Got malware? Try Ultra Virus Killer

When you think your PC has been infected by malware, but your antivirus package hasn’t raised an alert, then it’s often possible to locate and remove the threat manually. But generally you’ll need a whole library of tools to get the job done: one to view your startup programs, another to check running processes, a file unlocker maybe, and the list goes on.

If you prefer the simple life, though, you could just download a copy of Ultra Virus Killer (UVK), which provides all the malware detection, removal and cleanup tools you need, in a single, free package.

There are modules to view running processes and the files they’re using, for instance. You can list and control Windows startup programs, services, drivers and more. An alternate streams manager looks for suspect NTFS streams; you get a program to help you delete files or folders, even if they’re in use; and there are modules to clean and repair your PC, even protect your Registry from modification, so maybe helping you to avoid infection in the first place.

If you’ve tried similar tools before then much of this will sound very familiar, but UVK offers far more than most of the competition. The “Process Manager” isn’t some pale imitation of Task Manager, for example -- it’s specifically designed for malware hunting, with tools to search Google, run checks at Virustotal/ ThreatExpert/ Runscanner, verify a file signature, pause and resume a process, delete multiple processes at the same time, and more.

There’s much the same depth and power elsewhere. So you can use the Modules Manager to list loaded DLLs, for instance; submit them to VirusTotal and similar services until you’ve identified a threat; and then try to rename the module now, after killing a process, or on reboot: perfect for those stubborn programs which just won’t die.

And if you’ve managed to kill some malware, then turning to the “System Repair” module will provide a host of functions to help clean up after any problems it might have caused, with tools to reset your host file and DNS to their default state; restore your PC’s default group policies; reset your Registry and NTFS security settings; get Windows Update working again; install or update various key components (DirectX/ Java/ Flash/ .NET); clear all your temporary folders, re-register all Windows DLLs, and the list goes on.

There are, of course, lots of dangers here. The ability to delete a running process can help you remove malware, for instance, but it also allows you to kill critical Windows files. And UVK has plenty of similar low-level options which are generally very useful, but could cripple your PC if they’re misused (or just go wrong for some reason).

Ultra Virus Killer isn’t a program to use unless you know what you’re doing, then, and have a full system backup to hand.

But if that sounds like you, then there’s no doubt that UVK has a great deal to offer, as the program is absolutely packed with powerful malware hunting, maintenance and repair options.

Photo Credits: maraga/Shutterstock