Dr.Web Security Space is a security suite for home computers, combining malware detection with controls over network traffic, applications and access to personal data. Its Windows edition includes continuous file monitoring, manual scans, ransomware protection and restrictions for individual Windows accounts. Separate editions are available for macOS and Linux, with different feature sets. Dr.Web Security Space is licensed software, with a separate trial for one computer that excludes technical support.
How Dr.Web Security Space scans files
SpIDer Guard checks files as they are opened, launched or changed, and examines processes when they start. The separate Dr.Web Scanner lets users examine stored contents immediately or on a schedule, including files inside archives, containers and email attachments.
The scan modes define the scope of that examination. Express checks critical Windows locations, memory and boot sectors, but leaves archives and email files out of that mode. Full covers the computer’s drives, while Custom lets users choose particular files, folders or system objects. Results appear in a table of detected objects, where users can apply the suggested actions together or choose an action for individual threats.
Ransomware
Dr.Web Security Space watches for processes attempting to encrypt user files. Its ransomware settings determine whether a detected encryption attempt is blocked, allowed or presented for a decision. Separate application rules let a user assign a different response to a particular program, rather than changing the response for every application.
Behavior Analysis and Exploit Prevention
Behavior Analysis controls application access to critical system objects, while Exploit Prevention targets malicious activity that uses vulnerabilities in installed applications. These controls work alongside file scanning, examining what software attempts to do as well as the files it contains.
Protected folders
Data Loss Prevention adds access restrictions to selected local folders. Once protection is enabled, their existing contents can be viewed and copied, but modification and removal are restricted. Users can permit trusted applications and add their own application exceptions so that necessary programs retain full access to a protected folder.
This feature requires users to choose and enable protection for the folders they want to safeguard. It applies to local files within the operating system where it is configured; network folders cannot receive this protection.
Web traffic
SpIDer Gate examines incoming web traffic and blocks objects containing threats. It also filters malicious or unreliable website addresses, using cloud checks to help identify dangerous links and phishing pages before users continue to them. The traffic monitor operates beyond a browser’s own downloaded-file list, checking supported network traffic as it passes through the computer.
Email scan
Email is handled by SpIDer Mail, which monitors exchanges between desktop mail clients and mail servers over protocols such as POP3, SMTP and IMAP. It checks for malicious objects before messages are transferred to or from the computer and can apply spam filtering. Dr.Web Security Space also includes a Microsoft Outlook plug-in for checking Outlook mailboxes for threats and unwanted messages.
Application and network firewall rules
The firewall controls incoming and outgoing connections at both the application and network levels. Application access rules decide which programs may communicate, while packet filtering applies network rules to the traffic itself. Event logs record firewall activity, giving users a way to examine connection decisions alongside their configured rule sets.
Device access
Dr.Web Security Space provides controls over application access to connected webcams and microphones. Device blocking extends this approach to classes of hardware and connection buses, including USB. A user can restrict an entire device class or bus, then add individual devices to an allowed list where exceptions are needed. These device restrictions apply across Windows accounts.
An optional BadUSB check addresses USB devices that identify themselves as keyboards. When enabled, it asks for a specified key sequence after a keyboard connection, so the device must receive user confirmation before it is unblocked.
Parental control
Parental Control assigns restrictions to individual Windows users. Its Internet settings can block unwanted website categories or allow only selected sites. Time settings define when computer or Internet access is available on particular days, and file settings restrict access to chosen files and folders on local drives or removable media.
The initial mode imposes no restrictions, so these rules need to be configured for each relevant account. The restricted user also needs a standard Windows account: an administrator can change the protection settings.
