Avira AntiRootkit Tool

Avira AntiRootkit Tool is a straightforward application designed to identify and remove active rootkits from your computer, which are hidden objects installed to provide unauthorized access to critical Windows areas. It cannot detect inactive rootkits stored inside files.

Prerequisites and interface

The program's not wrapped in a setup kit, so you can save its files in a custom directory on the disk or on a USB flash drive to run it on any computer to scan for rootkits. However, you must have one of the Avira desktop products installed, otherwise the application will not run: Avira AntiVir Personal, Premium, Premium Security Suite, Professional or Server products (version 9) on 32-bit Windows XP or Vista.
It's packed in a user-friendly interface made of a standard window with a neatly structured layout, where you can start the scanning procedure with click. Before doing so, you can instruct Avira AntiRootkit Tool to verify any areas of the PC when it comes to files, processes and the registry.

Send rookits to the quarantine

It performs thorough scans by default, in order to check all important areas. However, you can speed it up. It's also possible to scan for all disk drives, stop the scan operation if you change your mind, as well as to show a progress window.
On threat detection, you can check out the status of each identified hidden object, send all or just selected items to the quarantine, read details about a specific entry from the list, as well as check out a report.

Evaluation and conclusion

It finishes scan jobs fast in our tests, without hanging, crashing or showing errors. On the other hand, Avira AntiRootkit Tool hasn't been updated for a long time, it doesn't work on newer Windows editions, and it cannot be launched without installing another Avira antivirus tool beforehand.
If you meet these requirements, then you can resort to this app if you suspect your machine to be infested with rootkits. Just keep in mind that it's now discontinued.