SpyDefense

SpyDefense is program designed to scan and remove spyware agents from the computer. It includes a handy configuration set, such as customizable scan modes, quarantine and scheduled scans.

The interface is user-friendly and offers quick access to the main features. You can select the scan mode between "Smart" (verifies known areas of potential spyware that are researched by the SpyDefense developers), "Advanced" (full system scan) and "Custom".

The latter option allows users to select target drives and/or directories (including removable devices), along with the scan areas between processes (active processes, loaded modules, shut down self-locking processes), registry (e.g. deep scan), files and folders (e.g. deep scan, skip large and non-executable files).

Scan results show the number of critical threats, scanned memory items and files, scan time, plus spyware name, level of threat, and action to take (remove, ignore, quarantine). Unfortunately, the tool does not show the infected file's path or name.

SpyDefense can be set to autorun and start a scan at Windows boot. It can be minimized to the system tray area, so it doesn't interrupt normal user activity. You can ask the program to quarantine files before deletion by default, exit Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer if necessary, attempt to release locked processes, and to unload injected modules.

Multiple scan jobs can be scheduled for any day of the week at specific times and with different scan modes. A real-time guard is provided for preventing spyware from infiltrating into computers.

SpyDefense has a good response time and finishes a scan job pretty fast. No error dialogs were shown in our tests, and the app did not hang or crash. Unfortunately, the application has remained in beta development for a very long time, and it doesn't look like the project will be resurrected anytime soon. Spyware definition updates are unavailable.