AntiSpy not useful for spyware already installed???

[D]

AntiSpyware not working well at all. I use both
AntiSPyware and Ad-Aware, after several runs, Spyware
picked up by Ad-Aware is not picked up by AntiSpy. In
fact I've yet to have antispy pick up anything, it has
however been useful in preventing some spyware from
infecting my computer. I have both programs set to auto
run and auto update every night, so I'm not sure what the
problem is. Any help would be apreciated/

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP IE/OE]

AntiSpyware not working well at all. I use both
AntiSPyware and Ad-Aware, after several runs, Spyware
picked up by Ad-Aware is not picked up by AntiSpy. In
fact I've yet to have antispy pick up anything, it has
however been useful in preventing some spyware from
infecting my computer. I have both programs set to auto
run and auto update every night, so I'm not sure what the
problem is. Any help would be apreciated/

I find on my machines that if I do not install spyware then MSAS doesn't
find it.

 

[Bill Sanderson]

Microsoft Antispyware does not scan for cookies.

Ad-aware considers cookies (and data-miners, which are also cookies) as
critical objects.

FWIW, Norton/Symantec's new antispyware product also does not scan for
cookies.

 

[Ron Chamberlin]

Frank,
...and I'll bet you're running SP2 also!

Ron Chamberlin
MS-MVP

 

[innocents defender]

The remark at the bottom of this message is the exactly
the stupid response that any qualified technician such as
Frank should NOT make. Remember Frank that there are NO
stupid questions, only stupid answers and remarks and your
response certainly fits into that catergory! Remember that
not everyone knows as much as you do and in future ENGAGE
BRAIN BEFORE OPENING MOUTH! Or do you always open your
mouth before engaging your brain? I thought that people
like you where here to HELP those in need and not to
belittle them but hey it's easy to be smarmy when you
THINK you're wonderful but please remember that without
less knowledgable clients there would be no need
for "clever" techs.

 

[Bill Sanderson]

OK - I see nobody's willing to give the real answer here: Microsoft
Antispyware does not scan for cookies. (Data miner is another name for a
type of cookie.)

This is not the only answer--another is that the antispyware vendors do not
at this time share information, unlike the antivirus vendors. There was an
attempt at an industry forum which failed because of disagreement about who
could be allowed to join--i.e. a spyware company asked......

So--different antispyware products do detect things differently, and may be
quicker off the mark at a given threat. There's a post here about a
commercial product which handles Aurora, for example--I haven't retested
with the last set of defs, but I don't believe Microsoft Antispyware does
this one yet.

So--depending on how strongly you feel about cookies, and how deep your
pockets are, using multiple products may well be a good thing to do. I
haven't removed other antispyware products from my home machines, but I run
the other products less often. I have removed the others from office
machines where I really want to keep the installed set of apps simple and
manageable.