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More…The beta version of Sunbelt Software's CounterSpy 2.0 didn't fare as well as we had expected in our October 2006 issue's roundup. This perennial top contender performed weakly in disinfection tests, but it offers solid real-time protection, a well-designed interface, and useful privacy utilities.
Sunbelt Software CounterSpy 2.0 Beta
| Cost of renewal when reviewed | $10 |
| Performance | Good |
| Adware and spyware detection rate | 80% |
| Adware disinfection rate | 35% |
| Spyware disinfection rate | 35% |
| Detection of inactive adware and spyware samples | 32% |
| Detection of inactive rootkits | 22% |
| Detection of active rootkits | 22% |
| Rate of false positives when installing legitimate toolbars | 75% |
| Detected additions to HKCU Run keys : These tests evaluate a product's ability to detect spyware and adware threats based on the described suspicious behavior. | Yes |
| Detected additions to HKLM Run keys: These tests evaluate a product's ability to detect spyware and adware threats based on the described suspicious behavior. | Yes |
| Detected additions to Windows Startup: These tests evaluate a product's ability to detect spyware and adware threats based on the described suspicious behavior. | Yes |
| Detected changes to Internet Explorer Search page: These tests evaluate a product's ability to detect spyware and adware threats based on the described suspicious behavior. | Yes |
| Detected changes to Internet Explorer Home page: These tests evaluate a product's ability to detect spyware and adware threats based on the described suspicious behavior. | Yes |
| Detected changes to Hosts file: These tests evaluate a product's ability to detect spyware and adware threats based on the described suspicious behavior. | Yes |
| Features | Fair |
| Real-time protection | Yes |
| Scheduled scan | Yes |
| Scan custom files and folders | Yes |
| Startup scan | No |
| Antiphishing | No |
| Antiphishing real-time analytics | No |
| Can save log files | Yes |
| Can quarantine individual items | Yes |
| Can set system restore point | Yes |
| Weekday support hours | 9 |
| Free phone support | Yes |
| Saturday support hours | 11 |
| Sunday support hours | 11 |
| Toll-free support | Yes |
| E-mail support | Yes |
| Live chat | No |
Pros
Great threat detection
Cons
Lackluster disinfection
Sunbelt Software CounterSpy 2.0 Beta
CounterSpy 2.0 Beta Review, by Narasu Rebbapragada August 24, 2006
In performance tests conducted by AV-Test.org, CounterSpy ranked third among the five products tested for our "Spyware Specialists" story. CounterSpy's behavior-based detection capabilities proved strong, flagging all additions to HKCU and HKLM Run keys (Registry keys targeted by many malware threats) and Windows Startup. CounterSpy detected all changes to the Hosts file and Internet Explorer Home and Search pages as well.
But in disinfection tests, CounterSpy cleaned up only 35 percent of adware and spyware samples. Sunbelt Software says that CounterSpy's low score is due to the beta status of the product and to AV-Test's sample set, which Sunbelt does not consider representative of today's most important threats. In response, AV-Test says that it downloaded all tested spyware and adware in May or June 2006 from live sites on the Internet.
While CounterSpy lacks a startup scan and antiphishing tools, it offers system restore features and four privacy-centric utilities (which we did not test for our antispyware roundup): MyPC Explorer lets you view and modify Windows and browser system settings; My PC Checkup performs a check of your overall system security; History Cleaner purges Internet Explorer surfing trails; and Secure File Eraser makes sure that nobody can resurrect your deleted documents.
Narasu Rebbapragada
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