Every couple of months I like to let people know what I’ve been using for free malware removal , so here’s my current list of software and utilities that remove malware effectively and (more or less) safely:
(note: my usual readers and subscribers probably already know about this list, it’s for the new people visiting this blog 
:
- Malwarebytes Anti-Malware – It’s by far the most popular and unfortunately the most targeted by malware. If Malwarebytes is able to update itself and run it can easily wreak havoc on malware. Here are some helpful hints for using Malwarebytes
- download it to a flash drive along with it’s current updated signature files (just in case the malware blocks the update download)
- rename the installer to something else. Some malware will block files from executing based on their actual name. Just rename the installer to something like dghfge.exe (for example).
- rename mbam.exe to something random (fhdhdh.exe).
- quick scans are usually more than enough.
- reboot when it asks you too.
SuperAntiSpyware – I use this right behind Malwarebytes. SuperAntiSpyware (SAS) excels in removing adware and website redirections. It’s not as targeted by malware and I can usually launch it without any problems. Here are a few hints for using SAS:
- download the definitions separately to a flash drive or CD along with the SAS installer. Install SAS and then the updated definitions.
- run a quick scan, remove everything it finds and reboot.
- Hitman – This is my latest free malware removal app. It uses it’s own scan engine along with 5 other scan engines to identify nearly every
piece of malware on a PC at amazing speeds. It’s free for 30 days and does require an internet connection for it to be effective. - UBCD4Win – When it gets really bad and the PC I’m working on is just way too infected using a bootable anti-malware disc is the only way to go. Here are some things to keep in mind when using the UBCD4WIN:
- you’ll need a copy of the Windows XP CD with Sp2. Copy this entire cd to a folder on your hard drive.
- update your plugins before you build the disc.
- disable any plugins that you will not use. This allows you to keep the disc image small enough to burn to a cd.
- Microsoft Security Essentials – It’s free antivirus forever! No nag screens, no limitations, free upgrades, massive community and more! While MSE doesn’t detect everything (not so great on adware) it’s a fantastic antivirus that’s truly free and uses cloud based technology for “up to the second” detections.
- GMER Anti-Rootkit - GMER is great for detecting most rootkits quickly. GMER isn’t perfect, but it can trash a lot of the rootkits out there quickly and easily. Here are a few instructions:
- Download the random .exe from here and double click to run it.
- If you have a rootkit it’ll be listed in red.
- If a rootkit is detected right click it and disable it. Reboot.
- Run the scan again after the reboot, then right click the rootkit and select delete.
If you have a free malware removal application that you would like to add, just leave it in a comment for all of us.
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Panda cloud is very good too!
You should try beta 3.
And Matt, what do you saying about testing a software like Tune-Up or IObit Advanced Systemcare and to see who’s making your system the fastest? (sorry for my poor english)?
Hi Matt,
Just dropped by to say A-Squared Free. The program size can be considered somewhat big (due to the signatures) but it has really good detection rates.
so for hitman pro you don’t even need to activate the 30 day free trial you can just keep it on your computer and use it as an on demand scanner,and since it’s cloud based you don’t need to update, I looked in the task manager and no process were running. So it should be fine. right?
Good choices / advice Matt. I must say I always had trouble figuring out how to use GMER. The last time I used it the scan took a long time. I’ll have to take another look.
Thanks clocks! In my experience GMER usually finds the rootkit as soon as you launch it.
Those are all great tools, one tool I would ad is Combofix.
Do you just have to double click the exe, or do you have to click scan once it opens? When I click scan it takes a long time, and provides hundreds(?) of lines to search through. I guess I probably just don’t understand how to use it correctly.
BTW – I am pretty sure Avast includes Gmer in it’s scan.
hi matt i heard hMicrosoft Security Essentias is having problems updating . i am planning on downloading it soon
FYI, the MalwareBytes signature files from their website is rarely updates. It’s a better idea to copy the update files itself, locations are as follow:
Vista:
C:\ProgramData\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware\rules.ref
XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware\rules.ref
Same goes for SUPERantispyware. You can download the SUPERantispyware Online Scanner (a portable scanner updated daily)from http://www.superantispyware.com/onlinescan.html
hey Matt what do you think of Trojan Remover version 6.8.1? I think its a good tool but I would love to hear your opinion.also does it conflict with other tools like CIS,mbam and SAS?
Great suggestions in free software first of all second thing that i wanna talk about is that ive noticed when i open RAR files and opening music files when MSE is istalled makes it slower to open its really annoying
Another thing I dont like superantispyware for some small reasons it starts a unnessesary bug icon second thing it have never found anything bad on my computer and the SUPERANTISPYWARE.EXE hangs everytime i shutdown my computer for some odd reason and it starts with your computer (i know you can change the settings but i dont have to do that all the frickin time) so i find it stupid to have it on the computer at all, ill reather use malwarebytes only, its much smater and doesnt recuire a process to run in the background all the time either. (only when you start it manually)
Hey Matt. I ran into a seriously infected machine today. I ran MBAM and SAS and between the two they cleaned up the majority of the problems on the system, but afterwards I was still getting redirects in IE and FF and safe mode was inoperable. So I ran GMER and Hitman Pro. Gmer found the rootkit but couldn’t remove it, and Hitman Pro found a FP. I was about to break out my UBCD, but I decided to try my trusty ComboFix because this machine was low on ram and I figured it would be quicker. Combofix found the the rootkit and a few other pieces of malware and fixed it up in no time flat. Many people don’t recommend this trusty utility as much as SAS or MBAM, but it has fixed a lot of machines where others have failed.
Yup, combofix is a great tool, although I’m not too sure how well it works on Vista and Win7
I tried Hitman the other day on a heavily infected machine with an .exe patching virus. I was able to scan the computer in 10 minutes from start to finish with Hitman! I ran Combofix next and it removed any leftovers, such as rootkits. I didn’t realize that Combofix runs a GMER scan as well. I saw it listed in the log.
Matt – final version of Panda Cloud Antivirus is just released.
Matt,
Panda Cloud Anti Virus 1.0 has just been released. can you please make a review on this final version?
Thank You,
Michael Seegmiller
@MICHAEL SEEGMILLER – Yeah Mike, I just saw this and you bet I’ll be doing another review. You can also expect the Microsoft Security Essentials removal test too. I’m extremely booked this week, but I’m taking some time off on Friday and Saturday (so the videos will be uploaded either one of those days).
Hay Matt when you have time can you review Immunet Project