The disclosed invention is a new method and apparatus for detecting and removing virus from a computing device based on a web or network service. Virus is detected by transmitting the attributes and behavior of application modules on a computing device to another computing device via a web service, where it is analyzed. After the item has been classified, that information is sent back to the computing device along with the instructions on how the remove the virus. Along with the instructions on virus remediation a clean copy of the file or a network location of the clean copy can be sent.