It happened to everyone: somehow your computer got infected and now won’t even start. Instead of taking it straight to the repair shop and paying an exorbitant amount, try a USB virus scanner. These devices can scan your system for viruses and malware without launching the operating system.
There are many options for USB virus scanners on the market, but it can be difficult to narrow down which one is best for you.
Below are the best USB virus scanners to try. These programs can be run not only from USB drives, but they can also scan new drives connected to your system.
Panda USB
Despite its cute name, Panda USB has nothing to sneeze at. The USB based virus scanner is able to search the infected system and fix the problem. It’s also free, which is a big plus for anyone looking to get their computer fixed on the cheap.
The most impressive part, however, is the USB vaccine. More and more malware is trying to spread via USB drives. These programs are often installed on disks without the user’s knowledge, and then propagated to the next system they are connected to.
Panda’s USB Vaccine disables programs from doing this, adding an extra layer of protection to your machine. It does this by turning off the ability to automatically start programs, which means you must approve every step of the process.
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This can be inconvenient, but it ensures that no program can run on your computer without your knowledge. Panda USB can be booted from CNet and will fit almost any size USB stick.
Adaware Live CD
Adaware Live CD is just a name. The program can be installed on CD, but it can also be installed directly on a USB stick. Once you have installed the program to your flash drive, you can load it from the BIOS menu, where you will see several options: boot sector scan, quick scan, full scan, and custom scan.
It even gives users the ability to update definitions before scanning; In other words, you can tell which new viruses to look for. The ability to scan specific parts of your disk makes this tool extremely useful, especially if you already have suspicions about where the infection might be.
The downside is that it requires a minimum of 2GB of space, so this is a rather large file. It also requires you to be running Windows 7 or later and will not work with Mac devices. Since an installation and configuration process is required, it is recommended that you create this disk and leave it ready in case of an emergency.
Bitdefender
Bitdefender has been around for a long time and has a reputation for being a powerful antivirus program. It includes a USB Immunizer program that disables threats on USB drives before they can access the system. This happens in real time, so you don’t have to do anything other than connect the drive.
It also adds an extra layer of security by disabling autorun, which means that even a drive that hasn’t been scanned can’t harm your system. This is not a USB scanner. Bitdefender is designed to protect against unwanted intrusion from unknown USB drives, and it does a great job of it.
USB Disk Security
USB Disk Security has several things for this. First, it can be used for any purpose; users don’t have to lay out their arms and legs to protect their system. Second, it constantly scans USB drives for new infections and isolates them before they can spread.
The USB virus scanner program starts automatically when a new drive is connected to your computer. There is a premium version of USB Disk Security that has other components, including several options for recovering infected drives. USB Disk Security can also work with other antivirus programs. This is a good addition to the wider all-purpose scanner.
Kaspersky
Like Bitdefender, Kaspersky is a well-known name in the world of computer security. The company has been producing antivirus software for many years, and now it has expanded with the help of Kaspersky PURE. This program provides several scanning options and allows you to automatically scan any USB stick when inserted.
This USB virus scanner includes more configurable options, including the maximum disk size it should scan, whether to perform a quick scan or a full scan, and more. You can change these settings to improve performance and not waste too much processing power on antivirus scanning.
Unfortunately, the quality of the brand comes at a price. Kaspersky Anti-Virus costs $ 30 for three PCs for one year. After this time, you will need to renew your subscription, but if you want to keep your drives completely safe, it might be worth it.
These five USB virus protection tools can help keep your system safe from unwanted intruders, but there is one caveat here. Before downloading any program from the Internet, make sure you get it from a trusted source. Many virus distributors try to hide malicious code in programs designed to protect against them.
Make sure the security certificate for the website you are downloading from is up to date and do a quick search to see if anyone has had any problems with the program recently. Better safe than sorry, especially when it comes to your personal information.
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