Best free file (/directory) scanner for detecting malware?

[ship69]

Hi

I am using Windows Defender to protect my PC.
I am suspicious that it may have missed some malware and I would like to scan particular directories.
I understand that it is a bad idea to have more than one anti malware application running simultaneously.
So I would like to install something to catch viruses/Trojans/spyware etc with on-demand scanning of individual files & directories (and maybe my entire PC but that is less important right now)

Any recommendations?

Thanks

 

[xireeopliex]

MalwareBytes Anti-Malware

 

[thebeesknees]

I recommend using Avast! because of my recent experience with it. I had Webroot installed and Avast! noticed a virus Webroot had missed.

 

[ship69]

Is it possible to install Avast! without it scanning everything all the time?
i.e. Is it possible to run it purely 'on demand' ?

I ran MalwareBytes and it found some stuff (yikes!)
- PUP.Options.NotChromeRun.A
- PUP.Optional.ProductSetup.A
- PUP.Optional.ProductSetup.A
- PUP.Optional.WinYahoo.A

Does anyone know if any of those are serious?
Either way it says it has quarantines them so I am hoping it's all under control. Fwiw, I also ran SuperAntiSpyware which found nothing...

Background
Like a fool I let a young teenager loose on my PC and I have no idea what he got up to.

J

 

[thebeesknees]

Yes, the free version is actually entirely on demand. You can't use real-time protection without paying. You can also adjust what you scan, but I'd probably do a full scan first and then scan whatever fits for you as needed. As for the PUPs found by malwarebytes, a PUP in and of itself isn't typically malicious, but I'd still remove them. Odds are you never installed them yourself anyway.

 

[axe0]

I use BitDefender Total Security.
Its the best antivirus program I ever used.
In the past I wasn't careful on the internet and with torrents I took viruses and malware on my laptop.
McAfee, Avast, AVG and a few others couldn't detect them and were a huge impact on the performance.
I had to install windows again several times, eventually I found BitDefender and wanted to try it out a little bit.
Because I like it to have a lot of setup in the beginning I installed BitDefender Total Security.
After the first scan it removed a lot of infections without asking what to do with it or even a reboot.
Since then I have only used BitDefender Total Security with Malwarebytes. I am not capable of defeating these 2 programs, doesn't matter how much I try to get any viruses and malware and I'm very good at getting them.
Also, BitDefender doesn't have any impact on performance if you set it right up.
I've played a little with updates, within how much time the definitions of malware and viruses needs to be updated and thats the only thing that'll take impact on the performance if you set it without enough delay or too long delay.

 

[ship69]

A)
@Axe0 - OK but if I install "BitDefender Total Security" that will be doing real time scanning etc yes?
i.e. I would need to uninstall Windows Defender because you shouldn't have two real-time Anti-virals working simultaneously, yes?
If so that's a slightly different conversation. I was looking for an on-demand scanner.
Also BitDefender Total Security its £59.95/year. That's quite a lot when you can get so much for free.

Is there a way to install Malware Bytes on an on-demand basis?


B)
@thebeesknees - which version of AVAST are you using and how much are you paying?


Thanks both

J


P.S. I know it proves little but number of active users is intriguing:

AVG is one of the top 10 retailers in the UK !!
With 200 million monthly active users worldwide, apparently.
(AVG - Security Technology | News Release)

And free version has 80 million users:
(Source: The 103 Best Free Security Utilities - IT Security)

Bit Defender claims to have even more "500 million home and corporate users across the globe" !
http://www.bitdefender.co.uk/site/view/about-us.html

AVAST has
"230 million active users worldwide"
https://www.avast.com/en-gb/about

And free version has 50 million users:
(Source: The 103 Best Free Security Utilities - IT Security)

 

[axe0]

Yes, it is real time.
No, you don't have to uninstall Windows defender because you cannot uninstall it.
Windows defender will be deactivated when you install another AV program.
I use Total Security, but I recommend the free AV program for you.
Malwarebytes free is what you are looking for.

 

[ship69]

Axe0 - like I say in post#4 I ran MalwareBytes and found some PUPs.

I'd quite like to run some other on-demand stuff to see if anything else comes out of the woodwork.

I'm not completely ready to abandon Windows Defender. No offence but I'd like to see some further second opinions on BitDefender. Fwiw, last time I looked into it I concluded that most of the "expert" reviews were extremely biased....

 

[axe0]

Sorry, my head feels a little weird today.
I'm right now not 100%..

