XSS Attacks Pushing Fake Antivirus

According to the security researchers at Zscaler (a cloud security company), malware distributors are exploiting security flaws in news.com.au, lawyer.com, appleinsider.com and many other legitimate websites to thrust fake antivirus software on unwitting computer users.

Zscaler states that the currently spreading attacks are worth noting, as they exploit cross-site scripting or XSS flaws to conceal malicious links inside the URLs of reputed websites. Consequently, people in the hope of viewing websites that they know as well as trust land on a page, which make them think that their PCs are infected by malware.

Mike Geide, Senior Security Researcher at Zscaler, said that the interesting fact about the attacks was that they had embedded iframes to divert people elsewhere, as reported by The Register on December 16, 2009.

It is still not known who the individual or group of individuals is responsible for the XSS attacks. However, it is not difficult to understand the motive behind these attacks, which is to exploit people's faith on a familiar website so that malware distributors can load fake anti-virus software on the maximum number of computers possible.

Moreover, these malware distributors also exploit the situation of a large time gap between the injection of malicious software into users' computers and the development of an antivirus product by AV firms to detect and block that software.

As earlier exploration of such AV software has indicated, cyber criminals, who thrust fake AV programs, make huge amounts of dollars every month.

Further, hijacking of legitimate websites for distributing fake antivirus is not anything new. Earlier this year (2009), criminals hijacked the website of NY Times for the same purpose and soon thereafter the Gizmodo site as well.

In fact, security companies describe FAKEAV as a rising hidden threat. Over the recent years, this threat has been escalating vastly. Computer security company 'PandaLabs' substantiated this with its detection of 374,000 FAKEAVs during Q2 2009. McAfee, another security company, too notified a similar trend.

Finally, it can be said that the threat of fake antivirus requires to be tackled urgently.

Antivirus Suites Block DSEO

It has come to our attention that several Antivirus suites have listed our Driver Signature Enforcement Overrider (DSEO) as a dangerous file. We originally created DSEO to solve the serious driver signature enforcement problem that appeared after Microsoft removed the permanent command line switch that disables driver signature enforcement in Windows Vista SP1 and Windows 7. Sadly, the only way around this is to press F8 upon startup and choose "Disable Driver Signature Enforcement", which is temporary and unacceptable. Microsoft has left users without an option to disable the feature permanently.

Driver signature enforcement is indeed a good idea, but it is performed badly. It requires all drivers and system files to be digitally signed with a certificate or they won't run. The problem with signing your files is the fact that the certificate costs thousands of dollars. Of course, that money is not a concern for corporations such as Adobe, but for the majority of developers, which are freeware/open source developers that make no profit, this is simply unforgivable

Free Microsoft software fails to scare rivals

Software giant Microsoft is sharpening its focus on the security software market with a free anti-virus solution, which can be downloaded from the internet. Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE), however, will be available only for the genuine Windows users. It can be installed on PCs running original Windows XP, Vista and Win 7 operating systems

Microsoft Security Essentials will check if the operating system is genuine before proceeding with the actual installation of the programme,” says Rishi Srivastava, consumer and online marketing officer, Microsoft India. He adds that the company is not looking to woo enterprise customers with MSE.

The competition, however, is unfazed. Alex Gnatusin of Kaspersky Lab, an internet security company, opines that “Whether or not anti-virus protection is free is not the main factor when purchasing an anti-virus solution today. The choice of a product or service in the information security sphere comes down to how much the customer trusts one vendor over another with his data.”

Gaurav Kanwal, country sales manager (Consumer Products & Solutions), Symantec, concurs: “Microsoft Security Essentials is a point solutions and gives consumers a false sense of security. It renders very basic protection which is not adequate, and is not capable of protecting consumers from today’s malware. It will be more dangerous and risky for consumers to rely on it.”

Meanwhile, top-tier PC makers like HP and Dell will not be bundling MSE with their computers since they are paid by anti-virus vendors to include trial or limited-time versions of their products.

Remove Fake Antivirus 1.58

Remove Fake Antivirus is used to remove fake antivirus programs which are viruses or trojans. It is used to remove used to remove: Security Tool, Antivirus Live, Personal Security, Cyber Security, Alpha Antivirus, Windows Enterprise Suite, Security Center, Control Center, Braviax, Windows Police Pro, Antivirus Pro 2010, PC Antispyware 2010, FraudTool.MalwareProtector.d, Winshield2009.com, Green AV, Windows Protection Suite, Total Security 2009, Windows System Suite, Antivirus BEST, System Security, Personal Antivirus, System Security 2009, Malware Doctor, Antivirus System Pro, WinPC Defender, Anti-Virus-1, Spyware Guard 2008, System Guard 2009, Antivirus 2009, Antivirus 2010, Antivirus Pro 2009, Antivirus 360, MS Antispyware 2009, IGuardPC or I Guard PC, and Additional Guard.

AVG Free Edition 9.0.716

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is trusted antivirus and antispyware protection for Windows, available to download and update for free.
Features:

• Award-winning antivirus and antispyware
• Real-time safe internet surfing and searching
• Quality proven by 80 million of users
• Easy to download, install and use
• Protection against viruses and spyware
• Compatible with Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP

Change log:

• AvgSys: Fixed problem with removing of registry infection on x64 Windows systems.
• Core: Detection of the next modification of Virut has been added.
• Core: Detection of new modification of SWIZZOR has been added.
• Core: Fixed problem with reporting broken digital signature on correctly signed files.
• Core: Fixed possible crash while verifying digital signatures on big files.
• Core: Fixed occasional false alarms on javascript files.
• Kernel: Cookie detection has been disabled by default in computer scan.
• Safe Search: SearchShield support for Firefox 3.6.
• Safe Search: Fixed possible crash of IE8 caused by Safe Search component.
• Safe Search: Improve notification to user when a suspected phishing site is detected.
• User Interface: Fixed freezing in License component when Shift+Tab is used.
• User Interface: Fixed problem with repeated opening of popup dialogs if content is missing.
• User Interface: Improved detection of fullscreen applications and gaming mode while displaying pop-up messages to prevent focus loss.

Free anti-virus: is it worth it?

With a range of free anti-virus packages available on the market, do you get what you pay for?

Developers of free anti-virus products generally rely on establishing a solid reputation among their free user base, which will hopefully upgrade to their full security packages in the future, or recommend the products for use in their business and corporate environment.

One may be wary of free offerings, with the old adage: “You get what you pay for.” We investigate further to shed some light on the issue.

In collaborative tests conducted by PC World and AV-Test.org, of the free anti-virus options available on the market, Avira AntiVirus Personal received top marks for its malware detection abilities and scanning speed, even though it didn’t have the friendliest interface.

