SilentRunners

Overview

Silent Runners was a Windows-based diagnostic tool designed to generate a detailed report of startup programs, registry settings, and autostart locations. It was primarily used for malware analysis, system troubleshooting, and identifying potentially unwanted programs (PUPs). The tool provided in-depth information on system modifications, making it valuable for security professionals and IT experts.

Silent Runners operated by executing a script that collected data about startup entries, ActiveX components, and other system configurations, then outputted a log for manual review.

Features

Scans Windows startup locations for hidden or suspicious entries.
Generates a detailed log file for manual analysis.
Identifies autorun registry keys and startup programs.
Detects malware persistence mechanisms.
Portable – does not require installation.
Compatible with both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows versions.

Compatibility

Silent Runners was compatible with:

Windows 98
Windows 2000
Windows XP
Windows Vista
Windows 7

Since the tool has been discontinued, it may not be effective on modern Windows versions.

Usage

Download Silent Runners from a trusted archive (when available).
Run **Silent Runners.vbs** as an administrator.
Allow the script to analyze startup entries and system configurations.
Review the generated **Startup Report.txt** log for suspicious or unknown entries.
Use additional security tools to remove identified threats if necessary.

Pros & Cons

Pros

✔ Comprehensive analysis of startup programs and registry modifications.
✔ Lightweight and portable.
✔ Freeware with no installation required.

Cons

✘ Discontinued and no longer updated.
✘ Requires manual log interpretation.
✘ Not effective against modern advanced threats.

Alternative Software

Autoruns – A Microsoft tool for managing and analyzing startup entries.
HijackThis – A system diagnostic tool for detecting browser hijackers and startup modifications.
FRST (Farbar Recovery Scan Tool) – A modern forensic tool for malware and system diagnostics.

Developer

Author: Andrew Aronoff
Status: Discontinued (No longer maintained)

External Links

(No official website available)
May be found on archived security forums (use caution when downloading).