Featured Freeware: Spyware Terminator

This spyware scanner and removal tool does the job, but enabling some functions may cause slight slowdowns and last I looked, it still had some bugs in Vista.

Spyware Terminator's crisp, clean interface uses simple buttons and tabs to operate and set options. The latest spyware signatures are automatically downloaded, and the real-time protection keeps baby-sitting to a minimum. Real-time protection monitors key spyware types and Windows objects, though slight system slowdowns depend on your machine. Those features and the simple scheduler will make this app appealing to novices.

Advanced users will appreciate Spyware Terminator's flexibility. Setting the sensitivity of various scans is as easy as moving a slider. Experienced users will want to enable the built-in antivirus tool, which extends the power of real-time analysis by comparing program code against a database of known viruses, Trojans, and worms.

From set-it-and-forget-it users to those delving into virus code, all will find Spyware Terminator flexible, simple, and effective, key measures of a good antispyware tool.