Since the advent of Windows operating systems, viruses of all stripes have been haunting their users, which can often steal personal data and disable the entire computer system. Thus, security issues, especially with the current virtually uncontrolled access to the Internet, should be a priority for any user. About how to check your computer for viruses, and then invited to talk. But first, let's find out exactly what means can be used for this and what, in fact, threats need to be found and neutralized.
How to scan your computer for viruses: options
So, today specialized software, the task of which is to protect computer systems from all kinds of threats or to neutralize them when they penetrate computers, has been developed quite a lot. Every user knows that it is mandatory for Windows to install third-party antivirus programs, since the system’s own means, no matter how much they praise them, are, to put it mildly, worthless. This is especially true for installing software, which, from the point of view of the same "Defender", is undesirable or potentially dangerous, although in fact it is not.
However, let's see how to scan a computer for viruses using several basic methods. Among all possible solutions, the following tools are considered basic:
- full-time antiviruses;
- portable healing utilities;
- portable online scanners;
- anti-virus Internet resources;
- disk utilities with built-in bootloaders;
- tools for checking network and remote computers.
What are we looking for when checking?
With the basic techniques and tools sorted out. We will leave it for now to consider each option for later, but for now we will look at exactly which threats we will have to pay attention to (the choice of the preferred verification tool will depend on this very highly).
All known antiviruses give primary attention to threats of a destructive and spyware nature, although spyware belonging to the Spyware virus class are not always detected by regular and portable scanners.
The same applies to adware viruses grouped in the Hijackers group. Most of these threats penetrate computer systems under the guise of official (most often affiliate) software that has trusted status. And some applets even have certificates and digital signatures. That is why many protective equipment and miss them. Accordingly, to detect such viruses, which are mostly represented by browser hijackers, it is necessary to use either specially developed utilities for this, or search for them in the system yourself.
Scanning with regular antiviruses
Checking your computer for viruses with a standard type of antivirus (installed on your system) is the easiest way. To do this, just open the main window of the scanner and run a scan on demand.
Almost all programs have several types of scans (in-depth checks, scans of selected partitions, a SMART test involving boot sectors and records, etc.). The disadvantage becomes quite obvious if a regular scanner has already missed the threat. It is possible that the scanner will be able to determine it during the verification process, but it cannot isolate or neutralize it. Sometimes it is possible to observe situations when the regular notification program about the detection of a threat does not issue it even at the stage of penetration into the system, but determines it only when the user initiates an on-demand scan.
How to check your computer for viruses without installing antivirus: disinfection utilities
If the installed antiviruses for some reason do not cope with their direct responsibilities for comprehensive system protection, portable programs come to the rescue. Scan your computer for viruses without installing scanning software can be completely elementary. Almost all such utilities are represented by a single executable file for launching and a virus signature database, which, when starting a portable application, it is advisable to update immediately.
Programs like Dr. are great for detecting common threats. Web CureIt !, KVRT and the like. To neutralize spyware or adware, it is better to use Malwarebytes software products (for example, AdwCleaner).
Online scanners
In principle, special portable applications, which are programs that initially communicate with the developer's website, on the server of which there is both the main anti-virus database and the scan tool, work in a similar way. In a sense, this is similar to the functioning of cloud services, and the programs launched on the computer serve only as a kind of shells and tools for redirecting to a server on the Internet.
Among the utilities of this type, ESET Online Scanner, Panda Cloud Cleaner, F-Secure Online Scanner, HouseCall, Microsoft Safety Scanner, Kaspersky Security Scan, McAfee Security Scan Plus, etc. are especially popular.
Checking files for infection via the Internet
If we talk about how to check your computer for viruses using Internet technologies, you can give preference to specially designed services for this. They can conditionally be divided into two large categories.
Some allow you to upload user files to your own resource with subsequent verification, others work like online scanners, but only through a web browser with direct access to service sites (Virustotal from Google, Kaspersky VirusDesk, etc.).
Disk Utilities
Now let's see how to scan a computer for viruses with the help of disk programs, which can rightly be called unique developments. All of them are generally called Rescue Disk. The essence of their use is to write program files to removable media, boot from it, setting the appropriate boot priority in the parameters of the primary BIOS / UEFI input / output systems, and check the computer system for viruses before the operating system starts. And such utilities can detect and destroy threats of any type, even those that are firmly established not even on the hard disk or in its hidden partitions, but in the RAM.
Optimizers
Sometimes issues related to scanning computer systems for viruses can be resolved through the use of optimizing general-purpose software packages. Some of them (for example, in the Advanced SystemCare program) have built-in anti-spyware or anti-advertising modules that can be involved in the quick scan process. And some optimizers even contain full-fledged anti-virus scanners, the quality of which, however, causes legitimate doubts.
Remote Validation Tools
Finally, let's see how to scan a remote computer for viruses. In the simplest case, if there is a connection to the remote "Desktop" of another terminal, and an antivirus program is installed on it, you can simply run it on your daughter computer from your own.
In the case of local networks, it is better to give preference to programs like Kaspersky Small Office Security, which were originally developed for local networks and are installed on the central server as a main package, and on child network terminals as client modules.
What to use is not recommended?
In the end, it remains to be added that under no pretext it is recommended to install applications such as SpyHunter that are widely advertised on the Internet, since identifying the true threats in them looks very doubtful, they do not eliminate the threat without buying a key (there is no trial period), and get rid of the antivirus programs themselves This type, completely removing from the system, is not so simple.