Need advice : AVG Antispyware or CounterSpy ?

Hi all,

I currently use Avira Antivir Classic (so without any spyware/adware protection) and I would like to have an app against them. I'm looking for a program with a real-time protection, low on resources and of course effective !

I restrict my choice to a few programs, namely AVG Antispyware and Counterspy v2.

Which one would you recommend ?


Thanks for your help,
Cheers


P.S : I use Firefox/Thunderbird and XP Pro SP2.

 

Id recommend to ditch both of those and get a lifetime licence for superantispyware pro instead.

 

Hi TVH,

Thanks for your reply but I tried SAS out and it didn't convince me. Moreover, its impact on performance (at least with my PC) was not negligible...
That's why I restricted my "short list" to AVG Antispyware and CounterSpy.

Cheers

 

I'd say Counterspy is better than AVG, but have you tried Counterspy? Many people report slowdowns with it. SAS is better. If it honestly slwos your machine down, get more ram!

 

I doubt you'll have problems with spyware since your using firefox. Id also recommend to try out the new SAS Pro 4 beta - it really is very very good.

 

Hi,

Real time feature of any known AS has a short coming of high resource consumption. Including those two you mentioned and SAS pro.

One of the better approaches is:

To use sandbox/virtualization such as DefenseWall, GesWall etc while surfing, and enlist a free on demand scanner such as SAS free, AVG AS free... as many as you wish.

With these combinations, all evils come down with your surfing will be eliminated by exiting the sandbox application. I would recommend DefenseWall--easy to use, less confusion.

Take care and good luck.

 

I am currently taking CounterSpy V2 out for a trial. This thread is where I will be commenting.

 

Just be aware some "lifetimes" can be very short. Personally I don't recommend anyone ever buy such a licence. Go year to year and keep the vendors on their toes.

 

Hi,

If

Any lifetime license is worth or at par with a two year one, then, IMO. it is a fair deal.

If the lifetime one survives beyond 2 years, then it is real BONUS--a very good deal.

Good luck.

 

Reminds me of the man who upon rubbing the Genie's lamp wished he had enough money to last his entire life. Of course, the Genie granted with the caveat that he had one week to live.

It is always good to have choices in life, just don't delude yourself into believing that your choices are final. Most are not.

 

Try each for a month if possible. I am aware you can get full features from AVG for 30 days. Good luck.

 

Hi Olio,

Why not upgrade to Antivir Premium ? Spy/ad protection is really good

regards,

MaB

 

I would NEVER recommend using a beta - unless you're a paid beta tester.

 

I would also suggest SAS, the latest version uses on my machine around 568k of ram versus the old 30 or so megs. A program cannot be much lighter then this and still do the job SAS does!

 

Problem free for me and I have yet to hear of someone having issues. As I understand it the full release is due very soon.

 

Well, I'm biased

I don't know AVG antispyware.

If you have a clean and stable system, sufficient CPU speed (my computer is about 4 years old and for Counterspy the speed is fine) and a decent amount of RAM (I have 512 MB, RAM is dirt-cheap) I would recommend Counterspy.

Keep in mind, there is a setting for a beginner and one for an advanced user. And you can set your active protection level at Paranoid or Cautious (if you want fewer popups).

Counterspy has a fully-featured 15 days free trial.

 

AVG-AS

 

For a signature based AS that I have used, I think AVG AS is pretty darn good. But when compared to some of the programs mentioned in this thread and ones like a-squared Anti-malware, it seems AVG AS has stalled somewhere along the line as far as advancements. a-squared has heuristics and IDS, and even Spyware Terminator another program have used and liked, is trying to make this "free" program one of the best possible. I'm sure Grisoft is aware of this and version 8.0 of AVG AS and AV should show this. However, for me I rather buy Ashampoo AS 2.0, which is based on a-squared Anti-malware's heuristic and IDS technology, for 9.99. Or maybe take the recent offer I got from Spy Sweeper for a 1 year license at 9.99. This offer came after the recent free version that was posted about here that some of us got, and for me ran all right. Right now I am using the PRC of SuperAntiSpyware 4.0 and it is running very smooth, which while alone may not make it worth the 19.99 price tag, the proclaimed Real Time protection it is said to have might. I don't know. Maybe try Ashampoo's Antispyware for 40 days (that's how long its trial is) and see if you think it's worth 9.99. ( you need to wait for them to send you this offer as they ask 29.99 for it initially.) I may, unless of course Nick gives me a free 1 year license to SAS. LOL. Or changes the beetle icon color. LOL.http://www2.ashampoo.com/webcache/html/1/product_2_0149__.htm

 

I do not believe Ashampoo AS includes the IDS of A-squared.

 

Thank you all for your inputs, I really appreciate

As for SAS, I know this is just a single test, but this one is not very good... I just can't understand why SAS does not include keyloggers in its database. I mean, it claims to be an antispyware program !

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/3299/07022008100029yl3.jpg

Cheers


P.S : MaB69, upgrade to Antivir Premium, why not ? It could be an alternative to AS apps.

 

Top three are paid. AVG As and SAS are free.

 

You're right but as far as I know even SAS Pro doesn't include keyloggers. It doesn't inspire with confidence...

 

http://www.superantispyware.com/

Detect and Remove Spyware, Adware, Malware, Trojans, Dialers, Worms, KeyLoggers, HiJackers, Parasites, Rootkits and many other types of threats.

I recommended SUPERAntiSpyware and/or Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware. I'm running both of those ondemand.

 

Which version are you running? I have 3.9 Free installed and it consumes 39.668Kb on my box.

 

I think that he means 4.0 Pre which is really light.