Webroot Spy Sweeper 4.5 popular

This rock-solid antispyware tool gets yet another upgrade with new security features and a design overhaul, but all the things we've liked about past versions are still firmly intact. Users who are familiar with Spy Sweeper will notice the interface now looks a bit different. Though it keeps the same logically arranged structure, a new Home section should steer new users to the program's most important functions (such as starting a scan and updating definitions). The other most notable visible enhancement is the addition of a threat bar, which tells you how dangerous a certain program is.

As in the past, the Quarantined section will let you restore any components should certain programs cease to function properly after a system scan. The Options icon provides access to the flexible scheduler, cookie manager, and password-protection module. In addition to its real-time, browser, and ActiveX shields, this version adds a Spy Communication shield. This latter feature will block transfers from sites known to be purveyors of malicious programs. Spy Sweeper now also provides the ability to ferret out pesky root kits. One thing that hasn't changed, though, is the excellent level of protection. It did an admirable job of locating and removing every nasty program we tossed its way, and its real-time protection was equally effective in stopping intruders on the fly. The application does use a fair amount of system memory, but, all things considered, we think it's a more than reasonable trade-off. Unlike some of its competitors, Spy Sweeper isn't free, but this is definitely a piece of software we consider worth the money. Anyone concerned with keeping malicious software off his or her computer is advised to download Spy Sweeper.