IssViews Forum

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.46
REVIEW DATE:05.07.10
by Neil J. Rubenking

Installing security software on malware-infested test systems can be tough. Sometimes the product won't install, or won't run, or won't scan. When I ask the vendor's tech support what to do, some of them offer a Rescue CD as a possible solution. But sometimes they advise using a free third-party program to clean up the system sufficiently that their product can finish the job. More often than not the program they suggest is Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.46 (free, direct).

Why do they point users at this particular tool? For starters, it's a small download, less than 6 megabytes. It takes just minutes to install and update the product. That's a refreshing change from products like Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2010 ($39.95 direct, ), which requires a very lengthy initial update followed by yet another update after registration.

There's nothing fancy about Malwarebytes. It doesn't even display the usual main status screen. Instead, it opens at the scanner page, ready to do its job. The scanner itself is speedy, too. The company recommends using Quick Scan, but even the Full Scan took just 12 minutes on my new clean test system. That's about half the average time for a full scan on my previous clean test system. Norton AntiVirus 2010 ($39.95 direct, ) scanned the new test system in a half hour (though a re-scan took under 3 minutes).

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.46: Easy Installation
This is my first review using my a newly updated collection of malware samples, which means I can't compare results directly with those from older reviews. To ease the transition I ran both Spyware Doctor and Norton Antivirus (the current and previous Editors' Choices, respectively) through the new testing regimen. As usual, some of the samples fought back. Norton's installer dealt with most of them and a full scan using the Norton Bootable Recovery Tool solved the one troublemaker.

Malware on three of the 13 test systems interfered with Spyware Doctor. One was cured by scanning with the PC Tools Alternate Operating System Scanner (a rescue CD product) and another by reinstalling after running a batch file supplied by PC Tools. The tech support gurus still haven't solved the third, so for now I've omitted the threats on that system from Spyware Doctor's scores.

As for Malwarebytes, it installed without trouble on all 13 systems. One system wouldn't update; I got around that problem by manually downloading the update files. That's certainly a good start!

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.46: The Verdict
I can see why tech support agents from other vendors like to bring in Malwarebytes when they need a quick fix. It's a small download, it installs quickly, its scanner is fast, and it seems to slip past malware that prevents installation of security software. It doesn't do equally well against all malware categories, though, and the extra-cost real-time protection isn't as effective as the on-demand scanner. Even so, the free edition should definitely be in your toolbox.