HijackThis - free analysis tool helps identify malware

review from ClifNotes, Aug 2007, permalink Adware & Spyware Removal

I've been pretty lucky the last couple of years. I really haven't gotten any nasty spyware or adware infections on my computers. In a way, that's a shame. I always enjoyed analyzing and defeating them. I've heard that I surely wouldn't enjoy fighting them more recently. They are evolving fast and are getting extremely hard to remove now.

One of my old favorites for fighting infections is HijackThis (HJT). The crazy part about HJT now is that there are two versions of it that you can use. I believe the author sold it to Trend Micro (TM). While TM is a very respected computer security supplier, they are definitely in it for the money and lots of folks hated to see this happen. I've only seen some small differences in the versions. Maybe a security expert will comment on those differences for us below.

The old version of HJT is still available from a nearly hidden link at the author's site.
Author's Website - Download

The newer version is at Trend Micro.
HijackThis Overview

I recommend that you only use it to scan your PC and post your HijackThis log at Temerc's forum, or some other trusted security forum. You could accidently create more problems than you fix. I have very nearly crashed a PC or two by not using it correctly. I've been very lucky so far. You might not be so lucky.

Quote from the website
HijackThis™ is a free utility which quickly scans your Windows computer to find settings that may have been changed by spyware, malware or other unwanted programs. HijackThis creates a report, or log file, with the results of the scan.

IMPORTANT: HijackThis does not determine what is good or bad. Do not make any changes to your computer settings unless you are an expert computer user.

Advanced users can use HijackThis to remove unwanted settings or files.


HijackThis - free analysis tool helps identify malware

Website - Download - Tutorial - Freeware
reviewed by ClifNotes, and TeMerc, Dec 2005

Notes from Clif
HijackThis is a utility I use very often to help me keep my system free of adware and spyware. HijackThis should only be used to remove entries by those with a good working knowledge of malware and PC's. In other words, if you are tempted to remove entries, "Don't try this at home".

I recommend that you only use it to scan your PC and post your HijackThis log at Temerc's forum, or some other trusted security forum. You could accidently create more problems than you fix. I have very nearly crashed a PC or two by not using it correctly. I've been very lucky so far. You might not be so lucky.

Please read the tutorial above if you need help figuring out how to post an HJT log into a forum.

Comments from Tom at TeMerc
I'd say that HJT is not a removal tool per se, but a diagnostic or analysis tool showing what's on your system, and it does not show everything. The more pervasive infections out there will show nothing in a HJT log.

Tip from Clif
When I'm installing a new freeware program that I don't trust, I use a set of tools that help protect me from malware infections. One of them is HijackThis. The others are programs such as AdAware, Spybot S&D, WinPatrol, and TotalUninstall.

Here's how I use HijackThis

  • First, before I install the suspect program, I run HJT and get a log file and save it as a unique file name I can remember.
  • Next I go through the list in HJT and put checkmarks beside all the entries I know are safe and tell HJT to ignore them next time.
  • Finally, I install the suspect program and after I'm done, I run another HJT log. Now HJT shows me only the changes that the new program might have made to my system. If I have a problem, I can try to fix it, but it's best to get expert help as I mentioned above.

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