Settings

The settings tab allows you to configure Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to work just how you want it. These additional options are categorized in three sections: General Settings, Scanner Settings, Updater Settings, and Scheduler Settings, the last of which will be covered in its own section of this documentation.

General Settings

• Terminate Internet Explorer During Threat Removal (unchecked by default): Enabling this option allows Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to terminate Internet Explorer browser automatically before removing detected threats resided within the Temporary Internet Files folder. If this setting is not enabled, a reboot may be required to complete the threat removal process of these types of infections.
• Anonymously Report Usage Statistics: The option will automatically collect statistical information on malware threats detected on the system and reports to our threat research center. No personally identifiable or personal information is collected.
• Create Right Click Context Menu: A Scan with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware option is now available when a file or folder is right-clicked, enabling users to quickly scan an individual file/folder.
• Automatically Save Log File After Scan Completes: This option automatically creates a log file each time a scan is performed.
• Open Log File Immediately After Saving: This option will automatically open the log file after a scan is completed.
• Set Password: Click this button to set a password. Any characters except for quotes (") are allowed to be used. To reset/remove the password you'll need to click the Set Password button, enter the current password, and then leave both fields blank and click "Submit". The password restricts access to the Protection, Ignore List and Settings tabs of the user interface.
• Warn If Database Is Outdated By: This option will provide a pop-up notification indicating a database has elapsed the pre-determined number of days without an update.
• Language: This drop-down menu allows the user to select the preferred language used by Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.

Scanner Settings

• Scan Memory Objects: This scanning option will include a scan of all processes running in memory when a scan is performed to check for actively running infections.
• Scan StartUp Objects: This scanning option will include a scan of known startup locations which threats might use to start themselves when the computer boots.
• Scan Registry Objects: This scanning option will include a scan of the Windows registry to check for installed threats and malicious alterations of certain Windows settings.
• Scan Filesystem Objects: This scanning option will scan files and folders on the system to check for infected files. The number of files and folders scanned and their location varies depending on the type of scan.
• Scan Additional Items Against Heuristics: This scanning option will perform a check of key files, folders and registry locations against our very powerful heuristics database to look for infections not found by the other parts of the scan.
• Enable scanning inside archives: This scanning option will include checking archive files (ZIP, RAR etc.) in the locations scanned.
• Enable Advanced Heuristics Engine (Heuristics Shuriken): This option enables our latest heuristics detection engine to perform a more advanced analysis of the system for new threats not in our detection database, possibly finding threats the other parts of the scan cannot yet find.
• Action for Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUP): This option detects known, non-malicious software which may causes undesirable performance or issues for the computer.
• Action for Potentially Unwanted Modifications (PUM): This option identifies system setting modifications which may have an adverse effect or direct impact of available functionality or resources of the system.
• Action for Peer-To-Peer Software (P2P): This option detects file sharing software installed on the system.
Available actions and definition for the above 3 settings:
• Do not show in results list: Items of this type will not be detected or shown in the scanned results list.
• Show in results list and check for removal: Items of this type will be detected, shown in the results list and marked for removal.
• Show in results list and do not check for removal: The detected item is shown in the scan results list but will not be selected for removal. Each item must be checked manually for removal.

Updater Settings

• Download and Install Program Update if available: When this box is checked, new program versions, if available, will be downloaded automatically whenever the program checks for database updates.
• Notify me when a program update is ready for installation: If using the PRO version, the tray icon for the protection module will display a tooltip balloon to let you know that a new version of the program has been downloaded and is ready to install.
• Use Proxy Server To Download Updates: When this option is checked, the user may set proxy server settings so that Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will be able to update via the internet proxy connection. Server address and the port number is required for a successful proxy connection.
• Use Authentication: When this option is checked, it allows the user to enter the authentication information, working in conjunction with the "Use Proxy Server To Download Updates" option.