- Quick specs
- Price: Free to try $29.95 to buy (Buy it now)
- Operating system: Windows 2000/XP
- Date added: June 13, 2005
- Total Downloads: 11,470,057
- Downloads last week: 2,596
- Product Ranking: #13 in Spyware Removers
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- CNET Community
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A newer version of Webroot Spy Sweeper is available.
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 1373 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff
Publisher's description
From Webroot Software:New Spy Sweeper 5.0 takes another leap ahead of the competition. As the leading anti-spyware product available, it detects and completely removes the nastiest spyware out there like Spy Lantern and Trojan-Downloader-LowZones. Spy Sweeper uses adaptive definition technology for detecting spyware mutations that haven't yet received a defense definition. Spy Sweepers advanced removal engine deletes the toughest spyware programs in just one sweep - even removing mutated or "rootkit" spies. Spy Sweeper is armed with 16 advanced Smart Shields, including a new Keylogger shield to block new spyware installations. New user interface makes Spy Sweeper even easier to use and it's backed by free expert customer support. Free download.
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User reviews of Webroot Spy Sweeper 5.0
- All versions: 3.3 starsout of 1373 votes
- 5 stars
- 4 stars
- 3 stars
- 2 stars
- 1 stars
- Current version: 0 stars Be the first to review this product
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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1 stars
26 out of 35 people found this review helpful
Version: Webroot Spy Sweeper 5.0
"Trend Micro user? DO NOT DOWNLOAD!"
Pros: Seemed to work well until I tried to update.
Cons: Conflicts with Trend Micro's PcCillian 2006. I didn't find this out until I did massive emailing with SpySweeper and Trend micro techs. Now Webroot won't refund my purchase, although it never worked properly for me and I spent quite a while trying to trouble shoot. DO NOT BUY UNTIL YOU ARE SURE YOU CAN GET IT TO WORK WITHOUT CONFLICTS! Other programs that will conflict with Trend Micro....O Lavasoft (Ad-aware)
O Ontrack Fix-It Utilities or Ontrack SystemSuite
O OSSPROXY.EXE or MarketScore
O Xfire
O Norton, McAfee etc.
O Panda
O Mcafee
O Firefox
O System Suite
O Spy Sweeper
O Zone Alarm/Zone Labs
Thought you should know.
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3 stars
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful
Version: Webroot Spy Sweeper 5.0
"Nothing more than OK..."
Pros: I like the feature that asks if you want something to load at startup...
Cons: ... but thats about it. Ad-aware and Spybot, both free, outperform it. In fact Ad-Aware found things that Spy Sweeper didn't. I also noticed how things lagged on my system with it installed on an AMD Athlon X2 CPU w/ 2GB of LL RAM... it was disappointing. Once I removed it, the system came alive! On another note, I use Firefox... Spy Sweeper does nothing for that. I wasted my money on this product. If you use Firefox, the free Spybot is your best bet.
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5 stars
21 out of 28 people found this review helpful
Version: Webroot Spy Sweeper 5.0
"Best there is"
Pros: Thorough scanning
Large footprint database
Lot's of proactive options to keeping your system secure
Cheap in comparison to some other products
Auto-Update
Finds most spyware, catches what Adaware and Microsoft Anti-Spyware misses
Can be password protected
Detailed interface
Cons: It does use a fair ammount of memory (I would recommend 256MB RAM. 128MB seems a bit short for this programme). But haven't noticed any slowness, having a 1.5GB of RAM machine....
Scan doesn't seem quite as fast as the older versions
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1 stars
7 out of 8 people found this review helpful
Version: Webroot Spy Sweeper 5.0
"Deceptive advertising - NOT FREE"
Cons: This purports itself to be a free trial. It is not. Do not bother downloading, installing, and scanning unless you plan to purchase this product, it will be a waste of time. It will refuse to remove found spyware unless you pay right then and there.
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1 stars
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful
Version: Webroot Spy Sweeper 5.0
"bad, bad, bad"
Cons: it slowed my machine down to the point of uselessness, even in standby mode. Task manager showed about 1,500 processes using 200 kb each!! Do yourself a favor and avoid this p.o.s. at all costs!!!
