Category:	Anti-Spyware Protection
Skill Level Required:	Beginner
Minimum System Requirements	Windows 98 SE, 2000, Me or XP 300 Mhz processor 25 MB hard drive space 128 MB RAM Supports Internet Explorer
Available for immediate download? Subscription required?	Yes 1 year included with purchase
Link To Purchase & Download:	Webroot Web Site Try Spy Sweeper Free for 30 Days

We found Webroot's Spy Sweeper after PC Magazine named it Best of the Year 2004 for antispyware. We were having a problem with one of our laptops, something was using system resources and it was very slow. We ran the three anti-spyware progams installed on the laptop without changing anything. We downloaded Spy Sweeper and ran it. AFTER the other three progams had 'cleaned' the laptop Spy Sweeper found over 125 traces of spyware. And that was on a computer well protected behind a firewall and with the latest security package from one of the major software developers. Within a few minutes, that laptop was back to zipping right along. And we were hooked on Spy Sweeper.

Spy Sweeper installs easily, and after a few minutes of configuring, runs itself. You can set options to have it start when Windows starts (recommended - no point in buying protection you don't use), to update itself automatically and you can set a schedule to have the program run automatically. Our computers run the program overnight, every night.

Spy Sweeper protects you several ways. First it detects and removes vicious programs like CoolWebSearch. Spy Sweeper also runs in the background while you work on the computer using Active Shields defend your browser and operating system from attempted spyware installations. Enhanced Internet Explorer shields block changes to your browser settings. Several operating system shields reinforce its ability to catch spyware when it attempts to download, install or run on your computer. Regular updates to the spyware database keep you up-to-date to protect you from the latest threats - required because spyware distributors continously change their programs in an attempt to defeat anti-spyware programs.

Spy Sweeper has a sophisticated quarintine process to isolate any spyware found. When Spy Sweeper completes a scan of your hard drive, it presents you with the list of any spyware encountered. Spy Sweeper gives you a link back to Webroot's site with details about every threat it has identified. You can have Spy Sweeper automatically remove the threats, or you can pick and choose. If you've got kids that like to download 'free' programs, you may need to leave some traces of spyware for those programs to continue working.

Our experience with Webroot's tech support has been positive. We've needed to contact them only a few times, and each time our question was promptly - and correctly answered.

Overall rating: Excellent! Once the program is set up, most users won't have to deal with the program for a year - when you have to renew your subscription for the updates. Spy Sweeper has provided excellent protection for many of our home and small office computer users.