Running your antispyware as a service?

I just read about some security products being offered to run as a service including an antispyware product that I am considering.

1. What does it mean to "run as a service"?

2. What are the advantages of running your antispyware as a service?

3. What are the disadvantages?

Please explain in as simple of terms as possible.

Thank you in advance!

 

1. Windows 2000 and later have services which are just applications that start when Windows is booted and run in the background.

2. your antispyware might be started earlier but that doesnt help much.

3. none that i can think of, but programs that have a service may also have a separate process for the GUI. meaning another process that uses some memory (but very little).

 

Services start at the early phase, before you login.
Usually what are needed as services are firewalls.
Also antiviruses are in that category, they start as services too.
Also many HIPS programs, like SSM, PG etc.

Most people don't like any antispyware or any other program to start as a start as a service unless it has a resident scanner. Services take a toll on CPU and some are memory hogs.

Automatic starting of programs should be kept minimal in my opinion, starting as programs I mean. It is a constant bother when installing new software to disable them from starting automatically.

 

Can I ask which one you're considering that 'runs as a service.'
It wasn't System was it as in system account.

 

As this is a new feature that is rumored to be in the next release of the product, I don't believe that I should reveal that. I wouldn't want to put something out there that wasn't true.

I did read on-line that both Microsoft and Norton are releasing security products that run as a service. But it is neither of those.