a-squared Free vs SuperAntiSpyware Free

I realize using both would be probably be beneficial, but since I already have AVG Internet Security Suite which includes AVG Antispyware, I don't really want to have two on demand scanners besides. The thing is though, that I can't decide between a squared and SuperAntiSpyware. I like the Interface of a squared much better than SAS, and the fact that it seems to initialize and download updates faster than SAS. However, I'm not sure since I already have AVG AS, which is the old Ewido, I really need a squared. Also I know SAS is improving quite a lot these days. Any help deciding would be appreciated.

 

I would also have a tough time deciding between these two.
They both are quality programs and update regularly.
The only advice I can give...are you sure there isn't something else you could uninstall instead?

 

One picks up what the other didn't. Keep them both.

 

I use SAS Pro, and a-squared free as a scanner. However, if AVG suite has AS, then I would go with SAS.

Jerry

 

I guess it wouldn't hurt to keep both. It's just that now that I am almost over the Antispyware, Antivirus obsession that I've had for several months, (LOL) and have AVG ISS 7.5 installed. I just want one program as an on demand scanner, and maybe Cyberhawk, or the final release of the latest Arovax Shield when it becomes available. After that I should finally be satisfied, and can go cold turkey on trying any more PC protection software. (LOL) I will add that so far, a squared seems like the winner, although it does drain my system resources more than SuperAntiSpyware does when scanning. It has also found some things that SA didn't which may be apart of actual programs that it calls traces called Active Spy XP which is an armaccess.dll and Instant Access which is an eselleratecontrol350 dll. They were found in my Windows/System32 folder and although I have googled them to see what thy are, I'm still not sure whether I need them or not, and have quarantined them for now. For this reason though, it makes me want to stick with SAS.

 

From my personal experience, SAS has better cleaning ability. The reason might be sas has several drivers running on the background, even if SAS didn't start. In terms of detection, one catches what the other cann't. But i guess mabybe a2 is a little bit better, because of its larger database. Meanwhile a2 could be integrated into context menu, which i think is a big advantage.

Anyway, i would keep both.

 

I've got them both, and a few others besides.
Are you running short of disk space? Or desktop space? Or is it just the urge to trim-down? I keep a folder just for the installers of old or little used programs, just in case I need them again.Every few months clear out a few. Strong is the urge to hoard within me.

 

No disk space problems, just want to cut down on my protection software. I will most likely keep both for now though, but will appreciate more input from others. Thanks so far to everyone else that has responded, it was good to see what you all had to say.

 

If you get too many shortcuts in your desktop, put them in a folder like "Scanners" and gain a cleaner look. Then you have that folder to scan the disk. Just a sugestion.

 

I have/had the same problem. I would uninstall and install like mad trying every product under the sun. It eventually calmed down.

Anyway, I would use A-Squared. SAS is probably useless when you have AVG ISS. Spyware is not too much of a huge issue that you need a lot of apps against it, so I recommend A2 because it's an antitrojan rather then more of the same - antispyware.

 

Hi, i have tryed both products and i had a few problems with superantispyware like at the end of the first scan of the newer version with faster scanning it locked up. i did try that version as soon as it came out of beta so it might of still had some bugs so dont put of using it because of that.
on the other hand i use a squared free and i really like it and definatly wouldn't get rid of it.
lodore

 

I will choose SUPERAntiSpyware over a-squared Free without any doubt!

 

Why? When a-squared engine has at least in Ashampoo AntiSpyWare more than 1060k known threats, it's more than the whole industry has! I know that the number of defs means not the absolute capability, but still a lot known threats. I assume that a-squared 2.1 has the same amount of known threats than Ashampoo AntiSpyWare.

Best regards,
Firefighter!

 

Because SAS detects much more malware than a-squared on the systems that I clean, so...

 

Maybe a stupid question, but how those PC:s were got infected by some ad-/spywares? I am using AVIRA AntiVir PE 7 Classic antivirus together with COMODO Free Firewall and Firefox 2.0. The av-vendor of mine has noted that AntiVir Classic version doesn't detect ad-/spywares. Still when I have scanned my system full with CounterSpy, AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5 and some times with TrendMicro AntiSpyware too, my system has always been clean. Despite of BOCLean 4.22 too, nothing found either. My surfing habits are absolute risky ones. Just lucky?

