| Site | Comments |
| BitDefender | Scans your system's memory, all files, folders, and drives' boot sectors, providing you with the option to automatically clean the infected files. Works with Windows 98 or later operating system and Internet Explorer 4 or later. Requires installation of ActiveX control, so unlikely to work with non Internet Explorer browsers. Warning: If it can't disinfect a file, it will delete it. You won't be prompted as to the action it should take and it won't quarantine the file, which would give you the option of restoring it. |
| Panda Software | Scans, disinfects and eliminates viruses, worms and Trojans. Detects spyware, automatic dialers, and other security risks. |
| Symantec | Tests your computer's exposure to online security threats. Annoyingly, closes the Internet Explorer Window you use to access it while opening a new window. |
| Trend Micro | Provides separate virus and spyware scanners. Both are free. The scans can be run together. Allows one to specify whether an entire drive or just a specified folder should be scanned. |
If you have questions about whether a specific file is infected, you can upload it to Jotti's Online Malware Scan. This is a non-profit service that will scan the uploaded file with Linux versions of 14 different antivirus programs and report whether the file is infected. There is a 15 MB limit per file, but that should be sufficient in most cases.
Created: Saturday April 3, 2010
