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On the sense and senselessness of Malware cleaning


Whether it even makes sense to clean infected computers is a topic of repeated heated discussion in the IT security world. Questions such as “Can I ever really trust a computer again once it has been infected?” or “Is it technically possible to completely clean a system?” always come to the forefront of these discussions.

How do Malware infections work?

To answer this question, a number of different types of Malware must be individually analyzed:

The infection types described above represent the most common Malware segments. Of course, various combinations of these techniques also exist.

Is it even possible and sensible to clean a system?

Malware constructed in a simple manner can usually be completely removed from a system with a high level of reliability. With more complex types a number of problems can occur:

Once the PC is infected – Install from scratch!

The more complex the Malware, the more difficult the cleaning process. The main problem is that you can never be really sure that the cleaning was completely successful. In many cases the cleaning functions of security products function as placebos that disguise the true facts: The logical conclusion that the PC can no longer be trusted once it has already been infected by Malware.

Why?

The ONLY way of making the PC usable again is therefore to format the hard drive and reload the operating system!

A better solution: avoid infections

Do not trust cleaning alone. Protecting the PC against Malware infection in the first place is always better than subsequently attempting to clean up the chaos created by an infection. This means using a multi-layer protection system consisting of:

Emsisoft Anti-Malware
cannot ensure that your operating system and programs are kept up to date but it provides all the other protection components listed above.

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Have a Great (Malware-Free) Day!

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