Spyware Doctor™ 4.0 for Windows - New Version!

Please take time, if 'the 300' were just cookies and minor things, now hundreds of FP's that are trojans is an overkill. There must be a better explaination than just that SD is 'rubbish'. I am not sure a trail version will allow you to submit FP's to PC Tools, they need to be confronted if this is true.

 

Maybe do an online scan at the competitions site...Spysweeper. See if they find anything...

 

Now we need to wait for a new version of Adaware Se & Spybot-search & destroy

 

I don't like to shoot down a product, but i have to agree with this opinion. I've tried SD three times in the last 18 months, each one approx 6 months apart. I keep seeing good things said about it and i find i have that itch to scratch - to see if things have improved. Sadly, each time i used it, it produced at least a dozen FP's and some of them were ridiculous. Like Cyberlink application's being targeted as spyware. After the last time i tried it, about 9 months ago it still did the same. Many FP's.

Regarding heuristics. Yes, they can be prone to producing FP's. But as long as the application specifically states that the detection is a heurustic one then it is at least giving a head start to the user that it may be a FP. If an application isn't telling you that it's a heuristic detection then that is a rocky road they are going down, as many users - especially inexperienced one's will end up 'cleaning' their system of something that they shouldn't have, and worse, breaking something they need.

muf

 

Hi, folks: as per Mongol's suggestion, i did scan w/ spy sweeper online scanner v.5.0.5.1286 with sig. base 144,375. It did detect few cookies, that is all. Spyware Doctor and Spy Sweeper both are leaders in AS field, but the scan results can be this day vs night extreme, let me wonder more deeperly and deeperly, who is telling me the truth nothing but truth. As you know the evidence never lie!

 

Re: Spyware Doctor™ 4.0 for Windows - New Version!

Hi Perman,

You may try SuperAntiSpyware to see if it detect something. SuperAntiSpyware has received good ratings by some users in other threads, but I haven't tried it myself. SuperAntiSpyware has a free version that you may try to run an on-demand scan and see what happens.

 

Perman: Do you mind posting a screen shot of SD scan results? I want to see for myself too.

 

Re: Spyware Doctor™ 4.0 for Windows - New Version!

Seems you got the same habit as me muf.
I've already tried it three times too and each time it's been a disappointment.
Lots of false positives , whereas Spy Sweeper & Ewido didn't find anything.

It's not a bad app, but those FP's are way too much. One or two, I can understand, but not hundreds.
I've also tried SuperAntiSpyware and that one didn't find a thing.

For me, my decision has been made. Spyware Doctor isn't going to be installed anymore. Going to stick to the ones I really trust and like.

 

i use spysweeper. I use the free ewido and also run the online kaspersky scan and it has only found one piece of adware once and now its gone.

 

Hi,Chubb: I did a full scan w/ superantispyware free version. It did detect one threat(3 items in total; one in memory,two in file). These items are among the many threats detected by SD. I have since quarantined them. Soon after reboot, I feel PC runs much faster! However, i am still puzzled by the mighty power of SD, besides, to go thru these many items one by one, it may cost my snoopy time. I may as well unintall SD for now. Thank you for your timely advice.

 

Re: Spyware Doctor™ 4.0 for Windows - New Version!

Good to hear that you have disinfected a threat that cause your PC to run slowly.

Maybe Spyware Doctor still has work to do to reduce the false positives.

 

Hi, Ngwana: thanks for your concern. I have since uninstalled SD, sorry, could not fulfill your wish this time, however, in the next few days or so, if time and disk space permitting, i will create a new snapshot of primany,(using FD-ISR) and inst SD, run a full scan, then delete every one of threats that SD has detected, just to see if there is any impact on the performance of that particular snapshot.

 

I would bet on Spysweeper being correct vs Spyware Doctor. No matter what forums I visit it seems people using or trialing Spyware Doctor have FP concerns...

 

Thanks guys:

My primary concern was to confirm some of the alleged false positives, if for example SD called an 'Adobe' file a Trojan, any user of SD with the afore mentioned 'Adobe' must get the same result as Perman. So far we were told about near 300 Trojans, NONE of which was specified. Trojans have names. For example many Antispyware products (including SD and Spy sweeper) used to falsely identify Perfect Clarity Audio(.pca) as PC Agent Trojan.

