Having a reliable antivirus application is not optional anymore, but there are also other tools that can complement the traditional protection against viruses and malware. RogueKiller is a free tool that can find malicious processes, rootkits, registry entries, untrusted drivers and Master Boot Record (MBR) problems.
Installation & Requirements
The <1MB tool is portable so users will simply launch the executable with no installation or settings. The only thing you have to do is agree with the license terms. The program is available for a wide array of Windows operating systems (both 32 and 64-bit versions), as follows: Server 2003, XP, Vista, Server 2008, 7 and 8.
Interface
Just to be on the safe side, the developer recommends closing all running applications before scanning your system. RogueKiller will automatically perform a prescan at launch. It won’t delete anything, but it will immediately stop any malicious process or service it finds.
The Scan will only list found issues or potentially malicious items. Users will have to check the results and choose what they want to delete. RogueKiller is also able to reset the Hosts file to its default content using the Fix Host option. Since malware can infiltrate through proxies, the program offers a Fix Proxy button that will switch all proxies off.
Additionally, RogueKiller can also reset the DNS configuration and unhide shortcuts, files and folders hidden by malware known as Fake HDD using the Fix Shortcuts option, although this should only be used if your system is indeed infected by Fake HDD.
The program doesn’t rely on virus signatures so it there’s no need for frequent updates to work properly. Even so, RogueKiller is not a one-button fix for all security problems. It is imperative you look at any entry you might want to remove or fix since it sometimes find harmless ones. In case you are unsure, the developer offers a great tutorial online, on the official website, with plenty of information.
Pros
– Portable tool, no installation required.
– Automatically performs a prescan of the system, stopping any malicious processes or services, if any.
– Scans multiple areas of the system for malicious files: registry, processes, hosts file, proxies, dns issues, untrusted drivers, system files, Master Boot Record and shortcuts.
– Users can manually select what they want to fix.
Cons
– Deleting items or using fix buttons without looking at the entries can result in removing harmless, files, folders, processes, registry entries…etc. Not recommended for non-technical users.
Conclusion
RogueKiller can be successfully used to find any sort of malware that antivirus programs and other security applications might have missed. In the hands of power users, the program works at full potential. Beginners should probably read the documentation before taking any action.
