Even some all-in-one solutions don’t include spyware protection, but Webroot’s Spy Sweeper remains our favorite shield against everything from drive-by site downloads to keyloggers.

 

Backed by one of the most advanced spyware research systems, the Sweeper now explores not only your cookies, files, and Registry but your inbound and outbound e-mail as well. It detects spyware from your music, video, and picture downloads in real time, as well as spyware from anywhere else on the Web. It then fully removes it from your system, without making you scan and reboot.

 

On our tests, Spy Sweeper was quite fast, and we like that it lets you choose between thorough and quick sweeps. Best of all, you can customize the sweeps. You can designate directories and folders, the kinds of spies to detect (cookies, registries, etc.), and even how much CPU usage to devote to background operations. This program lets you make spy hunting a fully personalized process that best fits your needs.