Ad-Aware Pro Anniversary Edition Review

I must admit that prior installing Ad-Aware Anniversary Edition (Ad-aware AE), I’m wondering already if the installation will give trouble like the way their older 2008 edition did. I’m happy to see that this is not the case with Ad-Aware AE. I’m impressed with the quick installation process and there is no trouble during and after installation. Similar to Ad-Aware previous editions, there are two methods to install Ad-Aware AE, Custom or SmartSet.

With SmartSet method, you simply allow Ad-Aware AE to install the program using its recommended settings (default installation).

With Custom installation, you’ll have the chance to change the installation of the following:

• Change the destination folder
• Add or remove the program’s shortcut
• To install the driver for Ad-Watch Live!

The custom installation will also allow users to not only proceed and change the installation settings but to cancel the installation. One thing... I’ve seen some anti-virus, anti-malware scanners and firewall software that do not require a reboot after the installation so I’m surprised that a reboot is required before you can start using or configure the settings of the Ad-Aware Anniversary Edition. Ad-Watch Live! of Ad-Aware AE integrates without issue on Windows Security Center as anti-spyware and anti-virus protection:   

Keeping it Up: Lavasoft understands the importance of keeping the program up-to-date and making sure that the latest components and database is on the system. Ad-Aware AE will launch the Update Manager prior rebooting the system but there was no advanced notice that this will occur. The installer is missing that notice but because the goal is to keep it up-to-date before it will start protecting the system, the missing notice on its Update Manager is not a big deal. 

I waited for the program to display the main user interface but it did not happen. The Update Manager loaded again to find any updates and it closed automatically when it’s done with its job. No need to interact with it (not even a need to click OK!). I notice the Ad-Aware AE edition’s icon on the notification area in Windows and I was waiting again for Ad-Aware to prompt me in configuring the program’s settings and options but there’s no need simply because the Lavasoft SmartSet dealt with it already. All I have to do is enter the license key to activate the features of the Pro edition. I must say that I agree with Lavasoft that it is a Good to Go malware protection program. I’m curious though on what SmartSet did, so I navigated around the configuration:

• The program is set to auto-download the software and definitions update and you can change this if you like to do it manually.
• It will prompt the user to submit files to Lavasoft ThreatWork (ThreatWork gives you direct access to submit suspicious files for analysis via an alliance of global anti-spyware security volunteers, protecting personal computers and business networks worldwide. You can also bring up ThreatWork via Toolbox or you can simply right-click a file for submission to ThreatWork – it works like VirusTotal uploader). I’ve seen this in action when I run a scan and it somehow detected a file that is not infected but a false positive or suspicious file. When I let Ad-Aware AE ignore the file, the ThreatWork prompted me if I want to submit for further analysis. This is a good function in a scanner for you will allow Lavasoft experts to analyze the file and if they found it as good file; they will release updated definitions to correct the misdetection.
• Ad-Aware file scanners for Rootkits, Spyware Heuristics (this is behavior-based detection on spyware) and Archives are selected. Not all malware scanners in the market offer behavior-based detection so this feature of Ad-Aware AE is a good score for Lavasoft. Behavior-based (heuristic) protection by scanner like what Ad-Aware AE got will help the system to avoid infection by blocking in real-time the installation spyware, Rootkits and other types of malware that is known to its detection definitions.
• The behavior based detection by its anti-virus engine is enabled. Similar to other malware scanners, the default and recommended settings for Ad-Aware AE’s behavior-based detection is set to “Mild”. Choosing “High or Strict” may cause false positives)
• The System Drive is automatically selected by Ad-Aware AE to be scanned. I have external drive that is plug-in during the installation and it’s great to see that Ad-Aware did not pre-select my external drive. I can add its location or path if I want it to scan for malware.
• The default section to be scanned by Ad-Aware AE are the critical area in Windows, the running applications, the Windows registry, LSPs, ADS, Hosts file, MRU, Browser Hijacks and tracking cookies. There is an option to add another Scanner Profile. Quite useful if you have more than one hard-drive.

The amount of memory that Ad-Aware AE is using is acceptable while it is monitoring or running a scan. It did not slow down the test machine that is running 3GB of RAM: