Best Free Trojan Scanner/Trojan Remover
For those of you who are average PC users who don't use an anti-trojan scanner, I recommend that you download a2 (a-squared) and scan your PCs weekly. I suspect that you may be surprised at what you'll find. a2 is also pretty good at removing some spyware infections, so bear that in mind the next time you encounter a spyware product that you can't remove with normal anti-spyware products like Ad-Aware.
a2 (a-squared)
Website:
www.emsisoft.com/en/software/free/
Author: Emsisoft
Date: 08/29/2008
Version: 3.5.0.0
Download File size: 28.9MB
License: Freeware
Operating systems supported: Windows 98 - Vista 32bit
64 Bit Capable: no
Portable version available: no
Other languages supported: yes
Additional Software Required: None
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Check out SDFix!
SDFix: http://www.myantispyware.com/2007/11/09/sdfix-free-trojan-remover-tool/
Hi I have been using a-squared 3.1 and I am not impressed as it gets too many false positives , eg It found 121 so called baddies including a few virus , 6 of those were cookies . I also had nod32 running . I then ran superantispyware it found none at all Ran malabytes it found 1 low risk ,So either a-squared is a way out on its own or leaves a lot to be desired . Does anyone else use it ?
Some minor corrections:
There are 2 editions available: a-squared Free 3.5 (scanner only) and a-squared Anti-Malware 4.0 (released last week, $39.95, with guard, behavior blocker and surf protection).
a-squared Free 3.5 still runs on Windows 98/ME/2000, while a-squared Anti-Malware 4.0 does not. But there is a special 9x Edition available on the publisher website: www.emsisoft.com
a-squared Free 3.5 is x64 enabled (the a-squared Anti-Malware guard is currently not).
a-squared Free 3.5 is portable enabled. You can simply copy the installation directory of a local installation to any removable device (USB stick, etc). An extra download for these files (a-squared Emergency Stick files) is available on the publisher's download page too.
Thanks for your tip with the 3.5 W98 Anti-Malware version, I was unattentive...
However, while updating my installed and registered v3.5 30-day-trial version (in July 2008, according to Gizmo's directive), it actually "converted itself" into a different version (4.0?), being incompatible to Win98. Installing, re-registering and updating the dedicated W98 version worked for me, resulting in a full v3.5 with 1-year license.
By the way, I did not check the free v3.5.
Windows 98 support has obviously ended. Just now I ran an update manually, which thenautomatically turned into a kind of upgrade (>21MB download). After this was declared successfully, I was told by a popup that it's now is a version not running under the actual OS (in fact W98SE), and I should go back to the a-squared hp for a download of the right program. I did so immediately, but they do not offer a version for W98 there any more.
FileHippo has older free versions for download:
http://www.filehippo.com/download_asquared/
Hi, may I know what do you think about the "Microsoft Windows Defender"?
And I'm also a bit confused by the difference between the so called "adware/spyware/scumware remover", "Trojan scanner/remover", "rootkit scanner/remover".
I do understand the difference between these threats, but it seems to be that nowaday those threat-removing softwares really overlap quite a bit on their functions (e.g. a trojan remover may also remove spyware effectively). Given that installing too many softwares may become a burden to both the HDD space and the precious RAM space (my old notebook only got 512MB of RAM). Apart from an antivirus software which is a must for everyone, do you think I need to install at least one of each from ALL of the above categories? As an example, do you think any program in the list below is somehow redundant or I really need to install ALL of them into my computer?
"antivirus software" - Avira AntiVir Personal Ed.
"adware/spyware/scumware remover" - SuperAntiSpyware
"Trojan scanner/remover" - a-squared
"rootkit scanner/remover" - Panda Anti Rootkit
Thanks again for your advice. This site is simply GREAT!
As I've said before, security tools are a personal choice. Windows Defender does not make my listing for several reasons including resource draw, scanning speed, very average detection rates, and that it is Microsoft's first attempt at a "do it all" security tool. Depending on how serious Microsoft is, WD should improve in time, it's just too encompassing for my tool bag when better options exist. On the other hand, if you have the resources and your other "blended" choices don't conflict with WD then go for it, it's free, real time protection, but comes at a price. I'm just not big on "bloatware" which is the other reason I don't include it. (Yes, the new AVG is also a bloatware AV, but its free protection is in a new class if your PC has the overhead.)
You answered your own question concerning overlapping. Many big companies with big software's roll em' up into "suites" made up of various components. This "do it all attitude" among the security code writes comes at a cost that displays itself quickly on underpowered and even adequately powered computers. Slow up's, lock up's and general frustration follow. I like to do a pencil test to determine a users security needs before going any further. How much security depends on what's being protected, what resources are available, and user(s) behaviors. It's important to choose carefully if resources are limited and high security is required. Again, personal choices thereafter.
