1. In a computer that includes a client application for communicating with a remote computer, a computer-implemented method of removing active malware from the computer, the method comprising: searching a set of locations on the computer for active malware; identifying active malware resident on the computer; identifying actions required to remove the identified active malware resident on the computer; downloading and installing a software application having routines that remove the active malware from the remote computer after the active malware is identified as resident on the computer; creating journal entries for each required action before any of the required actions are executed; executing the routines of the software application to remove the active malware from the computer; storing the results of the execution of the routines in a log file that remains on the computer after the software application is removed; transmitting data to the remote computer that includes the identity of any active malware identified on the computer and whether the malware was successfully removed; and removing the software application after storing the results of the execution of the routines and transmitting the data to the remote computer.