 Webroot Spysweeper, Modem monitor change attempt and resource use |
Welcome Guest ( Log In | Click here to Register a free account now! )
Register a free account to unlock additional features at BleepingComputer.com
Welcome to Bleeping Computer, a free community where people like yourself come together to discuss and learn how to use their computers. Using the site is easy and fun. As a guest, you can browse and view the various discussions in the forums, but can not create a new topic or reply to an existing one unless you are logged in. Other benefits of registering an account are subscribing to topics and forums, creating a blog, and having no ads shown anywhere on the site.| Important Announcement: We have two terrific contests running on the site that I wanted all our members and guests to know about. The first contest is the HP Magic Giveaway, which is underway as of November 28th. More information can be found at this topic, which will be updated very soon with further information. The second contests, is for the chance to win two Seagate FreeAgent external hard drives. More information about this contest can be found here. These are both amazing contests and I suggest everyone submit an entry for them. - BleepingComputer Management |
  |
 Aug 20 2006, 10:22 PM
Post
#1
|
|
 The Bookworm  Group: Moderator Posts: 5,082 Joined: 14-July 06 From: Bloomington, IN Member No.: 76,150  |
Dell Dimenstion 2400 256 RAM Dial-up 56 K modem I downloaded the trial version of SpySweeper to try it out. One, I wanted to see if it might find anything that my other security programs weren't and second, I wanted to compare it with Zone-Alarm's Anti-Spyware. I disabled the real-time protection of Zone-Alarm's Anti-Spyware while trying it out. First, it didn't find anything even with the most comprehensive scan. Second: I noticed that its real protection frequently will be searching or writing on my hard drive, the program doesn't say what it's doing, and consequently I hear sounds from my drive on a fairly frequent basis. Looking in Task Manager, I noticed that virtual/RAM memory was frequently around 356 while this was going on, not a good thing on my system. ZoneAlarm Anti-Virus, e-mail real-time protection, and the firewall, Ad-Watch, Spyware Guard, FireFox, and Thunderbird were the only other applications that were running. Finally, I noticed when I rebooted as part of the installation process and each subsequent restart, SpySweeper was trying to change a registration value with my Intelligent Modem Event Monitor. I blocked each attempt. The monitor alerts me if I have my modem unplugged, if the phone line is busy etc. I NEED this service as my father frequently doesn't get the phone hung up properly and because I sometimes forget that I unplugged the modem, or rather the phone line into the surge protector. If I don't, the surge protector gets fried if there's an electrical storm surge. I went through 3 surge protectors in a month before I started the unplug method. Questions: Why would SpySweeper want to change the alert system for my modem monitor? What is it doing in real-time protection that takes up so many resources and that sounds almost like it's grinding my hard drive? I have subsequently uninstalled the program and deleted everything associated with it. With ZoneAlarm's real-time spyware protection in action, virtual memory/RAM usage is less by at least 100 and sometimes more, and I don't get that grinding sound from my drive. Orange Blossom 
-------------------- Orange Blossom An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure ESET NOD32, AVG Anti-spyware Free, SuperAntiSpyware Pro, SpywareBlaster, Spybot 1.5, WinPatrol Plus, Sunbelt Personal Firewall - Full, Comodo BOClean 4.27, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, NoScript Firefox ext., Norton noscript |
 |
 
|
|
Aug 21 2006, 07:02 PM
Post
#2
|
|
 Bleepin' Mod Group: Moderator Posts: 4,617 Joined: 18-March 06 From: B.C. Canada Member No.: 59,826 |
Some interesting reading on Webroot's SpySweeper.
--------------------  Join Bleeping Computers Folding@home Team and Help find a cure. I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose. ~Woody Allen |
|
|
|
|
Aug 21 2006, 10:22 PM
Post
#3
|
|
|
The Bookworm Group: Moderator Posts: 5,082 Joined: 14-July 06 From: Bloomington, IN Member No.: 76,150 |
Most interesting TMacK. In my case, I have Java disabled in the browser, and FireFox, at least, doesn't have that BHO.
I just wonder what it wanted to do with my Modem Event Monitor? Leave it to me to have odd problems that no one else seems to have.  Orange Blossom
This post has been edited by Orange Blossom: Aug 21 2006, 10:22 PM -------------------- Orange Blossom An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure ESET NOD32, AVG Anti-spyware Free, SuperAntiSpyware Pro, SpywareBlaster, Spybot 1.5, WinPatrol Plus, Sunbelt Personal Firewall - Full, Comodo BOClean 4.27, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, NoScript Firefox ext., Norton noscript |
|
|
|
|
1 User(s) are reading this topic (1 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)
0 Members:
| Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 4th December 2008 - 04:51 PM |
© 2003-2008 All Rights Reserved Bleeping Computer LLC.