This article tells you what should really know about spyware and how you can protect your computer with top antivirus software, Windows Defender, and, perhaps Spybot. The solution we propose additionally protects against potentially unwanted programs (PUPs).
This article has originally been conceived as a list of the best software offering protection against Spyware which, by definition, is not a virus. However, most, if not all vendors of antivirus software these days now ship antivirus programs with spyware protection. In turn, there are few standalone high quality spyware protection tools.
We have originally looked at the candidates list below and have merged the information with Bright Hub’s article Top Antivirus Software for Windows 7 . You can optimally protect your Windows 7 computer just by adding capable anti-virus software because Windows 7 ships with integrated Windows Defender, the top antispyware utility from Microsoft.
If you opt for automatic Windows updates, your Windows 7 computer will additionally be scanned trough MSRT (Malicious Software Removal Tool), which after download automatically runs in the background and delete itself if it didn’t find memory resident unwanted programs.
Additional top standalone anti-spyware is found in Spybot - Search & Destroy . Combing your antivirus software with (updated) Windows Defender and installing Spybot results in pretty good protection against Spyware and PUPs, potentially unwanted program, another class of annoying or unwanted programs distinguished from viruses often installed by accepting a seemingly harmless EULA.
Candidates
The following pieces of anti-spyware / anti-malware software have been checked to see if they, or a more recent version, run under Windows 7 according to vendor home page information:
- Ad Aware
- Advanced Spyware Remover
- Advanced System Protector
- AntiVirus + AntiSpyware (Trend Micro)
- AppRanger
- Ashampoo® AntiSpyWare 2
- a-squared Anti-Malware
- avast! Professional Edition
- AVG Internet Security
- Avira AntiVir Premium
- Bazooka Adware and Spyware
- CA Anti-Spyware 2009
- ClamAV
- CounterSpy
- ESET Smart Security
- G Data InternetSecurity
- Internet Security 2009 (Panda)
- K7 TotalSecurity 9.0
- Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009
- Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware
- Mamutu
- McAfee Internet Security
- Norman Antivirus & Antispyware
- Norton Internet Security 2009
- Rising Internet Security 2009
- Spybot - Search & Destroy
- SpyCatcher
- Spyware Begone
- Spyware Doctor
- Spyware Terminator
- SpywareBlaster
- STOPzilla
- SUPERAntiSpyware
- Trojan Killer
- Trojan Remover
- TrustPort PC Security 2009
- Verizon Internet Security Suite
- VirusBuster Internet Security Suite
- Webroot Spy Sweeper
- WinPatrol 2009
- ZONEALARM Internet Security Suite
More Reviews and Windows 7 Security Software
Be sure to check out our articles
-
Top Free Firewalls for Windows 7
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References
- Author’s own experience
