Malware/virus removal

Free malware/virus removal tools

For non-UMIACS supported systems, there are several virus and malware protection and removal tools available. This page lists and describes some of them.
Note: these are just a few of the many available anti-virus removal tools. One can always search the internet for a well-reputed anti-virus program and use that instead.

Online vs Offline Scanners

There are two types of malware/virus removal tools, online and offline. The main difference between the two is that offline scans work outside of your computer's operating system. This can provide an alternate means for detecting and mitigating threats that may use various tactics to hide from your installed antivirus. On the other hand, online scanners can detect most problems while also being easier to use. Most online scanners have better interfaces than their offline counterparts, and they are usually easier to set up and run. Thus, the best way to remove malware or a virus would be to first try an online scanner and see if the issue still persists. If the online scanner did not fix the problem, then you should try an offline scanner. Below are some links to various online and offline scanners.

Online Scanners

• F-Secure Online Scan

  The online scanner helps to get rid of viruses and spyware that may cause problems on your PC.

• Malwarebytes

  This free version is limited, but can also perform malware and virus scans.

Offline/Bootable Scanners

• Microsoft Defender Offline

  This offline scan only works with machines using Windows 10 or 11.

UMIACS-Supported Machines

All UMIACS-supported machines have CrowdStrike installed on them as mandated by the Division of IT.