difference between programs

my apologies if this has been discussed and i have not found it... i did search back several pages.

can someone differentiate for me between SpywareBlaster and SpywareGuard?

i run Spybot, Ad-aware, MRU-Blaster, SpywareBlaster and just today added SpywareGuard.

i have read numerous forum comments saying how complementary SpywareGuard is to SpywareBlaster.... but it appears to me that both programs do the same thing, only differently. i must be missing something

thanks for any help



mark

[Pieter_Arntz]

Hi mr.mark,

See if this post by Javacool clarifies it for you:
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=8106;start=msg52919#msg52919

With one remark from me, that this was written before the Browser Hijack Protection was built into SpywareGuard, which made BrowserHijackBlaster superfluous for those using SpywareGuard.
In fact, using SG and BHB both could lead to conflicts.

Regards,

Pieter

hey Pieter

yes that post clarifies it for me. it appears that the biggest difference between the two (aside from how they operate) is BHB, which, frankly, i was under the impression SpywareBlaster already did. i must be wrong about that.

thank you for your helpful response

regards



mark

[Pieter_Arntz]

Hi mr.mark,

SpywareBlaster has the System Snapshot (to restore the old settings, if they were ever changed).
That is something else as actively keeping an eye on them, like SpywareGuard does.

Regards,

Pieter

hello Pieter

the SpywareBlaster webpage notes that the program does target browser hijackers... i had to go back and look.

so as far as similarities between the two (SpywareGuard & SpywareBlaster), i'm back to thinking that they each cover a lot of the same ground.

would you agree?

yes, there is System Snapshot in SpywareBlaster, and other useful tools. SpywareBlaster looks to me (and i'm a long, long way from being an expert!) to be the more powerful of the two programs?

and also it appears to have a larger database than SpywareGuard.

again, just digging around trying to see what the differences are...

regards



mark

[Pieter_Arntz]

Hi mr.mark,

It is hard to explain the differences because the programs are so different. Sure, there is overlap in the spyware programs they protect you from.

Only looking at their main tasks:

SB blocks (at this moment 620) known CLSID's from installing/running.

SG uses heuristics besides what is in it's database. It does a quick check of what you try to run and download to see if their is spyware in it. On top of that, it alerts you to changes that are made to your browser home/search pages or when a BHO is added.

Regards,

Pieter

[javacool]

SpywareBlaster can only prevent the installation of ActiveX-based spyware (or disable some of it, if it is installed), and block some cookies (if you have IE 6).

SpywareGuard, on the other hand, is a "resident" solution. Basically, it scans all applications before they are executed, and can prevent spyware (even spyware that is not ActiveX-based) from running. It's Download Protection can block spyware downloads (again, normal exe downloads that are spyware) and its Browser Hijacking Protection can detect when browser settings are changed, in real time, and allow you to undo the changes.

Together, you'll have protection against lots of different types of spyware, using various advanced techniques (SpywareBlaster's non-resident, but still powerful technique, and SpywareGuard's real-time scanning benefits).

In short: yes the programs cover a lot of the same ground. But they employ different techniques, and should spyware be able to get past the one, the other should catch it.

Hopefully this helps?

Best regards,

-Javacool

hey Javacool

yes that helps. it's getting clearer to me all the time. i appreciate you guys taking the time to spell all this out for me.

i can't believe how excellent your programs are, Javacool. i know you hear that a lot, man, but there's no two ways about it.

i'm glad i finally added SG to my layered defense.

In short: yes the programs cover a lot of the same ground. But they employ different techniques, and should spyware be able to get past the one, the other should catch it.

amen!



mark