Cameras
Camcorders
Cell Phones
Components
Desktops
HDTV
Home Theater
GPS
Laptops
Monitors
MP3 Players
Networking &
Printers
Storage
Ad-Aware Free
Downloads Count: 16,085,189
License Type: Free
Price: Free
Date Added: Feb 16, 2010
Operating Systems: Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7
Requirements: 32- or 64-bit OS, Intel Pentium 600MHz, RAM for OS plus 100MB RAM, 100MB free hard drive space
Author: Lavasoft
Editorial Review of Ad-Aware Free
Note: This program is now Ad-Aware Free Internet Security.
Ad-Aware Free has long been one of the most popular spyware killers on the planet, and with good reason. It's simple to use, does an excellent job of detecting and killing spyware, and stays out of your way as much as possible. The fact that it's free for personal home use doesn't hurt, either.
The newest version of Ad-Aware Free improves on an already solid product, notably by expanding its protection. At first glance, the program looks substantially the same as previous versions. Tell it to scan your system, and it finds spyware and other malware, and then deletes it or quarantines it for you. But even though it looks and works largely the same, under the hood there are a substantial number of changes, primarily aimed at beefing up system protection. Ad-Aware Free now protects against rootkits, which are stealth attacks designed to escape detection and burrow their way into the operating system. Ad-Aware also includes several types of heuristic detection, which protects you 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 threats that are already known.
In addition, Ad-Aware Free 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, alerting you to any malicious files you may send to your system.
Also new to this version of Ad-Aware 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.
Note that Ad-Aware Free doesn't protect against viruses or provide full real-time protection. To get those features, you'll need an antivirus product. Lavasoft's for-pay products, the $27 Ad-Aware Plus and the $40 Ad-Aware Pro, include antivirus protection--though it's not yet clear whether those products are superior to their antivirus competition.
The upshot of all this? The newest version of this popular piece of software is well worth the download. If you don't already have Ad-Aware Free, this is a good time to try it. If it already lives on your PC, go ahead and upgrade to the new version.
--Preston Gralla
People who downloaded this also downloaded:
Sponsored Links
-
Protect your PC against spyware--and now, against viruses--with the latest version of longtime favorite Ad-Aware Free.
-
This freebie does a great job removing spyware--but since it doesn't have real-time protection, it's just one layer of armor.
-
Try the latest beta of Norton Internet Security.
-
Supercharge your security with a free online scan for your downloads using 40 different antivirus engines.
-
Eliminate an insidious pest that Spybot and Ad-aware can't stop.
-
Catch spyware before it installs itself and wreaks havoc on your computer.
-
Spyware fighter lets you examine Windows startup programs.
-
Norman Security Suite PRO - the all-in-one, easy- to- use security solution
-
Advanced Spyware Remover helps scan and remove the deepest malware from your PC.
-
This freebie scans your system for spyware, and offers live protection to keep you from getting infected.
Lenovo Laptop Deals
-
ThinkPad SL510 (2847-22U) The SL510 is an excellent laptop that's oriented entirely toward no-nonsense use
-
ThinkPad W701ds Aimed at content creators and engineers, this portable Goliath could replace desktop workstations, letting pros stay productive anywhere.
Ad-Aware Total Security Makes its Debut With Easy-to-Use Extra Features and Tools
Protect your PC with Ad-Aware Total Security, a new all-in-one security suite from Lavasoft.
Ad-Aware Internet Security Pro Now Uses Genotype Heuristics
Protect yourself against spyware, viruses, and rootkits with the latest version of Ad-Aware Internet Security Pro.