Is Spy Sweeper worth it?

[Pi rules]

Spy Sweeper is on sale at OfficeMax (ends today) for $20 USD. Is it worth it? In my experience, it has good detection rates, but the guards are almost too much, and have blocked things I didn't want blocked (some installations) without prompting me. Still, it says it blocked a good deal of threats (which happened after letting my brothers on...:rolleyes:).

Edit: just found Spy Sweeper + Window Washer (http://www.webroot.com/land/spysweeper-tt/index.html?rc=3815) for $25! Sorry if this should go in the promotions forum, so please move it if it should be.

[mylanta]

I wouldn't use it. I think if you run Spywareblaster and Spybot, that's all you will ever need. Too many forums show problems with Spy Sweeper...

[dale@fcg]

I have some friends in the business that sell Spysweeper to every customer, and think it's second most important to the AV on a pc. I use SpySweeper on both my pc and laptop, and i like how it guards the Startup (msconfig), protects IE (removes tracking cookies, guards home page, etc.) shields hosts files, controls BHO's.

I do agree that it takes some knowledge on what to block and what not to, but set it up on a user's pc, and their not gonna add things to startup, lose their home page, etc.

It also seems to do a good job of removing Spyware, although I'm not familiar enough with spyware itself to know whether it does a better job than Spybot.

Spybot offers a component during install called TeaTimer that is a registry shield as well, but version 1.4 and WinXp SP2 cause a gui issue where the lower portion of the dialog box where you reject or allow registry changes is garbled to the point that you can't even see the cancel or ok buttons, and sometimes can't even determine what key is being added/edited to the registry.

[dale@fcg]

BTW, I've purchased several SpySweeper licenses off of Ebay. Valid, with legit activation #'s. Just be careful that it is legit (check seller's ratings- I never buy from someone lower than 98% or with recent negative feedback). Also make sure that it's latest version, V. 4.5

[Pi rules]

I'd rather get the download from their website rather than eBay. I found a used version there. :laugh:

I took some training for a while on removing malware, and, from what I've seen, Spy Sweeper is among the best (Counter Spy, which I notice is similar to Windows Defender, & Spyware Doctor) for removal. Spybot & Adware used to be pretty good, but are now lagging behind paid products.

Now I found CounterSpy (http://www.sunbelt-software.com/CounterSpy.cfm) for only $20.

[mylanta]

Am not sure how you mean paid products as I own Adaware as a paid product and I contribute yearly to Spybot. You know Spybot is not a free program, it exists the old way by internet donation as does Spywareblaster. And since I never get spyware, why would I use anytihng else?

[Pi rules]

I don't get spyware (as far as I know), but others go on my PC and do. :( Ad-Aware is better paid (real-time scanning and guards).

[dbarrow]

I don't get spyware (as far as I know), but others go on my PC and do. :(

Well... I would certainly create a USER for them, limited and with downloading and install turned OFF and not let them access the machine with any profile that has admin rights.

Or... as I used to tell the kids ... I'll break your fingers!

[Pi rules]

It is a limited user account. On my old PC, I put on almost every restriction I could think of, but decided to loosen it up a bit. I think that someone got a picture for their background from a foreign (and less than reputable) site that keeps installing adware. I think I'll have to remove and remake the profile (less work than finding the file(s)).

Spy Sweeper usually adds to the hosts file, but mine is too large already and it can't.

[jcampi]

I'm not saying it's great - but Spy Sweeper does seem marginally better than Spyware Blaster and Spybot. It seems to catch a few more files than either of them. I just use Spy Sweeper about once a week and don't leave it on all of the time as it can place a slight drag on the PC. I don't tend to like any programs that run all the time. The GUI is very nice and easy to use. I didn't like Spybot's GUI very much.

[mylanta]

Beware "this program finds more problems" because I can run Adaware and it will find so much more than Spybot, then I wind up putting in all my passwords and logins again everywhere I go which just tells me that is to impress you, and it really does nothing more of any value.

[dbarrow]

Whether the program finds more or finds anything...
you are using a leak detector to tell you there's water in the basement.

I use AdAware SE Plus with AdWatch always on and run an AdAware scan maybe once a month, if I remember, because the result is always ZERO!
Other than the Most Recently Used list, which has nothing to do with it, no items ever got in to get removed.

If you have to remove things that never should have gotten in to begin with ... rethink your approach!
I don't care how good any program "cleans", it's how good it BLOCKS. The stuff should never be installing and getting past the first lines of defense.