all one-time antiviruses are free.

Flaws

1. They are not able to protect your computer all the time (there is no module for constant protection) and there is no update of anti-virus databases.

2. You have to download it again every time so that such an antivirus detects new viruses.

Dr.Web CureIt!

Dr.Web CureIt!- a good one-time antivirus. Knows how to fight running viruses (does not allow itself to be killed during scanning).

HerdProtect

An online antivirus that scans all computer files using 68 antivirus databases. I explained how to use it in a separate article.

This is a good option if you have unlimited internet.

Minus: does not know how to treat infected files.

Plus: You don’t need to download it again to check, the databases are always fresh.

Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool

ESET Online Scanner

Plus Online scanner - no need to worry about downloading new versions with fresh databases. Just open the link or run esetsmartinstaller_rus.exe, the antivirus will start, update and scan your computer for viruses.

Norton Security Scan

Norton Security Scan- another one-time antivirus. You can download the interface in English, but simple.

Checks hard drives very quickly. Requires an Internet connection, just like Eset Online Scanner.

When you first start it, it creates a shortcut to itself, which is strange.

In general, it is better not to use it, since viruses common in Russia enter its database a little late. The newest winlockers (ransomware banners) are unlikely to be detected.

AVZ or Zaitsev Antivirus

Powerful antivirus utility (not a full-fledged antivirus!) for advanced users. There is not a sea of ​​functions, but a whole ocean.

Supports updating anti-virus databases from the Internet. Unlike disposable antiviruses, it cannot treat infected *.exe files. It is more of an “anti-spyware” with many unique additional features. I will quote the words of the author AVZ: “ The utility is a direct analogue of the Trojan Hunter and LavaSoft Ad-aware 6 programs. The primary task of the program is to remove AdWare, SpyWare and Trojan programs.» The archive with the program contains help on all functions; it must be read carefully before the first launch.

Increasingly, users are attacked by Trojans, malicious files that change browser or system settings, and constantly display advertising sites or viral ads. Windows protection does not always work, and it becomes necessary to clean your computer from viruses for free. This can be done in several ways.

How to check your computer for viruses

Threats can penetrate the operating system via the Internet, along with someone else’s flash drive, or when installing dubious software. The development of antivirus products has prompted the emergence of more cunning, complex spyware or malware codes. Now they can be recorded in startup and automatically restored after deletion. It becomes more difficult to cure your computer. Here are ways to clean your laptop from viruses yourself:

1. The most radical, tough way to clean your computer from viruses is to reinstall the operating system. Along with malicious files, files will be completely deleted from system partitions or from a logical drive. This means that the programs and documents that were on it will be lost. You can save data on other drives, but there is a risk that the infected file lives on them too.
2. Formatting the disk. A good way if you know that the virus is not in section C.
3. Return to a restore point without malicious files. The operating system can roll back to its previous state, for example, yesterday, when worms or Trojans had not yet penetrated it. When using a backup, all new files and folders will be deleted and replaced with old ones. Suitable if only system data and directories were affected.
4. Use any good antivirus, for example: Doctor Web (Dr.Web), Kaspersky or Nod32. The scanner will detect threats and offer to remove, treat, or quarantine them.

Some viruses are not so easy to clean: they open browser windows with advertising pages and carry out hidden actions. One of them is blocking the operation of anti-virus utilities. In such cases, online services can provide assistance for the initial start of scanning. Here are some popular and effective options:

• BitDefender QuickScan – online scanning via a cloud service is enabled directly on the website;
• Panda ActiveScan – a special module will be downloaded, which will scan your computer for security threats through a cloud service;
• HouseCall – searches for spy codes and viruses online;
• Microsoft Safety Scanner – one-time check from the company;
• Kaspersky Security Scan – your computer is treated for viruses using a special utility. It needs to be downloaded, but the software works via a cloud service.

The best utilities for cleaning your computer from viruses

To clean your computer, full-fledged antiviruses are best suited, but you can also use special utilities. The best of them are given below:

1. DR WEB CUREIT is a simple, free, portable utility. You just need to launch the program and click “Start scanning”. This can take from 1 to 6 hours (depending on the number of objects being checked).
2. NORTON SECURITY SCAN is another additional protection tool that will help clean your computer from viruses. Distributed free of charge. It works and is accessible to the user online, controls the PC in real time.
3. Kaspersky Anti-Virus is a full-fledged program that is distributed for a fee. There is a special utility that you can download for free - Kaspersky Security Scan.
4. AVZ is a powerful, popular utility that can solve even the most complex pest problems. Very useful in cases where you cannot log into Windows. Launch it in safe mode when the system boots. The current version is updated automatically free of charge.
5. ESET ONLINE SCANNER is another option on how to clean your computer from viruses for free. No installation is required, you just need to download and run the executable file.
6. AVIRA REMOVAL TOOL is not the most successful option for cleaning your computer from viruses, but they use it because the utility is distributed free of charge.
7. AVAST! VIRUS CLEANER TOOL – additional protection against Avast antivirus. Works autonomously in a cloud service. Searches for and removes spyware and malicious files.
8. Malwarebytes is a very effective program for removing ad viruses that successfully hide from Kaspersky or Dr.Web. You can use it absolutely free for the first month, but then you will have to purchase a license.

How to clean your computer from viruses yourself

If you wish and have free time, you can clean the computer yourself. It is recommended to delete everything from the Recycle Bin at the very beginning and use the CCleaner program, which will destroy unnecessary and unnecessary information from the registry and all kinds of garbage. The easiest way to clean your computer from viruses is to format your hard drive. If it is important to save data on it, you should choose a more complex path, using an antivirus and special programs.

