Is it necessary to run MSRT if you use an AV?

This topic has probably been discussed ad-nauseam. But i've wondered the benefit to installing the monthly malicious software removal tool when most AV's probably does a better job. Is there any advantage to running the monthly MSRT?

 

I would say not. It probably has more of a psychological factor than real usefulness, making you think you are more secure by using both an antivirus and anti-malware program.

 

Thanks Roger !

From what i've read users should still do a manual check for malware or viruses by running MSRT. I thought I read that MSRT also checks for rootkits. Is that true?

 

The question is the other way round:
What do you loose by running it?

As far as I am aware the answer is nothing, so let it do it's job.

 

For sure.
Just Google MSRT and Alureon.
Microsoft has cleaned hundreds and hundreds of thousands of computers infected with one of the many Alureon rootkits with their MSRT tool.

 

I second this.

 

The main reason Microsoft is using MSRT is for a secondary layer of protection for those Windows PC's that:

1. Don't have AV protection, more common than you think

2. The AV protection has been compromised, is out of date or just plain lousy.

I agree, what can it hurt, the only negative if you wish to call it that, is it does call home silently after a scan.

.

 

MSRT IS MORE LIKE TO BE A HOTFIX RATHER THAN BE A SPY removal tool~

 

Let it run, it takes like 10 minutes once a month and will find stuff that your AV will not.

Having worked as a "virus removal specialist" for the IT group at a major university for the last 2 years, I can say for certain that NO AV catches everything. We run something like 6 separate scans and then throw in the MSRT for good measure before we even consider a machine remotely cleaned of an infection.

 

Exactly. The german computer magazine c't just published a comparision of several commercial AV software. According to that article, the "cleaning" results are mediocre.

Isn't flattening and rebuild faster then?

Michael

 

Quick question: Is MSRT similar to MBAM?

 

Delayed answer; No.
MSRT is a Microsoft tool that's just run once automatically after you download it through standard Windows Updates.

MBAM free is an on-demand scanner which can regularly be updated and can be used at all times.
The paid version of MBAM offers real-time protection, that's something that the MSRT tool doesn't have in any form.

 

OK. Thanks for the clarification.