{"id":62793,"date":"2014-03-19T18:03:57","date_gmt":"2014-03-19T16:03:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/onsoftware.en.softonic.com\/?p=62793"},"modified":"2025-07-02T00:48:32","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T07:48:32","slug":"7-free-and-portable-antiviruses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/7-free-and-portable-antiviruses\/","title":{"rendered":"First-aid for your PC: 7 free and portable antivirus programs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A few months ago, <strong>I stopped using traditional <\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/best-software.en.softonic.com\/free-antivirus.html\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">antivirus software<\/a>. Instead, I keep a collection of &#8220;vaccines&#8221;: portable antivirus apps I can use whenever I want, without installing any software. They are my first-aid kit.<\/p>\n<p>The first <strong>portable anti-malware tools &#8211; <\/strong><strong>ones that don&#8217;t need to be installed <\/strong><strong>&#8211;<\/strong> were developed to delete particularly resistant viruses or eradicate high-risk threats. When the dangerous Conficker virus appeared, for example, every antivirus company launched <a title=\"Five tips to avoid Conficker.C on April 1st\" href=\"http:\/\/features.en.softonic.com\/five-tips-to-avoid-confickerc-on-april-1st\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">its own vaccine software<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Today, thanks to a permanent internet connection, <strong>these tools have evolved<\/strong> and are now powerful single use (or &#8220;second opinion&#8221;) antiviruses. They are simple, and even though they barely include any functions, they are effective. These are my Magnificent Seven portable antiviruses.<\/p>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-images.sftcdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/02\/avira2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" \/>Avira PC Cleaner<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Avira PC Cleaner<\/strong> is a portable anti-malware scanner that runs on Windows from XP SP3 onwards. After downloading the virus definitions, it lets you perform a quick or complete scan (the second one being slower).<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a title=\"Avira on Softonic\" href=\"http:\/\/avira-pc-cleaner.en.softonic.com\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Download Avira PC Cleaner<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" title=\"Avira\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-images.sftcdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/02\/avira.png\" alt=\"Avira\" width=\"504\" height=\"390\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-images.sftcdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/02\/McAfee-Virus-Scan-icon1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" \/>McAfee GetSusp (Intel)<\/h3>\n<p>The authors of the excellent Stinger, who are now <a title=\" McAfee rebrands itself as Intel Security McAfee rebrands itself as Intel Security\" href=\"http:\/\/news.en.softonic.com\/mcafee-rebrands-itself-as-intel-security\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">part of the Intel brand<\/a>, offer their own pocket anti-malware for free. <strong>GetSusp<\/strong> is also connected to the McAfee GTI network.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a title=\"McAfee GetSusp on Softonic\" href=\"http:\/\/mcafee-getsusp.en.softonic.com\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Download McAfee GetSusp<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-images.sftcdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/02\/mcafee-568x466.jpg\" alt=\"McAfee\" width=\"568\" height=\"466\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-images.sftcdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/02\/dr-web-cureit-131.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" \/>Dr.Web CureIt!<\/h3>\n<p>Described by Dr.Webb as a &#8220;removal tool&#8221;, <strong>CureIt!<\/strong> is a great multipurpose vaccine for your PC. Unlike other utilities, CureIt! lets you choose the areas to be analyzed.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a title=\"Dr.Web CureIt! on Softonic\" href=\"http:\/\/dr-web-cureit.en.softonic.com\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Download Dr.Web CureIt!<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-images.sftcdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/02\/cureit.png\" alt=\"CureIt!\" width=\"500\" height=\"356\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-images.sftcdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/02\/ClamWinPortable_1281.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" \/>ClamWin Portable<\/h3>\n<p><strong>ClamWin<\/strong> is a classic antivirus. Open source and maintained by volunteers, it has the same features as a typical complete antivirus, except for the &#8220;shield&#8221;.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a title=\"ClamWin Portable on Softonic\" href=\"http:\/\/clamwin-portable.en.softonic.com\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Download ClamWin Portable<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-images.sftcdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/02\/clamwin-568x426.png\" alt=\"ClamWin\" width=\"568\" height=\"426\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-images.sftcdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/02\/op-comodo-cleaning_new1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"72\" height=\"100\" \/>Comodo Cleaning Essentials<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Comodo<\/strong> are known for developing free products of the highest quality, and CCE is no exception. This kit comprises a security module that identifies suspicious processes and a malware scanner.