BitDefender Antivirus is a desktop application that protects your computer from malware. The antivirus is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, and 7. BitDefender offers numerous protection features including active monitoring, system scans while your machine is idle, and the ability to browse the Internet within BitDefender so any malware online is detected easily. For the various types of virus scans available, you can easily set the scan aggressiveness levels.

Apart from offering you thorough modification options, the antivirus has an autopilot mode that makes optimal security decision without prompting you for anything. This does not interrupt any work that you are doing and saves your time.

BitDefender also scans links you receive on social networks and gives advance warning of links that include malware. BitDefender costs $39.95 for a 1 PC per year license.

The developers of BitDefender have offered 9 free such licenses to MakeUseOf readers. Be amongst the first 9 to comment and get your license.

Features:

• A user-friendly desktop app.
• Compatible with Windows XP, Vista, and 7.
• Protects your computer against viruses.
• Lets you choose protection level.
• Has an autopilot mode to make security decisions without interrupting your work.
• Does not compromise system performance.
• Offers an in-app browser.
• Searches for malware-including online links.

Check out BitDefender Antivirus @ www.bitdefender.com/solutions/antivirus.html (By Umar from AllThatIsApple)

To perform an antivirus check on  a website, simply enter its URL (e.g. http://makeuseof.com) into the field, your email where to send the scan results and click “Start Scan”. It may take up to 24 hours for results to be sent depending on the number of site submissions in the queue, the site’s Internet speed and its complexity.

Features

• Check any website for viruses and malicious threats.
• No software to install, all the scanning is performed remotely, in the cloud.
• Free, no registration.
• Simply enter website URL and email where to send the scan results.
• Wait up to 24 hours to receive the results.
• Similar tools: BlueBacklinks, BacklinkWatch and Traffic Travis.

Check out KyplexAV @ www.kyplexav.com

Lavasoft Rogue Gallery catalogues all the rogue anti-malware and optimization tools it has on record. You can browse these programs alphabetically. You can click on a program to view its details. These details include a screenshot of the program’s window, the date it was found, its description, and the changes it produces on your system.

If you find a rogue application on your computer that is not listed, you can submit the app and its details to the website.

Features:

• A website with a simple layout.
• Records rogue antimalware and optimization applications.
• Lets you view these programs alphabetically.
• Includes a screenshot and description for each rogue app.
• Lets you submit rogues apps.

Check out Lavasoft Rogue Gallery @ www.lavasoft.com/mylavasoft/rogues/latest (via DownloadSquad) (by MOin from ThumbPress)

Jotti’s Malware Scan is a simple and free to use web virus scanner for files. It lets you upload files of up to 20MB stored on your computer. Your file is then searched for viruses using today’s leading antivirus software. Results from each scanner are individually displayed.

Detailed information of your uploaded file is displayed as well. This information includes the file size, file type, and details about MD5 and SHA1. All this information along with the scan results are given as a permalink too. In case you have did not store the permalink, you can relocate your file’s scan page using the site’s Hash search feature and your file’s MD5 information.

Features:

• A user friendly web service scan files from your computer.
• Requires no registrations.
• Searches for viruses in files you upload.
• Uses numerous leading antivirus scanners.
• Provides results by individual scanners.
• Each uploaded file can be up 20MB in size.
• Provides a permalink for the scan results.
• Similar tools: UrlVoid, OnlineLinkScan, QualysGuard Malware Detection and Saf.li.
• Also read related article: 4 Quick Sites That Let You Check if Links Are Safe.

Check out Jotti’s Malware Scan @ www.virusscan.jotti.org/en (By Umar from TechCityInc)

URL Void is an online link virus scanner developed by NoVirusThanks. You can visit URLVoid and paste in the website which you think has malware. URL Void will then execute its multiple tests on the site.

These tests include searching via many virus detecting engines such as and Google Diagnostic, McAfee SiteAdvisor, Norton SafeWeb, and MyWOT. Your scan results are cached for 10 days to avoid unnecessary testing of the same site. Using multiple scanners to scan a site increases the reliability of the results; this is why URL Void is an immensely useful tool.

Features:

• A very simple user interface.
• Very quick scanning and result generation.
• Great security tool to scan a website for malware.
• Multiple scanning engines are used.
• Similar tools: OnlineLinkScan, QualysGuard Malware Detection and Saf.li.
• Also read related article: 4 Quick Sites That Let You Check if Links Are Safe.

