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The best thing about Ad-Aware is that it supports real-time protection in the free version! Just about all the other programs require a paid version for real-time monitoring. Google does just fine protecting your searches.
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When installing the program, make sure to uncheck the two boxes for SecureSearch as that is not really worth it. Ad-AwareĪd-Aware has also been around for a very long time and is one of the best antivirus programs out there. It’s not enabled by default, so you have to manually enable it. It does have a feature called Immunization, which basically is website blocking of known malware sites. They have a Home version for $14 and a Professional version for $26. Also, the free version only has malware and rootkit protection, not virus protection. Again, there is no live protection in the free version. Once complete, you can go back to the main window and perform a system or file scan. Once you run the program, you’ll need to click the update button on the second window to download the latest signatures. When installing Spybot, you’ll be asked whether you want to be protected automatically or whether you want more control and feedback from the program, so pick the option that suits you best. Spybot has been around for a very long time and has a very good track record of finding and removing spyware and malware. However, the real value of the program is in the real-time monitoring and protection available only in the premium version ($25).
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Overall, it’s a great product and can really help you remove any pre-existing malware on your system. The big downside to the free version is that it does not include real-time protection or automated scans, so malware would not be blocked from installing itself onto your system and would only be removed once you ran a manual scan. The free version includes anti-malware, anti-spyware and anti-rootkit protection. One of the best tools for repairing malware infections is Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.
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