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Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.70

Neil J. Rubenking
 & Neil J. Rubenking Principal Writer, Security

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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65 EXPERTS
43 YEARS
41,500+ REVIEWS
When other antivirus products fail, tech support agents turn to Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 2.0. It remains a very effective cleanup tool, and with version 2.0 it gets significant improvements in appearance and ease of use. - Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.70
4.5 Outstanding

The Bottom Line

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.70 is probably the best-known free removal-only antivirus tool. Even tech support agents for other companies use it. In my own testing it beat out all free and commercial competition, quickly and without any fuss.

Pros & Cons

    • Scored better than all free or commercial competition in my malware removal test.
    • No problems at all with installation.
    • Extremely quick installation.
    • No problems at all with cleaning up malware.
    • Corrects malicious changes to Windows settings.
    • No real-time protection against attack.

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.70 Specs

Free: Yes
OS Compatibility: Windows 7
OS Compatibility: Windows Vista
OS Compatibility: Windows XP
Type: Personal
All Specs

Ten years ago, 14-year-old programmer Marcin Kleczynski decided that removing malware from his system manually was too tedious. He founded Malwarebytes, and released the first Malwarebytes antivirus utility six years ago. Tech support agents around the world use this free product when other antivirus products can't clean up resistant malware. Savvy consumers do, too. The brand-new Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 2.0 includes all the same malware-fighting power as the old version, and more.

People gravitate to Malwarebytes for its malware-fighting power, not for its good looks. Or rather, that used to be true. Version 2.0 has a much more attractive user interface than its predecessor, and it's easier to use as well. The new dashboard window features a great big Scan Now button, and offers a full overview of security status. One long skinny panel lets you know when the product was last updated; another displays the date and time of the last scan.

Panels for licensing and protection status are disabled, as those features are reserved for Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium 2.0. Note that anyone using Malwarebytes in a commercial setting is technically required to pay for Premium; the free product is for personal use only.  What you get with Premium is real-time protection, plus a few other features like scheduling of scans and updates.

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Final Thoughts

When other antivirus products fail, tech support agents turn to Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 2.0. It remains a very effective cleanup tool, and with version 2.0 it gets significant improvements in appearance and ease of use. - Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.70

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.70

4.5 Outstanding

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.70 is probably the best-known free removal-only antivirus tool. Even tech support agents for other companies use it. In my own testing it beat out all free and commercial competition, quickly and without any fuss.

About Our Expert

Neil J. Rubenking

Neil J. Rubenking

Principal Writer, Security

My Experience

When the IBM PC was new, I served as the president of the San Francisco PC User Group for three years. That’s how I met PCMag’s editorial team, who brought me on board in 1986. In the years since that fateful meeting, I’ve become PCMag’s expert on security, privacy, and identity protection, putting antivirus tools, security suites, and all kinds of security software through their paces.

Before my current security gig, I supplied PCMag readers with tips and solutions on using popular applications, operating systems, and programming languages in my "User to User" and "Ask Neil" columns, which began in 1990 and ran for almost 20 years. Along the way, I wrote more than 40 utility articles, as well as Delphi Programming for Dummies and six other books covering DOS, Windows, and programming. I also reviewed thousands of products of all kinds, ranging from early Sierra Online adventure games to AOL’s precursor Q-Link.

In the early 2000s, I turned my focus to security and the growing antivirus industry. After years of working with antivirus, I’m known throughout the security industry as an expert on evaluating antivirus tools. I serve as an advisory board member for the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO), an international nonprofit group dedicated to coordinating and improving testing of anti-malware solutions.

The Technology I Use

Much of the testing I do, particularly testing with real-world ransomware, is just plain dangerous. To perform such tests safely, I sequester them inside virtual machines managed by VMWare Workstation. For cross-platform testing, I use a MacBook Air, a Google Pixel 4, and a 6th-generation iPad.

I rely on my Delphi coding skills to create and maintain small applications. These include programs to check whether an antivirus correctly handled the malware it detected, launch dangerous URLs and record the security program’s reaction, and analyze the malware that I collect for use in testing. I also wrote a tiny browser and text editor for use in testing security apps that have predefined reactions for known products.

I do my writing and research on a Dell OptiPlex desktop, relying on Microsoft Word (my fingers know all the shortcuts). Many of my articles include charts and analysis; Excel is my go-to for those. When work hours end, though, I escape the bounds of Microsoft and Windows. There’s an iPhone in my pocket, I relax with my oversized iPad, and my Kindle Oasis is always loaded with the best science fiction and fantasy.

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