SpyHunter is an anti-spyware

computer program A computer program is a sequence or set of instructions in a programming language for a computer to Execution (computing), execute. It is one component of software, which also includes software documentation, documentation and other intangibl ...

for the

Microsoft Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...

(

Windows XP Windows XP is a major release of Microsoft's Windows NT operating system. It was released to manufacturing on August 24, 2001, and later to retail on October 25, 2001. It is a direct successor to Windows 2000 for high-end and business users a ...

and later) operating system. It is designed to remove

malware Malware (a portmanteau of ''malicious software'')Tahir, R. (2018)A study on malware and malware detection techniques . ''International Journal of Education and Management Engineering'', ''8''(2), 20. is any software intentionally designed to caus ...

, such as

trojan horse In Greek mythology, the Trojan Horse () was a wooden horse said to have been used by the Greeks during the Trojan War to enter the city of Troy and win the war. The Trojan Horse is not mentioned in Homer, Homer's ''Iliad'', with the poem ending ...

computer worm A computer worm is a standalone malware computer program that replicates itself in order to spread to other computers. It often uses a computer network to spread itself, relying on security failures on the target computer to access it. It will ...

rootkit A rootkit is a collection of computer software, typically malicious, designed to enable access to a computer or an area of its software that is not otherwise allowed (for example, to an unauthorized user) and often masks its existence or the exist ...

s, and other malicious software.

Details

SpyHunter is currently at version 5, and receives daily definition updates. SpyHunter has a free version, which allows the user to scan their computer. Purchase is required to remove found malware. EnigmaSoftware also offers a service on its website called "ESG MalwareTracker", it shows the most infected countries where SpyHunter has detected malware. In the paid version, the user is able to receive support from a built-in HelpDesk. SpyHunter also has a custom fix from the Spyware Helpdesk team.

Critical reception

PC Magazine ''PC Magazine'' (shortened as ''PCMag'') is an American computer magazine published by Ziff Davis. A print edition was published from 1982 to January 2009. Publication of online editions started in late 1994 and continues . Overview ''PC Mag ...

gave SpyHunter a 2 out of 5 star rating in March 2004, saying it was good at spyware detection, but criticized the performance and usability. * PC Magazine gave SpyHunter a "GOOD" rating, 3 out of 5 stars, in March 2016. The reviewer concluded, "Enigma SpyHunter 4 does what it promises, eliminating active malware and killing malware that launches at startup. But competitors deliver much more."

Lawsuits

In February 2016, Enigma Software filed a lawsuit against

Bleeping Computer ''Bleeping Computer'' is a website covering technology news and offering free computer help via its forums that was created by Lawrence Abrams in 2004. It publishes news focusing heavily on cybersecurity, but also covers other topics including c ...

, a computer support website. It alleged that the latter engaged in a smear campaign with the purpose of driving potential customers away from SpyHunter to affiliate competing products. In turn, Bleeping Computer filed a lawsuit against Enigma Software also for an alleged smear campaign. In March 2017, Enigma Software announced in a press release that a settlement had been reached in the lawsuit against Bleeping Computer, and that both cases would be dismissed. In October 2016, Enigma Software filed a lawsuit against popular security software vendor, Malwarebytes, for

anti-competitive behavior Anti-competitive practices are business or government practices that prevent or reduce competition in a market. Antitrust laws ensure businesses do not engage in competitive practices that harm other, usually smaller, businesses or consumers. ...

. The lawsuit arose after Malwarebytes' software began targeting SpyHunter as a

potentially unwanted program A potentially unwanted program (PUP) or potentially unwanted application (PUA) is software that a user may perceive as unwanted or unnecessary. It is used as a subjective tagging criterion by security and parental control products. Such software ma ...

. On November 7, 2017, Enigma's case was dismissed by the US District Court. Engima appealed to the

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (in case citations, 9th Cir.) is the U.S. federal court of appeals that has appellate jurisdiction over the U.S. district courts for the following federal judicial districts: * Distric ...

and the court reversed the lower court's decision. A panel of judges voted 2-1 that "the phrase "otherwise objectionable" does not include software that the provider finds objectionable for anti-competitive reasons." Despite this, Malwarebytes won the case on its merits after the Supreme Court denied their writ of certiorari on the immunity issue.

Controversies

SpyHunter is often labeled an

Potentially Unwanted Program A potentially unwanted program (PUP) or potentially unwanted application (PUA) is software that a user may perceive as unwanted or unnecessary. It is used as a subjective tagging criterion by security and parental control products. Such software ma ...

due to its misleading results of always showing infections, including on clean computers, and injects tracking cookies into a users browser, raising concern whether it is legitimate or not. The company also floods web search results when searching for a specific threat, linking a download to SpyHunter, even if the product is not able to remove it.

References

Spyware removal Proprietary cross-platform software Windows security software Rogue security software

External link

SpyHunter Software Review
{{Archive url, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240103043800/https://threatsfixguide.com/spyhunter-review/, date=2024-01-03