Do you bother with paid antispyware?

mrapoc · Apr 22, 2007, 17:53:03

After a recent bad spyware infestation (thanks sis) I feel it may be time for me to get some realtime spyware protection. NOD32 often gets trojans and the odd bit of spyware but until they implement the new scanner (v.30) it wont detect spyware much at all. I usually find spybot and adaware is quite sufficient but I currently feel I need more security. I currently have no software firewall at all...no real time spyware protection and have only recently re-enabled the router firewall lol. As I'm a gamer I need as less performance hit as possible (so no Zone Alarm pro...like norton only its a firewall) - it also costs too much. Spyware doctor did quite a good job from what I gathered and I can get it bundled with Registry mechanic for only $40 iirc - cheaper than ZA pro on its own. There is also webroot spy sweeper but this did not find as many entries as spyware doctor (unless spyware doctor lied a bit) $:-\$

Why cant it be as simple as finding an AV...NOD32 is the only one I would consider worth money now. So your thoughts and recommendations peeps?

DorsetBoy · Apr 22, 2007, 18:16:40

Simple answer........ www.superantispyware.com

2 versions available free and paid.They are still running an offer with the professional version,life time updates for £9.95 .

Lots of choice for levels of protection and shedules for updates etc.Nice company,very helpful indeed and the product really works well. A good partner for NOD32.

mrapoc · Apr 22, 2007, 18:47:27

Never heard of them before - have you compared its catch rate to others?

Rik · Apr 22, 2007, 18:52:49

I use Webroot's SpySweeper, Sam. It's consistently in PC Pro's A-list, if that's any recommendation, but I have generally found it to be good at catching anything NOD doesn't. I will use something like AdAware from time to time to double-check, but so far, for me, SpySweeper has worked well.

Dorset's suggestion is cheaper though.

DorsetBoy · Apr 22, 2007, 19:11:03

Best thing to do is give it a free trial.

It updates daily,they are quick on FPs you can email them anytime and they answer quickly,
they like and ask for user feedback and suggestions and have a small forum.

Since I put on the pro version NOTHING has got on my machine and my lad ,who was always filling his PC with nasties has not had a single problem for the last 7 months.

I have used it to clean machines where all others failed,I would not run windows without it.

mrapoc · Apr 22, 2007, 20:41:52

seems to do quite a good job im trialling the full version now.

DorsetBoy · Apr 23, 2007, 06:03:08

Look for the "What is running on my machine" feature,a very useful online check and a way of reporting files etc that are unknown/suspicious.

AvengerUK · Apr 23, 2007, 08:45:00

Simple answer also...

I use Spyware doctor (paid) - its brillient

Even better, if your bothered download it for free, run a scan. (although the free only finds things...it wont get rid!)

drummer · Apr 23, 2007, 22:57:02

NOD32 - paid for

ZoneAlarm Free - freeware

SpywareBlaster - freeware

AdAware and Spybot (weekly scans) - freeware

Router's firewall enabled.

Very low CPU footprint for the realtime software (NOD, ZA and SB) and not a single threat in nearly four years on a network of three computers used for wildly differing purposes.

NOD32 is the lynchpin of the whole setup though, so an inferior AV app could result in everything else being compromised.