Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool is a free malware scanner and cleanup utility for Windows. It checks an existing system for known malware, advertising software, and applications that could be used for malicious purposes, then lets you choose how to handle the objects it finds.
The tool runs when you start a scan and does not provide continuous background protection. It also has no built-in database update function, so a retained copy does not keep its detection data current automatically. Its role is an individual investigation and cleanup session, including a second check alongside an existing antivirus.
What Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool scans
Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool can examine system memory, startup objects, boot sectors, and hard drive volumes. These targets extend the check beyond ordinary folders to areas involved in running programs and starting Windows.
The Change parameters control lets you select which objects belong in the scan. You can add further objects to the scope rather than accepting only the initial selection. After scanning, the Details view provides more information about the scan, while detected threats lead to a separate action dialog.
Threat actions
You can assign an action to each detected object or apply a common choice to the whole list.
Neutralize all follows a sequence based on what can be recovered. It attempts disinfection when that is possible. If an object cannot be disinfected but a backup copy exists, it restores that copy. When neither disinfection nor restoration is available, it deletes the object.
Copy all to quarantine has a different effect: it copies the listed objects into quarantine while leaving their original files unaffected. The dialog also offers Skip all and a control that restores its default action selections.
Treating active infections with a restart
An active infection can require treatment with a computer restart. Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool displays a countdown before starting this process automatically; pausing the countdown provides time to save work and close applications. During this treatment, normal operations involving files, disks, and the system registry are unavailable.
After disinfection and restart, the tool can launch again and repeat the scan. Automatic rescanning requires a local administrator login. A treatment option without restarting is available when a reboot is impractical, although it may not complete the disinfection successfully.
The separate Advanced mode begins after an automatic reboot and provides a deeper system scan.
Quarantine
The Quarantine view provides a route back to a file retained by the tool during cleanup. Selecting an item and confirming Restore returns it to the folder from which it was removed. This recovery applies to quarantined objects; it is not a general recovery function for unrelated deleted files.
Console scanning
Command-line controls let Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool include all logical drives, add one selected folder, or read several folder paths from a text file. Other controls set where reports, quarantine data, and trace files are stored and enable a detailed log.
Console treatment can be limited to high-threat objects, extended to medium-threat objects, or include low-threat objects as well. If no treatment level is specified in console mode, detected threats are skipped.
