SUPERAntiSpyware 10.0.1290

SUPERAntiSpyware is a Windows anti-malware scanner that finds and removes spyware, adware, trojans, worms, rootkits, keyloggers, browser hijackers, ransomware and similar threats. The free edition scans and cleans on demand. The paid Professional X Edition adds real-time blocking, automatic updates, scheduled scans and email reports.

A second scanner beside your antivirus

SUPERAntiSpyware is not meant to be a full antivirus program. Its definitions focus on spyware, adware, crimeware and other malware rather than classic file infectors. It removes many items people call viruses, such as trojans and worms, but it will not clean many true viruses or boot-sector viruses.

Because of that narrower role, SUPERAntiSpyware is built to run alongside an existing security product. Supported companions include Microsoft Defender, Norton, Kaspersky, Bitdefender, ESET and Malwarebytes. It has no web filtering, so it does not block access to websites.

Critical Point, Quick and Complete scans

SUPERAntiSpyware offers three scan depths. A Critical Point Scan is the shortest and checks only the places where malware most often hides. A Quick Scan is more thorough and takes longer, and a Complete Scan is also available. A weekly Complete Scan is the suggested routine, with a Quick Scan whenever the PC shows signs of infection such as pop-ups or a changed home page.

Detection does not rely only on matching known signatures. Multi-dimensional scanning looks at the general characteristics and code patterns of files to catch new variants. Process Interrogation Technology looks for rootkits and kernel drivers that hide from ordinary scanners. Both are included in the free and Professional X editions.

Several scan settings change how a scan behaves:

• Excluded locations: under System Tools and Advanced Scan Settings, you can add folders that every scan will skip.
• Rescue scan: when malware is using so many system resources that a normal scan cannot run, this option tries to take back some of those resources so the scan can finish. It is meant for that case only.
• Tracking cookies: scans find and remove tracking cookies from Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Brave, Pale Moon and Internet Explorer.

How the quarantine holds detections

When a scan finishes, SUPERAntiSpyware first copies each detected item into its quarantine. It then deletes the item from its original location on disk or in the registry. Quarantined items are inert and cannot run. From the quarantine you can permanently delete an item, or restore it to its original path if a legitimate file was flagged by mistake.

You can also report false positives to the vendor. The Submit Malware Samples tool in System Tools sends a file for analysis. Future definitions exclude files found to be harmless.

Real-time protection and First Chance Prevention

In the Professional X Edition, real-time protection checks each file before it runs and stops it from launching if it matches spyware. It also watches important registry locations where malware attaches itself to the browser or to Windows. The program must stay running in the system tray for this protection to work. The free edition has no background blocking, so it only catches threats when you run a scan.

First Chance Prevention covers malware that tries to survive a restart. SUPERAntiSpyware examines common and less common startup locations in the registry at shutdown or logoff. This catches threats that reinstall themselves as Windows closes. It scans these locations again at startup, before the threats can run. A separate alert, which can be switched off, reports when a startup item changes.

Definition updates and scheduled scans

New definitions are published several times a day. In the free edition you update by hand from the tray icon’s Check for Updates command. Professional X can check on its own for program updates at startup. It can also check for program and definition updates every eight hours, or on a schedule you set.

Scheduled scanning is also limited to SUPERAntiSpyware Professional X. A schedule sets the scan type and how often it runs, daily or weekly. The scan can fetch new definitions before it starts. A scheduled scan runs only while the Windows user who created it is logged in and the PC is on or able to wake from sleep. Professional X can also email scan results, which helps when you look after several PCs remotely.

Repairs for damaged Windows settings

Malware often leaves damage behind after it is removed. SUPERAntiSpyware includes repair tools that restore parts of the operating system, the registry and Task Manager, and that fix broken internet connections. Each repair targets one specific problem named in its description and is meant to be run only when the PC has that problem.

Free Edition and Professional X Edition

SUPERAntiSpyware Professional X is sold as a subscription that covers more than one PC.