|
|
Cheap Software - Webroot Spy Sweeper Antispyware 5.x
|
Our Price: $3.00
List Price: $29.95
Your Save: $ 26.95 ( 90% )
Availability: Usually ships in 1 to 2 months
Manufacturer: Webroot Software
|
Average Customer Rating:  
|
|
Batteries Included: 0
Binding: CD-ROM
Brand: Webroot Software Inc
EAN: 0667208664108
Feature: ActiveX Shield thwarts drive-by downloads and blocks potential spyware threats that use ActiveX components to disguise their installation on your computer.
Format: CD
Label: Webroot Software
Manufacturer: Webroot Software
Model: 66410
Platform: Windows 2000
Publisher: Webroot Software
Release Date: 2005-10-01
Studio: Webroot Software
|
|
|
Features
|
ActiveX Shield thwarts drive-by downloads and blocks potential spyware threats that use ActiveX components to disguise their installation on your computer.
Spy Communication Shield prevents further spyware infection by blocking incoming and outgoing communication to web sites known to host potential spyware threats and disables spyware programs’ ability to re-install during removal.
BHO Shield blocks the installation of Browser Helper Objects – a small program that runs automatically every time a user opens an Internet browser and has the capability to track website activity or install a toolbar or add-on without your consent.
IE Security Shield prevents spyware from adding website entries to your Internet Explorer security settings – which could lead to unwanted downloads and put your personal data at risk.
Includes 1 Year Subscription of Version Upgrades.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Spotlight customer reviews:
|
Customer Rating:
Summary: Too much built-in sales push, and an unfortunte "opt in" renewal default without explicit ok.
Comment: Previously Spysweeper was quite a nice product, although there are now free products with similar capabilities, so two important questions are: 1) is it more capable and 2) is it more hassle-free. As to capabilities I can only speak from personal experience.
Fortunately, unlike at least one other reviewer I have been lucky enough that any malware I had was identified not only by Spysweeper but by other free malware programs I periodically run as an extra check. So to date, my other malware detection software has worked as well as Spysweeper on my system, and I have not had a chance to test the potentially extra detection capabilities of Spysweeper.
I initially had some incompatibility with Spysweeper's E-mail attachment shield and the mail program I had running under Vista requiring me to disable the E-mail shield. Fortunately, that incompatibility is no longer present, perhaps as a result of a Spysweeper update.
I can address my satisfaction with this software compared with others with similar goals. Spysweeper still has some minor issues. As one example, it provides the number of cookies it finds. However, unless it determines that a cookie is a problem, e.g., a tracking cookie, it provides no further information. That is, it does not provide the user with a listing of the cookies found. A better approach would be to list all cookies found and to allow the user to decide which, if any, cookies to keep.
However, most Spysweeper's nuisances relate to the company's efforts to sell you more product/services, either providing you with no way to stop these sales pitches or making it difficult to eliminate them. For example, when you select Update Spysweeper manually from the software's Options page, your browser is opened and you are taken to one of the company's web pages (nag screens) even if your product is up-to-date. There you find the option to "Add Antivirus", even if you already have Spysweeper's antivirus installed. This is an unnecessary, time-wasting nuisance. Approximately,two weeks before your annual subscription comes to an end you are continually presented with a "nag" screen you must respond to each time Spysweeper starts, and there is apparently no way to prevent this screen from appearing until you either update Spysweeper or just remove it from your computer, another unnecessary nuisance. Additionally, Spysweeper recently added a new "feature" to its on-site purchase option. Now whenever you decide to buy a Spysweeper product, or simply update your Spysweeper software to include antivirus protection, Spysweeper automatically "opts you in" for an annual subscription renewal. What makes this a particular hassle is that to opt out you must go to a different URL and re-enter the information you already entered to buy the original product. Even after you re-enter and send this opt out information you are presented with a blank browser page with no indication that your opt out request was processed or accepted. A simple check box allowing you to opt in or out would do, but the goal appears to be to make opting out difficult.
Technically I have found Spysweeper to be a competent product, with only a few technical issues, such as the lack of detailed cookie reporting mentioned above. However, in rating it I considered not only it technical features, which I felt were similar to some free products and to competing commercial products, but also how hassle-free it was to use for a purchased product. In this comparison, for me, Spysweeper's primary negatives related to it's intrusive approach to sell additional products, and particularly to the tactic of opting you in, without your explicit approval, for annual subscription renewals. More intrusive occurrences might be expected from free software, but not for a purchased retail product. At this time, July 2008, there are other products that provide similar services to Spysweeper with Antivirus, but without the "up sell" or "opt in without explicit consent" approaches. In my opinion, the ill-advised sales tactics diminish the value of this product.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Your most reliable protection
Comment: By far the greatest dangers lurking on the internet are not viruses but trojans, browser highjackers and cookies. While Norton is arguably the best anti-virus software and the best firewall it has flaws. Long before Norton will notice a problem, Spy Sweeper will bag it and tag it. Hackers have learned to hide viruses in cookies and trojans instead of sending them out on their own. With Spy Sweeper you have excellent protection against trojans and cookies and fair protection against highjackers; these are the nasty bugs that cause your browser to lock onto their web page.
Here's some comments on Spy Sweepers operational behavior. It is slow to start up so give it some time. The first thing it will do is load a fresh copy of instructions from their website every morning. This will delay browser operation but it's necessary to keep you out of trouble. I just grab a cup of coffee and let it finish, which takes about 2 minutes. Spy Sweep is a little intrusive when it knows there is a program update scheduled so my advice is go with the flow.