Avast Home Edition came in second, but the interface also left much to be desired. AVG Free was the next best choice, slipping behind the previously mentioned options in detection ability, but offering a much neater interface.

PC Tools and Comodo Internet Security brought up the rear with a large amount of malware simply slipping past its defences. Microsoft’s free Security Essentials was not available at the time of the PC World/AV-Test analysis, but it performed admirably in the equally respectable AV-Comparatives test, with decent proactive scanning results, but poor on-demand scanning detection rates.

However, Con Mallon, Regional Product Marketing Director at Norton for Europe, Middle East and Africa, doesn’t put much faith in free anti-virus products. “We believe the false sense of security provided by these tools is almost as dangerous as having no security at all. Unique malware and social engineering techniques fly under the radar of traditional signature based technology employed by free security tools.”

“The latest generation of Internet security is real-time and reputation-based, operating immediately and not relying on a signature being produced and downloaded before the computer is protected,” Mallon continued.

When asked if Symantec has experienced noticeable competition from free anti-virus offerings, Mallon said: “[We have] seen no untoward impact on sales due to free AV offerings. Freeware solutions rely only on a single line of defence against malware and threats online. Customers actually need a full suite product with layers of protection that freeware cannot offer [and] understand you ‘get what you pay for.’”

MyBroadband recently investigated anti-virus products using data gathered from AV-Comparatives (AVC) and AV-Test. Mallon’s comments regarding the tests was that they “do not take into account any of the new protection capabilities provided by technology delivered from the cloud – in fact the tests specifically disconnect all products from the cloud.”

Many products, including those from Symantec, rely on reputation based analysis gathered from the range of product users via ‘the cloud’. “Because the [tests] are run in a disconnected mode, not only is the benefit of pure reputation-based security protection lost but also the more aggressive capabilities of our traditional engines,” said Mallon.

Judging by the test results and the opinion of Mallon, it would appear that while free anti-virus solutions can provide good protection, they might not be as comprehensive as their paid-for counterparts.

avast! Free Antivirus 5.0 beta

Prague-based ALWIL Software has offered "Free antivirus for everyone" for ages. The company started in 1991, and their core product dates back to 1988. With around 100 million users, ALWIL provides the security software that protects a substantial fraction of all consumer PCs worldwide. avast! Free Antivirus 5.0 (free, direct), currently in beta, has a totally new appearance and offers significantly enhanced protection against malware. I had planned to review the final, shipping product, but due to a delay in the release schedule that won't happen for a while. For now, here's a detailed hands-on report on my experience with the beta. You can give it a try, too—download it at files.avast.com.

The current avast! antivirus 4.8 Home Edition look more like a media player utility than antivirus software. If that's not strange enough, the included "skins" feature can make it look like just about anything. With version 5.0 avast! gets a more standard rectangular appearance. You can't make it look like a Star Trek instrument panel any more, but it's a lot easier to find features.

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The core antivirus/antispyware engine got a rewrite for this edition, and ALWIL added some new components to aid in the fight. A new heuristics engine watches process behavior to detect malware that signatures won't catch. A new code emulator lets avast! evaluate behaviors without letting a process run and also examine programs that are packed to conceal their contents.

This version adds scheduled scanning and detection of less risky "potentially unwanted programs." Avast! uses a new virus database format optimized for incremental updates. And the app's new gaming mode suppresses popups when it detects a program running in full-screen mode. Other notable features include boot-time scanning, wake-up from sleep mode to scan, and automatic scanning of files received via e-mail, IM clients, and P2P clients. And unlike AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0, avast!'s free edition has all the power of the paid Pro edition.

VIPRE(R) Antivirus + Antispyware from Sunbelt Software Wins VB100 Award for Malware Detection on Win

Sunbelt Software, a leading provider of Windows security software, today announced that its VIPRE Antivirus + Antispyware product has received the VB100 award from Virus Bulletin, the highly-respected independent comparative testing group, in the December 2009 issue of its online publication.

The test was conducted on the Windows 7 platform and Sunbelt Software, in its first-ever entry into this prestigious test, successfully detected all "in the wild" viruses without creating a single false positive. Viruses are generally categorized as "in the wild" when they are spreading as a result of normal day-to-day operations on and between the computers of unsuspecting users. The outstanding level of malicious program detection recognizes the depth and accuracy of Sunbelt's VIPRE antivirus technology.

Virus Bulletin tested several different antivirus products for their detection rates, lack of false positives, and speed of scanning on Windows 7. VIPRE successfully detected 100 percent of viruses in the wild. 35 of the 43 entries were awarded the VB100 designation.

"Perhaps one of the most long-anticipated VB100 appearances ... it is with great excitement that we finally get to record and report some results," wrote Virus Bulletin in the review. "The WildList proved no obstacle despite the set of tricky Virut samples, and with no false positives either VIPRE earns a VB100 on its first appearance; we hope to see many more."

Virus Bulletin conducts independent comparative testing of antivirus products. The tests focus on virus detection rates and scanning speed, as well as look at how each product fares when scanning set files that are known to be clean. In order to display the VB100 logo, an antivirus product must have demonstrated in Virus Bulletin tests that: It detects all viruses currently spreading throughout a diverse user population during both on-demand and on-access scanning; and it generates no "false positives" when scanning a set of clean files. The product must fulfill these criteria in its default state.

Unlike some other similar-sounding testing schemes, Virus Bulletin uses the most up-to-date WildList - available from the WildList Organization - in its tests. This means that products that are 'plugged in' to changing threat generation are the ones most likely to be granted VB100 awards. More information about Virus Bulletin can be found on its website: www.virusbtn.com.

"Inclusion in the VB100 is a mark of distinction among antivirus providers and confirms Sunbelt's VIPRE product line as one of the most accurate and effective on the market today," said Alex Eckelberry, CEO of Sunbelt Software. "Real-time detection of viruses in the wild has been a point of emphasis for us, and has never been more important considering the rising level of cyber attacks."

About VIPRE and MX-Virtualization(TM)

Sunbelt's VIPRE integrates the most sophisticated technology on the market today, including a compact, high-speed virtualized Windows environment called MX-Virtualization (MX-V), which performs rapid behavioral analysis of potential malware. Without any user interaction, malware is executed in an environment that mimics many core Windows functions, and analyzed for certain malware signatures and behavioral characteristics. This functionality enables VIPRE to detect many types of malware without the necessity of creating a constant stream of dedicated signatures and heuristic systems.

MX-V is part of a number of other detection methods used by VIPRE, including classic signature detection and heuristics. The performance impact on a user's system is virtually unnoticeable, in keeping with Sunbelt's commitment to delivering next-generation antivirus without the large memory and CPU footprint common to other solutions.

