Different AntiMalware and their Performance

[RVS2]

Recently got a computer infested with malware. This is about the the various free programs I employed and their effectiveness.

The 1st thing was to update the already installed Avira Free av. I checked all it's boxes to max it's detection and ran a full scan.
It quarantined 4 viruses.

Next, Adwcleaner. 40+ instances removed. Later did another Anti-Adware scan with Bitdefender's free utility, clean.

Uninstalled Avira, installed Avast (for it's high recommendations here). It's preliminary scan found nothing.

Started Windows updates (were diasbled). windows 7 btw.

Norton power eraser: found something...removed.

Next did 3 scans, Zemana in normal mode : clean.
Mbam in safe mode : clean
Emsisoft EK in safe mode : clean.

Completed all Windows updates.

Next, in normal mode, maxed Avast's settings according to recommended settings by Jack, maxed heuristics on file,web etc shields. Did a quick scan, clean.

Unsure of all their effectiveness, did 2 more scans, Kasp VRT and ESET online scan (safe mode).

KVRT quarantined 1 virus, in the recovery drive, which was not even getting scanned by the others.
Eset found the same (probably due to some mistake while removing the quarantined item by me?) along with 3 PuPs. Finally deleted the virus.

Re-scans by both were clean.
Did a Ccleaner drive wipe of the recovery drive.

Disappointed how after setting every scanner to it's max detection mode, they still weren't able to do the job. Old faithful ESET and KVRT are still imo the best.

Verdict : Will be advising ESET online scanner as the go to anti-malware in safe mode from now on (given how KVRT requires re-downloading every time).

 

[WinXPert]

Do you know what file was quarantined by KVRT? and by ESET?

Talk about overkill IMHO.

 

[RVS2]

Do you know what file was quarantined by KVRT? and by ESET?

Talk about overkill IMHO.

Trojan

 

[RVS2]

I agree Eset is one of the best security products but it also depends on what viruses are there in the computer and how many of them are there. Sometimes, malwarebytes will win, sometimes another security product. And sometimes a security product doesn't catch a threat in a scan but catchches it in a scan run some time later(hours or day(s), not taking into account new databases).

Yes. I should rephrase it to say eset and kvrt should be run first. Then zemana and EEK. All 4 combined will prove more effective than just 1 or 2.

 

[WinXPert]

I think it doesn't matter what to use first. What may be missed by the first may be caught by the 2nd scan., etc, etc.

 

[Deleted member 178]

Disappointed how after setting every scanner to it's max detection mode, they still weren't able to do the job.

The fail is that the malware was on the system at the first place. User fault or software failure?

 

[509322]

Recently got a computer infested with malware. This is about the the various free programs I employed and their effectiveness.

The 1st thing was to update the already installed Avira Free av. I checked all it's boxes to max it's detection and ran a full scan.
It quarantined 4 viruses.

Next, Adwcleaner. 40+ instances removed. Later did another Anti-Adware scan with Bitdefender's free utility, clean.

Uninstalled Avira, installed Avast (for it's high recommendations here). It's preliminary scan found nothing.

Started Windows updates (were diasbled). windows 7 btw.

Norton power eraser: found something...removed.

Next did 3 scans, Zemana in normal mode : clean.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware in safe mode : clean
Emsisoft EK in safe mode : clean.

Completed all Windows updates.

Next, in normal mode, maxed Avast's settings according to recommended settings by Jack, maxed heuristics on file,web etc shields. Did a quick scan, clean.

Unsure of all their effectiveness, did 2 more scans, Kasp VRT and ESET online scan (safe mode).

KVRT quarantined 1 virus, in the recovery drive, which was not even getting scanned by the others.
Eset found the same (probably due to some mistake while removing the quarantined item by me?) along with 3 PuPs. Finally deleted the virus.

Re-scans by both were clean.
Did a Ccleaner drive wipe of the recovery drive.

Disappointed how after setting every scanner to it's max detection mode, they still weren't able to do the job. Old faithful ESET and KVRT are still imo the best.

Verdict : Will be advising ESET online scanner as the go to anti-malware in safe mode from now on (given how KVRT requires re-downloading every time).

With all the time you spent doing all these scans, you could have clean installed the OS and created a known clean system - but it appears it was your intent to see what the AV scanners would do for you...

