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Time for a new maleware scanner..

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Supreme [H]ardness
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Nov 17, 2000
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Whats the best Free Malware scanner these days? I used to use Maleware bytes and Super Antispyware but it's also been a while since I looked into this. Doing a google search I could not find a clear cut winner.. I typically use Avast for free antivirus.
 
When it comes to malware/virus protection no one product is going to cover you fully. All have their strengths and weaknesses and what one scanner picks up will guaranteed be missed by another and vice versa.

It's for this reason that I only use my Windows machine as a gaming box these days, everything important is done on my main Ubuntu MATE machine.
 
If you're looking for a scanner to run in addition to an AV program I still think MWB is the best option. On infected machines I also run Adwcleaner.
 
Sp33dFr33k said:
If you're looking for a scanner to run in addition to an AV program I still think MWB is the best option. On infected machines I also run Adwcleaner.
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Adwcleaner is great but isn't a robust utility. It has a minimal amount of stuff it targets, but what it does target, its very good at getting that deeply embedded browser search/redirect crap that others cannot get.

Otherwise OP, MWB, ADWCleaner, and SuperAnti Spyware are probably the best free ones you can get. With those three there is probably nothing that would get by. You may need to keep HiJack This around in case ADWCleaner misses a browser highjack.
 
I like Spybot's "Immunizations" and Spywareblaster's "Protections" to help prevent infections in the first place. AB+ w/added subs, noscript, Ghostery also helpful.
 
Sp33dFr33k said:
If you're looking for a scanner to run in addition to an AV program I still think MWB is the best option. On infected machines I also run Adwcleaner.
Click to expand...
If you have infected machines you already do something wrong.
 
In addition to Avast, MWB, and Spybot I also have these in mostly portable versions but rarely use them HitmanPro, AWDCleaner, CryptoPrevent (you run this and forget it), DrWeb, Junkware Removal Tool, MS Baseline Securiity Scanner, RogueKiller, Hijackthis, RootkitBuster, RootkitRevealer, Rootkitremover, Vipre, Sophos AntiRootkit, Sophos Virus RemovalTool, Emsisoft Emergency Kit, ClamAV, and TdssKiller. I have 6.7GB of portable apps on my PC, with everything from mbr tools to sniffers and portscanners and even tools that can mess up your PC if you are not paying attention. :hungry:

But the only extra one I would really recommend is Avira Rescue Disk so you can do a proper boot time scan and get a "second opinion" incase Avast gives me a false positive that I need to investigate further. I run mine off a bootable USB stick.
 
I'm also a fan of Avira's rescue disk, in fact I'm a fan of Avira in general. However, one of the biggest problems I've found with rescue disks on modern, brand name machines as sold by larger retailers, is the issues disabling secure boot in order to get a Linux based rescue disk to run - On some machines it's just not possible at all, on other machines you seemingly disable secure boot for legacy boot only to find that secure boot isn't completely disabled and on other systems you jump through hoops disabling secure boot when it was probably easier just to run Avira from within Windows itself.

Secure boot is a PITA, it's very much the Applefication of the once open PC platform.
 
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rezerekted said:
In addition to Avast, MWB, and Spybot I also have these in mostly portable versions but rarely use them HitmanPro, AWDCleaner, CryptoPrevent (you run this and forget it), DrWeb, Junkware Removal Tool, MS Baseline Securiity Scanner, RogueKiller, Hijackthis, RootkitBuster, RootkitRevealer, Rootkitremover, Vipre, Sophos AntiRootkit, Sophos Virus RemovalTool, Emsisoft Emergency Kit, ClamAV, and TdssKiller. I have 6.7GB of portable apps on my PC, with everything from mbr tools to sniffers and portscanners and even tools that can mess up your PC if you are not paying attention. :hungry:

But the only extra one I would really recommend is Avira Rescue Disk so you can do a proper boot time scan and get a "second opinion" incase Avast gives me a false positive that I need to investigate further. I run mine off a bootable USB stick.
Click to expand...

Wow I wouldn't want to be you lol. I have exactly zero cleaners and/or antiviruses installed. Just for giggles I sometimes do a random scan using Eset online scanner.
 
I only have Avast running and those are just for incase I do get infected. It's alway good to be well prepared. I'll have to add that Easet Online Scanner to my toolbox, although; I do have an app that will upload files to Virus Total too. That's why I have an underground concrete bunker in my back yard with a five year supply of beans. :LOL:

The most annoying security tool I ever installed though was an anti-hook tool and I went and turned off training mode so I could set everything manually. It was popping up with asking for permissions every minute, That didn't last long on my PC at all. I do have a portable unhooker here though.

NetVeda Safety.Net is the most annoying firewall I ever installed but it is more than just a firewall.

NetVeda Safety.Net

 
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I start with CCleaner Slim so the following scanners don't spend as much time scanning. Then JRT, AdwCleaner, and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. If there's a pesky case, I might use Freefixer to manually inspect things, and try Emsisoft Emergency Kit and the nuclear option HitmanPro. If HMP cannot get a system clean, I'll nuke the OS and reinstall. No sense wasting any more time than needed cleaning up. Honorable mentions to Zemana Anti-Malware and HerdProtect.

For preventative measures, tools like Unchecky, BitDefender Crypto-Vaccine, EMET and BitDefender freeware come to mind. Keeping Adobe Flash uninstalled boosts security just in itself. I personally just roll with MSSE/WD8.1.
 
Thanks for the replys.. most of these I am familiar with and used them back when I was doing Desktop Support.
 
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