Spyware, adware, malware, Trojans, hijackers, downloaders – every Internet user must defend these and many other software threats.
The basic protection assures a good quality antivirus program and a correctly set firewall. User’s Internet surfing habits and his precaution when approving various dialogs strongly influences the user’s computing protection. The most dangerous are websites with pornographic content and warez. Once your computer is infected with malicious software, it is very difficult to detect and remove it. There are many antispyware programs that help to solve such problems, when they occur. By checking files on computer disk and system registers, antispyware programs identify unwanted software and remove it.
To find out which of the programs is more successful in a computer sweep, I selected and compared six of the antispyware programs available for free.
Here is a list of all the threats I have identified to be present on my computer after browsing the Internet.
| adware, spyware, malware, toolbar and other: |
A Better Internet
Abox
AdInstaler
Admess
AdSheriff
Adult Box
Adware Shortcut
AdwareBho
ADWareBazooka
AdwarePunisher
Alexa
Altnet
AltnetBDE
Avenue A, Inc.
Azebar
Azesearch
BDE
BlazeFind
BlazeFind.Bridge
BrilliantDigital
BTGrab
BullGuard
CmdServices
CoolWebSearch
CoolWWWSearch.WCADW
CommAd
CrackSpider
Creazione
CWS
Cydoor
DailyToolbar
Deskwizz
Dialer BI
DLMax
DollarRevenue
DrSmart
Erinec
| ErrorGuard
FastClick
FindTheWebsiteYouNeed
GoldenPalace.Casino
HitVirus
Hotbar
Iconz
InstaFinder
iSearch
IsearchTech.YSB
KaZaA
Look2Me
Look2Me.Topconverting
LoudMarketing.Bridge
MagicSearch
Marketengines
MediaTickets
Monnet
msresearch
MWSearch
MyWay Toolbar
MyWebSearch
Need2Find
Network Monitor
NewDotNet
NewDotNet/B
Open32
P2PNetworking
PestTrap
PurityScan
RazeSpyware
RemedyAntiSpy
RXToolBar
SexList
SexTracker
Sexy
Smitfraud-C
| SpyiBlock
SpyFalcon
SpyGuard
SpySheriff
Spyware Distributor
SpywareNo
SpywareStormer
Statblaster.All files7
SurferBar
SwapMgr
System Takeover
Targetsaver
Topantispyware
Top-Banners
TopSearch
Transponder
Twain Tech
Vegas Red
VX2
VX2.b.BDS
VX2.c
W32Sality
Windows Security Center.AntivirusDisableNotify
Windows Security Center.FirewallDisableNotify
Windows Security Center.UpdateDisableNotify
WinFavorites
WhenU
WhenUvvsn
WhenU.SaveNow
WhenU.Search
Wstart
YahooStocks
Ysb Toolbar
ZestyFind
ZServ
Ztoolbar
ZQuest |
| trojans: |
Adload.AJ
Adpunisch
Abwiz
Adload.NAC
Adload.NAD
Agent.AEA
Agent.E
Agent.GP
Clicker-S
Dload
Dnschanger
DSManager
Generic-CT
Hax-JU
Ib
IBM-B
| ibmshell
Lager.AQ
Netmon
NiTech
Pacer
Puper
Rbot
Sinowal.D
Small.136
Small.AVT
Small.BUY
Small.JF
SMLoad
SpamTool.Mailbot
SpyB.B
StartPage.AIG
Stub
| Taskd
TMSQ
Torpig
TSUpdate.F
TSUpdate.J
Torpig
TSUpdate.L
TSUpdate.N
TSUpdate.O
TSUpdate.P
VB.FI
VB.LI
VB.WG
Vixup-AB
WinPro
Winsys
Wupd |
I tested the following programs:
Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal 1.06r1 ; Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.4 ; Free Spyware Scanner 9.6 ; Spyware Begone! 8.15 ; Spyware Terminator 1.3.00.599 ; Windows Defender Beta 2 (1.1.1051.0)
and used the following methods:
After the installation and updating the database, I restarted the system in safe mode and ran a complete computer disk scan. After finishing it and removing threats found, the system was restarted again. Then I restarted the computer and ran it in safe mode again to scan the computers disk for a second time.
