While the major security vendors have integrated anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall protection into one package, Spyware Doctor 4 is a standalone anti-spyware product. This is unusual considering that it also develops its own anti-virus, anti-spam and privacy software.

Spyware Doctor 4 has a clear control console from which to launch system scans and configure real-time protection.

You can customise the method and depth of scanning, but novices are shielded from the intricacies of identifying, quarantining and removing spyware through use of preconfigured settings.

Onguard, a background scanning technology prevents spyware from ever infecting your computer in the first place.

The software helps to counter internet browsing troubles: malicious ActiveX objects, homepage hijacking, tracking cookies and pop-up blocking. However most of these hassles can comfortably be avoided simply by switching browsers from Internet Explorer to Firefox.

One annoying feature of this software is its tendency to flag relatively innocuous items, such as advertising cookies, as spyware. Whether or not you consider them harmful it’s quite easy to delete them from within your browser without using third-party software.

Despite this, there is a clever categorisation of spyware to alert you to the threat level posed by whatever is found on your computer.

The Smart Update feature allows you to download and incorporate new tools into the console. The tools available at time of review, Malware Detective and Spyware Doctor Network, enhanced the program’s diagnostic capabilities.

Spyware Doctor 4 is a free download but to receive updates and for full spyware removal functionality you’ll need to register and purchase it online and PC Tools provides free anti-spyware support.

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