Microsoft Safety Scanner: Portable Malware Scanner with a 10-day Expiration Date
Is your PC running slower than it used to in the past? Do you have reason to suspect your computer has been infected by a virus? There is one simple way to make sure your computer is infected or not: scan it with a security tool.
There are several such scanners out there, but out of them all I would like to put the spotlight on one developed and offered free of charge by Redmond-based software giant Microsoft. The antivirus scanner I am talking about is appropriately named Microsoft Safety Scanner. Here are the main bits and pieces you need to know about this security software solution:
Security
This application, which works with your existing antivirus product, helps remove viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. You can use it to run an on-demand scan to detect and remove the aforementioned security threats. Based on the Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT), Microsoft Safety Scanner features a complete signature database to help it detect the latest threats.
Portable
Microsoft Safety Scanner does not have to be installed. Once the download completes (it weighs in at some 70MB), you can simply run the scanner without having to install it first.
Expiration date
Microsoft Safety Scanner comes with a 10-day expiration date – it will expire 10 days after being downloaded. After the 10 days are up, you will have to get a fresh copy. Speaking of that, you can get Microsoft Safety Scanner straight from Microsoft here.
Not an antivirus replacement
Please note that Microsoft Safety Scanner is not meant to be a replacement for an antivirus product – it is only a scanner meant to work alongside an existing antivirus and provide on-demand scanning and help remove viruses and other security threats. You should use something else for real-protection against security threats; Microsoft advises you to use its free antivirus product, Microsoft Security Essentials, which is available for download to users of genuine Windows versions here.
There are several such scanners out there, but out of them all I would like to put the spotlight on one developed and offered free of charge by Redmond-based software giant Microsoft. The antivirus scanner I am talking about is appropriately named Microsoft Safety Scanner. Here are the main bits and pieces you need to know about this security software solution:
Security
This application, which works with your existing antivirus product, helps remove viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. You can use it to run an on-demand scan to detect and remove the aforementioned security threats. Based on the Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT), Microsoft Safety Scanner features a complete signature database to help it detect the latest threats.
Portable
Microsoft Safety Scanner does not have to be installed. Once the download completes (it weighs in at some 70MB), you can simply run the scanner without having to install it first.
Expiration date
Microsoft Safety Scanner comes with a 10-day expiration date – it will expire 10 days after being downloaded. After the 10 days are up, you will have to get a fresh copy. Speaking of that, you can get Microsoft Safety Scanner straight from Microsoft here.
Not an antivirus replacement
Please note that Microsoft Safety Scanner is not meant to be a replacement for an antivirus product – it is only a scanner meant to work alongside an existing antivirus and provide on-demand scanning and help remove viruses and other security threats. You should use something else for real-protection against security threats; Microsoft advises you to use its free antivirus product, Microsoft Security Essentials, which is available for download to users of genuine Windows versions here.
