ESET Online Scanner is a great free tool for detecting threats without installing antivirus software. It utilizes the same scanning technology and signatures as ESET Smart Security and ESET NOD32 Antivirus, only through a web browser. It can scan tons of areas including autostart locations, areas for booting and the registry. It also attempts to fix problems during restarts and re-scan files that were previously believed to be infected. It is not able to provide real-time security.

The interface is simple and easy to navigate. Its primary window shows the list of threats that have been identified, with their names and descriptions. The user has the option to either delete or quarantine the threat and create a custom scanning profile to scan particular files and folders. The program can also be used offline, but you must have an internet connection to download the required signatures data room ma transactions and to complete the initial update.

The program can identify several kinds of malware, like Trojans, viruses and spyware. It can also identify potentially unwanted applications. It can remove rootkits, which are not always removed by other scanners. It may take a while to complete a complete scan, and the software is heavy on the CPU. It doesn’t scan password-protected or encrypted files and it isn’t always able to detect sophisticated zero-day malware. It is best utilized as a second-opinion scanner, alongside existing antivirus software. A free one-time scan is available, but future scans and problem fixes require a fee.