Spyware Free PC

very good
key review info
application features
  • It only takes about ~10 seconds to scan your whole computer for over 7900 real targeting definitions. The current version supports most types of malwares like, adware, trojans, worms, spyware and dialers.
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Malware. Most of us cannot live with it while others cannot live without it. Who cannot live without the existence of malware? Anti-malware software developers. A new malware on the market is like a mouthful of fresh air for them. But not all security software developers are grabbers as one would think and every now and then a new protection tool is available for the general public for free, like in the case of Firewall Plus from PC Tools.

Emco Software brings you a different tool, but as useful as a firewall. It is an anti malware instrument designed to rid your computer of spyware. Price? Well, that's one of those products money can't buy as it is free of charge. Malware Destroyer is a simple tool with over 40.000 malware signatures included (worms, trojans, adware, viruses, spyware, P2P and dialers).

The interface does not look too good as it is very simply decorated but it is very easy to use and even a newbie could handle it without consulting the Help menu. The options are aligned in the top part of the application window. The first one is scan; the scanning process is amazingly fast and the application will look for one of the names provided in the Target Signatures list.

The user can perform a search for only one type of malware or a certain name available in the database. These options are somehow ensconced as there is no visible indication of their presence except for the little down arrows in Target Signatures window, at the end of the name and type bar.

If you would rather see the Type column in the left and Name in the right then a simple drag and drop of the header will do it.

Besides the Target Signatures, there are also other tabs available and just as useful. After the scan is complete (my 120GB HDD was scanned in about ten seconds - makes you think about the thoroughness of the scan) you will be displayed the malicious items the application detected on your computer. Unfortunately, there was no malware detected on my computer; however, a scan with Spybot - Search and Destroy discovered that there were some problems on my computer (tracking cookies - an option Malware Destroyer does not provide).

Quarantine window offers the possibility of restoring the items detected as dangerous by Malware Destroyer and which you consider as being harmless. Restoring can be done either only for the selected items or for all the quarantined detections.

Settings and Tools are the areas of the application every user wants to get first after installing the software. The settings are flexible enough to let you configure Malware Destroyer's basic scanning and add some more areas in the registry to look for the malware. Basic scanning options let you scan the machine for adware, trojans, viruses, worms, dialers, trackware and spyware. Also, there are three types of scans available: file level (the most superficial), registry level (partial scanning) and both of these areas (the recommended option).

Some of the users may expect more from such a software and Malware Destroyer succeeds in providing P2P (Peer to Peer) software scanning and MSN Messenger. Additionally, startup items in both registry and file can be checked (Startup for all users; RunServices, RunOnce and Run in different in LOCAL_MACHINE and CURRENT_USER sections of the registry).

Tools provides the user with the possibility of exporting scan results, startup programs and history file in three different formats: HTML, Excel and XML.

In the title bar in the right end you will see besides the regular Minimize, Maximize (does not work and pressing it will result in moving the application window in two positions on your desktop) and Close buttons a little pin. That button is used to pin the application window on top of all the windows. This way, no matter what will open, you will always have Malware Destroyer in full view.

The Good

An anti malware instrument that does a good job and is also free is always a plus. The ease of use recommends it for newbies. The signatures list is more than 40.000 entries large and the names listed in there are pretty well known.

The Bad

No tracking cookie detection. The interface could use a lifting. Making the application window maximize would be a nice improvement. Or at least giving the possibility of resizing the window.

There have been complaints that Malware Destroyer does not ignore the threats that are already in Quarantine.

The Truth

Malware Destroyer is a nice application and used in combination with another similar application (for double checking the detected items) it can get you great results.

Here are some snapshots of the application in action:

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user interface 3
features 4
ease of use 5
pricing / value 5


final rating 4
Editor's review
very good
 
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