  To download a free trial of VIPRE, visit http://www.vipreantivirus.com/.
 
  About Sunbelt Software

Headquartered in Tampa Bay (Clearwater), Fla., Sunbelt Software was founded in 1994 and is a leading provider of Windows security software including antivirus, antispyware, email security, and malware analysis tools. Leading products include the VIPRE® and CounterSpy® product lines, Sunbelt Exchange Archiver(TM), CWSandbox(TM), and Threat Track(TM).

Free Antivirus y Antispyware

Cada equipo necesita protección. Pero ¿y si no tienes dinero para el software de seguridad? No te preocupes - no hay software de seguridad de energía y servicios que pueden mantenerse a salvo, de forma gratuita.
La Internet está llena de ideas brillantes, el software maravilloso ... y el peligro. Es absolutamente necesario utilizar la protección antivirus y antispyware si se conecta a Internet. Incluso si su equipo está bloqueado en un WiFi a prueba de Jaula de Faraday sin conexión con el mundo exterior, amenazas como el gusano Conficker pueden deslizarse a través de unidades extraíbles. Va sin el software de seguridad simplemente no es una opción. Pero lo que si la economía de este año ha dejado un cero gordo en la columna de seguridad de su presupuesto? Nunca el miedo todavía puede obtener una protección razonable, sin pagar un centavo.
Si se decide a pagar por la seguridad, Spyware Doctor con Antivirus 2010 es la opción de nuestros editores independientes para la protección de malware; Prevx 3.0 es otra buena opción con un enfoque innovador. Usted tendrá que pagar un poco más de un paquete completo, sino que también obtener una protección más amplia. Norton Internet Security 2010 es la opción del editor de nuestra suite de seguridad, es lo que yo mismo uso. Opciones de BitDefender Internet Security 2010 y ZoneAlarm Extreme Security 2010 también son buenas. Pero todas estas aplicaciones le costará dinero, dinero que no pueda tener.
La mayoría de los productos gratuitos que he revisado ofrecer la gama completa de protección contra el malware (que incluye virus, spyware, rootkits, y así sucesivamente). Ellos dos a eliminar el malware que ya está presente en su sistema y mantener cualquier nuevo malware que se instalen. HouseCall 7.1 toma un enfoque diferente. Es una herramienta de exploración no sólo con la protección en tiempo real. La edición gratuita de Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.36 es también de exploración de "sólo tiene que pagar si desea que la protección en tiempo real. En el lado positivo, no tiene que preocuparse acerca de los conflictos en tiempo real o bien, por lo que estos dos hacen una buena "segunda opinión" escáneres.
IObit de Seguridad 360, AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0 y avast! Free Antivirus 5.0 beta todos se emparejan con las ediciones gratuitas. Edición de pago de AVG incluye más características de protección que la edición libre. Los otros dos son completamente funcional, la única razón para conseguir la edición de pago es si usted está utilizando el producto para el negocio.
HouseCall de nubes y Panda Antivirus Free Edition 1.0 evitan la base de datos de firmas tradicionales en favor de una "nube" que es la base de datos siempre al día. Usted nunca necesita actualizaciones de firmas de virus con estos productos. Sin una conexión activa a Internet, sin embargo, no pueden conectar con sus en-la-inteligencia de las nubes. Panda intentará un análisis usando datos locales, pero advierte de que la detección eficaz requiere una connection.The diversos productos de Internet tienen diferentes puntos fuertes y débiles. Panda, nuestro Editor's Choice de libre anti-malware, eclipsa incluso los programas comerciales en su capacidad para mantener el malware se instale en un sistema limpio, sino de seguridad de Microsoft Essentials 1.0 obtuvo la mayor puntuación en este grupo en la limpieza de los problemas existentes. IObit hizo mal en la prueba de casi todos, pero logró buenos resultados para el bloqueo y la eliminación de scareware (software de seguridad falso).
Dado que estas herramientas son libres que libremente puede experimentar y encontrar lo que más te guste. Usted podría incluso instalar una combinación, como Panda para la protección en tiempo real y avast! (con protección en tiempo real desactivado) para la digitalización. No deje que la falta de fondos de dejar el equipo desprotegido.
Productos Gratis mencionados en este artículo:
avast! logoavast! Free Antivirus 5.0 beta
Sin valorar (beta)
Libre
avast! Free Antivirus 5.0 beta ofrece muy buena protección contra el malware sin costo alguno. Es especialmente bueno en la eliminación de malware y las pruebas de eliminación de rootkits, y ofrece un control preciso sobre la configuración y presentación de informes detallados.
LogoAVG AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0
Libre
AVG cree que todo el mundo merece una protección básica contra amenazas de Internet gratis. Ofrece un servicio gratuito de la compañía de que la protección antivirus, y es mejor que el producto gratuito de Microsoft. Por supuesto, lo mejor para el pago herramientas anti-malware son incluso mejores, pero no todos pueden pagar.
Trend Micro HouseCall 7.1Trend Micro HouseCall 7.1
Libre
HouseCall de Trend Micro se pone a trabajar rápidamente y utiliza una base de datos de nubes de malware para encontrar virus y otras amenazas. Es genial para una segunda opinión junto con su solución actual, ya que no se ejecuta en segundo plano cuando no la exploración. De que la falta de protección en tiempo real también significa que no debe ser su única solución contra el malware.
IObit Seguridad 360IObit de Seguridad 360
Libre
IObit Seguridad 360 instalaciones y escanea con rapidez. El problema es, simplemente no hacer el trabajo de eliminación de malware o impedir la instalación de malware.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.36Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.36
Libre
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware hace un buen trabajo de limpieza de malware, especialmente los programas de seguridad molesto delincuentes, aunque no es eficaz contra keyloggers comerciales o rootkits. Y la protección en tiempo real en la edición extra costo Pro no vale la pena el dinero. Pero asegúrese de agregar la edición gratuita de su arsenal de seguridad.
Fundamentos de seguridad de Microsoft betaMicrosoft Seguridad Essentials 1.0
Libre
Instalación de la libre voluntad de seguridad de Microsoft Essentials proteger su sistema de malware en un grado. Pero te vas a una mejor protección de uno de los otros conocidos productos de libre anti-malware.
Panda logoPanda Nube Antivirus Free Edition 1.0
Editors 'Choice Logo
Libre
Nube de Panda Antivirus ofrece protección contra malware libre en un paquete ligero con un diseño ultra-interfaz de usuario nuevo. Es el mejor all-around aplicación antivirus gratis que hemos probado, la que gana se Editors Choice '.
Libre de los productos no mencionados en este artículo
BitDefender 8 Professional PlusBitDefender Internet Security 2010
$ 79,95 directos (con tres licencias)
BitDefender ofrece todo lo que esperas en una suite y mucho más. Es especialmente bueno en la detección de malware y ofrece una mejor antispam, control parental, protección de la privacidad y que la mayoría de ellas suites. Afecta el rendimiento más que algunos, pero es una muy buena opción para todos-en torno a la protección.
Norton Internet SecurityNorton Internet Security 2010
Editors 'Choice Logo
$ 69,99 directos (con tres licencias)
La utilización de tecnologías innovadoras que poner encima de la protección de su PC sin empantanamiento su desempeño, Norton Internet Security 2010 sigue siendo la mejor suite de seguridad global en el mercado.
Prevx 3.0Prevx 3,0
Editors 'Choice Logo
$ 29.95/year (directo)
Esta visión de futuro el comportamiento anti-malware basado en la herramienta es increíblemente pequeño y rápido, porque su inteligencia en la vida de la nube. Se detectó más amenazas que otros productos y, en general se calificó mejor que su competencia basada en la firma. Un punto débil de su limpieza deja muchas huellas. Aun así, ganó Editors Choice a PCMag 'para antispyware.
Spyware Doctor con Antivirus 2010Spyware Doctor con Antivirus 2010
Editors 'Choice Logo
$ 39,95 directos (con tres licencias)
Spyware Doctor con Antivirus 2010 numerosos añade nuevos "guardias" contra el malware y promete una mayor detección de malware y de limpieza y entrega. Este producto, nuestro más reciente Editors Choice ', rompió todos los récords en mi eliminación de malware y los programas maliciosos de bloqueo de pruebas.
ZoneAlarm logoZoneAlarm Extreme Security 2010
$ 69,95 directos (con tres licencias)
Extreme ZoneAlarm Security 2010 cuenta con características impresionantes, incluido el cifrado de disco completo. Pero que ralentiza el rendimiento, la instalación es la tortura, y sus resultados de anti-malware son sólo tan-tan. Todavía es un buen producto, pero no estoy tan emocionado con ella como yo el año pasado.

