Since viruses and other malicious software can be so nasty and so hard to remove from a system, sometimes conventional antivirus programs are not enough to battle them and that is the reason Norman Malware Cleaner exists.
Installation & Requirements
The application is stand-alone and does not require any installation. The supported operating systems are Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8.
Interface
If you have used any kind of antivirus software before, then Norman Malware Cleaner will feel very familiar. You have all the various tabs that you would expect to find in a traditional antivirus application and all of the same functions.
To start the scanning process, simply choose one of the three modes from the main window which are very self-explanatory. After the process is completed you will be presented with a very comprehensive log and various options on how to deal with the detected security threats. IF you are certain that some folders or files are clean and you do not want to scan them, you can put them in the Exclude list. Lastly, if the Cleaner detects a file that might or might not be suspicious, it can be placed in the Quarantine. From there, you can either choose to remove the files or simply put release them and put them in the safe list. It is worth noting that files that are being stored in the Quarantine cannot be used and they cannot harm your computer in any way. However, it is still advised to deal with them sooner than later.
The only utility of the application that you might not be familiar with is the “Forensics” tab. There, you can scour your computer for files that could be considered malicious or at least threatening to your privacy. As the application itself warns, it can only provide rough estimates based on algorithms about the suspicion level of such files and it should not be taken as granted. Misuse of the Forensics utility can seriously harm a system so you should really know what you are doing before messing with potentially malicious files.
Pros
-A very familiar interface with all of the expected options
-The Forensics utility can be very helpful for more advanced users looking to investigate suspicious files
-The Quarantine and the Excluded list offer more viable options than just removing files
-Amazingly quick scans even though they are very thorough
Cons
-None that are worth mentioning
Conclusion
Although it should definitely be noted that standalone scanners such as Norman Malware Cleaner cannot replace a complete security package that most antiviruses offer, it still extremely useful when you know your computer has been infected and since it can run alongside installed antivirus software, it should really not be missed by anyone with malicious threats lurking around their systems.
