#1 HitmanPro Review in 2024
HitmanPro, a relatively lesser-known player in the antivirus world, has been making waves in the cybersecurity community. As a seasoned antivirus reviewer, I couldn't resist the urge to put this software through its tests and see if it lives up to the buzz.
In this thorough review, I'll guide you through HitmanPro's features, performance, and overall effectiveness. You might be surprised by what I discovered during my tests.
Here's what you can expect to learn:
- How HitmanPro performs in real-world malware detection scenarios
- The effectiveness of its ransomware protection
- How it impacts your system's performance
- The usefulness of its additional features like safe browsing and exploit mitigation
- Whether HitmanPro is worth your investment
Let's examine and uncover what HitmanPro has to offer in 2024.
In a Hurry? Here's a Quick Summary
If you're short on time, here's a quick overview of my findings after thoroughly testing HitmanPro:
What You'll Like:
- Incredibly fast installation process
- Lightweight impact on system resources
- Effective ransomware and exploit protection
- User-friendly interface with dark theme
- Customizable exploit mitigation settings
What You May Not Like:
- Limited scan configuration options
- No ability to stop a scan once started
- Missed some threats in safe browsing tests
- Lack of additional PC optimization tools
- No option to change the interface theme or window size
What Makes This HitmanPro Review Different?
Many antivirus reviews you'll find online are simply repetitions of information from the product's website. They lack the depth and insight that comes from hands-on testing. That's not what you'll get here.
For this review, I personally purchased HitmanPro, installed it on my own devices, and put it through rigorous testing. I spent considerable time exploring every feature, running multiple scans, and simulating various threat scenarios. My main testing device was a Dell XPS laptop, but I also tested some features on other devices to ensure a thorough review.
Throughout this process, I captured numerous screenshots to give you a visual tour of the software. In fact, you'll find 13 screenshots in this review, each accompanied by my personal observations and insights.
My goal is to provide you with an honest, detailed, and practical evaluation of HitmanPro based on real-world usage. So, whether you're a tech novice or a seasoned user, you'll find valuable information to help you decide if HitmanPro is the right choice for your cybersecurity needs.
Buying HitmanPro
When I decided to test HitmanPro, I was pleasantly surprised by the uncomplicated purchasing process. HitmanPro offers two main products: the standard HitmanPro and the more comprehensive HitmanPro.Alert. I opted for HitmanPro.Alert as it includes additional features like ransomware protection and privacy tools.
The buying process was simple and user-friendly. After clicking the "Buy Now" button, I was guided through a 3-step process:
- Entering my details (I used a debit card, but PayPal and wire transfers were also available)
- Choosing the license length (1 or 3 years - I went for 1 year)
- Selecting the number of PCs to cover (1 or 3 - I chose 3)
After reviewing my order, I received my license key, installer download link, and installation instructions all on the same page. HitmanPro also sent me an email with my invoice and all the necessary information to get started.
I appreciated the clarity and efficiency of the purchasing process. It was refreshing not to be bombarded with additional offers or confusing options. Within minutes, I had everything I needed to start using HitmanPro.
Installation
Installing HitmanPro was a breeze. After downloading the installer from the purchase page, I was immediately impressed by its small size. The setup file was only 5MB, making it by far the lightest antivirus program I've ever installed.
HitmanPro installation window prompting the user to choose protection levels during setup.
When I ran the installer, I was prompted to choose between maximum protection or ransomware-only protection. I opted for the recommended maximum protection. What happened next truly surprised me - the installation completed in just two seconds! I've never seen an antivirus install so quickly.
This lightning-fast installation and tiny footprint are significant advantages, especially for users with older or less powerful computers. It's clear that HitmanPro has put a lot of effort into making their software as lightweight and unnoticeable as possible.
Interface
HitmanPro's user interface is clean, simple, and follows a dark theme. While I personally like the dark aesthetic, it's worth noting that there's no option to change it or adjust the window size. This might be a minor inconvenience for some users who prefer lighter themes or more customization options.
The HitmanPro.Alert main screen indicates protection against cyber attacks.
The main screen displays the product name at the top, your protection status in the middle, and a prominent scan button below. I found the layout intuitive, with all essential information readily available at a glance.
One feature I particularly appreciated was the ability to see the time elapsed since the last scan right on the main screen. This subtle but useful detail helps you keep track of your security status without searching through menus.