Check out URL Void @ www.urlvoid.com

But if you’re a Linux or Mac user wanting to quickly scan a file for viruses before sending it to a friend, or a brave Windows user who doesn’t use a full-time anti-virus program but still likes to check the occasional file just to be safe, it’s worth checking out Dr. Web.

This web-based virus scan is simple to use: just upload the file you think may be infected and get a result almost instantly.

There’s really little more to this web app than that, but it’s worth considering the advantages of a web-based anti-virus program. Since the application is entirely online, there’s no need for you to worry about updating virus definitions. Additionally, the program takes up no hard drive space or resources on your computer.

The disadvantages, of course, include a lack of full-time protection and an inability to repair damaged files. So consider this more of a diagnostic tool than a defensive one, but a very useful diagnostic tool if you’re in a pinch. It found viruses in the test files I threw at it.

Features

• Online virus scan.
• Upload and scan any file.
• Web-based; no need to upgrade definitions.
• Perfect for Linux or Mac users looking to test a file before sending it to Windows-using friends.
• Not viable as a full-blown anti-virus replacement.

Check out Dr. Web @ www.online.drweb.com

To utilize this in your website, first you need to sign up for an account by registering your company. Once you log in, you can immediately start to add websites that you want to scan. To add a site, simply enter the website title, the website URL, and a validation email of the site’s domain. Then you need to input your scanning preferences such as the scan schedule, maximum depth, maximum pages, and the scan intensity.

QualysGuard Malware Detection is essentially a malware scanner for your websites. This tool is especially useful during website maintenance checkups. It is also a lifesaver since it scans your website for malware before it affects the majority of your users.

Features:

• Scans websites for malware regularly.
• Provides automated notification in case of a detection.
• Identifies malware though behavioral and statistic analysis.
• Identifies the vulnerable code snippet for efficient removal.
• Set your scanning preferences.
• No software installation is required.
• Similar sites: Sucuri, UnmaskParasites and WebAnti-Malware.

Check out QualysGuard Malware Detection @ www.qualys.com/forms/trials/stopmalware

Simply upload any file that is binary or executable or a script with a .jbs extension. Enter your email address and choose which version of Windows you want to run the file on.

JoeBox will then send you a detailed HTML report in an email showing you the results of the analysis. You can also choose to get network data. JoeBox is not a popular sandbox for analyzing malware which means it is less likely to be blocked by malware scripts. Each file uploaded can be up to 5MB in size and needs to be an uncompressed file.

Features:

• Analyze any file or script for malware.
• Choose to run on Windows XP, Vista or 7.
• No waiting, results are emailed to you.
• No registration required.
• Similar websites: VirScan, Virus Scan, NanoScan, VirusTotal and NoVirusThanks.

Visit JoeBox @ www.joebox.org/submit.php (Via Raymond)

Simply upload a suspicious file and click “Scan”. You will have wait several minutes before the scan starts and produces results for each antivirus engine.

Since it uses multiple online antivirus engines simultaneously, it is far more effective at detecting viruses and other threats than any single online antivirus on its own. That being said, VirusChief is not an only online virus scaner that uses virus definition from multiple engines, there is also VirusTotal, Filterbit and several more.

Features:

• Free online virus scanner.
• Scan suspicious individual files online for viruses and threats.
• Uses multiple online virus scan engines including AntiVir, Avast, AVG, BitDefender, Dr.Web and others (total 13 engines).
• View scan results for each antivirus engine.
• No registration needed.

Check out VirusChief @ www.viruschief.com

Check out the new Panda Cloud Antivirus. It is first free lightweight antivirus solution that runs “in the cloud”, which means that all the processing and scanning is done on their servers and doesn’t tax your computer resources while it runs. It consumes around 17 MB of RAM while in use. In comparison, the average local antivirus consumes around 60 MB of memory.

It collects new virus information in real-time from millions of users like you, automatically updates your virus definitions, detects and removes the possible threats including viruses, malware, trojans, spyware, tracking cookies and more.

It has a very simple and intuitive interface. Download it free from the website, install it and forget about it.

Features:

• 100% free online antivirus.
• Collects virus information from millions of users in real time, automatically updates your virus definitions, detects and removes possible threats.
• Lightweight and most operations are performed online.
• Protects against all kinds of possible threats – viruses, malware, trojans, spyware, tracking cookies and more
• Consumes very little of your system resources, since all the scanning and processing is done “in the cloud” (remote company servers)
• Simple and pleasant interface.
• Currently supports Windows XP.
• Download it free from the website

Try PandaCloudAntivirus @ www.cloudantivirus.com