Free Antivirus and Antispyware

Every computer needs protection. But what if you've got no money for security software? Don't worry--there's power security software and services that can keep you safe, for free.

 

The Internet is full of brilliant ideas, marvelous software…and danger. You absolutely must use antivirus and antispyware protection if you connect to the Internet. Even if your computer is locked in a WiFi-proof Faraday cage with no connection to the outside world, threats like the Conficker worm can slip in via removable drives. Going without security software is simply not an option. But what if this year's economy has left a big fat zero in your budget's security column? Never fear—you can still get reasonable protection without paying a cent.

If you decide to shell out for security, Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2010 is our Editors' Choice for standalone malware protection; Prevx 3.0 is another good choice with an innovative approach. You'll pay a bit more for a full suite, but you'll also get more comprehensive protection. Norton Internet Security 2010 is our Editor's Choice for security suite; it's what I use myself. BitDefender Internet Security 2010 and ZoneAlarm Extreme Security 2010 are also good choices. But all of these apps will cost you money—money you might not have.

Most of the free products I've reviewed offer the full range of protection against malware (which includes virus, spyware, rootkits, and so on). They will both remove malware that's already present on your system and keep any new malware from installing. HouseCall 7.1 takes a different approach. It's a scan-only tool with no real-time protection. The free edition of Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.36 is also scan-only—you have to pay if you want real-time protection. On the plus side, you don't have to worry about real-time conflicts either, so these two make good "second opinion" scanners.

IObit Security 360, AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0 and avast! Free Antivirus 5.0 beta all pair up with non-free editions. AVG's paid edition includes more protective features than the free edition. The other two are fully functional—the only reason to get the paid edition is if you're using the product for business.

HouseCall and Panda Cloud Antivirus Free Edition 1.0 eschew the traditional signature database in favor of a "cloud" database that's always up-to-date. You never need virus signature updates with these products. Without a working Internet connection, though, they can't connect with their in-the-cloud intelligence. Panda will attempt a scan using local data, but it warns that effective detection requires an Internet connection.The various products have different strengths and weaknesses. Panda, our Editor's Choice for free anti-malware, outshines even the commercial programs in its ability to keep malware from installing on a clean system, but Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0 scored highest in this group at cleaning up existing problems. IObit did poorly in almost every test but managed good scores for blocking and removing scareware (rogue security software).

Since these tools are free you can freely experiment and find which one you like best. You might even install a combination, like Panda for real-time protection and avast! (with real-time protection turned off) for scanning. Don't let a lack of funds leave your computer vulnerable.

Free Products Mentioned in this Article:

avast! Free Antivirus 5.0 beta
Unrated (beta)
Free
avast! Free Antivirus 5.0 beta offers very good malware protection at no cost. It's especially good at malware removal and rootkit removal tests, and it offers fine control over settings and detailed reporting.

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0

Free
AVG believes everyone deserves free basic protection against Internet threats. The company's free antivirus offers that protection, and it's better than Microsoft's free product. Of course, the best for-pay anti-malware tools are even better, but not everyone can afford to pay.

Trend Micro HouseCall 7.1

Free
Trend Micro's HouseCall gets to work quickly and uses a cloud-based malware database to find viruses and other threats. It's great for a second opinion alongside your existing solution because it doesn't run in the background when not scanning. That lack of real-time protection also means it shouldn't be your only anti-malware solution.

IObit Security 360

Free
IObit Security 360 installs and scans quickly. The problem is, it just doesn't do the job of removing malware or preventing malware installation.

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.36

Free
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware does a good job of cleaning up malware, especially those annoying rogue security programs, though it's not effective against commercial keyloggers or rootkits. And the real-time protection in the extra-cost Pro edition isn't worth the money. But be sure to add the free edition to your security arsenal.

Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0

Free
Installing the free Microsoft Security Essentials will protect your system from malware—to a degree. But you'll get better protection from one of the other well-known free anti-malware products.

Panda Cloud Antivirus Free Edition 1.0

Free
Panda Cloud Antivirus offers free malware protection in a lightweight package with an ultra-fresh user interface. It's the best all-around free antivirus app we've tested, which earns it an Editors' Choice.

Non-free Products Mentioned in this Article

BitDefender Internet Security 2010

$79.95 direct (for three licenses)
BitDefender offers everything you expect in a suite and more. It's especially good at malware detection and offers better antispam, parental controls, and privacy protection than most suites. It affects performance more than some, but it's a very good choice for all-around protection.

Norton Internet Security 2010

$69.99 direct (for three licenses)
Utilizing innovative technologies that crank up your PC's protection without bogging down its performance, Norton Internet Security 2010 remains the best overall security suite on the market.