At the bottom of the interface, you'll find several shortcuts:
- Last event (shows when the last attack was intercepted)
- Blocked items (lists detected and stopped threats)
- Exploit protection
- Safety notification settings
- Help center
- Product activation
HitmanPro offers two interface modes: standard and advanced. The standard mode, which is the default, provides a simplified view for casual users. However, I found the advanced mode more useful for accessing detailed settings and features.
The extended interface displays the progress of a security scan and options for safe browsing and exploit mitigation.
In the settings menu, you can toggle real-time protection, adjust tamper protection, change the language (18 options available), and import or export settings. While the options are extensive, I did find myself wishing for more customization in terms of the interface itself.
The advanced settings menu is enabled for experienced users in the HitmanPro settings.
Overall, the interface is functional and easy to navigate, even if it lacks some of the polish and customization options found in more established antivirus products.
Major Features
Let’s dive into what HitmanPro has to offer. We’ll explore its key features and see how it fits with your security needs.
Safe Browsing
HitmanPro includes safe browsing features for popular browsers like Chrome, Opera, Edge, and Internet Explorer. You can configure these settings in the advanced view of the main interface.
The safe browsing options include intruder monitoring and keystroke encryption.
The safe browsing feature offers two main protections: Intruder monitor (which detects browser malware like banking trojans) and Keystroke Encryption (which protects against keyloggers). You can enable or disable these for each supported browser.
To test the effectiveness of HitmanPro's safe browsing, I visited several known malicious websites. Here's what I found:
- Malicious website test: Unfortunately, HitmanPro did not block this page.
- WICAR: HitmanPro successfully blocked all threats on this site.
- AMTSO: The software blocked 14 out of 16 threats, which is a good result.
- EICAR: HitmanPro only blocked 2 out of 4 threats, which was a bit disappointing.
The browser alert informs you about a detected cryptominer attempt on a potentially unsafe website.
While the safe browsing feature performed well in most tests, there's definitely room for improvement. It missed some threats that other top-tier antivirus products typically catch. However, it's still a valuable layer of protection for your online activities. Solid alternatives when it comes to safe browsing include Bitdefender and Norton, which have dedicated browsers for safe transactions.
Scan
HitmanPro's scanning capability is uncomplicated but effective. You can initiate a scan by clicking the Anti-Malware icon in the main interface. One thing that surprised me was the lack of scan configuration options - the scan starts immediately without giving you any choices to customize it.
HitmanPro actively scanning the system while displaying detailed security status updates.
During my tests, a full scan lasted about 15 and a half minutes, which is relatively quick for a thorough system check. It scanned an impressive 2.5 million objects, including 715,000 files and 1.6 million registry objects. The scan detected and resolved two threats on my test system.
HitmanPro scan results show no threats found, but some malicious software needs a system reboot for complete removal.
While the scanning process is fast and thorough, I did miss the ability to pause or stop a scan once it's started. This could be inconvenient if you need to use your computer for something urgent mid-scan. Additionally, the lack of scan customization options might frustrate more advanced users who prefer detailed control over their scans.
Ransomware Protection
Ransomware protection is a critical feature in modern antivirus software, and HitmanPro doesn't disappoint in this area. Ransomware is one of the most common types of malware. The ransomware protection is always active and can't be disabled, which ensures constant protection against this particularly nasty type of malware.
To test its effectiveness, I used a ransomware simulator. The results were impressive: HitmanPro successfully stopped 17 out of 22 ransomware simulations. This is a strong performance, considering that the average success rate for antivirus software is about 15 out of 22.
This level of protection should give you peace of mind, knowing that your files are well-guarded against ransomware attacks. It's clear that HitmanPro has put significant effort into this crucial aspect of cybersecurity.
Exploit Mitigation
One of HitmanPro's standout features is its Exploit Mitigation. This tool protects applications against current and future vulnerability attacks. You can access and configure it by clicking on the blue icon in the main UI (in advanced mode).
In the Applications window you can see all protected programs organized by categories.
The Exploit Mitigation feature organizes protected programs into categories like browsers, media, office, and others. You have the flexibility to exclude applications if needed.
What impressed me was the level of customization available. For each application, you can manage various mitigations:
- Application lockdown (stops attacks that bypass mitigations)
- Control-flow integrity (stops ROP attacks)
- IAT filtering (guards the Import Address Table)
- And many more
Detailed security mitigation settings for Google Chrome with options like control-flow integrity and ASLR.
