The best weapon for the security of your computer is always prevention and in several articles we have shown you the best programs to protect yourself effectively from threats before it infects your PC. Summarizing very quickly, the main cyber threats are: viruses and malware that cause malfunctions or blockages, spyware that steal personal data or show unwanted windows, rootkits that penetrate deeply into the PC by modifying and controlling it, trojans that allow you to bypass defenses and to control the PC, worms that replicate endlessly to clog memory and disk and finally ransomware, ie those viruses that block all PC activity and encrypt files asking for payment of a ransom to free the PC, under penalty of permanent loss of data.
Even protecting ourselves, especially those who love to experiment, we can still catch these types of malware, especially by installing little-known programs and visiting unsafe internet pages.
In this guide we will see the best free tools to use to clean up a virus infected PC by removing all traces .
READ ALSO -> Guide to recognize and remove all types of viruses and malware
How to clean up a virus infected PC by removing all traces
The programs that we must use to be able to clean up an infected PC and go back to using it without problems are listed below.
Just download them, install them and start the integrated scan to be able to effectively find all the types of malware described above.
Cleaning with these tools is very effective but deep changes to the system may be necessary so let's use them only when we have recognized all the symptoms of an infected PC (sudden slowdowns, windows that open themselves without meaning, programs that disappear, Web pages that open themselves, lock screens or blackmail etc.).
1) AdwCleaner
The first program to use to clean up a virus infected PC is definitely AdwCleaner, downloadable for free from here -> AdwCleaner .
Once downloaded, open it and click Scan Now to start scanning for all types of threats on your PC.
At the end we will be shown the malware and unwanted components found on the PC, just click on Clean and Repair to immediately remove all traces of malware.
This program is particularly effective for stopping spyware, worms, unwanted advertising windows, infected plugins, malicious extensions and any other threats that may interfere with normal Internet browsing.
2) Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool
Another free tool that we can use to clean up an infected PC is offered by Kaspersky, a large computer security company.
We can download Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool from here -> Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool .
Once the download is complete, start it and immediately click on Start scan to start scanning your PC.
At the end of the scan we remove all the threats that this tool will report to us, so that we can use the PC again without problems.
This tool is particularly effective against viruses, trojans, worms, ransomware and spyware, so let's use it without problems on all PCs that show symptoms of infection.
3) Spybot
Spybot certainly stands out among the most effective tools to remove threats from your PC, which can be downloaded from here -> Spybot .
Once downloaded, start it and use the System Scan and File Scan entries, to scan all critical areas of the system and to find the most hidden threats.
At the end of the scan we confirm the cleaning to return to using the PC as before the infection.
This program is particularly effective against spyware, fake antivirus programs, harmful components that open windows randomly and in general against threats that want to take control of your PC to spy on us.
4) MalwareBytes Anti-malware
One of the most famous and used tools to clean your PC from threats is definitely MalwareBytes Anti-malware, available as a free version (with a 14-day Premium trial period) from here -> MalwareBytes Anti-malware .
At the end of the program installation, start it and go to the Scan screen, where we can start the search for threats by clicking on the Scan button.
Immediately the program will check all areas of the PC for supported threats, so that they can be automatically removed.
This program is particularly effective against trojans, worms, spyware and ransomware, so it is always advisable to use it when we suspect an infection.
The Premium version (with real-time control alongside the antivirus) is offered for 14 days for free; at the end of the trial period you can always use the program for manual scans but the real-time control will be disabled until we obtain a user license.
In our case the free version is fine so we can install it without problems.
5) HitmanPro
A very powerful program to remove threats from your PC is definitely HitmanPro, available for download from here -> HitmanPro .
This program features a multi-engine scanner with cloud detection system that can also catch threats that have escaped the previous tools and antiviruses used.
Once started, simply scan and wait; all threats will be shown on the scan summary screen ready to be cleared or moved to quarantine.
This program is particularly effective against rootkits, ransomware, trojans, spyware and tracer cookies, i.e. those temporary components in the browser cache that spy on our activity and track us while we browse.
The program can be used for free for 30 days without limits, after which a user license is required in order to clean the PC (scans are always available).
We therefore use this HitmanPro only as a last resort when the other recommended tools have failed and the PC is still slow or infected, given its extraordinary power, better to use it only when needed and when we no longer have alternatives.
READ NOW: How to clean your pc from viruses (and prevent other infections in the future)