The scan has been done twice, even though previously removed, some malicious software is capable of installing itself again after the computer restarts. The method proves whether the code was uninstalled properly. If I discovered any problems after the second scan, then I repeated the whole process again, till I received the same results as the previous scan.
I evaluated the program’s capability to identify threats and remove it. 100% would be assigned to a program that would identify all the spyware, adware, etc. listed above. Even if this is not a common antispyware program feature, the majority of the antispyware programs detect Trojans, so I judged this ability as well but separately. Final assessment shows how the program succeeded in detection and removal of all the threats with separate assessment for spyware and Trojan categories.
------------------------------------------
Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal 1.06r1
Home page: www.lavasoft.de
You can download actual version in the Download section
found infection: 354
found infection after restart: 83
wasn´t able to cope with:
Adware.Look2Me ; CmdServices ; CoolWebSearch ; Targetsaver ; VX2* ; win32.Trojan.Dnschanger ; SpywareNo ; iSearch Toolbar
*is able to cope with VX2 after installing a (plug-in VX2 Cleaner V2.0)
ability to identify problems: 21%
(Adware.Look2Me ; Adware.Admess ; Adware.DollarRevenue ; Alexa ; CrackSpider ; DailyToolbar ; SpywareNo ; TopSearch ; WinFavorites ; Cydoor ; ErrorGuard ; AltnetBDE ; Transponder ; VX2 ; ABetterInternet.Nail ; CoolWebSearch ; CmdServices ; Adware.P2PNetworking ; IEHijacker.ZestyFind ; Abox ; iSearch ; ZToolbar ; Malware.Azwsearch ; Targetsaver)
ability to fix identificated problems: 71%
score: 15%
identification of Trojans: 4%
(win32.Trojan.Dnschanger ; win32.Trojan.Downloader)
ability to fix identificated Trojans: 50%
score: 2%
------------------------------------------
Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.4
Home page: www.spybot.info
You can download actual version in the Download section
found infection: 264
found infection after restart: 9
wasn´t able to cope with:
Adult Box ; CoolWWWsearch.WCADW ; Look2Me.Topconverting ; Smitfraud-C.
ability to identify problems: 44%
(Admess ; Adtomi.YahooStocks ; Adult Box ; ADWareBazooka ; AdwarePunisher ; Alexa ; Altnet ; Avenue A, Inc. ; AzeSearch ; BlazeFind.Bridge ; CmdServices ; Command Service ; CoolWebSearch ; CoolWWWSearch.WCADW ; Cydoor ; DailyToolbar ; Deskwizz ; ErrorGuard ; FastClick ; GoldenPalace.Casino ; HitVirus ; Hotbar ; iSearch Toolbar ; ISearchTech.YSB ; Look2Me.Topconverting ; Marketengines ; Network Monitor ; NewDotNet ; NicTechNetworks.Zestyfind ; RemedyAntiSpy ; SexList ; SexTracker ; Smitfraud-C. ; Spy Sheriff ; SpyGuard ; SpyiBlock ; SpywareNo ; SpywareStormer ; Statblaster.All files7 ; Targetsaver ; VX2 ; VX2.b.BDS ; VX2.c ; WhenU.SaveNow ; WhenU.Search.Desktoptoolbar ; Windows Security Center.AntivirusDisableNotify ; Windows Security Center.FirewallDisableNotify ; Windows Security Center.UpdateDisableNotify)
ability to fix identificated problems: 93%
score: 39%
identification of Trojans: 4%
(win32.Trojan.Dnschanger ; Torpig)
ability to fix identificated Trojans: 100%
score: 4%
------------------------------------------
Free Spyware Scanner 9.6
Home page: www.spycleaner-gold.com
You can download actual version in the Download section deleted from download section, new version is not freeware anymore.
found infection: 141
found infection after restart: 0
wasn´t able to cope with:
-
ability to identify problems: 18%
(CoolWebSearch ; Altnet ; Cydoor ; RXToolBar ; SpyFalcon ; AzeSearch ; cmdService ; HotBar ; MWSearch ; Network Monitor ; New.Net ; PurityScan ; Transponder ; WinFavorites ; Alexa ; InstaFinder ; Avenue A Inc ; FastClick ; SexList ; Sexy)
ability to fix identificated problems: 100%
score: 18%
identification of Trojans: 8%
(W32/Abwiz.D ; W32/Adload ; W32/Dload ; W32/Torpig)
ability to fix identificated Trojans: 100%
score: 8%
------------------------------------------
Spyware Begone! 8.15
Home page: www.microsmartsllc.com
You can download actual version in the Download section deleted from download section, new version is not freeware anymore.
