Scan files for viruses is a type of malware that can cause serious damage to your computer. It can steal your personal information, encrypt your files and ransom you money, or just slow down the performance of your system. Performing regular virus scans and malware removal is a must for all devices that go online.

The most common way to scan for viruses is to use the free built-in Windows Defender program that comes with your College-issued operating system. This provides real-time protection and is a great option for detecting viruses and other threats. If you want to scan for viruses manually, you can do so using this NinjaOne PowerShell script.

Scan Files for Viruses: A Must for Cybersecurity

You can also use a third-party virus scanner, like VirusTotal, that will upload the file you want to scan to their servers, safely execute it, and then determine if the file is malicious or not. This is a great tool when you suspect that something on your system is causing a problem but you’re not sure which file or what program it is, and it can be used as an alternative to running multiple antivirus programs at once.

If you’re concerned about a particular file or folder, you can do a manual scan by right-clicking the file or folder in File Explorer and selecting Scan with Microsoft Defender. This can also be done through the Virus & threat protection screen in Windows Security. A quick scan is adequate for locating most malware in your startup files, but a full scan may be needed to locate additional malware that real-time protection might miss.