Spyware Terminator Redux: HIPS

Discussion in 'other anti-malware software' started by FOXP2, Jul 19, 2014.

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  1. FOXP2

    FOXP2 Guest

    A few weeks ago I was reviewing a few things to keep up to date on stuff I can recommend to several acquaintances who, for various rea$on$, must continue to remain with Windows XP.

    There in google I saw a link to...
    http://www.spywareterminator.com/
    Holy cow! I used that here and there throughout the cyber decades.

    I remember it, for nothing else otherwise, when settings are tweaked up to max as having a strong and chatty HIPS like my all-time-long-time-fav Malware Defender, long since sidelined and lamented.

    The setup file from Spyware Terminator is 1MB, a stub one might assume. At Softpedia (and File Hippo) it's 4.8MB and I went with that.

    Installation went without a hitch on my Win7x64-i7/Z77 tower.

    •I disabled all the anti/auto-stuff and set Real-time to Advanced and HIPS to High•


    Zemana AntiLogger squawked for a code injector, ruled as allowed.

    Moving along, ST alerted for some unique stuff like Haller's Portables, Open Hardware Monitor and, ahem, MBAMSwissArmy.sys. ThunderbirdPortable.exe runs with WinUtilities EXE Protector and I had to get creative with ST's advanced rules to square that away. Took about five minutes.

    I didn't expect the service (st_rsser64.exe) and driver (stflt.sys) to be 64 bit :thumb:, but they are as verified with PE Studio. The list of processes, services and executables running as "Auto Allow" is impressive which could be expected in that the Web site displays Win8 compatibility. However, one might suspect win8.1 may require some additional effort for system files.

    The Main Antispyware Database and the Bloatware Scan tool reported as being in need of updates, so just for grins, I ran the updater. The outbounds hunted for a planetary who's who of servers until about five minutes later the process completed. Tho I've got auto update disabled, I'm going to block SpywareTerminatorUpdater.exe in the firewall. Real-time, HIPS and the service don't need any connectivity.

    For those animated by the critical heavy/light cutting-edge discussion, the app and service total 0.0263672 GB in the all-revealing and omnipotent Task Manager. It will cripple your drive with 0.000041 TB of file bloat.

    Unaware the F-Prot Premium version is extinct (I think), when closing the GUI there's an upgrade popup which can be set to 15 days between "remind me later." As well there are news and tips graphics appearing in the GUI for other Crawler apps, some still available it seems. Nothing naggy outside of the GUI that I've seen. EDIT: there's a nag upon system restart or coming out of sleep or hibernation.

    If one lacks the necessary expertise (which is OK, of course) or is oppressed by interactions with infosec apps (so sad), Spyware Terminator is No 4 U. Otherwise, it is, as it always has been IMHO, one nice solid competent and good old fashioned HIPS.

    My i5/Win7x64 laptop is next. I'm thinking ST is going to take me to Win9.1 sometime in 2016 when I begin lusting for some Intel 6th Gen ware.

    Cheers.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 23, 2014
  2. cheater87

    cheater87 Registered Member

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    I remember earlier versions being better then the newer ones.
     
  3. Brocke

    Brocke Registered Member

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    Yup I remember too. sad to see a product die like it did. Their forum is nothing but spam. I remember back in the 1.X versions the forum was really busy with testers and supports with version 3 its was all lost.
     
  4. jmonge

    jmonge Registered Member

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    it is still working :) at least the hips engine is top notch
     
  5. FOXP2

    FOXP2 Guest

    The HIPS is indeed superb and it's... F-R-E-E.

    The Web site is copyright 2014 and if you open the Terms of Use link at the bottom, scroll down a bit and there is mention of a Spyware Terminator 2015.

    Hmmmmmmmm. Probably not gonna happen, but you never know.
     
  6. FOXP2

    FOXP2 Guest

    That might be said of most all the apps these days. :doubt:
     
  7. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    What is so great about the HIPS? What types of behavior is it monitoring? :)
     
  8. Behold Eck

    Behold Eck Registered Member

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    Better because the v3 ST lacks the antiexecutable of the earlier versions plus or maybe because of this the self protection is lacking in v3 aswell.

    All versions still available at filehippo.I use it on some older xp machines and combined with Sandboxie it still rocks.

    Regards Eck:)
     
  9. Syobon

    Syobon Registered Member

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    I use it back on good old days of XP, when vista was still crap.
     
  10. quanzi_1507

    quanzi_1507 Registered Member

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    Vista is still crap :D
     
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