Cleaning and formatting the hard drive

You should understand that disk cleaning and formatting are two different things. The first is often carried out with the aim of freeing up space on the desired partition by removing junk, temporary and broken (non-working) files. This action does not directly affect the cleaning of malicious files. You can do it as follows:

1. Go to "My Computer".
2. On the disk that needs cleaning, right-click.
3. Select Properties.
4. In the window that opens, find the “Disk Cleanup” button at the bottom and click on it.

Formatting completely deletes the entire contents of the partition along with malicious code. Make sure to copy all important data to temporary media. To do this you need:

1. Open "My Computer".
2. Right-click on the desired section.
3. Select “Format” from the menu.
4. Uncheck the "Fast" box.
5. Click the “Start” button.

Using a special antivirus program

Before you remove viruses from your computer, you must log into safe mode. To do this, press F8 when you boot your computer. Before this, you must download the AVZ program and install a full-fledged antivirus, for example, Kaspersky or Nod32. When entering safe mode:

1. Launch AVZ immediately.
2. Go to the File menu, select System Restore.
3. Confirm all points, click “Run”.
4. Once finished, go to the “Tools” section and click on “Process Manager”. Delete everything that is not highlighted in green.
5. Go to the File menu and click Troubleshooter. Clean the system.

These first steps on how to properly clean your computer of viruses will allow you to identify problems in the system, the location of infected files and neutralize them, but not delete them. You need a full-fledged antivirus program. AVZ prepares the ground for its effective operation. Select full scan and wait for the results. All threats found must be removed. If after this the advertisement continues to load and pages open spontaneously, use “Malwarebytes.”

The fact is that malware is not a virus in the usual sense of the word. These are small utilities that climb into your computer without asking and install any kind of infection or show unwanted advertising. And there are 2 problems here:

1. Antiviruses do not see malware because they do not consider them viruses.
2. These threats are very difficult to remove.

But it is still possible. After all, there is special software with which you can find and remove malware. And below we will consider 8 excellent utilities designed to remove such advertising viruses.

It’s worth noting right away that Windows 10 already has a malware removal tool by default. Yes, it may not be as effective at cleaning Malware and Adware viruses as other utilities, but it’s still worth a try. Fortunately, you don’t need to download or install anything – everything is already installed and configured.

As a rule, this software starts automatically, but if necessary, you can start it manually. It is located here: C:\Windows\System32\MRT.exe.

Finding and removing malware is simple - you just need to click the “Next” button. But the verification itself takes a very long time, so it will take some time.

The main advantage of this software is that it will 100% not harm your PC or laptop (but only if Windows 10 is licensed). Another plus: you can download it for Windows 7 and 8 at. website ().

AdwCleaner is very effective in combating:

• pop-ups in the browser;
• opening advertising pages in a new tab;
• changing the home page in the browser and the inability to change it.

Its main advantages:

• free;
• constantly updated;
• gives really practical advice on how to prevent your PC or laptop from becoming infected in the future (after analyzing and cleaning the PC).

Using the utility is extremely simple:

1. Launch it and click "Scan".
2. See what threats she was able to detect on the computer (you can remove the birds from unnecessary items).
3. Click Cleanup.

While the program is running, you will need to restart your PC to completely remove ad viruses and other infections. And when cleaning the computer is complete, a detailed report will appear of what was deleted.

By the way, AdwCleaner has recently received support for Windows 10, so it can be safely installed on any operating system.

Today, some malicious utilities can impersonate AdwCleaner. Therefore, if you download it from a third-party site, be sure to check for viruses on virustotal.

Anti-Malware Free

Another excellent utility that can be used to clean your computer from malware is Anti-Malware. Very popular among users today.

Its main advantages:

• reliable computer protection against malware (easily detects webalta and other common threats on a PC);
• effective removal;
• presence of Russian language.

It is also completely free (there is also a paid version, but the first one is more than enough).

For me, checking for malware takes a little too long. But that's just my opinion. Still, it is not for nothing that this utility is considered one of the most popular.

Zemana AntiMalware

It is also worth paying attention to Zemana AntiMalware. This is another good malware cleaning utility.

Main advantages:

• effective search (often finds advertising viruses that the previous 2 utilities do not see);
• scanning individual files to choose from;
• PC protection in real-time mode.

In addition, it has one very useful option - checking for malware in the browser and removing it. Since pop-ups most often appear for this very reason, this makes this utility one of the best.

Among the disadvantages are 15 days of free use and the need to connect to the Internet. But since such malware removal tools are used only occasionally, the first drawback is considered insignificant.

Junkware Removal Tool

Another great free threat scanning utility.

Main advantages:

• works with ad viruses, browser extensions, etc.;
• it automatically deletes detected threats in folders, shortcuts, processes and any browsers (before this it creates a checkpoint for recovery);
• generates a report after the operation is completed.

HitmanPRO program

HitmanPro is software that can also be used to find and remove malware.

Main advantages:

• fast work;
• effective search: sees many threats, and even those that have already been removed (traces of them usually remain);
• does not need installation.

It is paid, but there is a 30-day free period. This is more than enough to check your PC for malware.

Malicious Software Removal Tool

Also on this list there is another software from Microsoft that does not require installation and is suitable for Windows 7 and 8. You can download it.

Using the program is easy. Turn it on, click “Next” and wait for the report.

Spybot utility

And the last free program for removing viruses from your computer is Spybot.

Its main advantages:

• wide functionality;
• can track newly installed software and changes made to the Windows registry and files;
• is able to roll back changes in case of failures in the PC after removing viruses.

That's all. Now you know how to detect malware and how to remove it. Above were 8 of the best utilities for finding and removing ad viruses (most of them are free), and which one to choose is up to you.

For maximum protection of your computer or laptop, it is recommended to use one of these utilities in conjunction with an antivirus. If you don’t know which one is better to choose, you can look here.