 

[thebeesknees]

I'm using whatever the latest version of Avast! is. I haven't paid anything for it, you can use it for free. The paid version is real-time but the free one isn't.

 

[cipals15]

Hi

I am using Windows Defender to protect my PC.
I am suspicious that it may have missed some malware and I would like to scan particular directories.
I understand that it is a bad idea to have more than one anti malware application running simultaneously.
So I would like to install something to catch viruses/Trojans/spyware etc with on-demand scanning of individual files & directories (and maybe my entire PC but that is less important right now)

Any recommendations?

Thanks

I only recommend 2 programs: Trend Micro Internet Security and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. Both are known to protect computers from malware and other security threats specially PUPs.

 

[axe0]

Axe0 - like I say in post#4 I ran MalwareBytes and found some PUPs.

I'd quite like to run some other on-demand stuff to see if anything else comes out of the woodwork.

I'm not completely ready to abandon Windows Defender. No offence but I'd like to see some further second opinions on BitDefender. Fwiw, last time I looked into it I concluded that most of the "expert" reviews were extremely biased....

Remember it now that you asked if there is a possibility to install Malwarebytes as an on-demand base.
Yes there is, Malwarebytes free version.

Btw, you could get a lot of av program for a very cheap price, but its not always trusted by some of users.

 

[ship69]

Btw, you could get a lot of av program for a very cheap price, but its not always trusted by some of users.

Are you saying Microsoft's own Windows Defender is insufficient?
I notice that Microsoft offer a service where they maintain your Windows PC and guarantee to remove any viruses/malware that you catch. If they do this badly they stand to lose a lot of money. And the AV they use? Windows Defender and nothing else.

 

[MCPlayer18]

ship69, no offense but if axe0 is saying Windows Defender is insufficient, then I agree. I even talked to a Microsoft tech support person and even she said it was insufficient and she recommended something better. Like AVAST or Vipre or BitDefender. MSE is also not the greatest. Most paid versions or AV's and AM's are better that their free-counterpart.

 

[axe0]

Btw, you could get a lot of av program for a very cheap price, but its not always trusted by some of users.

Are you saying Microsoft's own Windows Defender is insufficient?
I notice that Microsoft offer a service where they maintain your Windows PC and guarantee to remove any viruses/malware that you catch. If they do this badly they stand to lose a lot of money. And the AV they use? Windows Defender and nothing else.

Nope I'm not saying that, I'm saying that there is a way to get licenses for AV program very cheap.

But about windows defender, its enough if you're very very careful with what you do on the internet, but thats on a really high level especially these days with the vulnerabilities 'database' from the Hackers Team.

I prefer to pay for a program that is much better in catching malware so I feel save, then to be really careful with what I do on the internet,
Because as far as I'm aware of, Windows Defender couldn't protect me with some malware when other AV programs could.

 

[ship69]

OK, well it does sound like the entire AV industry is likely to exist in part only because they can offer more than the free Windows Defender.

I wasn't really planning to ask this question here, (as I was originally only looking for on-demand software) but if I am to replace Windows Defender this needs more serious thought.
a) Are the folks in this thread recommending Bit Defender (or Avast or Trend Micro Internet Security) AND MalwareBytes to be running simultaneously?
b) How should I choose between the different AV suites? Can anyone recommend a good quality, genuinely impartial expert review of my options?

I dont really want to spend ANY money on AV, but if pushed I suppose I would go up to c. $50/year if there was a clear an unabiguous benefit.

I am aware than most AV scanners seem to slow down PCs *considerably* so I would be looking for a nice tool that is light on PC 'resources' as well as being extremely reliable at catching the bad guys.

I am pretty careful about what I open, but it just takes one mistake...

J

 

[axe0]

The best way to find an AV program that does what you want, scanning file directories is by testing them.
Most free versions don't have real time, but check this AV-Comparatives for the false positive rate from last month.

I certainly don't what to push you, just sharing my opinion
Only what I wanted to say is try Bitdefender or kaspersky free antivirus (but forgot it).

 

[cipals15]

The best way to find an AV program that does what you want, scanning file directories is by testing them.
Most free versions don't have real time, but check this AV-Comparatives for the false positive rate from last month.

I certainly don't what to push you, just sharing my opinion
Only what I wanted to say is try Bitdefender or kaspersky free antivirus (but forgot it).

Another good resource is AV-TEST AWARD 2014 (av-test.org).

 

[ship69]

Cool resources - thanx
I there a score somewhere for which real-time scanners slow your computer down LEAST?

J