Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool vs Spybot – Search & Destroy

Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool is a free, on-demand utility for scanning an infected computer and removing viruses, adware, riskware, Trojans, and rootkits it finds. It runs only when started and does not provide continuous background protection, so Kaspersky presents it as a possible second opinion alongside existing security. No installation is required: it can run from a USB drive and removes itself when closed. Kaspersky says its disinfection technology targets active infections, including malware that resists removal or blocks standard antivirus software. Scan choices include startup objects, boot sectors, system memory, and hard-drive volumes. Quick Scan checks memory, startup objects, and boot sectors; custom scans can cover full systems, selected directories, system volumes, or all volumes. Kaspersky describes the utility as intended for infected Windows computers, while Linux support is listed for its unpacker and command-line options. The tool alerts users when updates are needed, and updating requires an internet connection. Online technical support and help documentation are provided.

Spybot – Search & Destroy is Windows security software focused on finding and removing spyware, adware, tracking software, keyloggers and other unwanted software. Its Free Edition includes anti-spyware scanning and removal, a rootkit scan, System Immunization and Startup Tools, for private, non-commercial use; the private-use license does not cap device count. System Immunization blocks access to sites associated with malicious or unwanted software, tracking cookies and browser plugins identified as malware. The maker lists Internet Explorer, Opera, Firefox and Chrome for that feature. Rootkit Scan checks the file system, registry and process-related lists. Paid editions list features including automatic signature downloads multiple times per day and task scheduling. Live Protection monitors newly created and running processes and blocks malicious processes before they start. Command-line tools cover scans, immunization, cleaning and updating, with use in scripts and scheduled tasks described by the maker. The product page also describes FileAlyzer for file analysis and RegAlyzer for browsing and changing the registry. Startup Tools can alter registry and other system settings, so the maker advises care.