Spybot vs Adaware vs MS antispy

[Cota]

A couple of days ago a customer brought his pc because it was running "really slow" aka plagued by virus/spyware.

The pc had installed every spyware/virus/toolbar friendly P2P software, kazaa, emule, e-donkey, Ares, etc.

So I took the chance to try the new MS antispy along with adaware and spybot.

The pc had mcaffee and norton antivirus but both executables were missing.

So I installed AVGfree and scanned the pc for viruses.

There were about 70infected files, mostly trojans.

Next I used spybot to scan for spyware. It found 42 spyware/adware, next in line was adaware, which found 102. and finally ms antispy detecting 87.

round 2 showed 5 files in spybot, 23 en adaware and 6 in ms anti spy

I scanned several more times with each until they found nothing

spybot was the first to report no spyware, adaware found 2 and msantispy 5

when msantispy found none, adaware found 1, alexa.

Finally a last round and none reported any spyware.

I installed sp2 (it had sp1) and latest patches, needless to say, P2P software no longer works because of firewall, but the owner is happy as he doesn't use them anyway, as for his kids, well, he doesn't mind at all hehehe.

[SH64]

Yeah all of the three are great , but IMO MS Antispyware is the most effective one . thats what i experianced when my PC got infected as i mentioned on my other thread . i noticed that MS Antispyware also has the ability to remove any pop-ups or any other programs running in the background without the need to reboot your system , while others asked me first to restart .
afterall .. its much better to use more than 1 anti-spyware program when a pc get infected , that will make sure you remove every threat .

[Cota]

couldn't agree more.

Each has its own strenghts and weaknesses, I like spybot for its ad-blocking, I think adaware is better finding some spyware and MSantispy even tough not perfect is quite good. Its like having spybot, spysweeper and adaware all in one. It lacks detection of cookies though.

I used the spybot/adaware combo before MSantispy.

Now I only use MSantispy, but also use spybot and adaware once in a while.

Then again its been ages since I had serious spyware on my pc.

[Nitz Walsh]

The problem with comparing anti-spyware apps is that simply noting what number each "found" isn't particularly relevant unless you go into details. Ad-Aware treats tracking cookies as spyware for example, MS's doesn't - and I agree with their decision, it shouldn't.

As for P2P software not working due to MS's firewall, uh...try adding the app to the exceptions? P2P apps with with SP2's firewall just fine.

[Slyder]

Fact is none of them are perfect. You need to run all 3 to be safe.

[Cota]

As for P2P software not working due to MS's firewall, uh...try adding the app to the exceptions? P2P apps with with SP2's firewall just fine.

I know it can be done, but, why would I?, the customer is happy as it is, he doesn't use P2P apps at all, only his children.

[Starscream]

Just a suggestion, don't run virus checks on a customers machine that's already infected.

I find it's much easier and more effective to just pull the drive and scan it on a "bench" machine with some good AV software like Kasperksy.