Spybot Search & Destroy - 1.6.0

Spybot is a surprisingly sophisticated piece of software and, I suspect, has features and benefits that go undiscovered by many of its end-users.

It's commonplace that parts of many applications aren't utilized or explored because most folks migrate to comfort and comfort is based on familiarity - even if the familiarity is (and this is a technical term) icky. We are willing to tolerate intrusive, cumbersome, or time-robbing software because it is what we know and are accustomed to. Unless extremely adventurous or curious, we tend to be reluctant when walking any new path. We want what we know and know what we've had and, therefore, measure the unknown by often-unrelated standards of the known.

After using Spybot for more than a year, I am still discovering handy features or options that it offers. I started using it, basically, because I couldn't afford to be paralyzed by (full-version) Norton one more day, so I used Windows' Spyware Defender which only enabled Microsoft's ability to weasel another monitoring device into my system (you get sick of getting looped over to Microsoft's site every time you turn around). Then I stumbled on Spybot and, at first, thought I was using a trial-before purchase application. Turned out it is free (but at least once a month, I'm so appreciative that I 'donate' via Paypal whatever it is that I want to).

Updates for known spyware, viruses, worms, dialers, hijackers, etc. are regularly forthcoming through Spybot. You are always prompted to check for updates. Version release information is chronicled and available on Spybot's home page. Additional FREE tools developed by the developer of Spybot which are pretty danged nice: File Analyzer, Folder Analyzer, Registry Analyzer.

Spybot's newest version does slow down my system when it does a total scan and takes longer than I'd like to complete - although, I do have a lot to scan. So, I kick it off when I'm idle since I don't have it configured for automatic scans. Some of us are just, er, control freaks. Additionally, you can set the level of system resources you are willing to dedicate to a Spybot scan from system-idle (which is where I have mine set) all the way to full-dedication.

Spybot touts its 'Teatimer' feature as the main line of its effectiveness. Teatimer is process-resident and vigilantly identifies potential problems which seems to be WHEN anything from the great internet 'out there' tries to access/write/extract to/from your machine. Then Teatimer interrupts by prompting you for access permissions. You can grant permission as well as opt to have Spybot log by whom and when permissions for registry changes, etc., were granted, and you can configure permission-granting rights by user.

To me, Teatimer is kind of like having your mom waiting at the front door and asking you if you're sure you want to let your new friend come in and visit. It doesn't matter if your new friend is a jersey-wearing member (and is currently wearing the jersey) of your own baseball team whose members have all been let in before. Even if the new friend is standing there with the rest of the team AND right next to the team's coach (who is your father), your Teatimer-mom will still ask you if you're sure you want to let your new friend in for a visit - I mean, REALLY sure. It's a well-meaning feature if you have the time and understanding, but it can be irritating when you're in a hurry or confusing when you're a base-level user. Although, I can see its benefit for the user who accesses few new sites and doesn't do much searching - for them, it might be just the ticket. For me, it seems to impact my system resources a bit, so against Spybot developer's recommendations, I don't utilize this feature.

The surprising part of Spybot, however, is its application-resident advanced tools - some of them are:

'Secure Shredder' 'chops' personal files as many times as you want them to be chopped/unrecoverable - that means it more than deletes or removes.

Displays Active-X files by CLSID and description

Displays BHOs by CLSID and description, noting if an application is known in their database to be legit or problematic

Displays all websites registered as search or start pages and allows you to change them (since you can't delete or change them anywhere else since you can't figure out how they got there in the first place). These days, buying a new PC and selecting content providers (news, search engines, shopping, maps, etc.), a basic user might see continually changing browsers or end up with MSN, Yahoo!, or any number of home pages that they inadvertently chose because it came configured with their new computer (goodness knows how many folks out there still have Dell as their home page...). On my system, Spybot revealed that there were another 2 registered start and 12 registered search pages that I hadn't created or couldn't find a way to change settings for. In this tool, I was able to change the mystery links to 'about: blank' and haven't been led to a page I haven't intended to go to since.

Process List is like Windows Task Manager except Spybot provides company name, version number, and a description of the service. Looking at this can make you paranoid.


For the life of me, I don't understand why this guy (I think he's in Ireland) doesn't just package his tools and SELL them.

Other things I don't understand:

1) Why CNET didn't give Spybot a higher rating

2) War, starvation, and poverty

3) Why 'Wotthehell, part deux' author had internet connectivity problems he attributes to using Spybot. I've used Spybot for a over a year now and have NEVER had internet problems [attributable to Spybot]. If anyone would know about internet problems, it would be me: An accountant working remotely (10+ hours/day) and using multiple software packages running on multiple hosted sites. I generally have all or nearly all open simultaneous to each other. Additionally, I have to remotely-access multiple clients' networks via multiple remote-access packages. Perhaps 'Watthehell, part deux' author's experience with Spybot was not really due to Spybot, but due to unrelated elements that he could possibly identify with Spybot's tools.

Does an excellent job on removing spyware. And its free! I've been using this scince a couple of years now and the regular updates keep you up to date.