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Make sure
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To no longer receive spam, e-mail the network administrator of the network from which the spammed e-mail has come.
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 Spyware Doctor
March 25, 2005 - Part II
by Andrew Cooper
Program's options
When it's finished with the checking and removing, let's see what other interesting options the program offers.
On the Settings tab, there is not really much that's of any interest, but there are a couple of changes I recommend that you make.
I also advise you to enable the "automatically search for updates" option in the Live Update Settings, and in the "General" tab to select "ask for confirmation to kill a task". After this is done, we can move on to the other options offered by the program.
Since this program is more than just a spyware scanner, it can monitor and protect against spyware and other internet dangers in real time by utilizing its module called "On guard". It's better to enable this only after you have completed your initial spyware scan.
Included in the "OnGuard" module:
- Cookie monitor: A module that scans for cookies as they are being placed on your computer while you surf the Web, recognizing links contained in them that point to undesirable websites.
- Browser Guard: A feature that protects your browser's configuration and internal components from attacks.
- Immunizer: This looks into which third-party ActiveX scripts and programs are attempting to run in the context of your browser. If it detects that a malicious script has been launched, it immunizes your machine from it.
- Pop-up blocker: I suppose you all know what this is, but in case you haven't yet upgraded your Windows XP to Service Pack 2 (which by no means should you do!), this feature will appeal to anyone irritated by the nagging pop-up windows kicking off at almost every site.
- Scheduler: an option to schedule regular spyware checks.
- Site guard: a great tool enabling safer internet surfing. It's a great addition to the program's capabilities, so I'll tell you about this option a bit further:
Spyware Doctor maintains a database of known offensive and fraudulent websites, and if the user attempts to go to one of them, either on purpose or out of ignorance, the Site Guard module will not let him/her do that. It can monitor and prevent unsuspected attempts to log onto known phishing and hacking sites, and thus will sometimes protect a user from being victimized by them. In the picture below you can see the Site Guard module in action.
General remarks
The effectiveness of the scan this program performed was somewhat questionable. I asked my friend to give me a couple of spyware programs and copied them onto my hard disk to d:\communirty folder\ (and beyond). I didn't execute those spyware programs from that location, as I knew I ran a hundred percent risk of infecting my machine. I selected the location I'd copied the spyware programs into as a target for scanning. After a brief scan, it reported that no threats had been found. That meant that the program was incapable of detecting and removing the spyware that hadn't been previously installed.
Though the spyware wasn't active, it is nevertheless dangerous to store it on a computer. It's like storing hand grenades in your cellar - although they're inactive as long as the safety pins and release handles remain intact, they represent a sizeable threat just being there. Certainly, no one in their right mind would store grenades in an untended facility. The same applies to inactive spyware stored in one of my disk's folders.
Verdict
Good program, and is on par with some of its key competitors. The site control option of the OnGuard module is really impressive, and can protect its user from most Internet threats in real time. The only red flag that was raised while I was testing the program was its inability to disinfect inactive spyware lying right where the program was asked to perform a scan.
Developer's web site: www.pctools.com
Download link: www.pctools.com/spyware-doctor/download
Back to Part I
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