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ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware Review

Product: ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware
Price: $29.95
Company Info: ParetoLogic Inc.
Editor Rating:

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Review of ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware

Desire a spyware removal system offering innovation and multiple levels of control, while still having a user-friendly interface? Then ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware for Windows XP and 2000 edition is for you. ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware offers standard detection and removal of spyware, but brings new expectations to the table with innovation. The ground-breaking Cycle Detection service is in a class of its own, and active protection from spyware and malware provides a safety net for users.

Interface 

The Home section of ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware impresses with a highly graphical interface, well suited for any computer user with Internet surfing experience. Made to mimic the familiarity of web pages, menu items are in bold colors and plain English for easy navigation. Clarity about any term relating to spyware or malware can be found with a simple click on the Community link. Few software protection services also offer educational resources to buyers, and this aspect elevates the usefulness of ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware's interface. 

ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware allows users to select their control over scans at various levels. Beginners may feel more comfortable with automatic scans, and savvy users can hand tailor scans by choosing specific folders for ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware to search. With each suspected instance of spyware or malware, a severity bar displays the potential threat the ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware database predicts for the process or file. The scale begins at yellow for a low threat, passes through orange at a mid-level threat, and darkens to red for processes and files of the highest threat level.

Main Features

In addition to detection and removal of malicious spyware, ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware provides the following features:** Automatic Updates-- ParetoLogic maintains a continually growing database of known spyware and malware, and updates the Anti-Spyware software accordingly.

* Backup and Restore-- A great feature to prevent any permanent loss from accidental removal of safe or desired processes and programs.

* Ignore List-- This grants the user power to designate processes and programs as “safe” to the scanner, despite the information in the database.

* Cycle Detection-- A new and exclusive service in ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware, Cycle Detection spots and stops continuously running loops. Loops are responsible for the pop-up windows that keep appearing despite a user's best efforts to close the window.

* Active Protection-- Users may choose to keep ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware running at all times to keep active support and protection from spyware and malware. 

Performance

ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware strikes a clean balance between appeal for the novice and advanced computer user. Newcomers to spyware detection will enjoy the active safeguards to their personal information and computing speed. Seasoned veterans of spyware removal will enjoy the numerous features and full control given to the user to determine safe software from unsafe malware. The Home section for ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware gives a perfect amount of information without appearing too cluttered or exclusive in language.  

Innovations in control and the Cycle Detection feature enhance the performance of ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware, without overtaxing the system. Prudent use of the Ignore List allows users the ability to control the destiny of individual programs and processes, without fearing the database's override. Cycle Detection is a welcome newcomer to the party, as continually running loops are frequent causes for system failures and crashes.  

Pros and Cons

+ The interface makes it easy for new users to harness the software's power, but gives an abundance of control to customers wanting more.

+ Constant support against new threats is necessary for the rapidly-changing virtual environment. Many spyware programs are developed under the guise of “advertising.” Basic anti-virus software fails to address the threats of malicious adware and spyware.

- Limited operating system availability, ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware is only available for Windows 2000 and XP, with no support for Windows Vista yet. Users running older Windows systems are recommended to use ParetoLogic's XoftSpySE .

Summary

The development of new services such as Cycle Detection and active protection place ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware in the top quarter of anti-spyware programs. Limited system availability is a significant concern. While Linux, Apple, and Windows Vista users are at a disadvantage from this lack of availability, ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware is strong protection software for Windows XP and 2000 users.

Overall, ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware provides a new attitude towards the detection and removal of spyware and malware. The continual loop prevention granted by Cycle Detection is ingenious, and makes a user wonder why this function was never developed before? Rather than removing everything ParetoLogic's database labels as spyware, ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware acts as a tool for a user to remove the dangerous programs. As an added safeguard, users are given the backup and restore functions to prevent accidental removal of desired software.

Interactive web surfing results in downloads of legitimate processes and software everyday. On first glance, many of these downloaded plug-ins or programs appear too similar to an instance of spyware or malware. Giving a user all of the pertinent information about a suspected process, such as potential threat level, while also offering the safe haven of an Ignore List, is truly an avant-garde perspective. This new attitude towards spyware and malware protection sets ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware apart from other software offerings in the same category.

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