From: Gizmo's Support Alert Newsletter Issue 138, Free Edition, 19th October, 2006Free Anti-Spyware Program with Active Protection
Ad-Aware and SpyBot Search and Destroy have long been the mainstays in the free anti-spyware utility category but, alas, their stars have fallen in the last year as these once great products have been overwhelmed by the latest generation of malware products. Hopes for another solution were raised when Microsoft bought out Giant's excellent Antispyware product and released it for free. However, these hopes were dashed when Microsoft changed the Giant product into Windows Defender. It was no enhancement; in fact, a step backwards. So I've been keeping my eye out for a new contender, particularly one with good active protection to prevent initial infection. One such product is Spyware Terminator [1]. I've known about it for quite a while but have approached it cautiously as there was a cloud hanging over the reputation of the vendor [2]. Thankfully, that cloud has now been lifted. Installation proved to be very simple as the product has an excellent configuration wizard that walks you through the setup. One option offered is the capacity to harness the open source anti-virus product ClamAV to provide another layer of detection in addition to Spyware Terminator's only inbuilt detection. This is a nice idea; ClamAV is not the most effective AV scanner on the market but it's certainly competent and the additional protection can only be a plus. The Spyware Terminator (ST) user interface is very clean and professional, a complete cut above the amateurish look of products like SpyBot S&D. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of ST is its comprehensive active protection. Over fifty different system variables are monitored in four separate areas.
Additionally, there is a built-in HIPS system that works in a similar manner to products like WinPatrol to prevent programs starting up on your PC or making changes without your knowledge. A nice feature here is the ability to set the HIPS warnings to a level appropriate to user experience. Other HIPS products could do well to offer a similar feature.
Unusually for a free product, ST allows you schedule scans automatically. Updates, too, can be set to automatic.
Scanning proved to be on the slow side. A full spyware scan took 896 seconds to scan 21000 objects while Windows Defender took only 503 seconds to scan 78000 objects. A combined Spyware and AV scan took even longer.
I tested spyware scan detection rates on a limited sample of 110 currently circulating malware products obtained from P2P networks. ST detected around 31% by scan and 49% on execution compared to 34% and 56% for Windows Defender and 42 and 71% for the class-leading product WebRoot SpySweeper. The sample size here is too small to get pedantic but it would be reasonable to say that ST approaches Windows Defender in performance but is a distinct notch below the top commercial anti-spyware products.
This conclusion needs to be qualified.
ST has a much stronger HIPS capability than Windows Defender and this provides additional protection for experienced users who now how to interpret and respond to warning messages. Less experienced users will benefit less.
In the technical area ST was less impressive. It can be easily terminated using basic methods; Windows Task Manager was sufficient.
It doesn't detect rootkits, can't detect process injection, it doesn't scan within archives and can only handle a limited number of compressed executable schemes. Mind you, most other anti-spyware products perform badly in these areas as well.
Where ST does shine is active protection against hostile web sites. Here it is the HIPS that is carrying the main load but the result is impressive. ST protected my PC against infection at my three standard hostile sites, easily outperforming most other anti-spyware products with the exception of SpySweeper.
In conclusion, Spyware Terminator is an excellent free spyware scanner with useful auxiliary anti-virus capabilities. Its active protection is well ahead of the other major free anti- spyware products: SpyBot, Ad-Aware, and Ewido Free.
Its detection rates are good, just a notch behind Windows Defender but well ahead of Ad-aware and SpyBot. It does not, however, approach the rates achieved by the top commercial anti-spyware products.
So do I prefer it to Windows Defender? For users of older Windows systems it's a non-question as Windows Defender will not work on these systems. Windows 2000 and XP users do, however, have a choice. I'd have to say at a technical level I think Spyware Terminator's HIPS gives it the edge however this is offset in my mind by lingering concerns over how a high-support product like this can remain viable as a free product. Freeware, Windows 98 and later, 2.3MB
[1]
http://www.spywareterminator.com[2]
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm#spyterm_note