 

[RVS2]

The fail is that the malware was on the system at the first place. User fault or software failure?

User failure>>software failure in this case. Previous users were total noobs.

 

[RVS2]

I think it doesn't matter what to use first. What may be missed by the first may be caught by the 2nd scan., etc, etc.

Using KVRT and ESET first will remove 99% to 100 % of problems. Whereas the others will remove 95%-99%.
So running the best ones first allows you more chances of getting online, updating, access all parts etc

 

[shmu26]

Cleaning up someone else's used computer doesn't tell you that much about the true protective power of the various antiviruses and antimalwares that you tried out.
This is for two reasons:
1 Sometimes a security app will protect from infection, but will be unable to clean up the system if the infection already happened.
2 Many of the detections are simply false alarms. If I ran all your scanners on my system and let them delete everything they want, I would be left without some of my most important apps.

 

[Rengar]

You should try SuperAntiSpyware. Its pretty good IMO

 

[Ink]

I have seen ESET Online Scanner being used in MRA, it's a great tool for anyone. However it requires an Internet connection, so an infected PC with no network connectivity cannot use it.

With all the time you spent doing all these scans, you could have clean installed the OS and created a known clean system - but it appears it was your intent to see what the AV scanners would do for you...

Absolutely, but using AntiMalware without proper tools for malware cleaning without an Expert still imposes a risk. MRA would be advised, but it seems @RVS2 already using it to play games (Q&A - What games can this play?).

The fail is that the malware was on the system at the first place. User fault or software failure?

I think @RVS2 'got given' or bought an Infected computer, because previous PC running Windows 7 Pro was slow (see old Config thread).
SOLVED - Configuring Admin permissions

 

[RVS2]

I think @RVS2 'got given' or bought an Infected computer, because previous PC running Windows 7 Pro was slow (see old Config thread).
SOLVED - Configuring Admin permissions

Yeah for free. I still have that other slow laptop, now I have 2.

 

[Atlas147]

the way that you deduced that ESET and Kaspersky are the best is wrong. You can't say that the last virus scanner used is the best.

eg
Scan with Avira, then kaspersky found something else = Avira is bad
Scan with kaspersky, then Avira found something else = Kaspersky is bad

Do you see the problem with the way that you are proving your point here?

The only way to prove that Kaspersky is better than the rest is to infect a virtual machine, scan with avira and see how many missed, then repeat the entire procedure with kaspersky again and see how many it missed.

 

[Deleted member 178]

I think @RVS2 'got given' or bought an Infected computer, because previous PC running Windows 7 Pro was slow (see old Config thread).
SOLVED - Configuring Admin permissions

Yeah for free. I still have that other slow laptop, now I have 2.

Seriously? and you wasted time to clean it?!!! if it was me, i won't even boot it: straight wipe the disk (not just format it) + clean install.

 

[RVS2]

Seriously? and you wasted time to clean it?!!! if it was me, i won't even boot it: straight wipe the disk (not just format it) + clean install.

Reinstall was last resort. I like running these scans, makes me feel like fixing an old car (maybe should find a hobby).

 

[Deleted member 178]

Reinstall was last resort. I like running these scans, makes me feel like fixing an old car (maybe should find a hobby).

ah , i can't blame you for that reason , i did too before

Now i do it occasionally more by curiosity and just to have a good laugh at the previous owner

 

[RVS2]

the way that you deduced that ESET and Kaspersky are the best is wrong. You can't say that the last virus scanner used is the best.

eg
Scan with Avira, then kaspersky found something else = Avira is bad
Scan with kaspersky, then Avira found something else = Kaspersky is bad

Do you see the problem with the way that you are proving your point here?

The only way to prove that Kaspersky is better than the rest is to infect a virtual machine, scan with avira and see how many missed, then repeat the entire procedure with kaspersky again and see how many it missed.

ESET, Kaspersky have IMO earned a reputation which gives them a "strong heritage" and can be regarded as benchmarks.
The other's results do not seem verified unless the big guns show the same.
Nevertheless, the cross-examination wasn't done you're right.

 

[shmu26]

Reinstall was last resort. I like running these scans, makes me feel like fixing an old car (maybe should find a hobby).

I like that