Prevention is better than cure.
You will be notified if anything tries to change your system settings like HOSTS,start ups etc
Quote from their website
A robust System Monitor, WinPatrol will alert users to malware attacks, hijackings and critical changes made to a computer without their permission. WinPatrol PLUS includes our unique R.I.D. technology . This tiny program runs in the background without slowing you down.
1) The smallest footprint of any system monitor able to prevent critical system changes without impacting normal system performance like…
* Autorun/Startup programs & Services far beyond the easy to find programs listed by MSConfig.
* Browser Add-ons & Toolbars which may redirect web pages including default home and search pages.
* File Type associations even by legitimate programs wanting to be the default jpg or mp3 player.
* ActiveX programs that suddenly appear with no user interaction.
* Windows settings like Autoupdate preference, User Account Control and domains found in the HOSTS file.
2) Clean up crapware that populates the Autorun/Startup list.
* Decrease boot time and get yourself working faster.
* Move some autorun/startup program to WinPatrol’s Delayed Start list to speed up boot time even more
* WinPatrol will remember those annoying programs which keep coming back and remove them without interruption.
3) Malware Clean up and Removal
* WinPatrol shows you the most recently installed files and registry entries in a single easy to review and remove list.
* Unlike Windows Task Manager, select multiple files to kill off with a single click.
* Mark files to be deleted on reboot before they can be locked or reproduced.
* Exposes secret startup locations used by keyloggers or other programs that claim to hide.
4) Education is the focus of PLUS Info. WinPatrol PLUS lets users know the purpose of a file and if it’s really necessary.
* Even with long names available, Windows uses filenames like ctfmon.exe, svchost.exe, lsass.exe, smss.exe, etc… PLUS Info tells you why they’re important.
* When malware file names suddenly appear PLUS Info alerts users to their danger.
* PLUS Info allows users to decide if a file like QTTask.exe is really needed at Startup