Quick check your system for problems with System Security Guard

As you may know, I like to run portable security programs from time to time on systems that I own or administrate as part of a system's regular maintenance. For that, I also like to test new programs that come up, or have slipped passed me previously.

System Security Guard is a free portable program for the Windows operating system that you can run to check core system processes and files for security issues. The program requires an Internet connection though as it checks the files using a remote server.

I'd like to point out at this stage that the program is developed by the same company that brings you System Explorer, a great program that provides a task manager, process explorer and startup manager capabilities. You will actually notice that what System Security Guard has to offer, is also included in System Explorer. If you start System Explorer, you can have the program perform the same security check (or a very similar one).  So, if you use that program, there is not really the need to run System Security Guard as well on your system.

When you start the program the program loads the results of the last scan, if a scan has been performed previously. You can click on the start security check button to run a new scan, which usually takes less than a minute to complete. Once that is done you will receive a summary report in the program interface, just like the one on the screenshot above.

The program rates all scanned files into safe, suspicious, threat and unknown files. It does not list them in the program window though, which is bit of a nuisance. You can click on the show file report link to open a detailed report on the System Security Guard website.  Here you finally see a list of all files that have been scanned, their rating, and an option to display details about the file.

It is a good idea to concentrate on threats first, then suspicious files, and finally the unknown files.  You may be able to eliminate some files right away, for instance browser files or other applications that you are confident about.

The detailed file information use the System Explorer process library, which is another indicator that both programs share the same technology.

I personally prefer to use System Explorer over System Security Guard. Both programs are available as portable versions, with System Explorer providing access to a larger feature set that is actually pretty useful in itself. Still, if for one reason or the other you do not want to use that program, System Security Guard may be an alternative to have your files checked out.

Please note that the program's scan is limited to select files and locations, and that you should use another program that is providing ongoing protection of the system.

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