ESET Online Scanner is a powerful free tool to detect threats without the need to install antivirus software. It uses the same scanning technology and signatures as ESET Smart Security and ESET NOD32 Antivirus, but only through using a web browser. It can scan many areas, including autostart locations as well as boot sectors, and the registry. It is also able to fix problems during a restart and re-scan files that were previously thought to be infected. It is not able to provide real-time security.
The interface is simple and easy to navigate. The primary window displays a list of names and descriptions of all the identified threats. Users can decide to remove or quarantine threats and create a customized scanning profile to scan certain folders and/or files. The program is able to be used offline, but you’ll require an internet connection to download the signatures and complete the initial update.
The program can detect a lot of different malware, including Trojans, viruses such as spyware, adware, and other potentially unwanted applications. It is also able to remove certain rootkits that are not usually eliminated by other scanners. However, it may take a while to finish the entire scan, and the program may be rather heavy on the CPU. It doesn’t scan encrypted or password-protected files and does not always detect sophisticated zero-day malware. It is best used as a second-opinion scan along with other antivirus software. The first scan is completely free However, subsequent scans and solutions to problems require a fee.