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Host: Jody Gilbert, Senior Editor
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10 free anti-malware tools worth checking out

Date: December 6th, 2010

Author: Brien Posey

Category: 10
things, Security

Tags: Antivirus,
AVG
Technologies, Anti-malware,
Microsoft
Corp., Tool, Anti-spyware,
Comodo, Ad-Aware
Free Internet Security, Microsoft
Security Essentials, Windows
Defender

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18

Over the last few years, anti-malware software has become increasingly
costly. But believe it or not, there are still ways to protect your computer for
free. In this article, I will list 10 free utilities you can use to either
prevent malware infections or to help clean up the mess once a PC becomes
infected.

Note: This article is also available as a PDF download.

1: AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 2011

I have been using AVG’s free antivirus product for a few years now, and although
it isn’t perfect, it seems to be at least as good as most of the commercial
anti-malware products. AVG’s free edition provides basic protection against
viruses and spyware, but the company also offers a more comprehensive security
suite called AVG Internet Security 2011. This suite offers the same anti-malware
protection as the free edition, but it also provides real-time protection
against Internet search and social networking sites.

2: Comodo Antivirus

Comodo Antivirus
takes a different approach to virus protection than most other antivirus
products do. Comodo is based on the idea that it is foolish to allow code to run
without first proving itself to be benign. So Comodo implements a default denial
until an executable proves itself trustworthy. To keep the software from being
too chatty, Comodo executes unknown code in an isolated sandbox where its
behavior can be monitored without running the risk of the executable harming the
system.

3: PC Tools AntiVirus Free 2011

PC Tools
AntiVirus Free 2011 is a basic antivirus / anti-spyware program that is
designed to protect Windows desktops against various forms of malware. Besides
its basic detection capabilities, PC Tools includes a feature called Search
Defender that is designed to warn you about unsafe Web sites (or phishing sites)
before you click on them. The software also includes a File Guard component that
monitors the file system and blocks attempted malware infections in real
time.

4: Avast Free Antivirus

Like AVG, Avast sells comprehensive security suites, but makes its basic
antivirus / anti-spyware product available for free to home users. Although I
have never used Avast Free Antivirus, I’ve recently noticed posts in various
message boards from people who claim that Avast provides better protection than
some of the commercial products.

5: Ad-Aware Free Internet Security

Although it was originally designed as a product for detecting adware,
Lavasoft’s Ad-Aware has evolved into a complete anti-malware product. Ad-Aware
Free Internet Security provides real-time protection against spyware,
rootkits, and more. It also includes a utility called The Neutralizer, which you
can use to clean a PC that has already been infected.

6: HijackThis

HijackThis
is one of my favorite anti-malware utilities, but it’s not for the faint of
heart. HijackThis is designed to compile a report of critical file and registry
settings that are often prone to viral infections. The thing that makes
HijackThis difficult to use is that it makes no distinction between malicious
and legitimate entries. As a result, you can end up doing even more damage to a
PC unless you know what you are doing. Even so, I consider HijackThis to be a
must-have utility.

7: Microsoft Security Essentials

Microsoft provides free antivirus protection for home users through a
relatively new application called Microsoft
Security Essentials. Microsoft Security Essentials is based on the same
ForeFront technology as Microsoft’s enterprise class anti-malware software. The
difference is that Microsoft Security Essentials is available solely to home
users and businesses with fewer than 10 Windows desktops.

8: Windows Defender

Microsoft’s Windows Defender is a free anti-spyware utility for Windows. It’s
not comprehensive, but it does a surprisingly good job of protecting Windows as
long as you install it before an infection occurs.

Windows Defender is included with Windows Vista and Windows 7, but you can
also download a version for Windows XP. If you are using Windows 7
or Windows Vista, Windows Defender is disabled by default. You can enable
Windows Defender by typing the word Defender into the Windows search
box and then double-clicking on the Windows Defender option. When you do,
Windows will tell you that Windows Defender is turned off and will give you the
opportunity to enable it.

9: Malicious Software Removal Tool

Although not a comprehensive antivirus tool by any stretch of the
imagination, Microsoft’s Malicious Software Removal Tool does a good job of detecting
and removing the most common viruses. The Malicious Software Removal Tool works
with Windows 7, Vista, XP, and Server 2003. Microsoft releases updates to this
tool on the second Tuesday of each month.

10: McAfee virus removal tools

McAfee makes commercial antivirus products, but it also offers some free
tools for removing viruses. Specifically, it offers tools for removing Sasser,
Bagle, Zafi, Mydoom, Lovsan / Balster, Klez, and Bugbear. You can download all
of these tools here.

Get IT tips, news, and reviews delivered directly to your inbox by
subscribing to TechRepublic's free
newsletters.

«
Previous Post

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»

Print/View all posts Comments on this blog

I
was a little surprised John
K.R. | 12/06/10

I
Agree rkendsley | 12/06/10

MWB-
resource hog agilebrainz@... | 12/07/10

Not
so AnsuGisalas | 12/07/10

Besides
all that bdskp | 12/07/10

MBAM
interpoI | 12/07/10

Malware
and viruses willwilco | 12/07/10

Spyware
Doctor NEW tiggeroush | 12/08/10

kasperski
live-cd rbees | 12/06/10

And
these... NEW Bapster | 12/08/10

Even
better... NEW busterdarr | 12/08/10

Other
Issues NEW chaz15 | 12/08/10

Invaluable
tool MBAM NEW tom_housden2k8@... | 12/09/10

RE:
10 free anti-malware tools worth checking out PurpleSkys | 12/06/10

ComboFix
popova71 | 12/06/10

ComboFix
eric@... | 12/07/10

MBAM
Has to be on this list! minot@... | 12/07/10

Agreed! NEW channy.suy@... | 12/09/10

Errrr.....
Gis Bun | 12/06/10

Horrible
list.....as always SteelTrepid | 12/06/10

wow
gweddle@... | 12/06/10

Not
a newbie... AnsuGisalas | 12/07/10

Missing
the ones that matter gharlow@... | 12/06/10

Agreed
bdskp | 12/07/10

RE:
Missing the ones that matter eric@... | 12/07/10

RE:
10 free anti-malware tools worth checking out van_helsing_80 | 12/07/10

10
more free anti-malware tools worth checking out SycoRant | 12/07/10

Agreed
interpoI | 12/07/10

Much
Better Big
B | 12/07/10

...the
comments contain the value! NEW RoninV | 12/08/10

Hitman
Pro 3.5 NEW busterdarr | 12/08/10

RE:
10 free anti-malware tools worth checking out jdeliz@... | 12/07/10

AVG
2011 NEW tom_housden2k8@... | 12/09/10

Downloading
MSRT Excelmann | 12/07/10

RE:
10 free anti-malware tools worth checking out ejv | 12/07/10

Superantispyware NEW romine1@... | 12/08/10

AVG
and Microsoft Security Essentials NEW jacobus57 | 12/08/10

Hmmmm NEW Gis
Bun | 12/08/10

MS
Security Essentials NEW
colecrew | 12/09/10

A
pattern??? NEW jacobus57 | 12/08/10

RE:
10 free anti-malware tools worth checking out NEW raman061189 | 12/08/10

RE:
10 free anti-malware tools worth checking out NEW verd@... | 12/09/10

No
universallly sucessful combination NEW joyce@... | 12/09/10

What do you think?
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