Free Online Virus Scans

• F-Secure Online Virus Scanner Can scan a single folder. 
• VirusTotal is a free service offered by Hispasec Sistemas meant to scan a single suspicious file. You upload the file using their web site and it scans the file with 27 different anti-virus programs. Sample1  Sample2 (both open in new windows) 
• Jotti is much like Virus Total.
• Kaspersky online scanner (IE only, ActiveX). Much like VirusTotal, Kaspersky also offers a file scanner. You upload a file (up to 1 MB) to them and they scan it for viruses (but only with their own software). Alternate file scanner link
• Internet-Security from Symantec. This scans every file it can find. There is no way to limit it to one directory or just the C disk, for example. Alternate Link.
• Panda Software has two free online scanners. Both are ActiveX based so they only work in Internet Explorer, not in Firefox. Both scan for viruses and Spyware. The older one is ActiveScan. The newer one is available at www.nanoscan.com. The new one is sometimes called NanoScan and other times called TotalScan. As of March 2007 NanoScan is in beta and the website says there will be a Firefox compatible version in April 2007. ActiveScan requires an email address before scanning, TotalScan does not. ActiveScan will remove viruses. 
• Housecall from Trend Micro. Works with IE (using ActiveX) or Firefox (using Java).  Java version of Housecall. Housecall used to be great, but it has been broken for months (as of December 2006). In March 2007 Brian Krebs said that he found the program annoying and had it crash while scanning. I haven't been able to get a scan even started in a very long time. 
• Bit Defender Online Virus Scanner will clean the viruses it finds. 
• Secunia uses Panda software in their online virus scan 
• McAfee FreeScan (requires you to set up an account)  AVERT Stinger vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/ 
• eTrust Antivirus Web Scanner from Computer Associates.
• Sophos has a free downloadable Threat Detection Test

Anti Virus SoftwareTOP

• Avast from Alwil is free for home users and non-commercial use. avast! 4 Home Edition Download. The default user interface is confusing, try installing the Vista like skin.
• The PersonalEdition Classic of Avira AntiVir offers free virus protection for Windows 2000/XP/Vista 32Bit and for Linux/FreeBSD/Solaris. It's the one with the cute red umbrella. Avira also offers paid versions that come with anti-spyware and anti-adware software.
• PC-cillin from Trend Micro
• Kapersky Anti-Virus Personal 5.0. They also run www.viruslist.com
• F-Secure Anti-Virus also protects against rootkits and includes real-time protection against Spyware
• F-Secure Anti-Virus for DOS is free for home use
• BitDefender Anti-Virus. They also have free virus removal tools
• NOD32 from Eset and instructions for configuring it
• Free virus removal tools from F-Secure
• Norton AntiVirus
• Free virus removal tools from Symantec 
• AVG from Grisoft is free for personal use.  Version 7,Free Edition.
• McAfee AVERT Stinger is a free program you download to your PC that detects and removes some viruses. It is not a substitute for full anti-virus protection, but rather a tool to assist you when dealing with an infected system.
• Sophos has stand-alone anti-virus software as well as an entire security suite. However, they don't target consumers, the minimum quantity they offer is five.
• Earthlink customers can get free anti-virus software from EarthLink as part of their Protection Control Center
• Free Antivirus Tools Downloads from PC World magazine 
• Want some free AntiVirus software? Click here About Panda. by David Coursey ZDNet July 14, 2003

RootkitsTOP

• The web site www.antirootkit.com has a long list of anti-rootkit software.
• In April 2007 Grisoft, the company behind AVG anti-virus, released a free anti-rootkitprogram that both detects and removes rootkits. The downside? No documentation.
• BlackLight from F-Sure detects and removes rootkits. It's free until October 1, 2007. 
• RootkitRevealer from sysinternals.com is free
• Sophos Anti-Rootkit is free
• Panda Software has a free anti-rootkit program. Read about it at antirootkit.com or download it from Panda.
• IceSword is free. Download from PC World magazine.
• Hook Explorer from iDefense Also available from PC World magazine.
• www.invisiblethings.org by Joanna Rutkowska has a library of command-line scanning utilities
• GMER is free, from Poland.
• The 10 Biggest Security Risks You Don't Know About: Rootkits and Viruses Partner Up PC World Magazine. June 22, 2006. 
• New Tools May Beat Rootkits June 7, 2005 by Brian Livingston
• 'Rootkit' Author Beaten, For Now May 31, 2005 by Brian Livingston 
• Rootkits: Invisible Assault on Windows by Scott Spanbauer in the June 2005 issue of PC World magazine.

