Malware Remover Vs. Antivirus: Which Is More Effective?

Malware impacts both users and organizations, producing major data loss, financial problems, and operational disruptions. 

The only way to combat these online threats is to keep your system secure by using antivirus software, a malware remover, or a combination of both.

Although the working principle of antiviruses and malware removers are the same, there are major differences when it comes to features. 

Read on to learn the differences between these security tools before making an informed decision for your personal or enterprise needs.

Key Differences Between Antivirus And Malware Remover

As mentioned, both are security programs. They help identify and remove malware from your device. However, even if both sound like they do the same job, they are totally different. To understand what each does, you need to first understand the difference between computer viruses and malware.

Malware is an umbrella term for any software/program that is driven by malicious intent. These can be botnets, Trojans, ransomware, and viruses. On the other hand,  viruses are small pieces of software that can self-replicate and harm computers. 

It is spread through the internet, via any malicious downloads, email attachments, or files. A virus is malware, but malware can be a virus or any other similar program.

Listed below is a detailed comparison of malware remover vs antivirus software:

• Antivirus deals with established threats such as Trojans, viruses, and worms, while antimalware deals with newer threats such as polymorphic malware and those delivered by zero-day exploits
• Antivirus protects its users from lingering threats, whereas malware remover protect against the latest and most dangerous threats
• Anti-malware updates its rules and signature databases quicker when compared to antivirus 

When Do You Need Malware Removers?

If an infected file is downloaded and installed in the system, a malware program is activated. Popular malware includes spyware, PUPs, ransomware, botnets, and trojans. Malware can get into your system a number of ways. For instance, perhaps you clicked on an infected URL and it auto-downloaded a program or you deliberately downloaded an attachment from an unverified email. 

In this case, an antivirus will normally notify you about the threat before it is downloaded. However, with new threats and multi-layered code, traditional antiviruses can’t always detect zero-day exploits. 

Moreover, if it does, the malware may not be properly removed from the system. This is when malware removers come to your rescue. It helps eliminate all traces of malware, and even those which have bypassed antivirus scans or are hidden between layers of code.

Use Antivirus Software And Malware Remover For Enhanced Security

Because malware is capable of hiding itself, additional malware-removal tools are necessary. Malware may be present in different forms such as a file, hidden file, or partially corrupted file. Therefore, it can easily hide in mechanisms such as a registry item. 

With modern malware, it isn’t easy to remove a single infected file. For such malware, multiple location checks and virus scanning techniques are required to remove the package of malware from the system. This is only possible when you have multiple solutions at your disposal.

IT security professionals will have to update and patch applications and platforms to increase their organization's malware and virus defenses. Patches and updates are critical to prevent file-less malware that are difficult to detect with anti-malware solutions.  

Using a combination of antivirus and malware remover helps you build multi-layer security. Each program will allow you to run different scans, including signature-based scanning, heuristic analysis, real-time behavioral monitoring, and sandbox analysis. 

This way, you can ensure that all your devices and network are secured from any threats.

Bottom Line

Implementing and encouraging the best data security practices can be invaluable for preventing breaches and compromised data. It is always good practice to seek multi-layered security, and opting for antivirus software alongside a malware removal tool will ensure that your device and data remain protected from all types of threats, both online and offline.