Prevx 3.0

$29.95/year (direct)
This forward-looking behavior-based anti-malware tool is incredibly small and fast because its intelligence lives in the cloud. It detected more threats than other products and overall scored better than its signature-based competition. One weak point—its cleanup leaves behind many traces. Even so, it earned a PCMag Editors' Choice for antispyware.

Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2010

$39.95 direct (for three licenses)
Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2010 adds numerous new "guards" against malware and promises enhanced malware detection and cleanup—and delivers. This product, our newest Editors' Choice, broke records in my malware-removal and malware-blocking tests.

ZoneAlarm Extreme Security 2010

$69.95 direct (for three licenses)
ZoneAlarm Extreme Security 2010 boasts impressive features, including full-disk encryption. But it slows performance, installing it is torture, and its anti-malware scores are only so-so. It's still a good product, but I'm not quite as thrilled with it as I was last year.

AVG Anti-Virus 8.5.386 Build 1586

AVG Anti-Virus 8.5.386 Build 1586.

AVG Anti-Virus 8.5.386 Build 1586
AVG Anti-Virus offers maximum virus protection, product customization, and free virus database updates and technical support. The core of the testing engine is a Virtual Device Driver which loads into memory on Windows startup.Get complete protection from the most dangerous threats on the internet - worms, viruses, trojans, spyware, and adwareAntivirus and antispyware protection for Windows from the world’s most trusted security company. Use the Internet with confidence in your home or small office.

Easy to install and use

Protection against viruses, spyware, adware, worms and trojans

Real-time security while you surf and chat online

Top-quality protection that does not slow your system down

Free support and service around the clock and across the globe

Compatible with Windows Vista and Windows XPFeatures:Integrated protection

Anti-Virus: protection against viruses, worms and trojans

Anti-Spyware: protection against spyware, adware and identity-theft

Anti-Rootkit: protection against hidden threats (rootkits)

Web Shield & LinkScanner: protection against malicious websites
Easy-to-use, automated protectionReal-time protection, automatic updates, low-impact background scanning for on-line threats, and instant quarantining or removal of infected files ensures maximum protection. Every interaction between your computer and the Internet is monitored, so nothing can get onto your system without your knowledge. AVG scans in real time:

All files including documents, pictures and applications

E-mails (all major email clients supported)

Instant messaging and P2P communications

File downloads and online transactions such as shopping and banking

Search results and any other links you click on Internet use with peace of mind. The new web shield checks every web page at the moment you click on the link to ensure you’re not hit by a stealthy drive-by download or any other exploits. All links on search results pages in Google, Yahoo, and MSN are analyzed and their current threat level is reported in real time before you click on the link and visit the site.
The best Windows protection - trusted by millions of usersAVG’s award-winning antivirus technology protects millions of users and is certified by major antivirus testing organizations (VB100, ICSA, West Coast Labs Checkmark). View all AVG awards & certificationsOnly KgSize : 1.8 MB

Trend Micro HouseCall 7.1

Like Panda Cloud Antivirus Free Edition 1.0 HouseCall requires almost no configuration. You can choose to turn off the "Smart Feedback" feature, which sends non-personal information about found malware to Trend Micro's analysts. And you can choose a quick scan, a full scan, or a custom scan. That's it for configuration.

Cloud-Based Detection
With no real installation required, HouseCall went to work right away cleaning my test systems. A full scan took about 40 minutes on my standard clean test system. That's a bit more than the average of 30 minutes, but not bad. According to Trend Micro, a faster Internet connection would significantly speed up the scan.

Malware on one test system actively prevented HouseCall from downloading all its components, so it couldn't remove any of that system's malware. Normally I would work with tech support to solve this kind of problem, but Trend Micro doesn't offer support for free utilities. Using my own expertise and techniques not available to the average user, I did manage to suppress the problem malware and run a scan. Still, the fact that the average user wouldn't have been able to fix this hurt the app in some scores (see below).

On completing the scan, HouseCall lists the threats it found along with their threat type and severity level. For each threat, HouseCall offers a recommended action—Fix or Ignore. It recommended that I ignore dozens and dozens of the found threats. In every case I changed the action to Fix. And in every case I had to click OK to confirm I wanted to make that change. Tedious!

Where Panda detected 100 percent of the malware threats, HouseCall recognized just 86 percent. It scored 6.3 points in the malware removal test, the same as AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0. That score would have risen to 6.5 if HouseCall hadn't been balked by malware on that one test system mentioned above. Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0 scored 7.0 in this test, the best score among recent free utilities. Panda came close with 6.7 points. Like Panda, HouseCall would have scored higher if it more thoroughly cleaned up all the malware it detected.

Do note that commercial products had considerably greater success in this test. Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2010 beat the pack with 8.3 points and Norton Internet Security 2010 scored 8.0.

HouseCall was more effective at removing commercial keyloggers than other free solutions. With 5.3 points it handily beat Panda (4.5 points) and AVG (4.6 points). Here, too, the commercial solutions were significantly more successful. Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware 6.0 scored 6.8 and Norton 7.5.

HouseCall's documentation says it "can detect and clean the most complicated threats, including rootkits." It did detect almost 80 percent of the rootkit samples and disabled the rootkit technology of all those it detected. However, it scored just 5.2 points in the rootkit test, because it left behind executable files and mountains of non-executable traces. That's still better than the 4.9 points attained by Panda and AVG, but well below Norton's 7.9 points.

As for scareware (rogue security software) HouseCall scored 6.3, slightly above average. In its only real success the free IObit Security 360 got 6.7 points on this test. Panda beat both with 7.0 points.

No Malware Blocking
Panda Cloud Antivirus displayed superior protective skills when challenged to protect a clean system from malware. With 9.7 points for keeping out malware, it beat out all the commercial products. It also scored a perfect 10 of 10 points for blocking rootkits and scareware. HouseCall won't be challenging those scores because it doesn't include any real-time protection. On the plus side, because it doesn't run in the background trying to block malware it's not likely to interfere with your other security software.

HouseCall isn't an end-to-end solution. I don't suggest you use it to replace your existing antivirus. Instead, call on it for a second opinion if you suspect your security solution has let something nasty slip through

For more than twelve years, security software maker Trend Micro has offered free malware cleanup to all comers through its HouseCall online antivirus. Previously HouseCall installed as a browser add-in, but HouseCall 7.1 (free, direct) has broken free from the browser. It's now a standalone thin-client application that recognizes malware by consulting Trend Micro's "Smart Protection Network" in the cloud.

