Lavasoft Ad-Aware 2007 Plus

The program's behavior-based blocking of critical system changes was better than its signature based scanning, but not perfect. It stopped additions to 'Run' keys HKCU and HKLM (Registry keys that the most common malware threats target), and it detected changes to the Internet Explorer startup and search pages. On the other hand, it failed to detect Hosts file changes (which can redirect an URL to a malicious site) and additions to the startup folder.

Ad-Aware is easy to install and navigate, and it comes with a feature called TrackSweep that erases browser surfing history from Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Opera. But the software's two-pronged software design creates needless complications. You have to configure the Ad-Watch component, which handles real-time monitoring and proactive protection, separately from the rest of the program, and Ad-Watch drops a second icon onto your desktop. It almost feels like a second piece of software. Also, the Sweden-based company does not offer telephone support to U.S. users.

Its real-time protection makes Ad-Aware Plus a definite step up from the popular freeware version. But its lackluster performance would send us searching elsewhere for antispyware protection.

Ryan Naraine