Spybot – Search & Destroy: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Line 62: Line 62:
Several people, knowing the program's great legitimacy, have made Spybot 'clones' with similar user interfaces and similar sounding program names. Some clones have been made by spyware manufacturers to make programs that pose as anti-spyware programs, but actually install spyware themselves. These programs are known as [[Rogue Antispyware|rogue antispyware]].
Several people, knowing the program's great legitimacy, have made Spybot 'clones' with similar user interfaces and similar sounding program names. Some clones have been made by spyware manufacturers to make programs that pose as anti-spyware programs, but actually install spyware themselves. These programs are known as [[Rogue Antispyware|rogue antispyware]].


Searching the words "spybot", or "search & destroy", "spybot antispyware" or any other related search on [[Google]] will often result in a paid advertisement for "[[SpySheriff|SpywareBot]]". This program is a known [[Rogue Antispyware|rogue antispyware]] program, which fraudulently uses the "search and destroy" logo and a name similar to Spybot to fool users into downloading their product instead of the original Spybot Search & Destroy. A very easy and simple way to avoid the false anti-virus programs is to make sure they do not require you to pay. If they want you to pay for the program, the website is fake. <ref>[http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm Spyware Warriors Rogue Antispyware Listing]</ref>
Searching the words "spybot", or "search & destroy", "spybot antispyware" or any other related search on [[Google]] will often result in a paid advertisement for "[[SpySheriff|SpywareBot]]". This program is a known [[Rogue Antispyware|rogue antispyware]] program, which fraudulently uses the "search and destroy" logo and a name similar to Spybot to fool users into downloading their product instead of the original Spybot Search & Destroy. A very easy and simple way to avoid the false anti-virus programs is to make sure they do not require you to pay. If they want you to pay for the program, the website is fake. If you want the legitimate Spybot Search & Destroy, just go to the [http://www.safer-networking.org REAL] Spybot website. <ref>[http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm Spyware Warriors Rogue Antispyware Listing]</ref>


== Incompatibility and conflicts ==
== Incompatibility and conflicts ==

Revision as of 21:27, 20 January 2010

"Spybot" redirects here. For the computer worm, see Spybot worm.
Spybot - Search & Destroy
Developer(s)Safer Networking Limited
Stable release
1.6.2 / January 26, 2009 (2009-01-26)
Written inDelphi
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows, Windows Mobile, and Symbian[1]
TypeSpyware removal software
LicenseProprietary software
WebsiteSafer-networking.org

Spybot Search & Destroy (S&D) is a popular proprietary spyware and adware removal program compatible with Microsoft Windows 95 and later. It scans the computer hard disk and/or RAM for malicious software.

Spybot-S&D was written by the German software engineer Patrick Michael Kolla, and is distributed by Kolla's Irish company Safer Networking Limited. Development began in 2000 when Kolla, still a student, wrote a small program to deal with the Aureate/Radiate and Conducent TimeSink programs, two of the earliest examples of adware.

Licensing

Spybot - Search & Destroy is currently released as freeware. Corporate users are required to purchase a yearly license.

Spybot features

Along with spyware and adware detection and disinfection capabilities, Spybot-S&D can repair the Registry, Winsock LSPs, ActiveX objects, browser hijackers and BHOs, PUPS, computer cookies, trackerware, heavy duty, homepage hijackers, keyloggers, LSP, tracks, trojans, spybots, revision, and other kinds of malware. It can also to some extent protect a user's privacy by deleting usage tracks like tracking cookies. Spybot-S&D also includes an "Immunize" feature to block the installation of spyware before it occurs e.g. by modifying the hosts file. Another tool included in Spybot-S&D is a file shredder, for the secure deletion of files. Spybot-S&D is not intended to replace anti-virus programs, but it does detect some common trojans.

Spybot-S&D also recently added an anti-rootkit function.[2]

The TeaTimer module can be optionally enabled, providing a level of active, real-time protection from undesirable registry changes and the like. This comes in the form of pop-ups which alert the user to registry changes, and ask for approval before allowing the change. Registry changes only tend to be made when programs are installed/uninstalled/updated, so random changes can indicate the presence of malicious software.

Some programs ship with attached spyware or adware and refuse to run when the undesired co-programs are removed; newer versions of Spybot replace the spyware binaries with inert dummies (designed to fool programs which require the spyware's presence).

In order to efficiently detect recently created programs, detection updates are released weekly along with other improvements such as added languages and better heuristics algorithms. These updates are downloaded from within the software from a variety of mirrors and are then automatically installed.

Spybot-S&D is available for all versions of Windows from Windows 95 and up, and offers more than two dozen different languages and several skins to users. Instructions are available on the website to enable users to design their own skins.

Technical support is currently supplied by means of Internet forums[3] and support e-mails (with a usual response time of no more than 24 hours).

Reviews and awards

In previous years Spybot-S&D has been applauded for its ease of installation, free updates, and excellent features. It won numerous awards, including the World Class 2003 Awards, the PC Magazine Editor's Choice and PC User Top Buy #1. Additionally, Spybot was recommended by ZDNet, the Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, MSNBC, CNN and other reviewers.

