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CNET Editors' review
This spyware scanner and removal tool does the job, but enabling some functions may cause slight slowdowns.
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.
Publisher's Description
From Crawler:
Spyware Terminator includes Real-Time Protection, HIPS, and antivirus. Effectively remove spyware, adware, trojans, keyloggers, home page hijackers, and malware threats even dangerous threats like Conficker, Mail Skinner or Trojan Vundo. Spyware Terminator is easy-to-use, requires minimal PC resources, and performs ultra fast scans. Protect your computer with powerful real-time protection shield, advanced system scanning and safe quarantine for found spyware. Scan your computer manually or schedule full system sweeps. Perform in-depth scans of your computer's hard drives, memory, process, registry and cookies to seek out and remove all known spyware threats.
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All versions:
3.9 starsout of 1,439 votes
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Current version:
2.3 starsout of 6 votes
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My rating:
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Results 1-6 of 6
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"used to be a great product"
Version: Spyware Terminator 3.0.0.45
Pros
well it still uses the same engine that the previous version used
Cons
they put in a new AV and now the program nags you to buy the paid license, the older version was better
Summary
the previous version before 2012 was better, this version is not freeware, its nagware, I hope they will fix this and just remove the AV all together, their AV should be a separate product anyway
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"This new version is AWFUL..."
Version: Spyware Terminator 3.0.0.45
Pros
Can't find a pro...
Cons
- always a problem upon pc start-up: error opening program...a window pops up to start it, why? it was automatic all the time before.
- it's a smaller program window now.
- constant pop-ups, you can believe that!!!
- a lot less in it than the older versions.
- you now have to pay for what was free before.Summary
If you had it before, it is time to look for something else...you WILL be greatly annoyed over this new version. I have uninstalled it and am now looking for another anti-spyware program that worked like the old spyware terminator did before!!!
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"NOT A FREE PROGRAM"
Version: Spyware Terminator 3.0.0.45
Pros
FOUND THE PROBLEM AD WARE/SPYWARE/TRACKING SOFTWARE
Cons
WON"T REMOVE TILL I PAY A SUBSCRIPTION FEE
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"Seems to be fewer features"
Version: Spyware Terminator 3.0.0.45
Pros
The anti-malware protection seems to be as good or better than previous versions
Cons
As near as I can tell, the anti-virus protection no longer exists unless you upgrade to a paid version.
Summary
Because I liked the all-in-one protection of the previous version of ST, I performed a system restore to back my computer up to that version until I can find a suitable substitute.
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"Way too many pop ups!!"
Version: Spyware Terminator 3.0.0.45
Pros
Its an upgrade with a few extra goodies but the pop ups are too much.
Cons
Pop ups and lots of them. If this is freeware then whats with all the pop ups? Looks more like shareware!!
Summary
Well im uninstalling this new upgrade and going back to the previous version and thank god i copied the older version!! Not for me im afraid as its too intrusive!! The nag screens would drive you mad. Not the way to do it im afriad as im getting rid of this nagging new version. Can't even watch a movie without this nag screen kicking off. Back to the previous version!!
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"Good Program If You Can Stand The Ads !"
Version: Spyware Terminator 3.0.0.45
Pros
'Has a lot going for it: ease of use, auto-updating and scan-scheduling (presumably: I haven't tried these yet.), on my system it was fairly light on system resources, and scan times were about 5 minutes for the quick scan, and 25 minutes for the 1st-time full-scan. Installation was smooth, if not terribly quick, and setup in advanced-mode, with a little searching around, went fairly quickly. Also, it runs in real time, unusual in freeware, but time will tell how well that works.
Cons
Here comes the rub: the program constantly tries to sell you it's paid version: almost half of the home and scan pages are devoted to selling product.(I counted no less than 3 different links on the home page to let you spend your money.) Then there's the tool page with 10 tools, all of which are available on other free programs, but only 2 are free here. Helloooo....Also it tries to get you to download a toolbar and change your search-engine, which is easy to opt out of by unchecking the box.
Summary
Despite the above cons, ST managed to catch adware my other programs missed. Clearly, it's a scaled-down version of a pretty good paid program with a lot of features (that I don't care about) turned off. ('Reminds me of Ad-Aware's protection page with everything disabled but process protection.) Apparently both the paid and free versions use the same engine, but I could be wrong & am still researching it and the real-time protection and how it works. As to the performance hit experienced by some of my fellow reviewers, it's not too bad on my system , only about a 20-25% CPU hit and a 5% RAM increase when run alone, as opposed to more than twice that compared to some other programs I've tried. So with good efficacy, the question is whether one can tolerate the bombardment of ads to upgrade. As I was writing this, it just threw up a screen urging me to upgrade- now THAT"S intrusive. But it IS free, so time will only tell if the trade-offs are worth it.
Results 1-6 of 6
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