Best Free Trojan Scanner

[Vella Massart]

Malware refers to any software that is designed to disrupt the operations of your computer. It could cause many negative effects such as depriving you of access to information, leaking sensitive information to a third party, or causing your device to be unusable in its entirety.

Malware removal is the process that scans your device to detect any malware and eliminate anyone that is found. There are specific software programs built for this process, and they make use of various processes to detect malware. Most software look for malware by checking for the signature of a known malware program on your device; the companies behind these tools have large databases of these signatures that their software runs checks against. The malware removal program scans all files on your device to detect the presence of any known signatures.

Many malware removal programs include extra features to entice users. For example, some include a virtual private network (VPN) service that lets you surf the web privately and anonymously. You may also find a password manager to help you manage your online accounts or a tool that monitors the dark web for leaked credentials and reports back to you if your credentials have been compromised. Either way, it's preferable to choose a program that offers extra features than those that do not. This way, you may not have to pay separately for a VPN, password manager, etc.

Things can go wrong at any time, and you should be able to contact someone for help if that happens. A lot of cybersecurity programs have customer support teams that you can contact through email, telephone, and live chat. If you have the time, you can test multiple programs to measure their response times to support inquiries.

Malware removal tools are only a secondary tool in keeping your device clean, with experts recommending that you use one of the best antivirus solutions as the first line of defense to stop virus infections in the first place.

If, however, your device is already in the grips of a virus, then you are in the right place. We have tested each of the best malware removal tools hands-on, putting them up against some of the most difficult to remove trojans and viruses, as well as considering their ease of use, additional features, and value for money.

There are also malware removal tools for businesses, as the threats they face are different to those faced by individuals, and it is also recommended to take a look at the best firewalls as an additional layer of protection.

Avast offers one of the most competent internet protection suites out there. While the company is famous for providing free antivirus software, it's worth noting that this now comes bundled with an anti-malware feature that uses behavioral monitoring to spot rogue programs.

What's even better is that not only are Avast's basic products free, but they are also available for mobile devices as well as for desktops, which makes Avast a particular ideal choice if you have multiple devices you need to check.

While the basic Avast service is second-to-none, the company also provides paid-for anti-malware software that takes this things, such as fine-tuning your PC to run better, to anti-ransomware software and secure file shredding.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus is a stripped-back security package that focuses on the core security essentials: its web filtering blocks dangerous URLs, an accurate engine detects and removes threats, smart monitoring technologies track and reverse malicious actions, and that's pretty much it.

Our experiences with the product is that protection levels look similar to Bitdefender, false positives are only marginally higher, and the system itself doesn't slow down our system noticeably more than anything else.

We'd recommend running the trial for its full 30 days before you buy, then, to see if you notice any problems. But if you're unaffected, its high levels of detection and excellent bonus features make Trend Micro a good choice.

F-Secure SAFE is a great collection of antivirus tools, and while it's a bit pricier than some of the other antivirus software on this best of list, the number of features you get certainly makes that high price tag worthwhile.

With F-Secure SAFE, you get the brilliant antivirus software from F-Secure, alongside banking protection for safe online shopping, family safety tools and a device finder that lets you track your lost Android or iOS device, and if needs be, remotely lock or delete it as well.

The package typically receives maximum marks for protection from AV-Test, and generally scores highly with AV-Comparatives. They also say it can generate significantly more false positives than most of the competition, but how that affects you will vary depending on how you use your computer.

The interface is a major advantage, as it's extremely easy to use, lightweight, and for the most part, you can just leave the app to work alone looking after your PC. The program has minimal effect on your system performance, and if you do need to intervene, you can generally solve any issues in a couple of clicks.

Available for Windows, Mac, and Android, F-Secure SAFE remains an appealing package: fast, lightweight, and able to run alongside many other security tools without conflict. Standout features include banking protection, Family Rules, and ransomware protection.

It watches out for apps behaving badly, scans links on the web to identify scams, and has proactive malware and spyware scanning that can detect threats nobody has encountered before. Plus the app boasts boot scanning every time you start your PC.

If that's not enough, there's also a free VPN included for up to 500MB per month, as well as a password manager (although we recommend using the best password manager for more advanced features) and privacy settings manager.

However, you actually have a choice of which features you want to install. This is a great plus as while the Avira suite is generous some users may want to run one or more features through a different suite.

The paid-for Pro model has more security options - it has more robust download protection, offers data encryption includes a firewall - but the free version offers decent protection for most PC users.

Most security software tries to stop malware and spyware getting onto your system. Emsisoft Emergency Kit doesn't: it's the 911 call of security software, the app you use when your PC's been poked by something unpleasant.

With two million malware signatures, Emsisoft Emergency Kit can restore almost any infected PC to rude health. The program is pre-configured with settings that are suitable for most situations, so you don't have to worry about manually tweaking them for the best results.

When you install the program for the first time, it asks you whether you want to manually adjust the settings or let the software automatically configure its settings. This flexibility is great for both beginners and experienced users.

It's more of a system repair tool than a system protection tool, however, and you need to be careful where you get it from: there are fake versions in circulation designed to cause damage, not fix it. The version linked here is the real deal.

We then tested the service to see how the software could be used for different purposes and in different situations. The aim was to push each platform to see how useful its basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools.

Benedict has been writing about security issues for close to 5 years, at first covering geopolitics and international relations while at the University of Buckingham. During this time he studied BA Politics with Journalism, for which he received a second-class honours (upper division). Benedict then continued his studies at a postgraduate level and achieved a distinction in MA Security, Intelligence and Diplomacy. Benedict transitioned his security interests towards cybersecurity upon joining TechRadar Pro as a Staff Writer, focussing on state-sponsored threat actors, malware, social engineering, and national security. Benedict is also an expert on B2B security products, including firewalls, antivirus, endpoint security, and password management.","contributorText":"With contributions from","contributors":["name":"Brian Turner","link":"href":"https:\/\/www.techradar.com\/author\/brian-turner","name":"Desire Athow","role":"Managing Editor, TechRadar Pro","link":"href":"https:\/\/www.techradar.com\/author\/desire-athow"]}), " -0-10/js/authorBio.js"); } else console.error('%c FTE ','background: #9306F9; color: #ffffff','no lazy slice hydration function available'); Benedict CollinsSocial Links NavigationStaff Writer (Security)Benedict has been writing about security issues for close to 5 years, at first covering geopolitics and international relations while at the University of Buckingham. During this time he studied BA Politics with Journalism, for which he received a second-class honours (upper division). Benedict then continued his studies at a postgraduate level and achieved a distinction in MA Security, Intelligence and Diplomacy. Benedict transitioned his security interests towards cybersecurity upon joining TechRadar Pro as a Staff Writer, focussing on state-sponsored threat actors, malware, social engineering, and national security. Benedict is also an expert on B2B security products, including firewalls, antivirus, endpoint security, and password management.

c80f0f1006