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Spy Sweeper Trial

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License Type: Trial
Price: $30
Date Added: Aug 2007
Operating Systems: Windows 2000, Windows 9.x, Windows Me, Windows XP
File Size: 13,660KB
Downloads Count: 154807
Author: Webroot Software, Inc.

This speedy spyware checker is easy to use, and it's excellent at finding active spyware.

Previous versions of Spy Sweeper have scored well on PC World's tests, but version 5.5 has not made a good thing better. The software demonstrates excellent behavior-based detection capabilities, but we were disappointed at how the program struggled to remove adware and spyware from the PC.

When AV-Test.org presented Spy Sweeper with 20 active adware and spyware samples, the program detected 85 percent of their files and registry entries. When tested on how well it detected inactive adware and spyware (which involves recognizing malware files solely from their signatures), however, the program spotted only 26 percent of adware, just over 14 percent of password-stealing spyware, and less than 2 percent of banking keyloggers. Another disappointment: It detected just four of the nine inactive rootkits planted on the test machine. The program did poorly at disinfection, too, cleaning up only 25 percent of adware files and Registry entries and 15 percent of spyware files and Registry entries.

Still, Spyware Sweeper excels in behavior-based detection--its ability to notice suspicious changes to key areas of your system. It successfully flagged additions to 'Run' keys (HKCU and HKLM) and the startup folder as well as changes to default Internet Explorer Start and Search pages and the Hosts file.

Spy Sweeper provides one-click access to its system scan, and in our tests at default settings it completed such scans in half the time that the next-fastest competitor did. The software's 12 Shields feature is easy to set up, and it offers real-time protection for monitoring browsers, startup programs, e-mail attachments, network connections, and other system areas for spyware-related changes. If you need help, the company offers 10 hours of free phone support on weekdays.

Annoyingly, the software asked us what to do during installation of four popular browser toolbars (AOL, Das Ortliche, Google, and Quero), whereas the other five programs in our October 2007 issue's antispyware roundup, "Die, Spyware, Die!".independently deduced that the toolbars were legitimate. We also disliked the program's habit of flagging of harmless ad-tracking cookies. This behavior introduced a noise factor to an otherwise well-designed application that, unfortunately, doesn't perform as well as it used to.

--Ryan Naraine

Interested in security, spyware and rootkit detection software? Visit our Spyware & Security InfoCenter for the latest news and reviews.

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All Anti-spyware Tools Downloads

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File Name	Downloads	License	Date
Ad-Aware 2007 Free This free antispyware program with a solid scanning engine has a significantly improved UI.	15222795	Free	Feb 2008
Spybot Search & Destroy Perennial favorite antispyware tool has lots of settings.	8002549	Free	Mar 2007
CWShredder Eliminate an insidious pest that Spybot and Ad-aware can't stop.	895580	Free	Jul 2006
Windows Defender Spyware fighter lets you examine Windows startup programs.	778838	Free	Mar 2007
SpywareGuard v2.2 (formerly Browser Hijack Blaster) Stop Web sites from changing your home page without your permission.	473206	Free	Jul 2007

SpywareBlaster Catch spyware before it installs itself and wreaks havoc on your computer.	247928	Free	Mar 2008
HijackThis Protect yourself against sites that want to hijack your browser's homepage.	196408	Free	Aug 2007
Ad Aware SE Plus Rid your PC of annoying adware and spyware, and take advantage of a host of proactive features.	162309	Buy Only	Sep 2007
Spy Sweeper Trial This speedy spyware checker is easy to use, and it's excellent at finding active spyware.	154807	Trial	Aug 2007
AVG Anti-Rootkit The free AVG Anti-Root is designed to protect you. It does one thing, and one thing alone: finds and kills rootkits.	148498	Free	Jun 2007