Metadefender Endpoint: Windows PC security scanner

Opswat Metadefender Endpoint is a free security scanner for computer systems running Microsoft’s Windows operating system.

The program checks settings, installed programs and security, and computes a score based on that. It furthermore provides you with options to remove potentially unwanted programs from the computer system.

You need to fill out a form on the Opswat website before downloads for Windows or Mac OS X become available. The information is not verified though, and download links are provided right after you enter the information and submit the form.

Note: The program will submit a report to the Opswat website. There you find listed information on critical issues, other issues, and information.

Metadefender Endpoint

metadefender endpoint

The application runs a scan automatically when it starts. It reveals the security score and the removable applications on the first page that you see when it is done scanning the system.

The score ranges from 0 to 100 points, and is based on points that Opswat Metadefender Endpoint  gives to each item it scans.

A click on the score opens these individual scores. The items it scans are: firewall, hard disk encryption, patch management, backup, public file sharing, antivirus, and anti-phishing.

security score

The scores are color coded to indicate perfect, medium and low scores. As you can see on the screenshot above, items are weighted differently.

Antivirus and anti-phishing make up 50 percent of the maximum score, while firewall and patch management only 15 percent.

You may click on any item to find out more about the score. The program lists applications that it detected, as well as information on what it discovered during the scan.

Not all scores may make sense. The system I tested Metadefender Endpoint on got a 10 out of 20 score in the backup category. The reason for that was that the program failed to score Veeam Endpoint Backup. It only scored Windows File History, something that was not used all that much on the particular device in the past.

The antivirus category had similar issues. It only detected Windows Defender, but not Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, or any of the other security programs installed on the device.

metedafender endpoint score

Move the mouse cursor over the information icon next to each item on the details page to display information on that particular item.

Some entries hold multiple programs that Metadefender Endpoint found during its security scan. The anti-phishing category for instance lists web browsers that are available on the system.

It is interesting to note that some score worse than others. Vivaldi, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Opera for instance are listed with a score of 5 of 20, while Firefox and Internet Explorer with a score of 20 of 20.

Chrome’s and Edge’s phishing protections were turned off, that explained the scores, but the program failed to identify Vivaldi’s and Opera’s protective features properly.

You can right-click on the program icon and select "critical device issues to fix" to load the public page on the Opswat website that highlights the security issues that the program recommends to address first.

This includes issues that may not be mentioned in the program interface. It highlighted for instance that no lock screen timeout was set on that page.

App Remover

The App Remover section lists programs that are potentially unwanted. This includes high profile programs such as Google Drive, CCleaner, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Windows Firewall Control.

It is interesting to note that qBittorrent, CCleaner and Google Drive were listed under potentially unwanted applications. I’m not sure how that classification came to be, but it is probably fair to say that most users would not classify those programs this way.

Closing Words

Metadefender Endpoint may point you in the right direction when it comes to security issues on your computer system. May, because it may also fail to identify a setup which may result in lower scores.

It is therefore advised to check all low score areas to make sure the program did not miss a solution installed on the system. (via Windows Club)

Now You: Which security programs or categories do you consider most important?

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