I like the "picks" you have and you may want to add another root-kit scanner. While SuperAntiSpyware is free and offers a real time resident protection, it is heavy on resources and has had some issues with AV’s running in memory, and in my tests it would not find what AVG and A2 could. I will concede those SAS tests were over 3 months ago (and SAS is still very new on the block) and some changes to SAS are probably forthcoming. Given a preference, I would ditch SAS for sandboxing and a good AV and use an on demand scanner like A2 if my resources were limited. I have noted that A2 can take as long as 60 seconds to load on some older PC's with limited resources, but once loaded it’s stable as a rock and very fast and thorough. I have seen many unjustified slams on A2, while it remains a highly potent detector and an excellent remover of adware, Trojans, and spyware. Emsisoft is listed as an U.S. based advertised contractor in GSN, so I’m good to go with that.
Hope this was helpful.
Jeffrey Brown
IT Security Specialist
I read recently that the portable version of a-squared was not something you'd like to use to scan an infected PC, as not only does a-squared fail miserably with some malware, it also allows the USB stick to become infected...thereby turning your USB stick into an agent that can infect other PCs.
Think I read this in WindowsSecrets.
I don't think anyone should rely on a-squared as a reliable tool until it stops getting beat by malware (should be the other way around, no?)
It would be helpful to others for you to produce findings relative to your statements. Even a link to the article would be good.
Thanks,
Jeffrey Brown
IT Security Specialist
SUPERAntySpyware is the best. With ESET installed i have found more than a hundred of worms and trojans/adware. I think TrojianHunter is no more FREE!
Giovanni
great site,
I thought I'd try this a squared to see if it picks up anything that my Kaspersky has missed. Interestingly, Kaspersky identified this part of the download:
Infected: Trojan program Trojan-Downloader.Win32.Agent.vmp C:\PROGRAM FILES\A-SQUARED FREE\unins000.exe 672.1 KB
as a trojan ? So where does that leave me?
Hi,
You may want to adjust the sensitivity of your AV product or simply tell it to ignore the false positive you seem to be getting.
Hi
You can check whether it's malware or not by uploading it to VirusTotal, Jotti or VirusChief.
not exactly an expert here, but i found something rather ironic. decided to try a2 anyway off of good remarks for some things. picked up a file it considered high risk. Trojan-Downloder.Win32. Agent.vfx. the file that was infected? unins000.exe in a2's own folder. 0o
Hi
I tried rising anti virus and rising firewall together just to test them with matousec security software testing suit(SSTS) what I found, is rising firewall is not that effective and rising anti virus as well... rising anti virus found some viruses ( around 12 ) but it could not prevent the installation... I am not impressed with this new antivirus.. then I installed avira and scanned my system. avira found another 13 viruses and all belongs to that security suit.. then I scanned my computer with super anti spyware and MBMA but neither found any virus or malware, may be because I cleaned my computer with CCleaner before that... but my system was still infected... then I remembered another option "a-squard" a squard found another 6 infections and solved my problem... so in short rising missed around 19 infections though it found 12.. that means it's not that effective... avira found most of the rest... sign of number 1 anti virus.. and a-squard found the rest that means a-squard is also one of the essential part of security... impressed with avira and a-squard...
Nice to hear your positive comments about A2. When I opened this months issue of Government Security News, Emsisoft was listed as an U.S. based advertised contractor. Nice!!
Hi
In the BF AntiSpyware page, Steve tested A2 and it got a very low score.
Hi
actually one test may not be the every thing and may not give the accurate result... a squared should be included in subsequent tests...
Hi
Yes, but currently that is the only current test I've seen for anti-malware apps, and I'm quite certain it's legitimate. I realise it might not be 100% but it's the closest there is. Anyway, SUPERAntiSpyware and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware can also detect trojans so why not use those?
And I don't think Steve said it will not be included.
Actually www.2-spyware.com tested A-Squared too and it got very low score so it´s probably not as superb as the vendor advertises (not saying that other antispywares mean 100% safety, but this definitely doesn´t).
I seem to remember that Gizmo's testing of BOClean gave rather disappointing results.
Hi
Well it is still an option and one test isn't everything.
For whatever reason, merely installing the A2Free product a year ago seriously hosed a Win98SE system of ours that had been stable for years before that. YMMV, of course, but for our Win98 systems we now either use one of the several good on-line on-demand scanners or multi-boot with Win2K and use its on-demand scanner to check the Win98 environment.
- bill
You definitely need to consider
Comodo Boclean.
Are we discussing freeware solutions? Comodo Boclean is not free.
I can't speak to whether or not BOClean is any good, but it most definitely is free.
"100% Free", in fact.
Hi
I agree. I think it is one of the very few signature programs with a memory scanner.
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