Spy detector test results

Hello All! I've been around a while but have not posted much. I've seen a lot of threads lately comparing various spy detectors, mostly Spy Sweeper and SpyCop with a few others here and there. I decided to do a test of my own and have taken screenshots to document my testing.

The setup:
1 clean computer, running fresh install of Windows, nothing else.
28 keylogging and other monitoring type programs
13 adware programs (all I could get a hold of or I'd have more)
Freshly downloaded free version of SpySweeper and SpyCop Trial

First test - keyloggers
Both detection programs claim to detect keyloggers. All 28 spy programs were placed on the test computer, and SpySweeper and SpyCop were let loose. The results:

SpyCop found 26 of 28, though the trial said it skipped some files (kinda useless, really). SpySweeper found 9 of 28. Screenshots in attached picture.

Second test - adware
Computer was ghosted back to the original clean install of Windows to be clean once again, and the 13 adwares were installed. SpyCop says it isn't designed for adware in the startup screen. Let's see....the results:

SpyCop found 8 of 13, SpySweeper found 13 of 13. Perfect score for SpySweeper!! I did notice that SpyCop and SpySweeper's names for the adwares were a little different, but I suppose it depends on where each company got the adware from. Screenshots in attached picture.

Conclusion:
Obviously these programs are not the same, and it appears that SpyCop is best for keyloggers (as they claim) and SpySweeper is best for adware. The results may also depend on the particular sample of spyware programs that are used. I think I'll purchase both to receive the maximum benefit of these products.

Hope this helps someone! Look forward to me posting more in the future; college had taken a lot of my free time before.

 

very very nice review.

my compliments and yes the two together should give you a more secure feeling. but spycop is rather expensive, why not purchasing processguard wich costs the half , less then half, and spysweeper.

this gives you far more security then spycop and spysweeper

Bye

 

Thanks for the comments Infinity. I didn't choose process guard or similar programs because they don't help too much for spy programs which don't show up in the process list (even on XP) such as eBlaster. A process monitoring program would be very useful against trojans and adware I suppose...I'll have to add it to my arsenal of security products.