As I pointed out, Spy Sweeper provides only fair protection against highjackers. There is free software that will cover this modest vulnerability but like everything free there is a price: poor updating. When you buy software, or subscribe might be a better word, they guarantee that they will support you. I've tried four softwares to cover this vulnerability and settled on Spyware Doctor and one made by Sun. Spyware Doctor does an excellent job, often catching bugs before Spy Sweeper. Between the two of them, I seldom fall back on Norton for protection. The only problem with Spy Sweeper is that it does not like other protection software and will frequently alarm during start-up. It's nothing serious, just close the window properly and all will be well.
If you can afford only one other protection, besides an anti-virus program, then spend your money on Spy Sweeper.
I hope this review was helpful. If so, please add your vote. I write these reviews at a considerable expense of time and money as a public service. I believe that Amazon provides the best reviews and often serves as the best means of efficiently buying products.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Version 5.5 slowed my PC to a crawl
Comment: As many people in these reviews have claimed, version 5 is a real hog. After installing and running the application for a few days, I was forced to remove it. It slowed everything to a crawl. Switching between windows took 2 seconds. My CPU usage was usually at 90 to 100 percent. Fortunately for me, the disk I purchased had version 4.5 available as well. I have been running that version for about a day without the same problems. I would recommend to my friends and family to avoid version 5.
Sincerely, Steve in Florida
Customer Rating:
Summary: The good, the bad and oh yes, the ugly!
Comment: GOOD: detected spyware that I didn't even know was there.
As you read on, keep in mind I am a recently retired engineer who spent his last few years supervising code writers' (even wrote some myself).
BAD: Out of the box had bugs for Vista (and XP, IMO) so when I went to update for the "fix", their server was painfully slow ... oh so slow. It was throttling me. After nearly 2 hours for the 14.5 Meg download, the "fix" was in. Now for every manual update, it gives me a nag screen to purchase (for $10) their version that adds virus protection.
UGLY: Telephone support. After 40 minutes on hold, someone answered. Not sure why as he was of no help, but he did speak English! I asked if they could send me a CD with a version that works to avoid the slow server problem. $8.95 plus S&H. I asked how to eliminate the nag screen since I did not want to buy their virus protection. He said, "can't be done". I then asked to have my 30-day money back guarantee, he said it had to be within 30 days of purchase, not activate date! I am over the 30-day limit -- this was a Christmas gift to me by my wife and with holidays, I just didn't have time to install ... sigh ... "too bad, sir."
My recommendation is to not deal with this company, as they are not flexible and want to charge for everything. Nickel and dime you.
With that, I give them the lowest rating possible. Wish I had read customers reviews here first before buying at Best Buy. Caveat emptor.
Oh, and if you must purchase, only buy the single user one, not the family or 3 user version unless you need it -- will save you money.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Webroot Spy SLEEPER
Comment: I purchased SpySleeper to fix a recent infection in my computer. Although it detected and cleaned 2 trojans: trojan-fisher-bzub and trojan-downloader-zlob, SSleeper missed the trojan-spyware.webhancer. I had to use PC Doctor to detect and clean it.
Now I am having to work with Webroot online tech support to clean a final infection that it missed, and it has taken 7 days of trivial pursuit and poorly written quick fixes to get them to look at a scan and (hopefully) come up with a fix.
Phone tech support hold times are about 20 minutes as they are having to deal with significant Windows Vista compatibility problems with their product.
Although this product has had a good reputation, it is now asleep at the wheel in many ways. If you are trying to fix an infection you would be better off doing a Windows reinstall than spending time and money on SSleeper. Read the PC World recent review on antispyware to confirm what I have posted (poor infection removal, last place in overall ranking.)
2/25/08 update: It took 3 weeks to remove all spyware with ssleeper thru tech support. I have removed ssleeper from my active startup programs and use it only to run occasional scans after updating it. I do not plan to do anything with my computer during ssleeper scans because it slows to nearly lockup speed when a scan is running. Also, after definition updates, ssleeper automatically opens a new browser window that advertises the webroot antivirus product (kind of like what adware does!)
Pitty the poor people who do not read the more current reviews of this product before buying (amazon, your default should be to display most current reviews first.)
|
|
|
Editorial Reviews:
|
Spyware is the Internet s fastest growing threat to personal privacy and a leading cause of fraud and identity theft. When surfing the internet Spyware can infect your system in many different ways. Webroot® Spy Sweeper® gives you 360 degrees of protection from the spyware threat. Powerful new Smart Shields block known and emerging infections as you browse - before they ever reach your computer and personal information. If your PC is already infected Spy Sweeper's advanced discovery methods find and destroy malicious spyware that hides within your PC - even spyware that hides using rootkit technology.Most comprehensive anti-spyware solution available - 360 degrees of protectionContinuous monitoring stops spyware before it can attackAdvanced detection and removal capabilities for stubborn spywareAutomatic defense updates keep you protected from the latest threatsFREE customer supportSystem Requirements:Windows 2000 XP Pro XP Home XP Media Center XP Tablet Vista Home Basic Vista Home Premium Vista Business Vista Ultimate 300 Mhz 15 MB hard drive space 256 MB Ram Supports Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher Format: WIN 98ME2000XPVISTA Genre: UTILITIES UPC: 667208664108 Manufacturer No: 66410
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
