

Spybot-S&D is free, so there's no harm giving it a try to see if something has invaded your computer. Even if you don't see the symptoms, your computer may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you haven't intentionally installed, if your browser crashes inexplicably, or if your home page has been "hijacked" (or changed without your knowledge), your computer is most probably infected with spyware. Spyware silently tracks your surfing behaviour to create a marketing profile for you that is transmitted without your knowledge to the compilers and sold to advertising companies. The main issue with Spybot is speed – it's simply not as fast as rival programs like Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, making it a chore to use.Spybot - Search & Destroy detects and removes spyware, a relatively new kind of threat not yet covered by common anti-virus applications. It doesn't yet work with Microsoft Edge, but is particularly handy if you share a PC with someone with a cavalier approach to link-clicking. Spybot – Search & Destroy's immunization tool works by blocking access to websites known to contain malware, as well as slamming the brakes on tracking cookies and nasty plugins. Unfortunately there isn't much information about what each malicious program or file is, so you'll need to do your own research if you're curious. Any threats it identifies will be flagged up for deletion.

Again, expect to wait some time for a full system scan to complete – it's thorough. Once it's done, you can choose to either scan your whole system or just selected files (those in your Downloads folder, for example). This is a nice touch that helps avoid intimidating new users, and you can easily switch between versions once the software is installed.Īfter starting the software for the first time, select the option to update the program's malware signatures, then go and make yourself a coffee and put your feet up for a while – it'll be a while before it's ready to begin scanning. When you install Spybot – Search & Destroy for the first time, you'll be asked whether you'd prefer to let the software take the reins and do as much work as possible automatically, or if you'd rather take manual control and adjust as many settings as possible yourself.
