CounterSpy or Spy Sweeper?

Maybe that have some problem, or isn't necessary...

 

I think it is update #182 from June 2nd, headed toward the 14 day mark. I have 3 days left in my trial and am going hmmmm...

 

I think part of the reason why they do not have updates all the time is due to the amount of testing they perform on those updates *prior* to releasing them.

 

Perhaps the heuristics are so good you only have to update the sigs
once every five years ..

LOL, ROTF LAF QRT etc. etc.

 

Spyware doesn't release every day like virus, worms, trojans, so take it easy...

 

Good luck with your choice. Tested against two pieces of spyware. Scary that you concluded your choice against the detection capabilities of two pieces of spyware. Very scary indeed...

muf

 

My friend, did you read all the post of this topic?
I don't think so...
Please, read the #17 and #23...

 

Ladies and Gents,

If you have Counterspy, check for updates.

I just did, there is an update today in defs. Mine went from 182 to 190.

Cheers,

Jag

 

I checked but nothing
Strange...

 

Really? Your kidding?

Hmmm strange indeed... *Heads over to Castle Cops*

 

Let we see what will be the reply on Castle Cops...

 

Their home page is also listing #190 so there has been an update.. ..yeehah..

 

I already have the #190 update...

 

I did read your posts, and yes you did take other things into account. Still, two malware samples is not much of a test. But tbh there is very little between the programs in terms of detection capabilities. One or the other will suite just fine. Both is as good as it gets

I am sure you will be well protected with CS. IMO, both application's along with Microsoft AS are the top programs currently. They have raised the bar, and it will be for others to try to match them. This can only be good for us users. Long may it continue.

muf

 

I know that just 2 samples isn't sufficient, but to see how the programs reports spyware I had to install 2 program to see it...
With these samples CounterSpy was better, but with others Spy Sweeper could better...
They are very good on this area...

MS AntiSpyware also is very good and I'm waiting for the final version...

 

Glad you got the update my friend.

Regards,

Jag

 

I use both CounterSpy and Spy Sweeper with CS being my active memory monitor...at least for the time being. I do use the ADS shield and cookie shield in SS along with CS's memory protection.

Both CS and SS have some bugs that are being worked out...particularly concerning HOSTS files...and both are indicating that new releases are emminent.

Here is an article about SS that causes me to be fond of SS's agressive proactive approach for protecting us.

http://www.macnewsworld.com/story/40799.html

Since this project was implemented in Jan-05, SS has increased its definitions by more than 48000 traces.

If I had one request for both CS and SS, it would be to issue updates daily like most antivirus programs do. Perhaps one day we will see that. Of course, users with slow dialups tend to get annoyed about frequent updates; however, it would be a nice feature for high speed users.

JMI

 

Thanks for the link siliconman01

SS makes a very good improvements in this year to combat spyware, and along with CC, MSAS, Spybot-S&D, SpywareBlaster, they are the best in this area...

 

CS 1.5 is in Beta testing. Anyone have any idea when it will be out of beta testing?

 

I think that it is until the end of August...

 

Ok Bubba Tell us please. Also 1.5 no longer uses the Giant engine according to PC world .com There is a review of the 1.5 beta here: http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,121411,00.asp Also ZeroSpyware looks interesting in this review which also has SpySweeper.

 

I wonder how you people know that one AS scanner is better than another AS scanner.

Do you compare the fingerprint databases of both scanners one by one in order to know exactly what the differences are between both scanners ?
That must be a huge job. So I don't think that this method is practical or used.

Do you choose a scanner based on the number of fingerprints ?
That could be a method, because a scanner with 100,000 fingerprints will most probably detect more malwares, than a scanner with 10,000 fingerprints.
BUT fingerprint databases don't only have differences in quantity, but also in identity, which means that the smallest scanner still can detect a malware, that wasn't detected by the biggest scanner.

Do you choose a scanner because he was a winner after one or more tests ?
A test bed isn't reliable either, because these test beds contain only a small number of adware/spywares.
The perfect test bed would be collection of all adware/spywares, ever made and that test bed doesn't exist.
So each different test bed has its own accidental winner.
These tests separate the good scanners from the lesser good scanners and that is good for choosing the best scanners, but certainly not the very best.

Do you choose a scanner based on experiences/feelings/guesses ?
When an AS scanner detects an adware/spyware on my computer, I'm glad but that isn't an argument for me to consider that scanner as being better than the rest, because that scanner could fail with another infection.
Nevertheless many users consider the scanner, that once saved their computer, as the best or at least as a keeper.
That kind of evaluation isn't very scientific.
A scanner that detects nothing day after day isn't for me an argument to remove a scanner from my computer. It only means that I was lucky upto now.
Each time a scanner congrats me with being malware-free, I think "And what about the malwares you didn't find ?"

Another problem is that ALL these scanners (AV/AS/AT/AK/...) aren't pure anymore.
AV scanners, like NOD32/KAV, detect not only viruses, but alot of other types of malware.
That's good, but it also makes the answer to "what detects what ?" more difficult.
Security suites (firewall + AV + AS) make it even more complicated.

CounterSpy or Spy Sweeper ? I simply don't know and I will never know for sure.
They aren't freewares, so I will never install them.
My AS set = MSAS + Adware + Spybot + SpywareGuard.

CounterSpy = MSAS + CounterSpy signatures, but MSAS has also updates of new fingerprints.
So I don't see much difference between CounterSpy and MSAS. Tests don't convince me and the rest are personal opinions.

Therefore my vote goes to Spy Sweeper and don't ask me why, because I can't prove I'm right. I'm guessing.
The AS scanner I and most users want, doesn't exist. Any additional AS scanner makes me unhappier.
Do you really think that a hardworking user is happy with all these scanners ?
My sister, a typical user was already angry after installing the third scanner.

Frankly, I'm sick and tired of all these scanners and I have alot of respect for companies that try to find NEW WAYS to fight against malwares, even when it isn't perfect yet.

Besides that, scanners don't have a future IMO, because fingerprints aren't the right method and won't last forever.
These scanners will end up in huge fingerprint databases with an unpractical TOTAL scan time.
At work, we joke about an employee's job in the future already :
4 hours to do their job and 4 hours for scanning malware.

 

Im a paid subscribber of spysweeper. I feel real safe with it. Countrspy has excellent detection finding more than other apps. but I dont like the updater its real shabby. Also counterspy left alot of junk files after trying to uninstall and was very hard to remove almost like gumming up my machine...
I go with spysweeper for now.

 

based on what i've read so far i would say buy both (when counterspy 1.5 is released) - use counterspy for online detection and scans and use spy sweeper for back up scans (real time detection off if conflicts likely) and safe mode.

 

ive tried both programs and even teh CS beta. for me CS is lighter and afaik unlike SS, it doesnt need to modify anything. both programs are great for removing spyware. like toploader said, id put CS as resident and SS for on-demand scans. one thing about CS and MSAS tho is that with over 50 "checkpoints", u get a fair share of alerts compared to SS.