Webroot: Vista’s Defender stops only 16% of spyware

InfoWorld ^ | 25 January 2007 | Paul F. Roberts

[ShadowAce]

[maquiladora]

'Rival Company Claims Competitor's Product Not As Good As Theirs!'

[L98Fiero]

I use XP and haven't had a shred of spyware in over 4 years. I use no tools and no "blockers".

This is a straight-up hit piece.

[ShadowAce]

Also, beware of people offering hacked versions of Vista downloads.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

How do you know your computer isn't infected with spyware?

[TommyDale]

If you aren't using any antispyware, how do you know? Run Windows Defender, then Spybot Search & Destroy, then Ad-Aware and see what you find. It takes all three to find everything.

[L98Fiero]

It's a machine so I have a maintenence routine. I do check the registry from time to time for unusual keys and Task Manager to make sure no tasks are running that I didn't install.

Above all, I don't just click on any old thing.

It has been my belief for a long time that some of the companies who make spyware tools are the #1 purveyors of spyware, malware and adware.

[Golden Eagle]

according to the results of a study by Webroot, a leading antispyware vendor and Microsoft competitor.

This is somehow thread worthy? Looks more like a waste of bandwidth that could otherwise be used for discussing the war in Iraq, which I was attentively reading till I saw this waste of space. If you want to stop spyware turn off 3rd party cookies, you don't need them and that zaps 99+% of it for most users.

[L98Fiero]

"Run Windows Defender, then Spybot Search & Destroy, then Ad-Aware and see what you find."

Hehe. Allow me to elaborate.

I have removed spyware, adware and malware from literally thousands of PCs and notebooks. I have used those tools so many times that I know what to look for without them. I just go look where they would.

[Rush4U]

It may slow down some and pop-ups that come out of nowhere is an indicator of spyware. You should have a firewall and decent anti virus to scan your computer on a schedule.

As to the thread topic, I would definitely wait awhile before installing Vista, unless you partion off your HD or have an extra computer to use. Microsoft has also extended support for Windows XP Home edition, so there is literally no rush here.

[CedarDave]

As to the thread topic, I would definitely wait awhile before installing Vista, unless you partion off your HD or have an extra computer to use. Microsoft has also extended support for Windows XP Home edition, so there is literally no rush here.

The question I have is, if I buy a new computer after Vista Home is released, can I still install XP on it instead of Vista Bloatware and if so how long do I have before I can no longer buy it?

[TommyDale]

Gotcha. I just wonder how you manage to go anywhere on the internet without getting something somewhere sometime.

[Rush4U]

Generally, Microsoft Operating systems like to boot newest edition first. So, you will want to install Vista on a clean hard drive, or as an upgrade to a new OS. You probably wouldn't want to try to install XP Home or XP Pro over Vista. You're just asking for trouble. You can have two partitions, and have a dual boot, and you can specify which OS you want to boot first but generally, the newer OS will boot first. You can google how to do this, but I would recommend sticking with XP Home or pro for awhile.

[CedarDave]

If I buy a new computer, as I probably will need to in the next twelve months, I would like it to come with XP. Which means finding a national supplier (Dell, HP, etc.) who will load it, or I will use a local supplier who will install it for me.

My question is will I even be able to buy a legal copy of XP after Vista consumer version comes out? If so, for how long?

[DreamsofPolycarp]

u can ALWAYS get legal software at Ebay. The have gazillions of em around

[zeugma]

The company also noted that Vista was "the most secure version of Windows to date"

Setting the bar fairly low eh? 

[Still Thinking]

I thought Vista WAS spyware.

[Tribune7]

"to make the user’s computing experience a safer one."

Specifically, 16 percent safer.

[dubie]

I thought Vista WAS spyware.

No, Vista is BLOATWARE...