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1 stars
9 out of 11 people found this review helpful
Version: Webroot Spy Sweeper 5.0
"YOU'RE FIRED SPYSWEEPER!"
Pros: Webroot spends big bucks to bribe magazines to give their product highest reviews, and regularly visits review forums like these to post fictious great reviews!
Cons: After running a full system scan, it gave a report that NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. Well I immediately ran the free AD-AWARE program and it found 22 tracking cookies. I then ran a 3rd sweep with SPYWARE DOCTOR 3.2 and it found two trojan horses (Pacimedia), 5 known bad sites, and more tracking cookies!
SPYSWEEPER also adds 30 seconds to my shut down time, as I always get that pesty Windows XP Program Not Responding window, waiting for Spysweeper.exe to finish.
After two years of my primary spyware protector, Spysweeper, YOU ARE FIRED!!!
I am going to hire SPYWARE DOCTOR 3.2 to do the job!
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3 stars
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Version: Webroot Spy Sweeper 5.0
"Not my thing"
Pros: 1. It scans very thorough
2. It has a large database
3. Affordable
4. Keeps system safe
5. Real time protection
6. Interface is attractive
Cons: 1. Trial version is waste of time since it doesn't remove any spyware it just detects them
2. Takes up considerable amout of RAM
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1 stars
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful
Version: Webroot Spy Sweeper 5.0
"ATTN: DOWNLOAD.COM: HOW IS THIS "FREE"???!!!"
Pros: Don't know...didn't try it since Download.com misled me into believing this software was free (see "CONS" below).
Cons: I was ready to download this when I read "FREE spyware removal. 5 Stars and PC Magazine Editors' Choice winner. It's FREE!" IT IS NOT FREE!!! IT COSTS $29.95!!! WHY IS DOWNLOAD.COM MISLEADING PEOPLE???
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1 stars
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Version: Webroot Spy Sweeper 5.0
"version 5.0.5.1286 very iffy"
Pros: Much better UI clearer, easier to read.
Cons: HIGHLY UNSTABLE!!! [7-13-2006] After I downloaded the newest upgrade, Murphy's Law happened! (everything that could could go wrong with my computer, did go wrong) It took 3 attempts to download the latest definitions. Then, once I got that mess cleared up, ver. 5.0.5 reminded me to scan again. So, like a lamb to the slaughter, I did. During the next FIVE incomplete scans, (each one locked up my computer, forcing me to hard start everytime), I couldn't find ANYTHING wrong with my computer. (At least, according to SS 5.0.5) Frustrated, I went back to other computing tasks, but one program I work with a lot (MS Word) kept freezing. I was so mad, I turned off my computer for the day. [7-14-2006] Tried to use my computer this morning, kept on freezing. 4 attempts to get online was denied because SS 5.0.5 wouldn't let my computer work. Switching OFF this bug-ladden software FINALLY solved my problem, and that's how I got to write this crtique of Webroot's product. I thought about going back to a previous (STABLE) version of SS, but I remembered Webroot's nasty little trick; previous versions are outdated and don't work when newer versions are detected. Thanx, Webroot, Spyware Sweeper has become Spyware Magnet....
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2 stars
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Version: Webroot Spy Sweeper 5.0
"Deep Scan OK BUTT long LOng LONG LOMG!!!LONG Wait"
Pros: I do like that this program finds a few extra spyware than other and it does have many active shields and does have a vast display of options these are some of the pro's
Cons: CONS. this program is about the slowest piece of junk i have ever ever seen in my life. If you plan on doing just about any type of spy sweep then sir or mam get comfortable I mean get very comfortable and completely forget about surfing at the same time because the program recomends you not do a thing but let it run to get a propper scan out of the deal my average scans with spy sweeper by webroot last anyware on average from 60-159 mins and i thought mcafee virus scan was slow WOW what a poopy doppy slow program not to mention i had a malware atack that it would not do anything with other than recognise just a very doppy slow program i would not recomend unless you have a scheduled hour or thre to wait for your scans to end webroot see ya wouldnt wanna be ya
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