Although PC Magazine initially rated it highly in 2003, their rating has declined steadily since, to "poor" in 2008:

PC Magazine Editors' Ratings (out of 5 possible)[4]
  • 2003 4/5 EDITORS' CHOICE AWARD
  • v1.2 2004 4/5
  • v1.3 2005 3/5
  • v1.4 2005 2.5/5
  • v1.5 2008 1.5/5

In January 2008, PC Magazine, after giving Spybot Search & Destroy 1.5 a score of just 1.5 out of 5,[5] elected it as one of the worst tech products of the first quarter of 2008 and called its malware cleaning-up skills mediocre.[6]

Versions

Version 1.5 has improved Wine compatibility, and restores compatibility with Windows 95[7] which was faulty in 1.4.[8] The scanning speed of version 1.6 is purportedly several times faster than of version 1.5.[9]

Malicious clones

Several people, knowing the program's great legitimacy, have made Spybot 'clones' with similar user interfaces and similar sounding program names. Some clones have been made by spyware manufacturers to make programs that pose as anti-spyware programs, but actually install spyware themselves. These programs are known as rogue antispyware.

Searching the words "spybot", or "search & destroy", "spybot antispyware" or any other related search on Google will often result in a paid advertisement for "SpywareBot". This program is a known rogue antispyware program, which fraudulently uses the "search and destroy" logo and a name similar to Spybot to fool users into downloading their product instead of the original Spybot Search & Destroy. A very easy and simple way to avoid the false anti-virus programs is to make sure they do not require you to pay. If they want you to pay for the program, the website is fake. If you want the legitimate Spybot Search & Destroy, just go to the REAL Spybot website. [10]

Incompatibility and conflicts

Removal by commercial security products

Several of the largest commercial security products require users to uninstall Spybot when they are being installed or when they run.[11]

Norton Internet Security

The makers of Spybot-S&D have come into conflict over claims of incompatibility with Norton Internet Security.[12] Symantec recommends uninstalling Spybot-S&D before installing Norton Internet Security. According to Safer Networking, no satisfactory explanation has been provided to them for this decision. Antivirus professional Mary Landesman suggests a possible explanation may stem from a graphical glitch in TeaTimer module's confirmation dialog. An official explanation from Safer Networking[13] states that this error stemmed from a bug in the program used to build their code. The result of the bug was that users had difficulty enabling Norton Internet Security to make necessary changes to critical registry areas, such as allowing itself to launch on startup. Aside from this, Mary Landesman, like Safer Networking, concludes that the two programs have no issue with one another. The bug exists only in the 1.4 version of Spybot-Search & Destroy and has been fixed as of the 1.5 release.[14]

Kaspersky Internet Security

Kaspersky Antivirus and Kaspersky Internet Security since version 2009 force users to uninstall Spybot during the installation process, although there is no serious incompatibility yet known. The discussion was concluded in the Kaspersky forum, which said not to install Spybot at all. Kaspersky seems to be reluctant to fix the issue, despite receiving several complaints.[15]

Trend Micro

Trend Micro Officescan follows Norton, Kaspersky and McAfee in simply removing Spybot without warning or notification afterwards.[16]

Internet Explorer 8

The immunisation feature of Spybot - Search & Destroy caused Internet Explorer 8 to start slower than expected.[17]. A fix has been issued to resolve this problem by Microsoft on June 9 2009 [18]. Users can fix the slow startup problem simply by downloading KB969897 from Microsoft.

References

  1. ^ "OS support". The official site.
  2. ^ "Die Seite von Spybot-S&D!" (in German language). The official site.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  3. ^ "Welcome to the Safer Networking Forums". Spybot Search and Destroy. Retrieved 2008-06-13.
  4. ^ "PC Magazine: Product Guides Archive". Retrieved 2008-06-13.
  5. ^ Free Security Software - Spybot Search & Destroy 1.5 - At A Glance - Reviews by PC Magazine
  6. ^ The Worst Tech Products of Q1 2008 - Reviews by PC Magazine
  7. ^ "Welcome to Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.5". Retrieved 2008-06-13.
  8. ^ "Is there a solution for the graphic bug in the TeaTimer notification window?". Retrieved 2008-06-13.
  9. ^ The home of Spybot-S&D!
  10. ^ Spyware Warriors Rogue Antispyware Listing
  11. ^ "Spybot Search & Destroy competitors are trying to force its removal". Betanews.
  12. ^ Mary Landesman (October 3 2006). "Symantec and Spybot: War of the Words". Retrieved 2007-09-18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ "Small bugs in TeaTimer". June 22 2005. Retrieved 2007-09-18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ "FAQ #55". The official site.
  15. ^ http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=33577
  16. ^ http://forums.spybot.info/showpost.php?p=154830&postcount=11
  17. ^ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/969938/en-us
  18. ^ http://www.safer-networking.org/en/news/2009-03-25.html

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spybot_–_Search_%26_Destroy&oldid=339028595"