ParetoLogic Anti Spyware review, free download

ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware is a new product of an anti-spyware company well-known for its XoftSpy and XoftSpySE series programs. The latest version of XoftSpySE is a simple, but yet quite effective on-demand scanner with typical set of functions. It does not provide real-time monitoring and misses difficult threats. ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware is similar to the latter program, but it's meant to be better. It implements active protection and allows customizing monitoring settings. It also detects more difficult pests and introduces new convenient user interface.

The program's free version can be downloaded from the official web site www.paretologic.com. Its expiry date is not defined, and its spyware definitions database can be updated anytime. However, parasite removal and malware blocking are paid functions. You have to purchase and register your copy, or it would not remove any malware at all.

Installation is simple and quick. ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware is launched as any other regular program.

Once the application is running, you can start scanning your system. No initial configuration is required. ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware offers three different scan modes – Quick Scan, Full Scan and Custom Scan. Surprisingly, all of them are very fast: Quick Scan requires only a few seconds, while Full and Custom scans usually do not take more than two minutes. Of course, it depends on particular system configuration and amount of information a computer stores.

The spyware remover scans the Windows registry, running processes, files and folders on all local drives. It uses large spyware definitions database updated on a regular basis. Currently, protection against more than 141,000 potential threats is available.

Scan reports are informative and well organized. The program provides the full list of parasite files, registry keys, folders and other objects. It also shows threat level and allows to see more details (parasite descriptions) online.

ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware monitors the system in real time. It uses monitors of two types – Internet and Windows. The first ones prevent browser hijacks, block malicious software installs and protect web browser settings and essential components from being modified. Windows monitors prevent malware from infiltrating into the system and running on Windows startup. Each monitor's protection level can be changed separately. You can turn off any monitor you want without having to disable real-time protection.

The application does not provide any additional tools. It backs up and allows restoring removed objects, supports scheduling and logs suspicious activity.

We have used ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware to scan a badly infected machine. The program did not produce false positives and identified the larger part of pre-installed parasites. It found widely spread spyware, adware and browser hijackers, some trojans and even some backdoor-related objects. Nevertheless, the application didn't detect some minor variants of well-known threats. For instance, it couldn't find typical files of the cmdService adware located in different folders than usually. Another example – identical trojan files with slightly different names. The application didn't identify most of them.

Unfortunately, ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware, much like XoftSpySE, is not very good in detecting and removing sophisticated threats. In our tests the spyware remover missed or couldn't remove pests like Look2Me, Qoologic and even relatively old Surf SideKick. Furthermore, it didn't identify most downloader trojans and some backdoors. Typical spyware remover is not meant to remove these, but highly effective product must. Leaving downloaders intact will keep reinfecting the system over and over again.

Still and all, the program's spyware detection and removal rates are fair. They are approximately equal to those of other average products that never make into Top 10. Using ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware along with a powerful antivirus would protect the system from almost all possible threats.

The application's interface is attractive and convenient.

Program developers feel concern about user knowledge of spyware, so they integrated some educational information into the program letting people to learn more on spyware behavior, parasite types and online safety.

Conclusion

ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware is an average product. It is effective, reliable and easy-to-use. A lot of people look for solutions like this. Of course, if you are not a fan of traditional spyware removal approach, and do like latest anti-malware apps, you won't find ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware good enough. But for most people who use a typical combination of antivirus, anti-spyware and firewall, this program is exactly what they need.

About the author
Ugnius Kiguolis
Ugnius Kiguolis - The mastermind

Ugnius Kiguolis is a professional malware analyst who is also the founder and the owner of 2-Spyware. At the moment, he takes over as Editor-in-chief.

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