Spybot Search and Destroy = worthless?

According to October PCWORLD they rated Spybot the lowest-quality-functioning antispyware program out there.

Overview:

63 rating "poor"
Detection rate: 80%
Disinfection rate: 33% (ouch)
Features: poor
Rootkit detection: 0% (wow)
The test was conducted using 10 malware programs and 10 spyware programs and 9 rootkit programs.

Now, I use Spybot Search and Destroy 1.4 and Lavasoft Ad-Ware SE 1.06 (the second lowest rating). Am I really protected?

I understand software companies need to earn money to support their programmers and test teams. It is hard work. Yet I still feel the antispyware companies are just as responsible for letting Spyware invade the internet as the Spyware coders are. $30 might not seem much for some people for products such as Webroot Spy Sweeper; but after antivirus costs, firewall, and additional applications, the cost can be expensive. It's my thought that such critical applications such as antispyware, malware, rootkits, viruses, etc should BE FREE. And the free version should be as good as the expensive versions.

 

I also get PCWorld, and read that article. Spybot used to be the best program out there, but have slacked off for quite some time, and cant measure up to the other programs. However, since you use 2 programs and not just spybot, you should still be protected just fine. One catches what the other cannot hopefully. I would however, recommend getting rid of Spybot, and downloading something like AVG antivirus/spyware, its free and usually get high marks. As to whos responsible...its definitly not the companies making the software..theres no way they can offer the software for free all the time, nor should they. The ones responsible are hackers who make the spyware. I belive only Microsoft should have to offer any free spyware software, since its because their OS has so many security holes that theres so much malware. (Doesnt help that its also the most popular OS).

 

I'm not surprised by the low marks, as Spybot has a pretty old engine with Ad-Aware not far behind. However, Lavasoft has already been beta testing their slated replacement for Ad-Aware SE. It should be out sometime soon (I would guess).

As for a new Spybot, I have no idea.

 

This sucks. I've been using Spybot for years now. At one time it was the best, and I really don't wanna have to pay for anything. These malicious code writers need to get a life.

 

I agree with what folks have said. Unfortunately, the hackers/writers aren't going away.

The relatively small amount you pay for a reliable program (like AVG paid or Kasperskey with a good firewall) is worth it compared to the time lost/spent in recovering from an infection or having to do a clean install.

 

I think spybot sucks when used by itself for removing spyware. I would never use only one anti-spyware. It does have nice features tho, tea-timer is not bullet proof but it helps alot. My favorite feature is locking the internet control from within the IE explorer. Keeps tool bars, add-ons and changes of default sites away.

NOTE: When ever I suspect spy-ware, spybot does seem to find it. Maybe not all but atleast I know it's doing it's job.

 

Well, I also use Ad-Aware SE, so I do have two programs, but according to that article I'm still not doing much better. Luckily, Symantec Client Security has an Auto-protect feature that monitors for spyware and adware as well, but it's not all that great.

 

Before thinking Spybot is bad, look at the reviewer itself, PCWorld. PCWorld isn't an antispyware lab. It doesn't have the adequate knowledge and/or resources to effectively test antispyware products. Also, Spybot is a free program. The develper(s) simply doesn't have the same resources as the more powerful 'paid' programs. Comparing free and paid utilities for the most part is flawed, simply because most free products are simply not as powerful as the better paid products. If they were better, than nobody would pay for the paid products; they would just use the free ones. On another note, people should be using comninations of multiple antispyware programs anyway. Although individually a program may not test well, that doesn't necessarily weaken a person who uses multiple programs anyway.

 

i havent used spybot in forever...and im glad i dont now

 

I guess using it is better than nothing, I personally use it with Lavasoft Adware and have great results with my desktop and my notebook both being virus free since last year.

 

This is a pretty strong statement and in my opinion highly subjective and not based on any facts. By this statement, one can say PCMag, CNet, etc. are also insufficient and I don't buy this.

I do agree that there is a need for multiple kinds of spyware apps installed on your system. In fact this is the most common advise I come across.

