An antispyware utility can help you avoid such problems. These utilities are capable of detecting and eliminating uninvited programs that infiltrate your system for the purpose of gathering personal information about you. The most popular antispyware utilities are free, although a number of retail utilities also are available.

Ad-Aware SE Personal 1.06

Once widely considered the premier antispyware utility, the Ad-Aware SE Personal version remains an important weapon in the fight against spyware and adware if for no other reason than it provides thorough protection to users who cannot afford or choose not to invest in a retail product.

This antispyware utility from Lavasoft offers a compact download package so that even dial-up users need little time to obtain, install, and update it. Getting started is quick, too, as launching an initial scan is a simple matter of clicking the Start button and selecting the Full System Scan option. Ad-Aware SE Personal performs extremely well, scanning nearly everything on our system103,269 items to be precisein a blistering 8 minutes, 18 seconds. Later scans are even faster, thanks to a Smart Scan feature that scans only those files that have been added or changed since a previous scan. Ad-Aware SE Personal identifies suspected threats by type, such as data miner or malware, and assigns a threat rating from 1 to 10. Although the program doesn’t provide many details about individual threats, you can quarantine or delete threats with a click of the mouse.

Unfortunately, the only way you’ll learn about adware and spyware invasions is by performing such a scan. Ad-Aware SE Personal lacks the proactive antispyware measures you’ll get with Lavasoft’s commercial offerings: Ad-Aware SE Plus ($24.95) and Ad-Aware SE Professional ($39.95). The free version of Ad-Aware also comes up short when it comes to extras (it doesn’t have any), configuration options (some of the settings are poorly explained), and tech support (the company offers a scrawny Help file and no email or phone-based support options).

Spybot Search & Destroy

It’s not much of an exaggeration to claim that Spybot Search & Destroy, along with Ad-Aware SE Personal, established the market for credible spyware protection. Unlike its Lavasoft counterpart, however, the offering from German software engineer Patrick Kolla proactively seeks out unwanted invaders and effectively disarms them before they can begin stalking your online activity.

Indeed, Spybot S&D offers robust functionality for a piece of freeware. In addition to its impressive spyware monitoring services, which can be configured for automated and scheduled scans, the program has an immunization tool to block known invaders; a recovery tool that automatically backs up any changes Spybot S&D makes so that you can reverse them if necessary; and a host of advanced settings that let you personalize the interface skin, communicate with the program in one of 30 languages, manage programs that load at startup, shred unwanted files so they can’t be recovered, and perform other system maintenance tasks. And with its relatively trim 4.8MB download, Spybot S&D is accessible to anyone who has a PC and an Internet connection.

The biggest drawback to Spybot S&D is its scarce support. Moreover, performance isn’t particularly fast or comprehensive; the utility scanned only the most vulnerable 25,378 items on our system in 5 minutes, 42 seconds. We also have encountered occasional crashes and freezes each time we install and use Spybot S&D. Little kinks such as these prevent us from giving Spybot S&D a wholehearted endorsement.

Windows AntiSpyware (Beta)

Microsoft got its antispyware utility just like any self-respecting megabusiness would: by buying it. Bill Gates and company purchased Giant AntiSpyware in December 2004 and released Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) just a month later in January 2005. A final version is expected to hit the market in late 2005 or 2006, although Microsoft hasn’t announced a projected release date. In the meantime, users can take advantage of the prerelease edition.

Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) installed easily and then immediately established a low profile by embedding itself in the System Tray while waiting for us to open it and run a scan. The scan itself focused on the most susceptible 26,095 items and took a dismal 9 minutes and 37 seconds to complete. Nevertheless, we appreciated that the program identified the detected threats by name and provided descriptions, recommended courses of action, and links for acquiring more information. And we really appreciated that the utility offered to restore our browser settings just in case the detected spyware made any unwanted changes to our system. This is a unique feature that makes it easy to get a PC back to normal after an infestation.

There are other positives, as well. For example, Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) will proactively monitor the most vulnerable parts of the systemincluding Wi-Fi access points and files that load at startupfor suspicious activity. It checks for periodic updates from the SpyNet online community and provides advanced tools that help users monitor the status of active programs and current system settings. The utility also boasts an intuitive interface, carefree upkeep, a scheduling function, and the backing of one of the biggest names in the business.

