AutorunsVTchecker

Even though it can be convenient to have the apps you use regularly launch when Windows start, you should bear in mind that these startup programs use a lot of CPU and RAM and can noticeably slow down the OS. In addition to avoiding performance issues, managing these apps can help increase the security on your PC, particularly since various malware tends to become active after a boot or reboot of the system.

AutorunsVTchecker is a tiny tool designed to help you scan the startup items via VirusTotal to ensure that the programs recently installed or updated do not pose any threat to your computer.

It relies on AutoRuns, so make sure you have it running

First off, since the tool is designed as a launcher for Microsoft's AutoRuns, you need to make sure that you have it running on your system before starting the app. The program can be open via PowerShell or Command Line and, the good news is that it automatically scans the files separately on your PC, without any user intervention.

Due to the latter feature, it can be quite handy for a network administrator that needs to manage several computers. However, you should bear in hand that the app does not provide a log file, but rather you need to check each file individually using its hash on the VirusTotal website. Then again, you can also check the results in AutoRuns, as they are highlighted with yellow and red. It seems a bit tedious, but it may be just the thing you need for a personal computer or for checking recently installed apps.

It is worth mentioning that due to the high number of processes that automatically start with Windows and that are related to the good functioning of the system, the first scan could take some time. As the developer points out, the scan time depends on the total number of files that were not checked with VirusTotal.

In the eventuality that you need to keep your network or personal computer safe from malware that is typically launched with Windows, then AutorunsVTchecker could be a handy tool for a quick first diagnosis, locally and remotely.