How do I detect bogus security alerts?

Question

I've got a laptop from Toshiba, that came with or acquired a PC checker called "Toshiba laptop checker" or something like that. I also run MS Security Essentials on it.

MSSE scans reveal no threats on my computer. But the Toshiba checker says I have 145 threats, some of them serious, and I need to take immediate action. How can I figure out whether the Toshiba alerts are bogus or whether MSSE is just failing to see certain threats?

Answer 1

I'd recommend getting a third opinion.

If you went to two doctors, one said you were perfectly fit and healthy, and the other gave you 3 days to live, you'd go and ask another doctor wouldn't you?

Download yourself one of the other free scanners and check it out with that. Some good ones are:

• Dr.Web CureIt! - http://www.freedrweb.com/cureit/?lng=en
• Malware Bytes - http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

_{Please leave others in comments or edit this answer to make a complete list of good ones.}

Answer 2

Try malwarebytes. If that doesn't find anything, uninstall the toshiba laptop checker.

Googling for "toshiba laptop checker" returns no results apart from your question, so it is probably the checker itself that is the security threat.

Answer 3

Check the threats, they could be serious but they also could be tracking cookies.

If a doctor says you have 3 days to live, you would ask him why and try to figure it out, wouldn't you?