[pyritechips]

I was asked to review this software so I will present my report, with screenshots, verbatim. I hope any of you that have used this product can add to what I written:

With Mike's (Tech Support Guy) approval (and his having asked for a volunteer) I have installed SUPERAntispyware without a glitch. Now that I have it I remember downloading the free version at the beginning of May but don't remember installing or trying it.

I spent about a week to get to know it, its preferences (options) and functionality. The installation executable is 6.2 MB and installed quickly and cleanly. The program folder is 23.2 MB. My system (Vista Home Premium no SP, 1.86 Ghz dual core, 2 GB RAM, 750 GB HDD space divided into 10 partitions over 2 physical drives) runs 1% CPU usage at idle and ~600MB RAM usage. With SAS (SUPERAntispyware) running CPU usage was ~3% CPU and between 640-650 MB RAM. I have SAS starting with Windows and have real-time protection enabled. Running a custom scan took 9.16 seconds. After running Crapcleaner (cleaning 105 MB in 4.1 seconds) I did a second scan, which took 8.06 seconds.

When clicking on the Notifications Area icon the software shows this main menu (space and time prevents me from displaying all possible menu windows):



Clicking “Scan your Computer” gives this submenu. I have selected “Custom Scan” so that I could select only the C: folder, but aside from that it is the same as “Complete Scan”:



After the initial scan I received this log:

SUPERAntiSpyware Scan Log
http://www.superantispyware.com

Generated 07/09/2009 at 00:30 AM

Application Version : 4.26.1006

Core Rules Database Version : 3982
Trace Rules Database Version: 1922

Scan type : Custom Scan
Total Scan Time : 00:02:00

Memory items scanned : 680
Memory threats detected : 0
Registry items scanned : 5083
Registry threats detected : 0
File items scanned : 0
File threats detected : 0

There is a feature called "First Chance Prevention" which:

"First Chance Prevention will scan your computer at start and shutdown to detect and remove spyware before it has a chance to "hook" itself into your system. If checked, First Chance Prevention is enabled and SUPERAntiSpyware will scan your computer at startup and shutdown." [from the help files]

This item is checked but greyed out. I have yet to see an option to "un-grey" it and unselect it, if desired. [Cookiegal replied with: “This is by design in Vista and Windows 7 because this feature works differently in those operating systems so you can't change the setting.” Thank you Karen.]
There is a feature on the main menu called:

“Find out what's running on your computer!” (see the above screenshot of the main menu, bottom left corner in blue.) Clicking the link will bring you to:

http://www.fileresearchcenter.com/wh...ningpreff.html, which leads you to:

Click here to find out what is running on your PC, then:

Click here to install the Mozilla/FireFox Plugin

When I try to install it I get this error message:



I am not sure whether this is an issue with the software, my system, Firefox or the website.

With a reference from Cookiegal (thanks again Karen!) I downloaded an anti-trojan software tester called “Trojan Simulator” from MajorGeeks. At first Avast detected and blocked this simulator (which is good testament to its effectiveness). I had to disable protection to install the simulator. Once installed onto my desktop I immediately received the following alert:



I take this as a positive endorsement of this product, as far as the simulator is concerned.

This is as far as I can test SAS, barring any other tests anybody can suggest. The one function I have not tested is uninstalling SAS. In conclusion I deem this product to be effective, easy on resources and also easy to use. All the menus are simple to follow and self-explanatory. I recommend it to any user, experienced or neophyte.

[paisanol69]

Good review Jim.

easy to follow, and the screenshots were helpful, answered all of the questions that I had about sas. Thanks a bunch, now Im not worried about using it!!!

[hewee]

Your scans are very very fast or the drive your scanning does not have much on it because its on another drive.
But there is also lots of other setting.

I also have the SUPERAntiSpyware Professional that has the lifetime free upgrade and updates. I have mine running all the time and it scans at boot and shutdown.

I keep installing the plug-in in Firefox and it installs like all others and then goes to the add-on Install tab but it is not there and the restart button is grayed out because it has not install to restart. It is not listed in the extensions folder either.

On the "First Chance Prevention" you have the very first box called ""First Chance Prevention" and that and the first two under it are checked.

