de Tokar » 08 Juil 2007, 21:42
I beg to differ.
Not many freeware applications provide the realtime protection that Spyware Terminator provides.
Spyware Terminator provides three levels of protection:
1) Basic antispyware protection at the application level - protection of internet browser settings, basic windows settings, basic internet settings.
2) Advanced, kernel level, ring0 protection - the HIPS protection is provided at the kernel level through a system driver. HIPS provides behavioral protection against installation of malware, but I am sure you understand HIPS with your background.
3) AntiVirus protection - users can choose to integrate ClamAV antivirus to protect against viruses in realtime.
You obviously can find the realtime antivirus protection in many software titles like Kaspersky, Symantec Norton, McAfee, however they are commercial software titles. Spyware Terminator and ClamAV are free. I am aware that Avast! and AVG are freeware antivirus applications that include realtime protection. I am unable to comment on their abilities since I have never used them extensively. And, I only see the professional versions of those programs in independent testing.
The ring0, HIPS protection, is something you rarely find in full unlimited form in free applications. People who will pay for it will probably find a suitable commercial application (ProcessGuard, SSM, AntiHook, AppDefend, PrevX, Cyberhawk, SafenSec, etc.), I do not doubt, but we are targeting the market of users who want free programs, and the list of full-featured freeware HIPS products is short, besides the fact that the freeware versions of commercial products are usually feature limited (ProcessGuard, SSM, AnitHook, CyberHawk, etc.).
The basic antispyware realtime protection (at the application layer) is something you rarely find in freeware applications. I do not disagree that commercial applications have this (SpySweeper, Spyware Doctor, CounterSpy, etc.), but again, we are focusing on the market of users who want a free application. And the list of applications which provide this kind of protection for free is short, also note that the most of the programs I know to include this feature that are free are not updated as often as Spyware Terminator. SpyBot was last updated 1-1.5 years ago, and the current beta has been in beta for 6 months. SpyBot provides its protection as a separate program (TeaTimer) where as Spyware Terminator's solution is integrated and does not require a separate install.
Also something you rarely find in freeware applications is automatic updates. Spyware Terminator offers unlimited application and database updates, and offers the ability to apply them automatically.
If you dont mind, I wish to do a quick comparison of freeware antispyware applications:
Spyware Terminator - ring0 and ring3 protection, and optional antivirus protection. Offers automatic updates.
Ad-Aware - free version includes no protection and does not offer automatic updates. No antivirus available.
SuperAntiSpyware - free version includes no protection and does not offer automatic updates. No antivirus available.
Spyware Doctor Starter Edition - this version provides very limited ring3 protection. No antivirus option available. It does provide automatic updates.
SpyBot - provides no ring0 protection, no antivirus option, and no automatic updates. Only ring3 protection is offered.
SpyDefense - product has been abandoned. Offered no protection, and no optional antivirus. Automatic updates were offered but database is not updated anymore.
Windows Defender - provides no ring0 protection and no antivirus option. Automatic updates and ring3 protection is offered.
Comodo AntiViruspyware - provides no ring0 protection and no antivirus option. Automatic updates and ring3 protection is offered.
That is pretty much the list of popular freeware antispyware applications. There is a long list of other freeware applications, but they are nowhere near as notable as the ones above.
The best freeware spyware removers cant claim to have excellent spyware prevention systems, while the best spyware prevention systems cant claim to have excellent spyware removal systems. Spyware Terminator has both, for free.
So Im not sure why you said it is useless, or "nullware".
If you are a person who prefers to pay for protection, then all the more power to you. But there are a lot of people who dont want to pay and that is where Spyware Terminator comes in, and we don't consider our software as "nullware".
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