found infection: 101
found infection after restart: 0
wasn´t able to cope with:
-
ability to identify problems: 16%
(Spyware Distributor ; System Takeover ; Admess ; Adware Shortcut ; Alexa ; Altnet ; BlazeFind ; BullGuard ; CWS ; Cydoor ; Dialer BI ; Dialy Toolbar ; Open32 ; SurferBar ; Targetsavers ; Transponder - VX2 ; WhenU ; WinFavorites)
ability to fix identificated problems: 100%
score: 16%
identification of Trojans: n/a
ability to fix identificated Trojans: n/a
score: n/a
------------------------------------------
Spyware Terminator 1.3.00.599
Home page: www.spywareterminator.com
You can download actual version in the Download section
found infection: 157
found infection after restart: 1
wasn´t able to cope with:
-
ability to identify problems: 18%
(Erinec ; Look2Me ; Need2Find ; NewDotNet/B ; RXToolbar ; Admess ; AdultBox ; AdwareBho ; AdwareSheriff ; Cydoor ; DailyToolbar ; ErrorGuard ; MagicSearch ; SpySheriff ; TopSearch ; Topantispyware ; Transponder/BTGrab ; Transponder/DLMax ; Tranzponder/ZServ ; Zquest)
ability to fix identificated problems: 100%
score: 18%
identification of Trojans: 38%
(Abwiz ; Adpunisch ; Agent-GP ; Clicker-S ; Hax-JU ; IBM-B ; Ib ; Netmon ; Pacer ; Puper ; SpyB.B ; Stub ; TMSQ ; Taskd ; Vixup-AB ; WinPro ; Generic-CT ; NiTech ; SMLoad)
ability to fix identificated Trojans: 100%
score: 36%
------------------------------------------
Windows Defender Beta 2 (1.1.1051.0)
Home page: www.microsoft.cz
Actual version can be downloaded from the home page of the producer.
found infection: 22
found infection after restart: 3
wasn´t able to cope with:
Adware.cmdService ; Look2Me ; Monnet
ability to identify problems: 17%
(Adware.cmdService ; Look2Me ; LoudMarketing.Bridge/WinFavorites ; WhenU.SaveNow ; CoolWeb.MWSearch ; ABox ; Twain Tech ; ABetteInternet ; SpySheriff ; NewDotNet ; FindTheWebsiteYouNeed ; Altnet ; Need2FindBar ; Monnet ; Deskwizz ; TargetSaver ; KaZaA ; Cydoor ; Zestyfind)
ability to fix identificated problems: 84%
score: 14%
identification of Trojans: 2%
(Small.136)
ability to fix identificated Trojans: 100%
score: 2%
------------------------------------------
Results
Antispyware program ratings based on spyware detection:
39% Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.4
18% Spyware Terminator 1.3.00.599
18% Free Spyware Scanner 9.6
17% Windows Defender Beta 2 (1.1.1051.0)
16% Spyware Begone! 8.15
15% Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal 1.06r1
Antispyware program ratings based on Trojan detection:
36% Spyware Terminator 1.3.00.599
8% Free Spyware Scanner 9.6
4% Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.4
2% Lavasoft Ad-Aware 1.06r1
2% Windows Defender Beta 2 (1.1.1051.0)
In the test, Spyware Terminator come out as the best antispyware program, as it was best in Trojan detection and it also detected most of the spyware. Spybot S&D covered more spyware but when compared with Spyware Terminator it did not offer real-time protection. Free Spyware Scanner and Spyware Begone! can manage all identified threats, but Spyware Begone! and Windows Defender do not seem to have as good familiarity as the other tested programs. Ad-Aware is currently the most used free solution against spyware but when compared with others it did not perform the best.
Use the Internet so that you do not have to solve how to remove various "badware"
or use Linux ;)
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