Cameras
Camcorders
Cell Phones
Components
Desktops
HDTV
Home Theater
GPS
Laptops
Monitors
MP3 Players
Networking &
Printers
Storage
Ad-Aware Pro
Version: 8.1
Downloads Count: 144,908
License Type: Trial
Price: $40
Date Added: Oct 13, 2009
Operating Systems: Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows Vista
Requirements: Pentium 600MHz or better; 100MB hard disk space; operating system RAM plus 100MB
File Size: 77812 KB
Author: Lavasoft
- Ad-Aware Free 15,945,823
- Spybot Search & Destroy 8,549,545
- CWShredder 928,392
- Windows Defender 819,203
- SpywareGuard (formerly Browser Hijack Blaster) 485,811
Editorial Review of Ad-Aware Pro
The Ad-Aware series of products have long been known primarily for Ad-Aware Free, a famous and free piece of anti-spyware software. But Lavasoft's products include for-pay Ad-Aware Plus and Pro versions as well. Designed primarily for businesses, Ad-Aware Pro includes anti-virus, network protection, and a variety of advanced tools. The Pro version is the most comprehensive program in the lineup.
As with Ad-Aware Free and Plus, Ad-Aware Pro also scans for spyware, in addition to viruses. Security company AV-Test.org found in tests that Ad-Aware's previous version, Anniversary Edition, was able to locate only 83.6 percent of 111,833 Trojans, spyware and other malware samples--not an impressive result compared to its competition. No such tests have been run on the newest version of the software, so there is no way to know whether the software has been improved.
One reason to hope for a better showing in this version is the inclusion of several types of heuristic detection. These protect your PC by examining complex system behavior, rather than just looking for known malware signatures. If the program's heuristics work as well as do the heuristics in other anti-malware software, it should provide better protection against emerging and unknown threats, as well as against threats that are already known.
The Pro version also includes protection against network borne threats, which neither the free nor Plus versions do. In addition, the Pro version offers the "Toolbox" of additional protection. The Toolbox includes items such as the AutoStart Manager, which lets you control what programs and services start at Windows startup. It also includes a way to view and kill processes running on your PC. In addition, there is a tool to edit your HOSTS file, which may help increase your security. The final tool in the toolbox does not directly help security; it submits any dangers you come across to the Lavasoft ThreatWork Alliance, which then uses the combined information it finds to uncover dangers. Overall, the toolbox is moderately useful.
As with the other new versions of Ad-Aware, Ad-Aware Pro promises to protect you against malware that tries to restore itself after a system reboot. And it now integrates with Internet Explorer to scan files as you download files from the Web, alerting you to any malicious files you may send to your system. PC World has not tested these features. Also new to this version is a "Simple mode" that lets you set your configuration once, and never have to do it again. If you prefer, you can toggle to Advanced Mode, where you can select advanced features for customization.
The question is whether it is worth $40 for the Pro version. Many free anti-virus programs, including Microsoft Security Essentials, Avira AntiVir Personal, and Avast! Home Edition offer competent anti-virus protection for free, so it doesn't seem as if it would be worthwhile for a home user to pay for anti-virus protection. As for the extra tools that Ad-Aware Pro offers beyond virus protection, it may not also be worth paying for them, either, given that they are of only moderate usefulness. Business users may be content with Ad-Aware Plus. If you're looking for an antispyware program for your home PC, though, Ad-Aware Free still contains the best of what the Ad-Aware tools have to offer--and in that program, they're still free for personal use.
Note: This program's pricing varies according to the number of users. The price given is for a single-user license for one year.
--Preston Gralla
People who downloaded this also downloaded:
Sponsored Links
-
An experts-only utility that can block unauthorized changes to the Windows Registry from viruses or other malicious software.
-
Block spyware with one simple, autoinstalling download.
-
Cover your tracks online and foil spy software.
-
Remove Aureate/Radiate ad-sponsored software DLLs from your system.
-
Identify whether your PC has a program that spies on you by monitoring your keystrokes.
-
Protect yourself from viruses, spyware, spam, and other Internet threats.
-
Updated version of PC World Best Buy makes virus scanning as simple or detailed as you like.
-
Adds spyware companies Web sites to the Restricted Sites zone in Internet Explorer
-
Check your system for spyware and malware.
-
Find out the latest Internet threats, and find resolutions for them.
-
Remove spyware and other malware with this bargain-priced security program.
Dell End of Year Deals
-
Ring in the New Year with Huge Deals on Dell Computers Up to 30% Popular Dell Laptops, up to 25% off Popular Dell Desktops. Sales ends 12/31 5AM EST.
The Computer Maintenance Flash Drive
Andy Ludlum asked me to recommend portable diagnostic programs to keep on a flash drive
Cookienator Protects From Sneaky Flash Cookies
Selectively remove tracking cookies for multiple browsers at once with Cookienator.
If you have questions about finding, downloading, or opening files in our library, you'll probably find the answers here.
BitDefender Antivirus Plus v10. (2 users, 2 years)
The purpose of the Antivirus module is to ensure detection and removal of all viruses in the wild. BitDefender Antivirus uses robust scan engines certified by ICSA Labs, Virus Bulletin, Checkmark, CheckVir."/>
- Browse the Downloads Store by Topic
- Security »
- Utilities »
- Graphics & Multimedia »
- Visit the Download Store Home
Most Recent Threads