Entered CNET Catalog: 03/29/2007
SKU: CNETAd-AwareSEProfessional1.06r1
Manufacturer: Lavasoft
Manufacturer description
Ad-Aware SE Professional Edition offers you the highest level of protection from known Data-mining, aggressive advertising, Parasites, Scumware, selected traditional Trojans, Dialers, Malware, Browser hijackers, and tracking components. Lavasoft's new Code Sequence Identification (CSI) technology protects you from both known and unknown variants of these threats; and with the real-time protection of Ad-Watch you can block suspicious processes and browser hijack attempts from affecting your system. Ad-Aware SE Professional Edition also includes the process browser Process-Watch which allows you to browse, scan and analyze processes running on your system. You can easily scan for, and terminate known suspicious processes and their associated modules.CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 03/29/2007
For years, people have sworn by Lavasoft Ad-Aware, both the free (SE Personal) and the paid (SE Professional) versions, for stopping adware and spyware on their PCs. Last year the product placed first among our top 10 antispyware applications reviewed. In this year's tests, however, the paid Ad-Aware SE Professional 1.06R1 fared poorly, neither blocking nor scanning and removing more than three out of the eight files we used. Worse, Ad-Aware failed to remove any of the adware and spyware we used in our testing. That may be because the threat landscape has changed in the last year and the product has not; this is the same version of Ad-Aware we tested last year. Given that Ad-Aware 1.06 ranked first last year, we felt compelled to rank against this year's selection. Lavasoft is in the final stages of testing a new product, Ad-Aware 2007, which will be a completely redesigned antispyware application. We look forward to the release of Ad-Aware 2007 this summer and for its inclusion in next year's roundup.
Setup
Our installation of Ad-Aware SE Professional 1.6r1 was quick and easy. We quickly updated to the latest definition files without a problem.
There's an uninstall icon provided in the All Programs list, should you want to remove Ad-Aware SE Personal 1.06R1. After our uninstall, we found no traces of Ad-Aware on our system. Most of the antispyware apps we tested had clean uninstalls.
Interface
The interface for Ad-Aware has not change in years. Down the left-hand side are buttons for Status, Scan Now, Ad-Watch (Professional version only), Ad-Ons, and Help. The Status windows provides definition file information and stats on items found, ignored, and quarantined. The results window displays items found (with color bar indicating threat level) and additional information accessible via tabs across the top. The tabs include Scan Summary, Critical Objects, Negligible Objects, and Scan Log.
Features
The paid Ad-Aware SE Professional includes Ad Watch, a feature that provides real-time active shielding from new adware and spyware. The free Ad-Aware SE Personal version does not include real-time active shielding, only on-demand scanning.
Our main problem with Ad-Aware SE 1.06R1 is that, deep down, looking at changes within our system registry, Ad-Aware doesn't stop the source, it just blocks the identified adware and spyware from ever running. That may seem satisfactory to some, but each time a suspected adware or spyware attempted to start, we saw a pop-up informing us it had been blocked. This can get tedious. A majority of the threats Ad-Aware found were cookies, and these were removed. But for spyware threats, the files remained in quarantine, unable to launch but not really removed from our system. No other antispyware application we looked at behaved in this way.
Performance
Thus, Ad-Aware ranked dead last in exclusive testing by CNET Labs. Ad-Aware's active shields identified and blocked only three out of eight spyware samples we attempted to install, missing Compare-prices.zip. For scanning and removing existing spyware samples, Ad-Aware caught only three out of eight. As for the removal itself, Ad-Aware left some adware and spyware residue behind in all eight examples, creating the possibility that some of the sample spyware could reinstall itself. Click here for more details on how CNET tests antispyware applications.
Support
Lavasoft continues to offer paltry support options--both for the free and paid versions. E-mail technical support is not available for the free version, of course, but the online support area on Lavasoft's Web site is underwhelming to say the least. That said, the program is fairly easy to use, and the integrated help system is complete and should be able to answer most questions.
Conclusion
Lavasoft appears to be in a holding pattern awaiting the newly redesigned Ad-Aware 2007, currently in beta. Our suggestion is to wait for the final release.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4
User Rating: 
8/10
Use this Vrs for Vista
Pros: works on Vista systems
Cons: none to speak of
User Rating: 8/10
A Razor Sharp, Trusty Arrow Among Those in My Quiver
Pros: Finds adware not detected by Norton and Spy Sweeper. Real-time monitoring component, Ad-Watch, is compatible with real-time Norton Internat Security.
Cons: Yucky black package design. Bad CNET review.
As Ad Aware just eliminated 24 tracking cookies from my system with the full scan I just did-- cookies that went undetected by Norton and Spy Sweeper (something that Ad Aware has done for me time and time again over the years)-- I must challenge the CNET reviewers' dissing of Ad Aware 1.06r1 (I use the "SE Plus" edition of Ad Aware, rather than the "Professional" edition, but surely that doesn't account for the difference of opinion).
The real-time protection component of Ad Aware, Ad Watch; as well as the manual launch, or full sweep, component of Ad Adware, are both fully compatible with Norton Internet Security, while Spyware Doctor is not compatible in either modus operandi, and Spy Sweeper is only compatible in the non-real-time, full-scan mode. Thus, I use real-time and full-scan components of Norton Internet Security, Ad Aware, and Primary Response SafeConnect, plus only the manual full-scan functionality of Spy Sweeper.
One thing is certain: one must choose security packages that can peacefully coexist. If any like to pick fights, and war with the others-- well, as they say, "war is hell." The rogue packages must be annihilated from the system.
For this reason, I un-installed and traded in Spyware Doctor for Registry Mechanic, which is also published by PC Tools. As for Windows Defender, I used it for quite a while back in the day when it was late beta, but it never seemed to bring anything to the table except decreased system speed and conflicts with Norton, so I un-installed it.
If I had to live with only two security packages, I'd go with Norton and Ad Aware. But then again, I'd never try to get away with only two; the technical cognoscenti I've talked to recommend at least three.
The one thing of which I do agree with CNET with respect to Ad Aware: it's time for CNET to review Ad Aware 2007!
User Rating: 
9/10
An excellent choice!
Pros: Well developed & security minded
Cons: A must needed program
User Rating: 9/10
Not meant for traditional spyware guys
Pros: Adware removal very quick and precise
Cons: Does not have maximum spyware or virus support
