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Anti-Spyware round up
Product reviews > Software > Anti-Spyware

How would you feel if someone at work was constantly looking over your shoulder, reporting to your boss every time you so much as breathed? Or if a stalker started to follow you around each day, noting down personal details, what you did and where you went? In both cases most of us would be somewhat aggrieved, yet this sort of thing could actually be happening on your PC thanks to 'spyware'.

Also known as advertising-supported software or 'adware', spyware programs are designed to snoop on your surfing habits. They're often included in shareware or freeware programs, or as cookies downloaded through innocent-looking web pages. In many ways spyware acts like a computer virus: it can install itself without your permission, watch what you do and report information back to its masters. At the very least this could include email address details, the websites you regularly visit and other personal information to help advertisers target you with pop-ups and spam. At worst, spyware can track your keystrokes and deliver passwords and online account details into dubious hands.

Although spyware is not illegal, there are programs available to help users fight back and, even better, many are available to download free of charge.

Product Price Reviewed Rating
Trend Micro HouseCall Free Aug 2008

Trend Micro HouseCall A comprehensive free online scanner that checks for viruses, spyware and system vulnerabilities.
more..

F-Secure Online Virus Scanner Free Jul 2008

F-Secure Online Virus Scanner This web-based anti-virus scanner lets you run a full or custom sweep of your system. Choose the latter option if you want to target a particular drive or folder. more..

PC Pitstop Free Jul 2008

PC Pitstop This website is packed with system-checking tools. There are performance, health, disk, drivers, and spyware scans available to run. more..

Symantec Security Check Free Jul 2008

Symantec Security Check The Symantec site offers two scans – a security checker and a virus scanner. Both use ActiveX, so you need to have Internet Explorer running. more..

System Checkup Free Jul 2008

System Checkup This tool checks for various problems including security vulnerabilities, fragmentation, internet clutter, Registry problems, spyware, invalid uninstallers, and more. more..

Secunia: Online Software Inspector Free Jul 2008

Secunia: Online Software Inspector Secunia's application scans your system looking for outdated software and alerts you when something needs updating or is no longer supported. more..

Zone Labs security scanner Free Jul 2008

Zone Labs security scanner This scanner uses ActiveX to check for third-party tracking cookies, then displays its results. You can't delete any items it finds using the tool but you can remove them manually. more..

Symantec Norton 360 Version 2.0 £60 per year Apr 2008

Symantec Norton 360 Version 2.0 A year after releasing Norton 360, Symantec has added some useful, new features in Version 2.0, to make your computer even more resilient to attack. more..

Microsoft Windows Live OneCare 2.0 £37.99 inc VAT per year Mar 2008

Microsoft Windows Live OneCare 2.0 Microsoft is often criticised for the security of its operating systems – can this safety software make amends? Web User finds out... more..

Trend Micro Internet Security Pro 2008 £55 inc VAT for one year’s protection; £75 inc VAT for two years Jan 2008

Trend Micro Internet Security Pro 2008 Security companies are increasingly bundling their products into a single package these days, offering protection against all threats rather than targeting individual issues. more..

Agnitum Outpost Security Suite Pro £27 inc VAT for one user - £55 inc VAT for five users Jan 2008

Agnitum Outpost Security Suite Pro With a robust firewall already under its belt, Web User examines Agnitum's entry into the competitive world of the security suite... more..

ESET Smart Security Home £44.99 inc VAT Dec 2007

ESET Smart Security Home ESET's NOD tool has a superb reputation for anti-virus protection. Web User checks out its elevation to a suite... more..

BullGuard Internet Security 8.0 £45.95 inc VAT for one year Dec 2007

BullGuard Internet Security 8.0 If you want the security of 24-hour technical support, we'd recommend a security suite that covers the majority of your safety requirements... more..

McAfee Total Protection 2008 £59.99 inc VAT Dec 2007

McAfee Total Protection 2008 Web User looks at software to ensure your PC stays safe on the net with a minimum of fuss. more..

Symantec Norton Internet Security 2008 £49.99 inc VAT Nov 2007

Symantec Norton Internet Security 2008 An all-in-one suite is still the easiest route to a safe PC. Web User checks out Symantec's latest option... more..

Trustware Bufferzone Pro £18.74 inc VAT Sep 2007

Trustware Bufferzone Pro Web User investigates how you can protect your PC from menacing applications by running software from within a quarantined environment... more..

Spyware Terminator 2.0 Free Sep 2007

Spyware Terminator 2.0 Spyware Terminator recently won our anti-spyware grouptest, against tough competition from both free and paid-for alternatives.
more..

Spybot Search & Destroy v1.4 Free Sep 2007

Spybot Search & Destroy v1.4 Consistently praised for good performance, Spybot S&D has been around for almost as long as spyware itself, and has always been a freeware product. more..

Spy Sweeper v5.5 £29.95 Sep 2007

Spy Sweeper v5.5 Spy Sweeper is another program that comes with an excellent pedigree, a slick installation and a great user interface. more..

Ad-Aware 2007 Free (£18) Sep 2007

Ad-Aware 2007 The trouble with the free version of Ad-Aware is that there's no real-time scanning, so it's only useful for doing the odd scan. more..

PC Tools Spyware Doctor around £15 Sep 2007

PC Tools Spyware Doctor With a slick interface and expansive list of real-time features for browsers, cookies, files, keyloggers, processes, start-up, root kits, we expected Spyware Doctor to do the business. more..

