Advice Request How to Schedule Periodic Scanners?

[zkSnark]

I am using the following programs as periodic scanners on Windows 11 PC.

• ESET Online Scanner
• NPE
• Emsisoft Emergency Kit
• ADWCleaner
• Sophos Scan and Clean

I run them once a week. For ESET, I have scheduled it to run once a week automatically. However, for other software, there are no schedule options in their settings. So I run them manually.
Is there any way to configure them to run automatically once a week on a scheduled time?

 

[Ink]

At minimum, running custom made Batch files though Windows Task Scheduler can launch the programs.

And if it’s supported, there may be a way to automate or schedule the scans. Otherwise you will have to manually scan weekly for no apparent reason.

For Emsisoft, there is EEK CLI for professionals and though not free, it supports command line inputs.

Emsisoft - Commandline Scanner: Anti-Malware for Admins & Experts

Emsisoft Commandline Scanner offers effective anti-malware scanning and removal using a simple commandline interface for security experts and admins.

www.emsisoft.com

 

[goodjohnjr]

I am using the following programs as periodic scanners on Windows 11 PC.

• ESET Online Scanner
• NPE
• Emsisoft Emergency Kit
• ADWCleaner
• Sophos Scan and Clean

I run them once a week. For ESET, I have scheduled it to run once a week automatically. However, for other software, there are no schedule options in their settings. So I run them manually.
Is there any way to configure them to run automatically once a week on a scheduled time?

Thanks to someone mentioning it here at the forums, I learned that it was possible to do this for Sophos Scan & Clean using Windows Task Scheduler, it took me a few tries, but I figured out how to set it to scan at start up; and I have it set to do that on several computers.

I am not sure if it is possible with the others, though, it would be nice to be able to do it with Norton Power Eraser & Malwarebytes AdwCleaner, so hopefully someone else will respond on that.

 

[zkSnark]

Thanks to someone mentioning it here at the forums, I learned that it was possible to do this for Sophos Scan & Clean using Windows Task Scheduler, it took me a few tries, but I figured out how to set it to scan at start up; and I have it set to do that on several computers.

I am not sure if it is possible with the others, though, it would be nice to be able to do it with Norton Power Eraser & Malwarebytes AdwCleaner, so hopefully someone else will respond on that.

How did you do with Sophos? I created a basic task to run Sophos in Windows Task Scheduler, but the program does not even start at the scheduled time.

 

[Balrog]

How did you do with Sophos? I created a basic task to run Sophos in Windows Task Scheduler, but the program does not even start at the scheduled time.

When executing the scheduled task, does it generate an entry in the Windows event log? If so, what is the message?

 

[goodjohnjr]

How did you do with Sophos? I created a basic task to run Sophos in Windows Task Scheduler, but the program does not even start at the scheduled time.

How To Make Sophos Scan & Clean Automatically Scan At Computer Log On Using Windows Task Scheduler:

 

[piquiteco]

Is it a False Positive? On the VirusTotal website Jiangmin detects AdwCleaner as Trojan.CobaltStrike.jl

Spoiler

Sophos Scan and Clean VirusTotal detects how Dropper.Injector!

Spoiler

 

[goodjohnjr]

Is it a False Positive? On the VirusTotal website Jiangmin detects AdwCleaner as Trojan.CobaltStrike.jl

Spoiler

View attachment 271994

Sophos Scan and Clean VirusTotal detects how Dropper.Injector!

Spoiler

View attachment 271995

That is a false positive for Malwarebytes AdwCleaner, I never heard of Jiangmin before, every antimalware scanner that I have scanned the file that I got from Malwarebytes, has shown the one that I have is clean.

Your Sophos Scan & Clean does not match the one that I got from Sophos, the one that I got from Sophos is larger and is not detected on VirusTotal, where did you get that file? (Make sure to get it from the Sophos website).

 

[piquiteco]

That is a false positive for Malwarebytes AdwCleaner, I never heard of Jiangmin before, every antimalware scanner that I have scanned the file that I got from Malwarebytes, has shown the one that I have is clean.

Yes, Jiangmin I am also unaware of this vendor, this one I can say for sure is a false positive, it is safe to use Malwarebytes AdwCleaner.

Your Sophos Scan & Clean does not match the one that I got from Sophos, the one that I got from Sophos is larger and is not detected on VirusTotal, where did you get that file? (Make sure to get it from the Sophos website).

Yes, correct, I just checked and compared the MD5 and the Hash on VirusTotal from the URL you gave me are different. I downloaded it from another website, because Sophos is asking for a registration to download Sophos Scan & Clean and I didn't want to register.

 

[goodjohnjr]

Yes, Jiangmin I am also unaware of this vendor, this one I can say for sure is a false positive, it is safe to use Malwarebytes AdwCleaner.

Yes, correct, I just checked and compared the MD5 and the Hash on VirusTotal from the URL you gave me are different. I downloaded it from another website, because Sophos is asking for a registration to download Sophos Scan & Clean and I didn't want to register.

