14 DAY TRIAL // Spyware is among the most recent malware threats for a computer user. This type of menace surreptitiously installs on the system and can be almost impossible to get rid of without assistance. They generally track your moves and report to a remote computer the collected data.
Tools for cleaning your computer of this type of malicious items are everywhere on the Internet. However, few are the tools that deliver that much desired protection we all long for. CounterSpy is one application that does not lie with regards to the security plus added to your system. The software is low priced for what it delivers (only $19.95) and is equipped with real time monitoring of your system. This way, you benefit from anti spyware protection 100% of the time.
There is a trial limit of 15 days which is fully functional and perfect for testing the application. A warning before you install the software: if you have Windows Defender installed on your computer you should know that CounterSpy will turn it off without any warning (only Windows Defender will announce that it has been turned off).
Anyway, the new and improved version is Vista ready and only nibbles on your computer resources. Not even during the scan has our activity been hindered in any way. My 1GB of RAM computer barely felt the presence of CounterSpy as its light treading on the computer did not put it under duress at all.
During a full scan, CounterSpy will look into every area of the system and the checked areas include memory processes, files stored on the hard drive, registry keys and cookies. Spyware does not practically have any chance of hiding.
One of the great sources of spyware signatures is the community network to which hundreds of thousands of end-users are connected and share information on the latest spyware threats. ThreatNet uses a secure and anonymous connection to CounterSpy's research network. The signatures are updated as soon as new spyware is sent to the network and identified as a security risk.
In order to join ThreatNet (similar to Microsoft's SpyNet), go to View menu and select Settings. Automatic Updates Service Setting page will open and if you click Feedback option, the ThreatNet page opens. The procedure is pretty complicated as you hop from one menu to another and having this option more into the open would be of great help for the new users of the application.
Immediately after installing the software, it will prompt you with a configuration wizard that guides you through the steps of setting CounterSpy up. You will have to choose between the different active protection monitors (paranoid, cautious and trusting) and choose to join ThreatNet. But before all these steps, the program will perform the necessary updates.
If the settings for the predefined protection monitors (paranoid, cautious and trusting) are not to your taste, there is the option of customizing your protection settings. This way, you can choose the action to be taken when the heuristic engine starts "beeping" for a potential security risk. The Unknown Application and Action Settings window allows configuring the alerts or granting the action for IE settings, Policies, System Startup items, Installs, Shell Options, INI File Mapping, Context Menu Handlers, Hosts File, Trojan Files and Execution of the programs.
The System Tools included in CounterSpy are comprehensive enough and add to the functionality of the application. My PC Explorers let you explore and manage key elements of your system. These include applications (downloaded ActiveX, Internet Applications, running processes, startup programs, Windows Hosts File, Shell Explorer Hooks) and generally hard to reach areas of your computer.
My PC Checkup tool is designed to tighten the security of your machine. The wizard will scan your system and come up with suggestions for changes. To give you an example, CounterSpy can inform you about a website's SSL certificate validity. An invalid certificate provides less security in communication over the Internet. These actions cannot be undone. All the modifications are designed to increase the security of your computer and minimize the risk of spyware infections.
History cleaner is a tool that aims at eliminating all the traces you leave behind when performing searches, deletes the history of the websites in Internet Explorer, the cookies collected during Internet browsing, removes auto-complete forms, and the URL history. The downside of the history cleaning tool is that it does not allow the user to choose what URLs and cookies to be saved from the deleting process. Of course, this results in looser security.
Unfortunately, Mozilla Firefox users cannot benefit from the same security as the tool is restricted to IE based web browsers only.
Secure Delete is also included in the application and it does a pretty good job. It allows you to erase sensitive data without the means of recovery. The erasing option can also be integrated in Windows Explorer context menu. It'll ease the erasing process of a file as you will no longer have to open CounterSpy and browse to the System Tools.
The Good
Fantastic design of the interface, although this is not the primary feature a user expects. The engine works on low resources and even a 256MB of RAM computer could feel comfortable working with during a CounterSpy scan.
Scan scheduling is supported, low priced, quarantine management, access to ThreatNet the community sharing info on the latest spyware apparitions.
The active monitoring function is highly customizable allowing the user to set the active shield protection level.
The Bad
I know there has been a little badmouthing about CounterSpy but I won't do that. I will take the software as it is.
One of the drawbacks of the application is that it does not warn the user about turning off Windows Defender.
Also, I fancied the application will automatically download the latest definition versions available or at least provide an option to schedule updates.
The Truth
The extensive help file will provide you all the answers you need for working with CounterSpy: from configuring ThreatNet to cope with your firewall to customizing the active protection.
The low price and little resources used, as well as the ease of use make CounterSpy one of the best anti-spyware protection tools on the market.
Here are some snapshots of the application in action:
