I used Spyware Doctor about a year or so ago and I was really disappointed in it. It was suggested that I try it again because since I last used it, it has improved. Well I download the latest version from...

http://www.pctools.com/spyware-doctor/


and I was again very disappointed in it. It had so many false positives... 21 to be exact. I think this is one program that should be avoided.

I did a scan with it and it's telling me I have Bargain Buddy, ISTbar, MediaMotor, Trojan.Downloader.Pacimedia, VX2.Look2Me, YourSiteBar among many other things. I have Kaspersky AV, Dr. Web AV, Webroot SpySweeper, Adaware, SpyBot Search & Destroy, CWShredder, Bazooka, eTrust PestPatrol, Microsoft AntiSpyware, FSecure Blacklight BETA, HighJackThis and WinPatrol and not one of them finds a shred of anything bad on my computer. Don't you think it's odd that every one of those programs say my computer is 100% completely clean and Spyware Doctor says there's 21 instances of malware on my computer? In my search for others opinions on this program I found this...


"This program BLOWS spysweeper away. It picked up tons of stuff that spysweeper didnt!"

"That's because SpywareDoctor has a reputation for false positives. It doesn't use a very well updated database and actually depends more on heuristics for detection. Using heuristics means that it looks for resemblances to spyware activity and only serves as a guide. Spyware programs that use this method of detection have actually been known to completely ruin a windows registry. I'd recommend that you stick with the better known antispyware utilities."

That 2nd paragraph echos my feelings. In fact, if you ask me, I think this thing should be put on the rogue anti-spyware products list. I had to vent. Thank you.

You're Welcome.

I am glad to see that you have also brought this the Eric Howes' attention at SpywareWarrior. Hopefully others will read of your experiences and factor those into their AS selection decisions.

Your experience certainly highlights the importance of having multiple scanning options available and not blindly accepting the detections of any single application. I have seen several recent examples of serious damage done to systems by very reputable programs with false positive detections so the fewer of those a program has the better.

Note: I do not have any personal experience with this application so can't endorse nor dispute the findings expressed above.

_________________
MS MVP Security 2006-2008

Thanks for the reply Oldfrog!

I agree... without a doubt this shows the importance of having multiple scanning options available and not blindly accepting the detections of ANY single application.

I also realize that a person can't assume that just because other programs didn't find anything that the system is clean, but come on... 12 apps finding nothing vs 1 app finding multiple major threats.... I think I'll trust the 12 apps over that 1 app. My impression is that Eric is sold on SpywareDoctor and I don't think he will change his mind. At the very least my opinion is that it's very nitpicky. Even more so than eTrust PestPatrol which I use and do have some use for, but it's certainly not my favorite app in this area. My belief is SpywareDoctor is nitpicking and flagging things to try and get people to think that it's doing a better job detecting things than some of the other more popular, more reputable programs out there. The more I check into SpyareDoctor the more I see people with experiences like mine. This is why I am surprised that it's a recommended app. Why it's recommended makes me wonder if you know what I mean. I understand that all programs have false positives, but in these numbers? Just my opinion, but it sure acts like a rogue program. It even gives a message "Purchase To Remove Detected Infections From Your Computer" after the scan is complete... that's typical of rogue programs. Then we have some of the companies that produce these rogue apps getting after people to take them off their blacklist and some have been successful in doing that. What they've TRULY done to get them taken off makes a person wonder. Anyways, this is one app I wouldn't recommend to my worst enemy.

ALL anti-spyware programs have their fair share of false positives. It's how the company responds and handles them that is truly important.

It doesn't appear as though you have reported these to PC Tools, but instead have simply made a decision that it is unworthy of future use. Fair enough.....but personally I would hope for and like to see you and others experiencing things like this offer constructive help by bringing it to the vendor's attention (whether it's PC Tools, Sunbelt, Webroot, etc.). I have also encountered FPs with Spyware Doctor, brought them to their (PC Tools) attention, and they have issued fixes which have corrected the problem. For example, one particular "weak" signature in the Spyware Doctor's database was incorrectly flagging 12 items that were actual registry entries....it's just that these entries were entered as protection by SpywareBlaster (which uses a "fake" entry, of sorts, as a substitute or "preventative" for the real thing being installed in the registry). Once it was brought to PC Tools attention in another forum, they released a fix within a day or so.

But as for reviews from credible sites regarding Spyware Doctor.....PC World rates it very highly, and PC Magazine rated it as it's top AS product for '05. Others sites such as SnapFiles, SoftPedia, Download.com, TuCows, etc., and others have rated it 5/5 stars (not individual reviewers like you and I - the editorial staff, testers and company reviewers). And as you mentioned, Eric Howes has also given it a recommendation as one of the more "reputable" products available.

http://spywarewarrior.com/asw-features.htm

So while it isn't a flawless product that will encounter errors and false positives (like all anti-malware products these days do) and I'm personally sorry to hear about your bad experience with this product.....I would recommend bringing this to PC Tools attention. This will serve to help to make the product better in the future for other users, even if you decide not to use it yourself in the future.....

Yes, I agree, all of them do have false positives and I made note of that above. BUT, except for a few rogue apps I installed a couple of years ago I have never experienced a high number of them at one time like I have with SpywareDoctor. Then there's the fact that 13 other apps say the computer is 100% clean and it makes you wonder. I have reported this to PC tools, but I haven't heard back from them. Without a doubt I've decided it is unworthy of future use... at least at this time. I tried it a year or so ago and I had the same experience. I wrote it off then. I was told to try it again because they made improvements to it. Well I found it to be the "same old story" so to speak.

Speaking of registry entires... one of my complaints is that it's false positive on some registry entries. The thing is when you see a continuing trend and other people with the same experiences with a product you tend to say enough is enough, it's garbage.

With these so called "credible" sites there's just too much open for biased/influenced reviews. Think about it. I value and trust real user experiences like ours over some magazine, etc. JRCATES, thank you for the reply. I truly appreciate it.

Hi LBUPA,

I am from PC Tools, maker of Spyware Doctor.

Apologies for any inconviences caused due to the false positive and we take false positives seriously.

Please contact our technical support so we can assist you regarding these false positives at http://www.pctools.com/contact/support/guide/spyware-doctor/

Alternatively, you can run the Malware Detective tool within Spyware Doctor.

Thank you and looking forward to hear from you.

Regards,

PC Tools

I'm fed up with hearing rubbish about Spyware Doctor, I've had it for only a few months and it has just removed lop.com very competently. I believe it does show some false positives but so what.

I should make a point regarding the false positives that I have been so dismissive about - from what I remember nearly everything Spyware Doctor has found so far on my pc is in the temporary internet files directory so I figure it doesnt matter anyway.

Regarding the fact that it finds things in the trial version which you have to pay to remove, that could be described as an aggressive sales method (and has been associated with rogue antispyware). However apart from Spybot S&D all other apps have a feature witheld til you pay up - with Spysweeper you have removal and protection but only for a trial period (then nothing atall) and with AdAware and online scans you can remove but do not have protection. If I remember correctly my trial version of SD had detection and some protection for an unlimited time. If you know what youre doing and have a good firewall you can probably get away without paying for anything.

It ok but some time lock up and need to refit find spyware ok did it say find spyware or a bit of as some say find some but it only part so it not spyware as it will do nill.

Hello,
I have heard about that but can not used yet,
recently I was used 'Adware Alert' of www.adwarealert.com and this is really a bad one, they can not working well, at the time of downloading and scanning they create problem and also affect my system..

Anyway, you also add 'Adware Alert' to rogue list..
Thanks!!