Microsoft AntiSpyware (Beta 1)
I'm not sure if this software has been included in a previous thread, but having just installed and run it, I decided to share my thoughts and see what you think.
I have Lavasoft AdAware SE Professional, Spybot S&D and SpywareBlaster installed on my system, and run them everytime the computer has been online or at least once a day. I also tend to run them after installing new software.
So today I installed Beta 1, ran all the above programs, cleaned everything out, and ran a registry fix. I then ran Beta 1 which found a further 12 suspected items of spyware. It even found an entry that was part of video editing software I have installed. From subsequent enquiries it appears that this is intentionally installed by the software manufacturer to 'learn' how customers are using the utility, so that they can make it better for future versions. All well and good, but it would be nice to know that's what they're doing. (The program was Movie Edit Pro 2004.)
You have the option on the MS software to send any suspect items to Spynet for analysis, and so the updates learn from all users of the software. You may see this as an attempt by MS to monopolise yet another area of computerdom, but I am a great believer in the fact that you cannot have too much protection for your computer. This is of course on the understanding that you don't have so much it slows the thing down, thus defeating the whole point.
Potentially this software could be run by, and learning from, millions of users keeping the updates very up to date. I may be missing some point or another, but as a further addition to my PC's protection (and free to boot) it seems foolish not to.
Any thoughts?
WP.