Gridinsoft Anti-Malware

I recently tried Gridinsoft Anti-Malware, a highly promoted personal security tool that proves quite effective. The developers prioritize streamlined operation, trading off additional features to reduce resource consumption and shrink the program’s size. Yet, where it truly matters—detection and malware removal—it excels.

Gridinsoft offers its flagship product, Gridinsoft Anti-Malware, as a comprehensive solution providing both background and on-demand protection against malware. It boasts functionalities like quarantine, scan scheduling, and system repair, devoid of extraneous services like VPN¹ and cloud storage, enhancing its value for money. My verdict? The program impressively secures your system against the latest malware threats, allowing for personalized adjustments to the user experience.

Compatibility

Gridinsoft Anti-Malware shines in compatibility, supporting all Windows versions from XP through 11. Its modest hardware requirements—a SSE2-compatible CPU (Pentium 4/Athlon 64), 2 GB RAM, and just over 100 MB of free space—make it accessible. Although not explicitly mentioned, a stable Internet connection enhances its effectiveness by tapping into cloud databases. The program’s ability to run on older systems is particularly commendable.

The software maintains low resource usage post-launch, seamlessly coexisting with other security solutions without conflict. Despite its efficiency, scanning processes will, as expected, utilize significant CPU and disk resources, a necessary trade-off for thorough system checks.

Interface

The user’s first interaction with the program is its straightforward interface. The main screen directly presents scanning options, with a navigation bar at the top for accessing other features. Below, four functional buttons facilitate quick adjustments to scanning, updating, and notification settings. Notably, you cannot stop database updates by disabling notifications, which may surprise some users.

At times, the interface may appear cluttered, especially to those unfamiliar with standard anti-malware functions. This is evident in the Tools menu and the scheduled scans settings, though explanations help mitigate confusion. A summary of the program’s protective achievements is displayed to the right of the main screen.

Functionality

Gridinsoft Anti-Malware offers the essential features expected of a modern anti-malware tool, including various scanning options and proactive system protection. The scanning options vary in scope and duration. Selecting the Custom scan option prompts users to specify target folders or archives for inspection.

Scanning Options in Gridinsoft Anti-Malware

The program offers three distinct scanning options, each with its own focus and duration. Quick scan swiftly checks common malware locations, while Standard scan covers the entire system disk without extending to other disks. The Full scan option, however, comprehensively scans all system disks, which may increase the scanning time based on disk size.

Scanning speed depends on disk and CPU performance, with RAM usage during scans averaging between 500-600 MB. The developers do not disclose their threat detection methodology, though some signatures are self-explanatory.

Proactive Protection

The program’s proactive protection feature, labeled On-Run Protection, is found under the Protect tab and is activated by default. Additional features like Internet Security and Removable Device Protection must be enabled manually. These options enhance protection by monitoring network traffic and scanning USB-connected devices, respectively.

Proactive protection continuously monitors system processes and files, occasionally increasing CPU usage during new executions. It ensures real-time detection of malware, complemented by periodic system-wide checks.

Protection Testing

To demonstrate the security tool’s effectiveness, I tested it against modern malware samples, including droppers, spyware, ransomware, and backdoors collected over the last few days.

Testing with malware samples from 19/05—the same day I conducted the tests—highlights the program’s up-to-date database and heuristic analysis’s ability to promptly address new threats. This approach underlines its capacity to detect and neutralize modern malware threats. The test included an archive of 816 samples.

On-demand Scan Testing

I initiated a custom scan that allows for checking specified directories, a useful feature for examining uncertain archives.

Caution: Conduct all malware tests in controlled environments, such as virtual machines or dedicated systems, to mitigate risks.

The program detected all 816 samples, though the scan duration was extended due to the archive’s large uncompressed size. After selecting “Clean Now,” we can confirm the software’s ability to handle a substantial volume of malicious content effectively. However, this was merely the program’s passive detection capability at work. What about its proactive protection?

Proactive Protection Tests

Requiring some background computational power, the proactive protection system vigilantly monitors all files and folders accessed within the system. This enables dynamic malware detection beyond static analysis. Despite relying on heuristic detection, which might occasionally overlook or falsely identify files, the system’s real-time responsiveness is commendable.

Upon opening a folder mirroring the one examined during the custom scan, the program immediately identified all threats, requiring about 2.5 minutes to detect all 816 files. This correction of previously missed detections showcases the strength of its behavioral analysis. The capability of Gridinsoft Anti-Malware to nearly perfectly identify malware through heuristics before any attempt to execute them is notable.

Given the software’s ability to detect malware preemptively, executing the samples proved unnecessary, showcasing the robustness of its proactive scanning mechanism.

