When updating Windows via Windows Update automatic updates, if you look at the details, you may notice that the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool update is installed every second Tuesday of the month. This tool is rather mysterious because on Windows there is no connection to start it and, knowing nothing about it, it is difficult to understand its purpose.
The truth is that the Malicious Software Removal Tool exists only because Microsoft, given that Windows computers are easily attacked by viruses, is keen to provide or (say to provide) a first aid defense in case the PC is not equipped with antivirus.
It counteracts and removes the most popular and widespread malware, especially worms (see the difference between malware, worms, trojans and other viruses), slowing down their spread and preventing them from doing much more damage.
The important thing to know is that it is not a substitute for antivirus but only an automatic Windows tool that protects the system against the spread of the most serious, known and common infections.
On the second Tuesday of each month, Microsoft Microsoft releases a new version of its malware removal tool that can be downloaded from Windows Update if automatic updates have been set up.
When it is installed, it also performs a quick background scan every month, checking that your computer is free of the most dangerous and popular malware and, if it finds anything, removes it.
It is easy to imagine that no one ever appeared about a malware warning found by the Microsoft removal tool.
Its purpose is only to counter the rapid spread of self-replicating worms (still present on the network) which, in the past, have done much harm to computers all over the world such as Blaster, Sasser and Mydoom.
With monthly update spreading and automatic background scanning, Microsoft's malware removal tool quickly removes infections from many computers at once, slowing the spread of malware.
Clearly it has a certain effectiveness on PCs that do not have antivirus or that mount an outdated antimalware program.
The tool cannot be considered an antivirus because it has very big limits.
In fact, it detects malware only after it has already infected your computer and only if it is running on Windows.
It also has a limited database and is not an antivirus with preventive protection but only acts once a month.
A normal antivirus program (see the best free antivirus) instead has real-time computer protection (so a virus is caught before it can act), searches for malware even if they are hidden and inactive and is updated every day with new ones detections.
The Windows Malware Removal Tool can be started manually by typing the MRT ( Microsoft Removal Tool ) command on the Start menu search box.
If the tool has not been updated for more than 60 days, you will be asked to download a newer version.
Note that in the first scehrmata of the interface also Microsoft writes that MRT does not replace the antivirus and recommends the installation of the excellent free antivirus program Microsoft Security Essentials that provides real-time protection on Windows XP, Windows 7 and Vista.
Still in the first screen of MRT, you can click a link that displays the list of malware that will be checked and possibly removed by this tool.
It can be seen that the list is decidedly short.
By clicking on Next, however, you can decide to do a complete scan of the files which is more thorough than the quick scan that automatically does every month.
Since the control is very limited, it does not make any sense to perform such a full scan and it is better then to use another of the programs to make antivirus scans, among which the scanner recommended by Microsoft is also reported: Microsoft Safety Scanner.
Therefore, given the uselessness of the Microsoft malware removal tool, I refer to the complete guide to remove malware, spyware, and fake antivirus from the infected computer
Note that Windows 8 will have an included antivirus program eliminating the need for this tool.