Test Your AntiVirus ProgramTOP

• Is your antivirus app working? Are you sure? by Robert Vamosi of CNet June 14, 2004
• How to verify that a Symantec corporate antivirus product is set to scan all files
• How to configure Norton AntiVirus to scan all files (for consumer versions) 
• The Anti-Virus test file from EICAR. Trend Micro wrote about it.
• AV-Test.org tests anti-virus software
• AV-Comparatives.org also tests anti-virus software

Articles   TOP

• Eighty percent of new malware defeats antivirus by Munir Kotadia, ZDNet Australia. July 19, 2006. The bad guys test their software against popular AV products to make sure it's not detected. Thus, you're safer using a less popular AV program. For more, see Why popular antivirus apps 'do not work' by Munir Kotadia, ZDNet July 21, 2006. 
• The contemporary antivirus industry and its problems by Eugene Kaspersky, Head of Kaspersky Lab Virus Research November 21 2005
• Reviews of FREE anti-virus programs from PC Magazine September 28, 2005 
• Are Security Vendors Tricking XP SP2? PC World  December 21, 2004. Windows Security Center may not know when your antivirus definitions are out of date. Both Norton/Symantec and McAfee lie to it. 
• Fee or free in fighting viruses? Computer users face tough choices in seeking software San Francisco Chronicle December 20, 2004
• Virus writers elude Microsoft's bounty hunt By Robert Lemos, CNET News.com November 8 2004
• Biography of a Worm Follow the trail of the Sasser worm to see how the security system works--and whether it can be fixed. From the November 2004 issue of PC World magazine 
• Help! Vendors promise solid tech support, but our test found long hold times and poor advice. Information Security magazine. October 2004. A review of tech support from five different anti-virus vendors. Not good. 
• Reviews of many anti-virus products from Firewall Guide.com 
• I run Anti-Virus software, why do I still sometimes get infected? September 1, 2004 Leo Notenboom
• The Antivirus Defense-in-Depth Guide from Microsoft Last updated August 25, 2004
• Virus Bulletin a web site with independent anti-virus advice 
• Exposed Your desktop AV may be leaving you wide open to attack. Information Security magazine June 2004
• Question: Two e-mail messages were returned to me because they couldn't be delivered due to viruses they contained. But I didn't send these messages. Someone has been using my e-mail address. An antivirus scan didn't show anything wrong. How can I stop this? Walter Mossberg, the Wall Street Journal, June 24, 2004 
• Yahoo News Full Coverage on Viruses and Worms  or alternate link
• Help: I Got Hacked. Now What Do I Do? by Jesper M. Johansson  Security Program Manager Microsoft Corporation May 7, 2004
• OCD and the Cycle of Virus Doom By John C. Dvorak April 26, 2004. It takes so little in the way of lies to get someone to open an attachment
• Viral Marketing McAfee or Norton? by Brendan I. Koerner in the Village Voice. April 14, 2004. Take the blinders off and say hello to Trend Micro
• Viruses Tag Along eWeek March 29, 2004. You can get infected with a virus just by reading an email message. 
• New computer worms use password trick March 15, 2004. NewScientist.com news service 
• Why Are Virus Attacks Getting Worse? By John C. Dvorak in PC Magazine March 8, 2004 
• Live Virus Information Feeds from Wugnet, the Windows Users Group Network 
• ZDnet reviewed NAV 2002 and 2003. 
• Norton AntiVirus 2004 reviewed by PC Magazine November 11, 2003 
• PC-cillin Internet Security 2004 reviewed by ZDNet November 2003 
• Free Antivirus: Finally Ready for Prime Time Review of four free AntiVirus programs PC World magazine. November 25, 2003
• Colleges Move to Thwart Internet Viruses AP September 4, 2003. At one school, students cited for infectious computers must show proof they've been fixed before they can log back onto the campus network.
• Fight Against Viruses May Move to Servers The Washington Post August 28, 2003. Computer viruses are becoming so aggressive and sophisticated that they may soon be able to elude anti-virus programs installed on individual computers. 
• Preventive Medicine For E-Mail about ISPs scanning incoming email for viruses. The Washington Post August 28, 2003
• Why people write computer viruses BBC News August 23, 2003 
• Antivirus Subscription Inflation Home users with multiple computers get gouged if they want to be conscientious. Things may get worse next year. Security Supersite July 13, 2003.
• Using Microsoft Office with the Norton Anti-Virus Microsoft Office Plug-In Applies to Microsoft Office XP and Office 2000 and Norton Anti-Virus 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003. There may be problems.
• Pest Zappers. A review of anti-virus programs. PC World magazine, May 29, 2003
• Set Antivirus Software for Maximum Protection Activate crucial settings to ensure that your system is completely protected. From the January 2003 issue of PC World.
• Stupid virus tricks: What to look for from Consumer Reports Magazine June 2002 
• Klez: The Virus That Won't Die PC World August 2002 
• Reviews of 4 major AntiVirus programs. ZDNet April 5, 2002
• Reviews of unpopular antivirus programs ZDNet April 18,2002
• Antivirus guide 2002 ZDNet July 8, 2002
• Symantec Anti-Virus Center has information on the latest virus threats and more. Also known as Symantec Security Response. 
• ComputerWorld magazine maintains a dedicated virus and worm page
• What is a virus and how does it spread? from PCPitstop.com
• Introduction to viruses, what they are and how to deal with themfrom pcnineoneone
• badguys.org has papers about viruses and av software 
• Virus Prevention 101 and 102  from The Internet Tourbus newsletter January 2002

My Gripes on Anti-Virus SoftwareTOP

• Norton AntiVirus 2005
• Norton AntiVirus 2004
• Norton AntiVirus 2003
• Norton AntiVirus 2002
• Norton AntiVirus 2001 (over 45k)
• Norton AntiVirus 2000
• McAfee AntiVirus
• AVG Anti-Virus
• PC-cillin from Trend Micro