To start using, HouseCall you download a small launcher utility which, in turn, downloads the latest security components. There's no installation as such, though the tool does store components and scan results in your TEMP folder. You can save the launcher and use it again and again—it will always download newer code if available. By decoupling HouseCall from the browser, Trend Micro has eliminated browser compatibility problems and ActiveX/Java issues

Spyware Doctor With Antivirus: First Look

Shortly after we completed our current antivirus roundup, PC Tools released Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2010 ($40 for a one-year, three-PC license), the latest version of its paid antivirus tool. Though it came out too late for us to include in our malware detection testing, we were able to take the program for a quick spin.

Spyware Doctor with Antivirus (SDAV) has an intuitive interface, with four buttons along the left edge to take you to the app's main functions. The status screen provides a quick overview of your current protection status. You'll know right away whether SDAV and its malware signature files are up-to-date and your subscription is active.

IntelliGuard is PC Tools' set of "real-time protection" features designed to shield your PC from various threats. Using behavioral analysis, it can block malware for which no signature exists, along with suspect files and likely phishing or malware distribution sites.

The program also includes special modes for gaming (so that active SDAV won't interrupt you when you're playing a full-screen game) and for occasions when you are operating your laptop on battery power (the application will hold off on performing any processor-intensive tasks until you have plugged your laptop into a power outlet).

If you are interested in trying Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2010, you can download a trial version from PC Tools' Website.

Panda Cloud Antivirus Free Edition 1.0

Every time new or newly mutated piece malware bursts forth, security vendors have to boil it down into a signature that lets their antivirus products recognize and remove the threat. Given the accelerating pace of malware creation, we could be headed for a singularity—virus signature databases so big they implode into a black hole! Panda Cloud Antivirus Free Edition 1.0 (free for personal use) aims to head off disaster by pushing its malware detection activity into the cloud, eliminating the need for local signatures. Panda likes to call it "the first antivirus without an update button." It's a powerful defender against malware attacks—and it's free.

Buzz up!on Yahoo!

Cloud Antivirus is a quick download, at about 22 MB, and its streamlined installation doesn't take long. Once the installer is unpacked, you just click a big "Accept and Install" button like that of Norton Internet Security 2010. There's no lengthy initial signature update like that of Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2010 and most others. As soon as installation finishes, the product is active.

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So how does this cloud-based scanning work? Cloud Antivirus starts by sending what Panda calls a "reverse signature" to the data center in the cloud, which quickly identifies each file as known good, known bad, or unknown. For unknown programs, the local program supplies more info for analysis, including information about the program's behavior and internal structure. The program caches information about known good programs, so full scans after the first one run faster. On my standard low-resource clean test system, it took an hour the first time. That's about twice the average; rescanning shaved about 15 minutes from that time.

Unique User Interface
Panda's designers clearly believe that small is beautiful. The main window offers a laconic status overview and three tabs identified by big chunky icons. On the minimalist settings tab, you can configure Internet proxy settings if necessary and optionally turn off Cloud Antivirus's automatic management of suspicious files. You don't want to turn off that automatic management, though—that's where much of the product's power comes from.

The second tab lets you run a quick scan of sensitive areas or of the whole system and the third displays an attractive pie chart showing the types of malware that have been treated. You can limit the chart to the current day, week, or month. And if the interface leaves you hungry for data, there's a link to a detailed event report.

Cloud Antivirus eliminates known malware immediately on detection. Files that aren't known malware but seem to be malicious get sent to the cloud for analysis. Until the results come back, they're not allowed to launch. According to Panda Senior Research Advisor Pedro Bustamante, the company receives about 55,000 such files per day. Their automated systems can handle 99 percent of them; human researchers analyze the rest. As for the cloud database itself, it's measured in terabyte—size is no problem when you don't have to fit it on personal computers.

To view the Recycle Bin containing those neutralized files, you click a marked corner of the main window, which performs an animated flip. Unlike the similar window-flip feature in Norton it doesn't require any special video hardware. You can also get a detailed list of all neutralized files with an option to restore any if that becomes necessary.

The user interface has a few more tricks. Even on pre-Vista systems, its frame is transparent. And when you move the window the whole thing becomes transparent. True, these UI tweaks aren't essential to the product's operation, but Panda hopes they'll please users.—Next: Powerful Malware Blocking

Spyware Doctor at the Heart of PC Tools 2010

Spyware Doctor is a household name, and Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2010 is our current editor's choice for standalone antivirus/antispyware. But did you know that for $10 more you can super-size your protection? Spyware Doctor is the core of PC Tools Internet Security 2010, a lightweight security suite that adds a firewall, spam filter, phishing protection and a site-rating browser toolbar.

In testing, the firewall did its job, putting all ports in stealth mode and preventing unauthorized programs from accessing the Internet. Well, it did after I tweaked its settings. The firewall blocks known bad programs and allows known good ones, but in the default Auto mode it allows access for unknown. I set it to ask about unknown programs. With help from other suite components it blocked most leak tests and handled a barrage of exploits.

PC Tools chose to go for thoroughness rather than speed in their spam filter. It took five times as long to download a thousand messages with the filter enabled. But then, most people don't get a thousand messages at a time. The filter proved to be quite good at blocking spam and not blocking valid mail.

The new Browser Defender toolbar is a little like McAfee's Site Advisor. It looks at things like malicious downloads, connections to bad sites, and spam to create a site's rating. It's also a bit like AVG's LinkScanner, analyzing the sites you visit to block malicious code. I like its spiffy warning overlay that appears when it suspects a site is fraudulent. Alas, in my anti-phishing test it didn't come close to the accuracy of Internet Explorer alone.

If you're a Spyware Doctor aficionado looking to step up your security protection this suite is just the thing. It has all the basic essentials, though not much more. Interested? Read my full review here.

Norton™ Antivirus 2010 v17.1.0.19

Norton™ Antivirus 2010 v17.1.0.19 | 90,77 Mb
Norton AntiVirus 2010 will be the fastest and lightest malware scanner Symantec has ever delivered. The Norton AntiVirus application scans faster and uses less memory than any other antivirus product on the market. Unlike free solutions from Microsoft, Norton AntiVirus includes intrusion detection to detect malicious code hidden in web sites before it can strike.
And Norton AntiVirus’s pulse updates ensure that you are always plugged into Symantec’s global security grid and you are never more than a few minutes away from the latest update. Improved Norton Safe Web technology blocks Internet threats before they can infect your PC. So you can browse, buy and bank online with confidence. Plus, unlike other antivirus products, Norton AntiVirus 2010 provides easy-to-understand threat and performance information to help you avoid future threats and keep your PC

