what are the best free malware and virus protection

You can also run a Critical Point Scan to delete spyware that's currently running in memory or use the Custom Scan option to pick what gets scanned and where to check (flash drives, internal/external hard drives, select folders, etc.).

It can scan the whole computer or just parts of it where spyware normally exists. What really makes SUPERAntiSpyware stand out among the others in this list is that it can also be set up to only scan files that have been changed within the last so-many days (1 day, 5 days, etc.), ignore System Restore and Volume Information data, use more of the CPU for a faster scan (called Scan Boost), and even scan the files that shortcuts point to. It's able to check inside ZIP files, skip unknown file types (for a quicker scan), ignore files bigger than 4 MB, and skip over non-executable files (so that only EXEs and similar file types are scanned). It updates often, installs and scans quickly, and gives you complete control over what gets scanned. SUPERAntiSpyware should be one of your very first picks if you want to get rid of spyware that's already on your computer. This program runs on Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7, as well as macOS 10.12, 10.13, 10.14, 10.15, 11, 12, and 13.Ĭan't schedule scans to run automatically You can start a trial from the top of the free version. There's an option to scan within archives, ignore certain files/folders, and to scan for rootkits too.Īutomatic updates, a more detailed scanning schedule, and automatic quarantine are only available in the premium version. Malwarebytes can also scan individual files and folders, as well as whole hard drives, with the right-click context menu in File Explorer. When the scan is complete, it's really easy to tell where the spyware was found, and selecting the ones to quarantine is just a click or two away. It scans through Windows Registry values and keys, files, and running processes, plus includes a heuristics analyzer to find potentially unwanted programs (PuPs). It's easy to use and tends to find a lot more malicious items than similar programs. Malwarebytes is a big-hitter when it comes to cleaning up spyware.

What are the best free malware and virus protection