 

so what do people recommend if those two free ones aren't all that great

 

yeah which one its #1 according to pcworld

 

I personally like Spyware Terminator. And ofcourse I have adaware & spybot.

I think Counter Spy is Free after Registration. Not going to try it tho.

 

spybot search n destroy is one of the best anti spyware i've used

 

Hmm, I have downloaded a trial version of CounterSpy.
It hasn't found much but it has declared the regcleaner and the
advanced spyware remover asrupdate.exe file to be backdoor spyware.
I am confused now, which program should I trust to.
Ad-aware hasn't found anything like that.

What can you tell about eTrust PestPatrol?

 

Sounds like to me it is insulting the competition...bad program, bad!

 

Well I used Spybot for years but after the last bad reviews I tested it and compared to some other anti spyware tools. My system was spyware free, reported by all programs. But the one of my wife had malware. While Spybot did report a clean system !!! the best anti spyware tool was Spyware Doctor, it founf 93 !!! problems including a serious threat by a backdoor trojan.

So for me, sadly but true, SpyBot is totally worthless.

 

ehhhh....i would actually check to see if those things are spyware. when i had norton, it would say that a legit program i installed was spyware, when i knew it wasn't. sometimes spyware tools can be too effective......

i personally use a combination of avg, ewido, and windows defender.

the problem i have with free antivirus programs is that they can find the virus, but don't have effective methods of getting rid of it. it took me 3-4 days to get rid of some viruses that got on my computer using hijackthis and killbox before i could get rid of everything b/c all the disinfection options for those programs had to be paid for.

 

guess ill download and install windows defender then, since i removed spybot...

 

Oh I checked that before allowing Spyware Doctor to fix it. I did the research in the internet and lots of security related sites. This stuff was indeed malware. And Spybot never found it! Besides, all programs are still working so no negative side effect. And the laptop of my wife runs exactly the same OS with the same softwaretitles, only that she has less stuff installed (no NLE apps for example) but every single title on her laptop is also in mine an my had no infections. So this was clearly not part of a program. I'm shocked by the bad performance Spybot turned in here. "Congrats, you have a clean system" my ass.

 

I've tested so many spyware apps, and I have yet to find ONE app that detects ALL spyware that exists.

Spybot is GREAT!!
ADaware is GREAT!!
Windows Defender is GREAT!!
Spyware Terminator is GREAT!!

I use all above. Including Zonealarm firewall.

All of these combined WITH THE RIGHT SETTINGS will make your PC spyware proof 95% of the time.

 

As long as you limit the cookies being stored in your PC, don't download and install unknown programs/porn materials then your free from spywares 95% of the tme already. You don't need any spyware detecting software. Well, i have spyot installed and its been detecting 0 results ever since.

 

I kinda get worried when I don't get at least a few results...

if you get 0 it must mean spyware is being super sneaky =D

 

It's mostly Programs that do it, and active X script from bad sites.

I prompt site cookies and block non site cookies.

Thats why I don't download trial programs and I always choose Custom Install when installing anything.

I don't download programs from Download.com(CNET) either, it's a haven for spyware apps.

Snapfiles is the best place to download software, they actually check the software. Unlike CNET and other sites.

But Spyware Terminator is GREAT for it's REAL TIME SHIELD. Spybot has a real time shield (teatimer) too, but it's not close as good as Spyware Terminator.

 

download.com, their downloads are not ridden with spyware!

Thats one of the only safe places to download stuff!!!

Occasionally they do come with adware, but you can choose not to install it during setup, and the adware is usually just a yahoo toolbar nothing bad...

 

I totally disagree

 

What have you found from DL?

 

There is nothing I can see on Download.com that guarantees that their downloads does not contain "spyware"

 

actually if you get zero results its common sense that you have zero infections.

 

LIVEFRMNYC,


thanks for recommending Spyware Terminator. I tried it and I like it. The previous realtime spyware protection I have been using, eTrust Pest Patrol was constantly loading my processor too much (5-20% of my 1,1GHz ULV Pentium M). So, I will continue to test Spyware Terminator next days.