Best regards,
Firefighter!

 

Almost the systems that I clean only have a simple AV. Normally is Norton (very popular here...)
Now you just have to imagine users that doesn't perceive nothing about antivirus, spyware, firewalls, how protect their systems against malware, etc., and go to every possible sites on web...
Some doesn't have the last signatures updates or configure them automatically...

After they see that their systems are completely messed, some wants to "know" the good practices to prevent and be protected, others initially demonstrate some interest but after few weeks...

This way, we can easily imagine why more than 90% of computers in the world are infected my malware...

 

Both products are free, why not use them both.

dja2k

 

Why? For example, I don't feel the need to use all the available free anti-malware programs.

 

Ora viva, então tudo bem?

(Sorry i couldnt resist to talk in my mother language i just questioned if is all ok)

 

Está tudo bem E contigo?

(Lets talk by PM...)

 

Good point! But they are both free, it doesn't hurt to have them both installed. They both have a different main target in malware. A-squared for torjans and Superantispyware for adware\spyware.

dja2k

 

Finally I've found a test including antiviruses, antitrojans and antispyware programs together dated on 30:th September 2006. There were 3390 nasties including spywares, viruses and trojans. Totally 3015 samples were found. Unfortunately the test is partly in Finnish.

http://koti.mbnet.fi/pattaya1/testitulokset_30092006.htm

Because the tested free Avira AntiVir PE 7 Classic is unable to detect (at least most) ad-/spyware programs and it scored so low in here plus Ewido was able to beat even Norton, I assume that there were a lot of these kind of nasties.

2419 -- Kaspersky
2034 -- Ewido
1934 -- Norton
1926 -- AVG
1888 -- AntiVir

Together with Ewido, AntiVir PE 7 Classic beated Kaspersky alone a bit.

2419+_70= 2489 -- Kaspersky + Ewido
1888+583= 2471 -- Antivir + Ewido
1635+635= 2270 -- Avast + Ewido

a² left SUPERAntiSpyWare in a shadow.

2034 -- Ewido
1486 -- a-squared
1314 -- Ashampoo AntiSpyWare
1206 -- CounterSpy
_927 -- Spy Sweeper
_846 -- Trojan Remover
_833 -- Spyware Doctor
_685 -- SUPERAntiSpyware
_683 -- eTrust PestPatrol Anti-Spyware
_445 -- Ad-Aware
_235 -- Spybot

Best regards,
Firefighter!

Btw, some keywords.

Ohjelmat = programs
näytteet = samples
Heuristinen tunnistus = Detected by heuristic

 

I only said that on my cleans, SAS made a better job than a-squared, but that doesn't mean that this could always happen with the same results...

 

Interesting results. Unfortunately they did not disclose which of these were viruses (SUPERAntiSpyware does not focus on viruses), which definition sets, nor program sets were used. They also didn't disclose how the tests were conducted - meaning, were these files just randomly dumped in a folder, or were they actual live infections. We saw the same thing with Malware-Test(dot)com. Did they get the definition sets for each application on the same day and freeze the infection set? Were the infections live?

I had written a blog entry here regarding testing methodology, addressing these issues here:
http://superantispyware.blogspot.com/2006/09/importance-of-testing-methodology.html

In our labs, we find we clean up many infections A-squared (and others) miss - we also find they detect things we don't detect - that's just the plain and simple reality in the spyware/malware game. We also have found other products have a higher false-positive rate than others - I don't see those results nor tests posted in the test above.

Again, interesting results - one thing to note is that on each set of tests, from different test facilities, different applications come out on "top" and on "bottom" - how could that be if they are all testing against current infections? Shouldn't the same apps appear on top and on bottom?

 

For me, that's only a normal fluctuation. It's more preferable that the winner isn't the same all the time, too boring, isn't it? Even the famous wrestler, Karelin, met the winner after a couple of years.

How you can get ALL the current infections available from all over the world to different tests at the same time, almost impossible?

Best regards,
Firefighter!