SpyWall Anti-Spyware

Although its scanning engine could certainly use some work, this antispyware app has an effective real-time shield and a fine set of features.

It's convenient that SpyWall Anti-Spyware integrates directly into Internet Explorer, but some users might wish for an option to disable the toolbar during the installation process. As a real-time shield, SpyWall Anti-Spyware was almost too reliable at times. Though it prevented almost all malware and Browser Helper Objects from sneaking onto our test PC, it often blocked harmless sites. You may need to spend a bit of time configuring the application to allow certain URLs you frequently visit.

We did find a number of helpful perks underneath the hood, including a scheduler, automatic definitions updates, logging, and a start-up manager. Unfortunately, the spyware scanner was a bit more disappointing, as it left behind a number of adware components we installed for testing purposes. The one-week trial period also is shorter than we ideally like to see. Savvier users might find this utility useful for its real-time protection and other extras, so long as they don't rely on it as their sole antimalware solution.