Spy Sweeper

Powered by Webroot, Spy Sweeper is often cited as a reference. Here is a short description of the latest version, stamped 5.5.

Like Spyware Doctor, Spy Sweeper offers a version with an antivirus program. Besides, no one knows exactly which one it is because, according to the dialog boxes and icons, the software is called Spy Sweeper, Spy Sweeper with Antivirus, Webroot Antivirus and even Outright with Antispyware. In short, it is to be understood that Webroot's antivirus functionality of its software is in the foreground.

In practice, this spyware remover features two shields. The first defends your PC against potentially unwanted programs. The Antivirus Shield comes complete on some points, having almost the same features as the rest of such programs.

Web browsing: Spy Sweeper includes full protection, but this is reserved for Internet Explorer. The software monitors the installation of BHO, cookies, favorites and changes made to the security level as well as the embezzlement of the start page and search engine. The "standard" antivirus shield complements are enabled for the detection of BHO.

Network: It offers Hosts file protection, filtering any known advertising sites and blocking, rather blurring, internet communications, being meant to protect the system against the communications between your computer and the sites carrying potentially unwanted software. Admittedly, is this not the main feature of antispyware software?
System: System is the part where the two shields (antivirus and potentially unwanted software) come together. Spy Sweeper supervises the execution of ActiveX components, the implementation process, the reading or writing of files, keyloggers and the use of the Windows Messenger service (not to be confused with the instant messaging software; Windows Messenger Service is used to display messages on the desktop).

Email: Spy Sweeper also monitors the e-mail input and output. It has been proven that it is compatible with Outlook Express but also with Mozilla Thunderbird.

As for the manual scanning of the system, there are the traditional options, namely the choice between a full scan, which can be quite slow, a quick scan (but which skips some components) and a custom scan in which case you can select the components to be scanned. Any of these should identify cookies and check compressed files, memory, registries or even file systems. Also, there is the possibility not to include or scan all user accounts on the computer and enable or disable virus scanning at any time.

Scans can be scheduled with flexibility: you can choose the frequency (day, week, and month), but also refine the planning, selecting the time of the scan or certain days of the week when you want it to be performed.
Originality should not be sought in the interface of Spy Sweeper as it follows the lead of its competitors. Thus, you can find the traditional four main modules to the left of the window (analysis, protection status in real time, options.) Here is a small detail that may be important: Spy Sweeper offers more direct access to the quarantine area, whereas the Spyware Doctor hides it in strange settings.

Generally, you can blame the interface for this spyware removal software confusion: it is not uncommon to take a checkbox for a simple status indicator, particularly when dealing with the settings. Similarly, when starting a custom scan, you should have direct access to sites to be included or excluded without having to go through several tabs of options.

Finally, it is quite some cumbersome software. The interface needs such a long time to appear when called from the notification area, so much that one sometimes wonders if the software is not blocked.