Suspect your PC is infected even though your antivirus says it's clean? HitmanPro, owned by Sophos, is a small second-opinion scanner that checks the whole system in a few minutes without installing, using cloud analysis to catch what other tools miss.
Run a second-opinion scan
Start a scan when you want another check of the PC. HitmanPro looks for malware that may have gone undetected by the antivirus software already on the system. It is designed for occasional scanning, so it complements the regular protection running on the PC.
The workflow centers on scanning and reviewing the findings. After the scan, inspect the items HitmanPro flags and choose which threats to remove. This gives you a chance to examine detections before taking action.
Use multiple engines to check suspicious files
Suspicious files are checked in the cloud against several antivirus engines and by behavior, which helps with new or rare malware that signature-based tools haven't seen yet.
HitmanPro can operate while another antivirus is running. That makes it suited to a focused follow-up scan when you want a separate assessment of the PC.
Scan when the PC shows signs of infection
Unwanted pop-ups, unfamiliar processes, or unexpected system behavior can prompt a manual scan. HitmanPro checks the system for malware, presents its findings, and provides a removal step for detected threats.
It does not provide real-time protection. Scanning is always free; removing threats is free for 30 days, after which a license is needed. The Kickstart option builds a bootable USB stick to clean PCs locked by ransomware.
Pros
- Checks a system with five antivirus engines
- Supports an on-demand scan-and-review workflow
- Can run alongside an existing antivirus
Cons
- No real-time protection
- Needs an internet connection for cloud scanning
System requirements: Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11
Can HitmanPro run with another antivirus installed?
Yes. It is built as a second-opinion scanner and does not conflict with your main antivirus.
Is HitmanPro free?
Scanning is free. Removing found threats is free for a 30-day trial, then requires a paid license.
Does it need to be installed?
No. It can run a one-time scan straight from the downloaded file.
Can it help with a ransomware-locked PC?
Yes. Its Kickstart feature creates a bootable USB stick to start and clean a locked system.