This level of control is something I haven't seen in many other antivirus products. It's particularly useful for advanced users who want to fine-tune their system's security.
Risk Reduction
The Risk Reduction feature is essentially a toolbox of utilities designed to harden your computer system and reduce potential threats. It includes several impressive components:
List of various advanced protection features under "Risk Reduction," including webcam notifier and credential theft protection.
- CryptoGuard: Protects against crypto-ransomware
- Credential Theft Protection: Guards against password dumping
- Remote Desktop Lockdown: Mitigates attacks via remote desktop sessions
- Process Protection: Blocks tactics used by active attackers
- Webcam Notifier: Alerts you when your webcam is accessed
- Keystroke Encryption: Protects against keyloggers
- Vaccination: Disguises your computer as that of a virus researcher
- BadUSB: Prevents attacks from malicious USB devices
I found this suite of tools to be comprehensive and well-thought-out. It addresses a wide range of potential vulnerabilities that many other antivirus products overlook.
Colored Window Border
One unique feature of HitmanPro is the Colored Window Border. When you hover your mouse over the title area of a protected application, a colored border (green or blue) appears around the window. This visual cue helps you quickly identify which applications are being protected by HitmanPro.
Opera browser window has a green colored border, indicating that HitmanPro protects the browser.
In the lower right corner of this border, you'll see a HitmanPro logo badge. Clicking on this badge shows you which general protections are currently active for that application.
This feature is particularly helpful when using web browsers. For instance, when logging into sensitive accounts like online banking, the colored border gave me a quick visual confirmation that my keystrokes were being encrypted and protected from potential keyloggers.
While it might seem like a small detail, this kind of visual feedback can provide confidence and help users develop better security habits.
One concern many users have about antivirus software is its impact on system performance. I'm happy to report that HitmanPro performs quite well in this regard.
The system performance overview indicates the memory and CPU usage distribution during an active session.
During idle operation, HitmanPro uses minimal system resources. However, during a full scan, it does consume a noticeable amount of CPU power - about 50% in my tests. This is higher than some competitors, but not drastically so. As for RAM usage, it typically uses around 200 MB during a scan, which is quite reasonable for modern systems.
It's worth noting that despite the relatively high CPU usage during scans, I didn't notice significant delays in my day-to-day computer use. This suggests that HitmanPro is well-optimized to run alongside other applications without causing perceptible performance issues.
Conclusions
After thoroughly testing HitmanPro, I can confidently say it's a solid antivirus solution with some unique strengths. Here's my final take:
- Lightweight Champion: HitmanPro's incredibly small installation size (just 5MB) and lightning-fast installation process are truly impressive. This makes it an excellent choice for users with older or less powerful computers.
- Focused Protection: The software takes a concise approach, focusing on core security features without overloading your system with unnecessary tools. It does what it's designed to do - protect your system from malware - and it does it well.
- Strong Against Ransomware: With its ability to stop 17 out of 22 ransomware simulations, HitmanPro proves to be a powerful defender against this particularly dangerous form of malware.
- Impressive Exploit Mitigation: The level of customization available in the Exploit Mitigation feature is a standout, offering advanced users detailed control over their system's security.
- Quick Scans: HitmanPro's scanning speed is praiseworthy, checking millions of objects in just minutes without significantly impacting system performance.
- Room for Improvement: While the safe browsing feature is generally effective, it did miss some threats in my tests. Additionally, the lack of scan customization options and inability to pause scans might irritate some users.
- User Interface: The interface is clean and functional, but the lack of customization options (like changing the theme or window size) might be a drawback for some users.
Overall, HitmanPro is a capable antivirus solution that excels in providing focused, efficient protection without overwhelming your system. It's particularly well-suited for users who want a lightweight, no-frills antivirus that still offers strong protection against modern threats.
Remember, the best antivirus for you depends on your specific needs and preferences. HitmanPro offers a solid balance of performance and protection, making it a strong option in the antivirus market.
For secure antivirus alternatives, Norton, Bitdefender, and TotalAV offer solid choices. Be sure to see our latest list of the best antivirus software for 2024.
Octav Fedor (Cybersecurity Editor)
Octav is a cybersecurity researcher and writer at AntivirusGuide. When he’s not publishing his honest opinions about security software online, he likes to learn about programming, watch astronomy documentaries, and participate in general knowledge competitions.