Unfortunately, all of these positives aren’t enough to compensate for the program’s less-than-impressive performance, lack of formal support, and limited availability (the program supports only Windows 2000 and Windows XP). We suspect that Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) will be a tough competitor when a full-release version hits the market, but that day isn’t here yet.

eTrust PestPatrol 2005

Acquired and renamed last year by Computer Associates, eTrust PestPatrol (formerly known simply as PestPatrol) is a fee-based antispyware utility that offers real-time monitoring of a computer system. The program makes a solid impression. Installation is a breeze, with PestPatrol automatically checking for and installing the latest updates. Scans are fast, too; the utility analyzed 81,315 items on our system in slightly more than 10 minutes. Interactive online technical support is available for free, and best of all, PestPatrol delivers an encyclopedic knowledge of the enemy. Double-clicking a detected threat opens a full Web page of information about it, including several lengthy paragraphs that describe the threat in detail, the name of its developer (if known), a list of aliases, its prevalence, how much space it consumes on the hard drive, known technical issues associated with it, and manual removal instructions, among other things.

Of course, manual removal is only an option because PestPatrol will quarantine all detected pests it finds. The quarantine process requires a reboot, which is a mild annoyance but one we’re willing to concede. Rebooting a system after the removal of any softwarewanted or unwantedis actually a smart habit to practice.

So what’s not to like? The obvious complaint is price. PestPatrol retails for a relatively modest $29.95, but that seems like a lot for a program that offers few extras and an underdeveloped (some may say amateur) interface. Users who are interested in PestPatrol should take advantage of the 30-day free trial before investing in the software.

Spy Sweeper 4.0

Why pay for antispyware protection when the market offers several quality alternatives for free? Webroot’s Spy Sweeper provides plenty of compelling reasons. From its effortless installation and intuitive interface to around-the-clock monitoring and thorough scanning capabilities, this program stands apart as the most well-rounded antispyware utility currently on the market.

The program’s dominance is apparent as soon as you install it. Unlike other antispyware utilities, which offer little evidence that they’re working in the background, Spy Sweeper advertises its presence with a large logo that appears on-screen each time you boot so there’s no need to wonder whether your PC is protected. The scans are comprehensivethe program examines your PC’s memory, the Registry, cookies, and all files and folders on the systemthough not particularly quick; Spy Sweeper inspected 107,669 items in 16 minutes 27 seconds. The program also features a robust interface, a scheduling function, automatic updating, extensive customization options, and a host of shields that protect the most vulnerable parts of your system.

If that were all Spy Sweeper had to offer, the price of $29.95 would seem reasonable. But the utility proves to be a real bargain when you realize it also features an impressive online knowledge base, a unique ticket-based help system, and evengasp!phone-based tech support. You can find other antispyware utilities that provide adequate protection but none that deliver the full capabilities of Webroot’s Spy Sweeper, and that’s why this program earns our Smart Choice distinction.


To Pay Or Not To Pay

Some antispyware utilities are fast; some are slow. Some are free; some cost money. Some rely on manual scans only; others offer around-the-clock monitoring. When it comes to antispyware utilities, choosing the best one is largely a matter of deciding what you’re willing to sacrifice.

If you’re willing to sacrifice $30, Spy Sweeper is the best option on the market today. If you prefer to keep your money, any of the free utilities provide respectable protection. The most important thing is to get an antispyware utility and use it because any protection is better than none.

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by Jeff Dodd

Buying Tips Rather than pay for an antispyware utility, many users choose to run multiple free utilities. This is a viable and inexpensive strategy for protecting your system. No antispyware utility is perfect. For best results, you have to support your program with the latest updates and constant online vigilance. You also should couple it with an antivirus program, a firewall, and a pop-up ad blocker. So where are Symantec and McAfee, the biggest names in PC protection? They have their own antispyware solutions, of course, but we were unable to include them in this review. We excluded Symantec’s antispyware utility because it is an integral part of the Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition ($79.95; www.symantec.com) and isn’t available as a standalone product. And we missed out on McAfee’s AntiSpyware 2006 ($29.99; www.mcafee.com) because it wasn't available for review when we wrote this article.

User Reviews

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Name:   baseline City:   okotoks State:   Alberta One-Line Summary:   nothin new Review:   I removed trial version of SpySweeper as it was blocking sites, such as my online banking and refused to allow. Maybe full version doesn't do this? Rating:

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