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a title=\"Comodo Cleaning Essentials on Softonic\" href=\"http:\/\/comodo-cleaning-essentials.en.softonic.com\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Download Comodo Cleaning Essentials<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-images.sftcdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/02\/cleaning.png\" alt=\"Comodo\" width=\"545\" height=\"287\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-images.sftcdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/02\/kaspersky_icon_pack_by_magbanuamicah.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"91\" height=\"100\" \/>Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool<\/h3>\n<p>Their\u00a0<a title=\"Kaspersky's Virus Removal Tools\" href=\"http:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/virus-removal-tools\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Virus Removal Tool<\/a> is just one of the many free security tools that <strong>Kaspersky<\/strong> offer on their site. Although it hasn\u2019t been updated since 2011, it downloads the most recent definitions.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a title=\"Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool on Softonic\" href=\"http:\/\/kaspersky-virus-removal-tool.en.softonic.com\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Download Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-images.sftcdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/02\/vrt2011.png\" alt=\"Virus Removal Tool \" width=\"568\" height=\"425\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-images.sftcdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/02\/norton_power_eraser_icon1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"100\" height=\"87\" \/>Norton Power Eraser<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Power Eraser<\/strong> is the portable anti-malware software from Norton (Symantec), capable of removing threats such as <a title=\"Beat Cryptolocker, the virus that kidnaps your documents\" href=\"http:\/\/features.en.softonic.com\/beating-cryptolocker-the-virus-that-kidnaps-your-documents\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cryptolocker<\/a> in a blink. Essential.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a title=\"Norton Power Eraser on Softonic\" href=\"http:\/\/norton-power-eraser.en.softonic.com\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Download Norton Power Eraser<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-images.sftcdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2014\/02\/npe.png\" alt=\"Norton Power Eraser\" width=\"568\" height=\"379\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>All on the desktop, all ready for action<\/h3>\n<p>The versatility of these tools is amazing. They can be run <strong>from USB, CDs <\/strong>or <strong>network drives<\/strong>. If you have an internet connection, you can have just as much security power as Norton, McAfee and Kaspersky, all on your desktop.<\/p>\n<p>If you are careful about what you download online, a portable antivirus can easily replace a normal antivirus. If, on the other hand, you don\u2019t trust yourself, then <a title=\"Softonic's big antivirus comparison: Software to stay safe in 2014\" href=\"http:\/\/features.en.softonic.com\/antivirus-comparison-2013-2014-best-security-software\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">choose a good antivirus<\/a> to install.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Which is your favorite portable anti-malware solution?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Related links:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/features.en.softonic.com\/antivirus-comparison-2013-2014-best-security-software\">Softonic&#8217;s big antivirus comparison<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/features.en.softonic.com\/how-to-recognize-suspicious-emails\">How to recognize suspicious emails<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/features.en.softonic.com\/optimizers-and-antivirus-software-join-forces\">Optimizers and antivirus software join forces to avoid extinction<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A few months ago, I stopped using traditional antivirus software. Instead, I keep a collection of &#8220;vaccines&#8221;: portable antivirus apps I can use whenever I want, without installing any software. They are my first-aid kit. The first portable anti-malware tools &#8211; ones that don&#8217;t need to be installed &#8211; were developed to delete particularly resistant &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/7-free-and-portable-antiviruses\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;First-aid for your PC: 7 free and portable antivirus programs&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2044,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","wpcf-pageviews":0},"categories":[],"tags":[],"usertag":[],"vertical":[],"content-category":[],"class_list":["post-62793","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62793","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2044"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=62793"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62793\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":331105,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62793\/revisions\/331105"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62793"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62793"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62793"},{"taxonomy":"usertag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/usertag?post=62793"},{"taxonomy":"vertical","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vertical?post=62793"},{"taxonomy":"content-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-category?post=62793"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}