Windows Defender Free Sep 2007

Windows Defender Windows Defender appeared to be about as useful as a chocolate teapot – until we turned on two options that warn about unknown start-up and system changes. more..

Norton AntiBot £19.99 inc VAT for one year Sep 2007

Norton AntiBot Bots and botnets are the latest threats to any PC connected to the internet. We examines Symantec's latest software tool – the Norton AntiBot more..

Yoggie pico personal security appliance £95 inc VAT Jul 2007

Yoggie pico personal security appliance The Yoggie Pico cuts out the need to install security software on your PC by running everything you need direct from a USB device. more..

PC Tools Spyware Doctor with Antivirus £29.99 inc VAT for 12 months May 2007

PC Tools Spyware Doctor with Antivirus The latest version of Spyware Doctor offers a built-in anti-virus option. Web User puts it to the test... more..

Webroot Spy Sweeper with AntiVirus 5.3 £39.99 inc VAT for a single user, £49.99 inc VAT for three users Mar 2007

Webroot Spy Sweeper with AntiVirus 5.3 What happens when you cross Webroot's popular anti-spyware tool with well-respected anti-virus software from Sophos? Web User finds out Malicious software is a pain in the neck. more..

Windows Live OneCare £37.99 inc VAT for one year for three PCs Mar 2007

Windows Live OneCare Microsoft's all-in-one entry into the home security business is here – Web User puts it to the test... more..

BullGuard BackUp £19.99 inc VAT for one year Feb 2007

BullGuard BackUp Everyone needs to back up their data as often as possible. We examine the latest service to offer online storage and handy automated software... more..

Hitman Pro 2.5.5 Free Feb 2007

Hitman Pro 2.5.5 Hitman Pro is an umbrella program that aims to add a broad sweep of complementary anti-spyware programs to your PC with minimum fuss. more..

Prevx1 version 2 Free for detection and 30 days of clean-up. Further clean-ups available from £2.85 inc VAT for a 30-day licence. Oct 2006

Prevx1 version 2 Web User looks at the latest version of an internet security package that claims to be different... more..

Spy Sweeper 5.0 £24.95 per year Aug 2006

Spy Sweeper 5.0 Spy Sweeper aims to protect your computer and ensure your privacy by rooting out spyware, keyloggers and other threats. more..

Spybot - Search and Destroy 1.4 Free Jul 2006

Spybot - Search and Destroy 1.4 One of the oldest and most trusted anti-spyware tools, Spybot keeps ahead of the pack by checking your system against its comprehensive database of more than 37,000 known threats. more..

Ad-Aware SE Personal 1.06 Free Jul 2006

Ad-Aware SE Personal 1.06 Used by millions of people worldwide, Ad-Aware has earned its popularity through its speed and reliability in detecting and removing most forms of malware. more..

McAfee AntiSpyware 2 £29.99 Jul 2006

McAfee AntiSpyware 2 At £30, McAfee AntiSpyware is one of the more expensive ways to protect your PC from malware. However, the program justifies its price... more..

Ewido Anti-Malware 3.5 £16.95 Jul 2006

Ewido Anti-Malware 3.5 Ewido Anti-Malware is intended to work alongside anti-virus software such as fellow Grisoft product AVG to keep your system clear of Trojans, diallers, hijackers, keyloggers and more. more..

Norton Internet Security 2006 £49.99 inc VAT Feb 2006

Norton Internet Security 2006 Symantec's Norton Internet Security is one of the best-selling security suites – is the latest version worthy of its reputation? more..

Panda Platinum 2006 Internet Security £45 inc VAT Dec 2005

Panda Platinum 2006 Internet Security The latest security suite to join the rush of updated products is Panda's Platinum 2006 Internet Security more..

F-Secure Internet Security 2006 £38.95 inc VAT Oct 2005

F-Secure Internet Security 2005 F-Secure lines itself up against Norton and McAfee to provide an all-in-one security suite more..

SpywareBlaster 3.3 Free May 2005

Spyware Blaster SpywareBlaster is a different proposition to the other programs, offering real-time protection from incoming spyware. more..

Webroot Internet Essentials £49.99 inc VAT Apr 2005

Webroot Internet Essentials Webroot has combined four of its top internet security programs into one pack at a discount price. Although you'll still need the usual firewall and anti-virus software in place... more..

Prevx Pro 2005 $19.95 (around £10) inc VAT Mar 2005

Prevx Pro 2005 You've got firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware software installed. But is it enough? While your firewall protects you from hackers and your anti-virus software stops viruses, the company behind Prevx Pro suggest that these measures are not enough. more..

McAfee Internet Security Suite 2005 £50 inc VAT (£80 for three licences) Jan 2005

McAfee Internet Security Suite 2005 You can now buy McAfee's 2005-branded security software as a single suite, offering a complete set of security features in one package at an attractive price. more..

X-Cleaner Free version Jun 2004

X-Cleaner Free Some functions are only available in the paid-for version, but the free X-Cleaner is still a useful tool. more..

Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner Free Jun 2004

Bazooka Ad&Spyware Scanner On the whole we'd skip it for one of the other packages, but it's still a fast and effective tool that's worth a look. more..

SpyHunter Free version Jun 2004

SpyHunter Free Given the amount of fully-functional free and shareware programs available we'd leave this one on the web. more..



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