Microsoft Malicious Software Removel Tool

[gwpriester]

Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) helps keep Windows computers free from prevalent malware. MSRT finds and removes threats and reverses the changes made by these threats. MSRT is generally released monthly as part of Windows Update or as a standalone tool available here for download.

Does anyone else think it a little odd that this Microsoft tool shows Publisher Unknown when you launch it?

It does not instill confidence.

[Boy]

Very odd. I downloaded the file and got the same message.

[gwpriester]

Very odd. I downloaded the file and got the same message.

It's always been this way and I have used it dozens of times. It is on the official Microsoft website.

[Acorn]

Gary, why do you have to install this yourself? This installs and runs in the background automatically. Perhaps you have not chosen automatic updates.

If you want to see it working, open a Command window with Admin privilege and run %windir%\system32\mrt.exe.
The pop-up will then appear and you can opt for Quick Scan. This took my PC over 5 minutes to run.

Attachment 133831

I don't know, or care, if this is the latest version. It is not really for real-time use so running an earlier version is neither here nor there.
What is important is having a good AV package.

When you install manually you have an executable that requires elevated permissions so the UAC pops up.
The only question is MS not signing itself off as publisher.

Acorn

[gwpriester]

Attachment 133831

The only question is MS not signing itself off as publisher.

Acorn

That is my point.

[handrawn]

@Gary

This is not a tool an ordinary user should need to use - here is MS description on their site catalog page [my highlight in red], you should have AV suite instead:



the link in acorn's post is not working for me so I do not know if he linked to same

it is really meant for those who are developing systems, who need to check on the fly, and those who are removing a known infection

I would not worry about the lack of signature as long as you are certain you got from MS; development tools can be like that, often they are run with UAC disabled anyway, developers are expected to know what they are doing...

as long as you have automatic updates for windows switched on you will have the 'user-version' built in and updated as acorn said you won't need this

[gwpriester]

I run this utility from time to time if my computer is acting weird. I run a thorough scan with Malwarebytes and Webroot on boot.

[handrawn]

that will not do any harm, provided it is downloaded from MS, but there again it is unlikely to be worthwhile because as Acorn said, it is not a real time tool

in other words it will be no more uptodate than the copy windows installs on your computer via updates, which it does as soon as there is a new definition

here is my windows update log - you can see that the definition [v5-115] was installed on my computer automatically yesterday: 11 July 23 [11/07/2023 UK format]



so running this tool separately would be of no additional benefit to me - you can check your update log, in settings, to make sure

acorn covered this - you can always check it is running in the way that he suggested, having checked your log to make sure you are uptodate

I run a thorough scan with Malwarebytes and Webroot on boot

that is the right thing to do, agreed

[Boy]

Going back on topic, it's rather peculiar, if not counterproductive, that a downloadable security utility from MS does not bear the company's own 'Publisher Verified' tag.

[handrawn]

never left topic, just contextualised it

why not ask microsoft if you are that concerned, you never know, they may be unaware of it