Now I am left without knowing whether:
1.SD 'falsely calls' well known software (harmless) as Trojans OR if
2.Perman had deliberately crafted a '300' FP story just to discredit SD on the forum.

I am not interested at all in defending SD, but as 'Security Expert', I know that FP's can be confirmed by others. I have no relation to PC tools or commercial connection.

 

Hi,folks and you,NgWana:I came to this forum to report findings and seek support. Guess what has transpired? A security expert called me "deliberately craft" somethings. Incidently, I am an expert in my own field as well, but never have in my lifetime career called someone to this effect, just bcz that person happened to have a different views. Everyone is entiltled to have his own opinion. If you do not like mine, too bad, life still goes on. I am a firm-believer of superantispyware, if you ever report some doubtable findings of that app, I will not voluntarily come out to defend it, after all, this is not my busineess. I would toss hot potatoes to the app developers, let them have sleepless nights. I came across that you are an active poster on various forums. I do sincerely wish that this is your first time calling somone to this effect. I do wish that this is merely a slip of your tongue.

 

I agree with perman SD did give me three very strange detections and one of them was a known good program file...

 

Sorry Perman:

My intent was not to accuse you of anything. From the early days of spyware/adware detection, software vendors like Lavasoft allowed any user of Ad-Aware to submit 'suspicious' files so that they could verify whether it is real 'spyware/malware' or FP. In time they became better at reducing FP's.

If you got me right, I was going to submit some of the FP's to PC Tools so that they sort them out too. Otherwise no problem with me since you have already uninstalled SD. IF SD is rubbish or rogue we all need to know.

I do not swear by SD or any security product, there is plenty of very good Anti-spyware products available these days which gives everyone choice. Thanks.

 

Hello,
Spyware Doctor is one of the most disappointing softwares on the market. And it borders on rogue. I have had the experience that on the day the free version license expired, several computers, with completely different setups, started showing all of a sudden, terrible - identical - infections.
Since, the situation has not improved. Free version shows super-abundant amount of FPs and it smells fishy.
Mrk

 

It seems a lot of people have FP 'infections', what I am yet to get is a single specific infection, by name and the registry entries it points to. Please will somebody give me a screenshot. You cannot claim to hold evidence against something/someone but not produce it. I cannot allow a reputable forum like this one to trounce any product without evidence. On top of that, only a naive person will accept that FP's are exclusive to a particular product.

 

Hello,
I'm not naive.
And I am not in the mood to provide screenshots.
All this is one giant conspiracy against perfectly excellent company and all the scan results are true infections. That means I gotta go format, because cws has taken over ...
Mrk

P.S. If I give you a screenshot, what will I get in return?

 

Re: Spyware Doctor™ 4.0 for Windows - New Version!

You're in a good mood MrK.
I too don't have any screenshots. I posted one before, but can't find it anymore.

Did however find some back.
- Are this false positives or is Spywaredoctor real good?
- Spyware Doctor support sucks

It's a bit outdated, but like I said, I experienced it over and over again.
Up to you to believe it or not.

 

Thanks Eldar, the discussions in both threads by that time(2004 and SD ver 2) were mature and genuine. The good bit is that a good number of well known security experts were involved. If by today many still feel PC Tools people have not improved the product, that is acceptable. They are free to choose a different product.

If only they could appreciate that some people are using 'paid for' versions of SD and may be interested in some of the FP's so that will be aware, or they can notify PC Tools. The same should go for any product that shows a bug, and FP or an an unexpected conflict with another application. In a forum people share info as well.

I was not actually defending SD, but rather something strange : Perman was concerned about '300' possible FP's or infections, and the initial response is to celebrate the fact that the product used to scan is not liked by many without ensuring that ALL the '300' are really FP's. I would have raised the same issues if it was any other product. Good day.

 

Yes, yes. Late last year, I thought I was going a bit paranoid. It was like they sent out some deliberate hosing of the freeware remove version they no longer offered. Literally like the next update. This is the first time I've seen anyone else mention this.

 

Hello,
This does not happen with any other product, that the problem IS ...
I know that any scan with whichever tool on any of my pcs will always be FP. The most I had was 1-2 for some tools, 0 for others. But SD gave a variety that ranges from 15-90 or so. And not just simple things - CWS and stuff, BHOs etc. Absolutely ridiculous.
Mrk

 

FP? lol..check it out.. 4853 infecties
its the hosts file (mvps) ...