The program’s impressive performance against modern threats confirms its effectiveness, surpassing my expectations for malware detection and removal.

After-scan Actions

Unlike some anti-malware solutions, Gridinsoft provides an “Advanced mode,” enabling users to decide the fate of detected items—be it removal, quarantine, one-time bypass, or perpetual disregard.

Handling numerous detections might seem daunting, but the program eases this by allowing users to access detailed information about each threat through the Gridinsoft Threat Encyclopedia. This feature enriches user knowledge and aids in making informed decisions about detections.

An often overlooked yet valuable feature is the ability to directly report scan findings to the support team. By clicking the “Let us know” button, users can quickly raise a ticket, streamlining the process of addressing uncertain detections and saving time that might otherwise be spent searching for scan logs.

Quarantine & Exclusions

By default, Gridinsoft Anti-Malware moves detected malicious files to a quarantine area, a secure space isolated from the rest of the system. Accessing this list of quarantined items is straightforward through the Tools tab.

In the quarantine section, you can permanently remove or restore files. Additionally, the program allows setting a timeframe for automatically deleting quarantined files, ranging from a day to a month. Users can manually select items for removal or restoration directly from the quarantine list.

The Ignore List feature, accessible from the Tools tab, enables users to exclude files from scans, offering flexibility in managing false positives or trusted items. Unlike some antivirus programs, Gridinsoft allows you to permanently ignore detected threats directly from the post-scan results, enhancing user control.

Gridinsoft Anti-Malware Updates

Gridinsoft Anti-Malware’s update mechanism is robust, with frequent database updates to ensure timely protection against new threats. While database updates are almost hourly, software updates occur weekly and necessitate a program restart. The Update Panel is user-friendly, featuring a single “Check now” button for initiating updates.

Prior to each scan, the program automatically updates its database to maintain efficacy. Users can customize update frequency in the settings, choosing from options like pre-scan updates, hourly, or daily updates. Disabling updates is possible but not recommended for maintaining optimal protection.

Gridinsoft Anti-Malware Settings

While the settings menu may not boast uniqueness, it provides impactful customization options. Maximizing heuristic sensitivity enhances the detection of suspicious behaviors but might increase false positives—a common trade-off with heuristic-based detection.

Scheduled scans offer an additional layer of protection, allowing users to set specific times for the program to automatically perform scans. This feature complements real-time protection for those seeking scheduled system assessments.

Additional settings under the General tab let users tweak startup behaviors, such as launching the program with the system or initiating a pre-selected scan at startup, common features in security software.

Languages

Gridinsoft Anti-Malware supports multiple languages, though not all translations are complete or error-free. Feedback on translations is welcomed by the support team, enhancing the program’s accessibility. The ability to switch languages without restarting the software adds convenience for international users.

Gridinsoft Support

Underappreciated in many software reviews, the quality of tech support is crucial. Gridinsoft Anti-Malware provides 24/7 support accessible via the app or member area. Response times are generally quick, around 30 minutes to an hour, based on my experiences and those of my colleagues.

The support team may request diagnostic information to resolve issues. The “Collect System Information” log, while not immediately clear, includes comprehensive data about the system, aiding in troubleshooting and threat identification.

Pricings

Gridinsoft offers various licensing options, based on duration and the number of PCs covered. The pricing structure is designed to accommodate different user needs, from personal to extended family use.

The program offers a 6-day free trial, granting full access to its capabilities. However, the proactive protection feature, known as On-Run Protection in the interface, is limited to the first two days of the trial.

Conclusion

After extensive testing and considerable use, Gridinsoft Anti-Malware has left a positive impression on me, even though it has some minor drawbacks, such as a complex interface. Despite hearing about support issues, I personally haven’t faced any, even with a Standard license, the same as most users.

Gridinsoft Anti-Malware stands out as an excellent option for those seeking dependable anti-malware protection without unnecessary extras. Its combination of affordability, high efficiency, and minimal resource usage makes it a versatile choice. Whether for older, less powerful systems or the latest hardware, it delivers superior performance.

Brendan Smith

IT Security Expert

It is better to prevent, than repair and repent!

When we talk about the intrusion of unfamiliar programs into your computer's work, the proverb "Forewarned is forearmed" describes the situation as accurately as possible. Gridinsoft Anti-Malware is exactly the tool that is always useful to have in your armory: fast, efficient, up-to-date. It is appropriate to use it as an emergency help at the slightest suspicion of infection.

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Summary

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Gridinsoft Anti-Malware Review

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We ran massive tests on Gridinsoft – Detection Rate, Price, Features, and many more of Anti-Malware for Windows. Will it keep you safe?

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