Spyware, also known as adware, consists of tiny apps that reside on your hard drive and broadcast information about your Internet habits to remote third parties, often advertising agencies.
In anticipation of this growing problem for PC users, Microsoft last year purchased existing antispyware technology from Giant Software. After some minor retooling, Microsoft offers a beta version for download.
Upside: Microsoft Antispyware provides two levels of antispyware scans -- a quick, cursory file scan or a deep-level scan that includes a check your RAM memory and running processes -- as well as the option to select individual drives and folders for deep analysis.
The interface is clean and user friendly. Like Spybot, Microsoft Antispyware provides real-time protection to prevent suspected spyware from installing on your hard drive in the first place. Unlike Ad-aware and Spybot, Microsoft Antispyware can be configured to run daily after normal working hours.
Downside: During the memory portion of the deep scan, Microsoft Antispyware briefly slowed our test system with a 930MHz Pentium III and 386MB running Windows XP SP2 to a crawl. At this time, automatic updates are not available for Microsoft Antispyware, however, you can sign up to receive e-mail announcing future antispyware database updates (available roughly once a month).
The Microsoft Antispyware interface is organised logically and is uncluttered with extraneous detail.
12/03/2006, 07:55 AM
This is great realtime protection
Microsoft Antispyware isn't bad, having tried various products myself. Runnign background updates and scans is what I need.
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ed
21/12/2005, 10:05 AM
Works for me...
As with all software there are pros and cons, yes and no. I am not automatically pro MS but I do like this product. I currently use a Fortigate WiFi60 Firewall appliance with built-in antivirus; spam block; wireless; etc. and McAfee Enterprise 8.0i. The combination of these three products has provided us with solid protection -- nothing has gotten thru to date.
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14/08/2005, 09:48 PM
Slows down performance
I downloaded Microsoft AntiSpyware so as to have an alternative for AdAware, in order to have four eyes watching my computer instead of two. Well, it proved a disaster. I normally trust all of Microsoft software and am an enthusiastic Windows and Office user, so don't tag me as one of those pseudo-hackers that will criticize anything Microsoft releases. The most noticeable problem I had had to do with running files from Windows Explorer. Whenever I clicked on an image or text file it took my image-viewing program or Word ages to show the file. The strange problem was driving me crazy until it dawned on me that it might have something to do with Microsoft AntySpyware. Be careful with this Beta and try another anti-spyware program.
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ralf hemmerlke
22/03/2005, 05:21 PM
free now pay later. no thanks
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Kurt
21/03/2005, 01:57 PM
It made my curtains fade
Anti-spyware from Microsoft eh? More like anti-pirateware from the evil empire. I don't like the sound of that.
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07/02/2005, 09:18 PM
real time protection!
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gkando
04/02/2005, 03:26 PM
theres better one out there
xoftspy is the only one i use now ive tried others but found them to slow my new p4 3.06 pc to a crawl other spyware tend to have spys try xoftspy
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gkando
04/02/2005, 03:20 PM
rubbish
it hijaks internet explorer home page to microsoft
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waxer
04/02/2005, 02:54 PM
Found stuff Search & Destroy couldn't
I've run a combination of Search & Destroy, and Adaware for a long time, thinking my machine was spyware free.
MS-Antispyware beta found 6 spyware items that these tools had never picked up on my weekly scans. Proof's in the pudding for me.
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Jeebious
31/01/2005, 09:30 AM
Best Anti-Spyware Yet!
Do not believe the anti-M$ people, yes I too dislike M$ and majority of their products including windows, but their spyware tool, (or giants) is very very good, detects spyware which others don't, it does detect things like pirate copies but you can set it to ignore stuff like that, and is quick, it sits in my taskbar and i don't even know its running.
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