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More…Safer Networking's Spybot Search & Destroy aims to provide free real-time protection against spyware. However, its version number hasn't changed since we reviewed the product a year ago; and based on recent tests, the program no longer provides good spyware protection.
Safer Networking Spybot Search & Destroy 1.4
| Overall performance | Poor |
| Inactive samples detected | 2% |
| Active samples detected | 70% |
| Active samples disinfected | 5% |
| Inactive samples detected | 0% |
| Active samples detected | 60% |
| Active samples disinfected | 10% |
| Inactive rootkits detected | 0% |
| Detected additions to HKCU Run keys | Yes |
| Detected additions to HKLM Run keys | Yes |
| Detected changes to Startup folder | No |
| Detected changes to default IE search page | Yes |
| Detected changes to default IE home page | Yes |
| Detected changes to Hosts file | Yes |
| Rate of false positives | 0% |
| Hard-drive scan speed | 588 seconds |
| Option for antivirus protection | No |
| System scan scheduled by default | No |
| Scan custom files and folders | Yes |
| Scans POP3 traffic | Yes |
| Scans IMAP traffic | Yes |
| Scan SMTP traffic | Yes |
| Scans HTTP traffic | Yes |
| Antiphishing | No |
| Uses real-time analytics to recognize unknown phishing sites | No |
| Saves log files as text or html | Yes |
| Can quarantine individual items | Yes |
| Can set system restore point | Yes |
| Toll-free telephone support | No |
| Cost for phone support | N/A |
| Weekday telephone support hours | 0 |
| Saturday telephone support hours | 0 |
| Sunday telephone support hours | 0 |
| E-mail support | Yes |
| Live chat support | No |
Pros
Free
Offers real-time protection
Cons
Poor performance
Safer Networking Spybot Search & Destroy 1.4
Spybot Search & Destroy 1.4 Review, by Ryan Naraine August 20, 2007
Spybot passed all of our false positive tests, correctly detecting legitimate toolbars and 6285 other sample files. It did reasonably well in our behavior-based tests, too, correctly detecting critical system changes, additions to the HKCU and HKLM 'Run' keys (which spyware programs commonly target), and alterations of the default Internet Explorer home and search pages and the Hosts file (which can redirect URLs to malicious sites). But Spybot did not detect additions to the startup folder, which can be used to launch spyware applications at boot time.
Spybot detected less than 2 percent of our inactive adware and spyware threats, indicating that its signature database of threats is insufficient. It also failed to detect all nine inactive rootkits. In response to threats actively installed on the PC, it ignored three of ten active adware threats and four of ten active spyware threats. Finally, it failed to disinfect the files and Registry entries of any of the active adware and spyware threats.
Spybot is easy enough to install and use, but its interface is somewhat complicated, with many check boxes to handle various tasks. And because it lacks an auto-update feature, you'll have to reach out for signature updates manually.
For a free program it does offer impressive behavior-based protection. Its ResidentTeaTimer watches for changes to the Windows Registry and other critical system areas, while its SDHelper and Immunize layer blocks Internet Explorer ActiveX exploits and other malicious downloads. Tech-savvy folks will appreciate that Spybot lists Browser Helper Objects (BHOs) and ActiveX controls installed on your PC and that it can securely delete files as well.
Safer Networking does not offer telephone support, but we were impressed with the quality of Web-based support on the company's forums, where dedicated fans answer questions on everything from false positives to the complexities in the software's feature set.
For many years, this freeware program was the antispyware standard, but, regrettably, it is no longer competitive.
Ryan Naraine
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