running
Key Benefits
Stops viruses, worms, spyware, bots, and more—Keeps your system protected against all types of malicious threats.
Norton Insight—Delivers innovative intelligence-driven technology for faster, fewer, shorter scans.
Rapid pulse updates every 5 to 15 minutes—provides up-to-the-minute protection.
Prevents virus-infected emails and instant messages from spreading—Feel secure while you keep in touch.
Blocks browser exploits and protects against infected Web sites
Here are some key features of "Norton AntiVirus":
Engineered for Speed:
· Scans only files and processes at risk using Norton Insight.
· NEW! Installs in under one minute on average, requires less than 8 MB of memory
Up-to-the-minute Protection:
· Delivers up-to-the-minute protection with rapid pulse updates every 5 to 15 minutes.
· IMPROVED! Provides multilayered security through the Norton Protection System.
· Prevents bots from taking control of your PC.
· Detects and automatically removes malicious threats.
· IMPROVED! Defends against Web-based attacks.
· Automatically detects and removes spyware, viruses, Trojans, bots and Internet worms.
· Recovery tool boots and repairs badly infected PCs. Delivers our most complete, deep cleaning scan possible.
· Norton Ongoing Protection provides continuous protection updates and new product features as they become available throughout your product subscription period, helping to keep your computer protected against the latest Internet threats and risks.
· Norton Automatic Renewal Service helps to ensure that you’re protected by automatically renewing your product subscription before it expires.
Control without disruptions:
· Automatically schedules scans and updates to occur while PC is idle.
· Review the security status of every process on your PC.
· Silent mode helps ensures movies and games are never interrupted.
· Maps your wireless home network.
Requirements:
· 300 MHz or faster processor
· 256 MB of RAM (512 MB RAM required for the Recovery Tool)
· 150 MB of available hard disk space.
· Email scanning supported for POP3- and SMTP-compatible email clients.Required for all installations:
· CD-ROM or DVD drive (if not installing via electronic download)
· Support for AntiSpam feature
· Microsoft Outlook 97 or later
· Microsoft Outlook Express 6.0 or later
· Browser support for Browser Protection feature
· Microsoft Internet Explorer 32-bit 6.0 or higher
· Mozilla Firefox 2.0 or higher
What's New in This Release:
· New and Improved Features
· Performance Enhancements
· The 2010 products improve on the very high performance bar already set by the 2009 products. The Beta builds will be regularly updated, with later builds improving on performance and functionality.
· Enhanced Norton Insight
· Norton Insight is built on the Symantec Quorum backend intelligence technology first introduced in the 2009 products. In 2009 Norton Insight only quantified trustworthiness, in 2010 Norton Insight also provides information on prevalence, age, and runtime performance data.
· Download Insight
· Download Insight is a new line of defense against the introduction of untrusted applications on your system. Download Insight monitors new application or installer downloads, automatically analyzes and classifies the application using the Quorum technology, and provides you with a trust rating for the application before allowing the application or installer to execute.
· Performance Monitoring
· The system performance ...
System requirements for all versions
Microsoft® Windows® XP (32-bit) with Service Pack 2 or later4 Home/Professional/Media Center
Microsoft Windows Vista® (32-bit and 64-bit) Starter/Home Basic/Home Premium/Business/Ultimate
Microsoft Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit) Starter/Home Basic/Home Premium/Professional/Ultimate
Minimum Hardware Requirements
* 300 MHz or faster processor
* 256 MB of RAM (512 MB RAM required for Recovery Tool)
* 300 MB of available hard disk space
Required for All Installations
* High-speed Internet connection
* USB compatible PC (if not installing via electronic download)
Support for AntiSpam
* Microsoft Outlook® 2002 or later
* Microsoft Outlook Express 6.0 or later
* Windows Mail (spam filtering only)
Browser support for Vulnerability Protection and Phishing Protection
* Microsoft Internet Explorer® 6.0 or higher (32-bit only)
* Mozilla Firefox® 3.0 and later4
Email scanning support for POP3-and SMTP-compatible email clients
Important information for download customers: To create the Norton Recovery CD for Norton Internet Security™ 2010 or Norton AntiVirus™ 2010, you will need to download a special recovery .ISO file and create a recovery CD using a blank CD-R disc. Complete instructions will be provided with your purchase confirmation

Download McAfee Antivirus 2010 with Original License

Antivirus McAfee VirusScan, aunque considera un consumidor de recursos es uno de mis favoritos después de un software antivirus Kaspersky. El último producto de la industria, McAfee Antivirus 2010 ya está disponible para descarga gratuita con un año de validez 1 licencia original como parte de una promoción especial. La última versión de 2010 se afirma que es mucho más rápido y más ligero que su predecesor (2009).
Aunque por ahora, la mayoría de las características de McAfee 2010 será igual a la de la versión anterior. Esto se debe a McAfee por lo general no operan en un modelo de actualización anual y las actualizaciones disponibles como cambios graduales en todo el año. Así que no se sorprendería mucho si usted no ve nuevas características en McAfee Antivirus 2010 en comparación con su actual versión 2009. Así que puede ser esto, dijo "como" falsificación de McAfee a sus clientes es la venta de productos antivirus 2009 en un nuevo cuadro de la marca de 2010? En mi opinión, la respuesta es No, ya que los clientes actuales de la de McAfee VirusScan 2010 será empujado automáticamente la actualización de la versión más reciente tan pronto como esté disponible. 2010 o cuando sale de Beta.
Descargar McAfee Antivirus 2010 con licencia original
Ahora puedes descargar la última versión del antivirus McAfee VirusScan 2010 gratis con clave de activación de la licencia original.
Para ello ir a una página de McAfee promoción especial de VMware.
Allí se puede ver un enlace para descargar la versión gratuita de prueba adicional de 12 meses de McAfee Antivirus 2010.

Usted tendrá que registrarse para recibir el 1 año -3 clave de activación de usuarios.

Después de registrarse, descargar un archivo de configuración como muestran arriba y ejecutar la aplicación. Inicie sesión para recibir su clave de producto libre e instalar Mc Afee VirusScan plus 2010 (3 usuarios)

Instale el producto válido para 1 año y siguen siendo protegidos.
La última McAfee 2010 parece mucho más rápido que la versión anterior, pero funciona más lento en comparación con sus competidores como Kaspersky. McAfee VirusScan Plus ofrece seguridad de la PC proactivas para prevenir ataques maliciosos mientras se navega en línea y al descargar archivos.
Otras características incluidas en este producto es el más conocido de McAfee SiteAdvisor. Como su nombre indica, ayuda a los usuarios a evitar sitios Web no seguros es de acuerdo a la calificación de seguridad Web.
Características de antivirus McAfee VirusScan 2010

Te mantiene seguro en línea con SiteAdvisor
Siempre se actualiza automáticamente a la última versión.
Detiene virus, gusanos de correo masivo y los troyanos de puerta trasera.
Relojes sistema de guardias para el virus de McAfee o actividad sospechosa.
Monitoriza los cambios a los anfitriones de archivos y configuraciones del navegador.
McAfee X-Ray para la eliminación de rootkits y malwares
Evita que los piratas informáticos con la función Modo Stealth, la detección de punto de acceso para los servidores de seguridad y el tiempo de arranque escudo de protección
La tecnología McAfee QuickClean ayuda a optimizar el rendimiento del PC y liberar espacio en disco.
Requisitos mínimos del sistema para McAfee Antivirus 2010
Sistema operativo: Microsoft Windows 2000 (SP4), XP (SP1), Vista
Navegador: I.E 6 o posterior
Programas de correo electrónico: POP3 (Outlook Express, Outlook, Eudora, Netscape)
Así que utilice las de McAfee ofrece la promoción de VMware para descargar de exploración de virus de McAfee Antivirus 2010 de forma gratuita con una licencia válida de 1 año / clave de activación. Uso de esta oferta ahora mismo, ya que esto puede ser eliminado muy pronto.

Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2010

A couple of years ago, PC Tools, maker of the excellent Spyware Doctor security software, acquired a behavior-based security product called CyberHawk and re-released it as ThreatFire, a free companion product for traditional anti-malware protection. Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2010 ($39.95 direct for three licenses) incorporates ThreatFire's technology and adds other new protective features. It totally knocked my socks off!

Buzz up!on Yahoo!

Immediately Active
Installation requires your attention for a while, but it's time well spent. The installer downloads a substantial signature update and then runs a quick Intelli-Scan. Even on my underpowered virtual test systems, the update and Intelli-Scan each took about five minutes. You'll need to enter your registration code to remove any found threats.

 

 

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After registration, the software updates again, reboots, and runs another Intelli-Scan. If necessary, it reboots and re-scans again. On one infested test system Spyware Doctor repeated that cycle four times before it was satisfied. Naturally, you'll run a full scan as soon as it's convenient; the product also schedules a weekly full scan.

Spyware Doctor's installer is fully functional in Safe Mode—that's not the case with many security products. That's handy when malware screws up installation. It can also scan in Safe Mode. If all else fails, you can clean the system before installation using the PC Tools Alternate Operating System Scanner, a bootable Linux-based CD image that's not affected by Windows-based malware.

Top-notch Malware Cleanup
Installing the product on my malware-infested test systems went smoothly. I did use Safe Mode for a couple, and one required the Alternate Operating System Scanner. The initial Intelli-Scan wiped out network connectivity on one system, but PC Tools tech support reps quickly solved that problem.

A full scan of my limited-resource clean test system took 45 minutes. A second scan brought that time down to 30 minutes, which is about average. New in this edition, the product takes advantage of system idle time to make the next full scan faster. It also postpones scheduled tasks when the system is running on battery power and suppresses all interruptions if a full-screen game or other program is active.

On completion of a scan, Spyware Doctor lists what it found, including the risk level for each item and a brief description. You can drill down to see exactly what file and Registry traces are associated with the item or click a link for more details online. All this information remains available after the file is quarantined. And, unlike many similar products, Spyware Doctor really delivers those online details. Most users will just click the button to proceed with cleanup, however.

PC Tools promised even better malware detection and cleanup in this version, and has delivered on that promise. The scanner detected 100 percent of my malware samples and cleaned up all executable files for over three-quarters of them. Spyware Doctor's score of 8.3 on this test is a new record, beating 8.0 points from Norton Internet Security 2010 and pushing Panda Internet Security 2010 to third place with 7.7 points.

Spyware Doctor didn't take first place in keylogger removal, but it still did well. Its 6.5 point score is beaten only by Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware 6.0 at 6.8 and Norton at 7.5. I don't fault programs that do poorly against keyloggers but I'll certainly celebrate the successful ones.

Spyware Doctor detected every rootkit sample, disabled the rootkit technology in all of them, and thoroughly cleaned up more than half. Its score of 7.7 didn't quite beat Norton's 7.9, but it took over second place from Panda, which had 7.6 points. It also took over second place against scareware, with 8.0 points. The anti-scareware champion is Ad-Aware Pro 8.1 with 8.8 points

 

Guards Against Malware
Spyware Doctor installs a gaggle of guard components to block malware at every level. Site Guard blocks access to Web sites known to host malware. The new Browser Guard analyzes Web pages and scripts in real time to block scareware sites and sites hosting drive-by downloads.

The Download Guard component is still in beta, but users can obtain it from www.pctools.com/labs. This component scans all downloaded files and immediately quarantines any it deems malicious. It doesn't modify the browser's download dialog the way Ad-Aware does or replace it the way ZoneAlarm Extreme Security 2010 does. It just works in the background and pops up when it blocks malware.

I tried re-downloading my entire collection of malware and keylogger samples to see these features in action. Many of the URLs are no longer valid; of those still functioning, Site Guard blocked three quarters of the malware sites but none of the keylogger sites. Download Guard blocked just one of the malware samples that got past Site Guard but blocked almost half the keyloggers. And this is just the first line of defense.

The File Guard module checks every file on access and, if the file isn't whitelisted, runs a complete scan. Rather than ask the user what to do with found malware, File Guard takes action immediately and gives the user a brief veto opportunity. A new Email Guard scans and cleans malicious attachments at the protocol level.

New in this edition, Behavior Guard uses ThreatFire technology to keep an eye on any unknown programs as they execute. If it detects a definite pattern of malicious activity it will block the program and display a warning. Behavior Guard will also warn of merely suspicious behavior and ask what to do; I found that it sometimes reported valid programs as suspicious.

To see just how effective this gaggle of guards can be, I attempted to launch my collection of pre-downloaded samples. Some products scan a file at the minimal access that occurs when Windows Explorer displays a file's data. File Guard waits for a mouse click, so I clicked on each sample. Within a few minutes, Spyware Doctor wiped out over 90 percent of the malware samples and 70 percent of the keylogger samples; that's a great start.

When I launched the few remaining samples, other guards came into play to block almost all of them. In the blocking test Spyware Doctor detected 97 percent of the malware samples, as did Norton, Prevx 3.0 and BitDefender Total Security 2010. Spyware Doctor also set a new record in the malware blocking test, scoring 9.7 of 10 possible points and edging out Norton, which had 9.6 points. BitDefender and Prevx with 9.4 got pushed to a shared third place.

Spyware Doctor detected 90 percent of the keylogger samples and scored 8.5 points at keylogger blocking, beaten only by Prevx's score of 8.9 points. Spyware Doctor detected 100 percent of the rootkit samples; its rootkit-blocking score of 9.4 points is another new record. Along with seven other products Spyware Doctor scored a perfect 10 against scareware, completely blocking every sample.