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Is Microsoft's Anti-Malware Service (http://www.microsoft.com/security/pc-security/malware-removal.aspx) useful when running a 3rd party anti-virus, or is it redundant and will it just slow things down?

It seems to me it should be redundant, but given a cursory online search, I can't seem to find an answer. Is it intended to be an anti-virus, or complementary to your anti-virus?

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  • It’s executed as part of Windows Update, so you don’t have to worry about it.
    – Daniel B
    Mar 26, 2015 at 12:39
  • Sounds like you personally don't find it useful. It being useful or redundant would is a personal opinion.
    – Ramhound
    Mar 26, 2015 at 12:47
  • It isn't executed strictly as a Windows update - I check my task manager from time to time and often find it running. That's why I was asking.
    – Remi Despres-Smyth
    Mar 27, 2015 at 12:48
  • "The version of the tool delivered by Microsoft Update and Windows Update runs in the background and then reports if a malware infection is found. To run this tool more than once a month, use the version on this web page or install the version that is available at the Microsoft Download Center." It doesn't always run in the background or at random, as you seem to suggest; it's a one time check that happens with Windows Updates (once a month), or if you manually launch it. Which process are you seeing running that you think is this?
    – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007
    Apr 2, 2015 at 20:45
  • @Techie007 Ah, my mistake. Just checked again - I assumed I was looking at MS's anti-malware service. Turns out, VIPRE anti virus also has a service called "Anti Malware Service (32 bit)", thus my confusion.
    – Remi Despres-Smyth
    Apr 3, 2015 at 21:40

1 Answer 1

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The MSRT (that is the common short name for the tool you are talking about) was created due to a rash of Blue Screen's of Death that happened after windows updates a few years ago. These BSoDs where caused because malware had hard coded hooks in to kernel DLLs, when these kernel DLLs where updated the addresses changed and caused the blue screens to happen.

Because people started getting upset at Microsoft and where getting bad PR for "Windows Updates causing blue screens" they started releasing the MSRT and have it run a few checks during the update process to ensure that no malware was installed that would cause the reboot after a windows update to blue screen.

The MSRT is not a anti-virus IMHO, think of it more as a "integrity checker" to help windows updates know it is safe to modify system files without crashing the computer.

(I don't have any direct sources to quote to back up my statements, I think I remember hearing this from a Security Now podcast but am unsure which episode it was.)

As for worrying about slowing things down, the MSRT is not a constant scanner like most AV software. It will only perform a "quick" scan after the first reboot after updating itself (updates come out once a month), however you can also do a manual full scan by running mrt.exe manually from a run dialog at any time.

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