I only had to give an email address, no account required, and Sophos let me download Sophos Scan & Clean; at least back when I downloaded it last year, things may have changed, either way, it is annoying.

If I can get Norton Power Eraser (NPE) to automatically scan at computer log on, then I will possibly replace Sophos Scan & Clean with it.

Until then, I will continue to use both of those, Malwarebytes AdwCleaner, and ESET Online Scanner to back up Windows Security set to Recommended Settings by DefenderUI; and an ad blocker (Adguard or uBlock Origin) & either Quad9 DNS or Adguard DNS default public servers.

 

[piquiteco]

I only had to give an email address, no account required, and Sophos let me download Sophos Scan & Clean; at least back when I downloaded it last year, things may have changed, either way, it is annoying.

Yes, I downloaded Sophos Scan & Clean but I didn't get to run it, because I was in doubt. When I download something from the web either from the official or unofficial website and regardless of which AV I am using, I scan the file online first, check the file properties, digital signature, Smartscreen etc.. Nowadays Goodjohnjr we can't trust any file downloaded from the internet before checking it first.

If I can get Norton Power Eraser (NPE) to automatically scan at computer log on, then I will possibly replace Sophos Scan & Clean with it.

Until then, I will continue to use both of those, Malwarebytes AdwCleaner, and ESET Online Scanner to back up Windows Security set to Recommended Settings by DefenderUI; and an ad blocker (Adguard or uBlock Origin) & either Quad9 DNS or Adguard DNS default public servers.

Norton Power Eraser and Malwarebytes AdwCleaner I ran and scanned on my laptop and they showed the system was clean. The ESET Online Scanner I have not used, can it leave it installed?

 

[zkSnark]

How To Make Sophos Scan & Clean Automatically Scan At Computer Log On Using Windows Task Scheduler:

Thanks. After watching your video, I added "/quiet" in arguments and then it worked. Where did you find this argument command? Similarly, for NPE or others too, there must be argument commands to add for auto scanning.

 

[zkSnark]

When executing the scheduled task, does it generate an entry in the Windows event log? If so, what is the message?

Where do I check this?

 

[Balrog]

Where do I check this?

On events viewer.

 

[goodjohnjr]

Yes, I downloaded Sophos Scan & Clean but I didn't get to run it, because I was in doubt. When I download something from the web either from the official or unofficial website and regardless of which AV I am using, I scan the file online first, check the file properties, digital signature, Smartscreen etc.. Nowadays Goodjohnjr we can't trust any file downloaded from the internet before checking it first.

Norton Power Eraser and Malwarebytes AdwCleaner I ran and scanned on my laptop and they showed the system was clean. The ESET Online Scanner I have not used, can it leave it installed?

Good, that is very wise of you to be cautious, Piquiteco, especially now-a-days.

ESET Online Scanner is newer to me, one cool thing that it has that those other three do not have, is that you can somewhat install it; and set it to automatically scan once a month based on the day(s) & time(s) that you choose.

 

[goodjohnjr]

Thanks. After watching your video, I added "/quiet" in arguments and then it worked. Where did you find this argument command? Similarly, for NPE or others too, there must be argument commands to add for auto scanning.

You are welcome.

Unfortunately, I can not remember the thread or user who shared this with us here at the MalwareTips Forums, but that is how I learned about it last year.

While I hope that there is some kind of argument command for the others, they may not be because of how they are designed et cetera; example, Malwarebytes, based on what I think I saw on several forums, is designed to not be able to be run in Windows Task Scheduler, probably so that you can pay for the paid version, but I could be wrong.

 

[goodjohnjr]

When executing the scheduled task, does it generate an entry in the Windows event log? If so, what is the message?

Yes, in the Windows Task Scheduler you can see the event logs in the History section for that task, or Event Viewer | Applications & Services Logs | Microsoft | TaskScheduler | Microsoft-Windows-TaskScheduler/Operational.

 

[zkSnark]

While I hope that there is some kind of argument command for the others, they may not be because of how they are designed et cetera; example, Malwarebytes, based on what I think I saw on several forums, is designed to not be able to be run in Windows Task Scheduler, probably so that you can pay for the paid version, but I could be wrong.

For Adwcleaner, I added the argument "/scan". It started scanning in CMD (not in GUI).

 

[zkSnark]

Yes, in the Windows Task Scheduler you can see the event logs in the History section for that task, or Event Viewer | Applications & Services Logs | Microsoft | TaskScheduler | Microsoft-Windows-TaskScheduler/Operational.

On events viewer.

Only when I ticked "Run with highest privileges", the task started on schedule.

 

[goodjohnjr]

For Adwcleaner, I added the argument "/scan". It started scanning in CMD (not in GUI).

Cool! I never did a command line scan with it before, while I wish that it was a GUI scan, that is better than nothing; I have it set up now, but hopefully it will not be difficult to use if something is detected.