The two real time scanner above that are also checked.
Now an odd then is if I uncheck the top real time scanner the 2nd real time scanner gets grayed out.
But it only acts that way if I uncheck the "First Chance Prevention"

[hewee]

Now the http://www.fileresearchcenter.com/wh...ningpreff.html page just flashes from
http://www.fileresearchcenter.com/wh...ningpreff.html
to
http://www.fileresearchcenter.com/whatsrunningpff.html

OK I got thing to work because there was noscript that I need to give more rights to for it to scan.
The scan was over once it started in a couple seconds.

I think really what they are doing selling you Super Ad Blocker.
http://www.superadblocker.com/produc...RCHCENTER&rid=

But as you can see...
Recognized UNSAFE Applications and Files
There are no recognized UNSAFE applications running on your computer

So it may of said we can block this or that on what was found but nothing was there.

Now how the ?? do I uninstall this plugin?

A search found.
C:\WINDOWS\system32\SuperAdBlocker.com folder and these two files.
npsabffx.dll
npsabffx.xpt
Got move on boot so got the two files marked to get deleted.
http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewto...600118&start=0

Here is the scan

[Stoner]

Good review, Jim.
That test with Trojan Simulator was interesting.
I've used SAS for several years and have been pleased with it's performance.

[bp936]

thanks for your report, it helps to know what is a good preventative program.

[Linkmaster]

[Blackmirror]

I tried SAS i didn't like the way it made out tracking cookies were a threat

[SASService]

Originally Posted by Blackmirror

I tried SAS i didn't like the way it made out tracking cookies were a threat

Many users are interested in having them detected, and it's still common practice in the industry. Our writeup is pretty clear about their threat potential:
http://www.superantispyware.com/appl...E-96158B1DFF89}

And it's pretty easy to tell SUPERAntiSpyware to trust/allow individual cookies (in the scan results window), or to turn off cookie detection entirely (Preferences > Scanning Control).

[SASService]

Thanks for the writeup!

Originally Posted by pyritechips

There is a feature on the main menu called:

“Find out what's running on your computer!” (see the above screenshot of the main menu, bottom left corner in blue.) Clicking the link will bring you to:

http://www.fileresearchcenter.com/wh...ningpreff.html, which leads you to:

Click here to find out what is running on your PC, then:

Click here to install the Mozilla/FireFox Plugin

When I try to install it I get this error message:



I am not sure whether this is an issue with the software, my system, Firefox or the website.

The "Find out what's running on your computer!" tool in its current form isn't compatible with Firefox 3+. You can use this direct link in Firefox 2 or Internet Explorer:
http://www.fileresearchcenter.com/whatsrunningpre.html

[Blackmirror]

Originally Posted by SASService

And it's pretty easy to tell SUPERAntiSpyware to trust/allow individual cookies (in the scan results window), or to turn off cookie detection entirely (Preferences > Scanning Control).

But how mamy ordinary users know that

No i disagree
Cookies are not a threat and any program that tells you other wise is trying to make out they have found something
Malwarebytes does not

[Blackmirror]

Originally Posted by pyritechips

I was asked to review this software .

I hope you will do the same for Malwarebytes Jim

[SASService]

Originally Posted by Blackmirror

But how mamy ordinary users know that

Any that take the time to look at the program. These aren't hidden options.

Originally Posted by Blackmirror

No i disagree

Fair enough.

Originally Posted by Blackmirror

Cookies are not a threat and any program that tells you other wise is trying to make out they have found something
Malwarebytes does not

They're a very minor privacy concern. I don't think it's unreasonable if Malwarebytes doesn't detect tracking cookies, but we include it because our customers like it, not to make some point about what Malwarebytes does or doesn't do.

[pyritechips]

Originally Posted by SASService

Thanks for the writeup!


The "Find out what's running on your computer!" tool in its current form isn't compatible with Firefox 3+. You can use this direct link in Firefox 2 or Internet Explorer:
http://www.fileresearchcenter.com/whatsrunningpre.html

Thanks for the comment, and to all you others that took the time to reply. I will spend more time in the future exploring the more intricate aspects of this great software!

[daniel_b2380]

VERY well done review, jim
i think you covered ALL the necessary aspects without delving so deep as to lose a lot of people and 'bury' them with to many details - especially those not so computer literate