Question

Antispyware Utility Evaluation at Les Deux Vaches

You are a user support specialist at Les Deux Vaches, an organization that publishes a trade publication for the dairy industry. Several managers have approached you about a problem they need help with. Each of the managers has a laptop computer they use to connect to the company’s intranet and to the Internet. They use their laptops to access email and certain accounting information in the evenings and on weekends. They are concerned about the possibility of accidentally downloading spyware that could be used to obtain proprietary corporate information or slow the speed of their laptop.

Investigate some free antispyware utility programs that are available for download from the web, and make a recommendation to the managers about which program to use. Complete the following tasks:

1. Create an evaluation criteria checklist for an antispyware utility. Develop as complete a list as you can, keeping in mind the problem the managers want you to help them solve. You can also consider any software support issues or other factors you think are relevant.

2. Develop specific evaluation criteria for an antispyware utility.

3. Select two or three freeware utilities you find online (or in Chapter 12). Download and install the utilities on a PC to which you have access.

4. Read the documentation and try the features of each utility you downloaded.

5. Evaluate each of the utilities you downloaded in terms of the criteria you established.

6. Write a short summary report for the managers detailing the antispyware utilities you evaluated and include your recommendation about which utility you would suggest the managers at Les Deux Vaches use.

Answer 1

Criteria for Evaluating Antispyware

1.Security Features -Securing Data from spyware or any malicious software.

2.Effect on Performance-The Application should be resource efficient and should not hinder with other applications.

3.User Interface-The application should have good User Interface

4.Availability of Support-The application should have dedicated support team.

5.Updates-Availability of Security updates for the application.

6.Crossplatform-The Application should support Multiple Operating Systems.

Freeware Utilities

1.Malwarebytes

2.Avast Free Antivirus

3.SUPERAntispyware.

Evaluation of Applications

1.Malwarebytes

Necessary Security Featues available with a dedicated support team.

Support Provided in the form of mails and forums.

There is no FAQ section but their Forums are searchable.

The application is less resource intensive and easy to use.

Supports Windows and Mac

Additional Features include centralized threat reporting and detection of network endpoints.\

2.Avast Free Antivirus

Lots of Security Features and ample of support available.

Support through emails and through Phone.

Provides additional Features other than detecting spyware.

Easy to use and intuitive Interface .with very less effect on System Performance

However Supports only Windows.

3.SUPERAntispyware

Has Basic antispyware features .

There is Good Documentation available .

Its easy to use but with limited set of features.

Summary

Eliminated SUPERAntispyware as it has least amount of features.

Both Malwarebytes and Avast are good and provide ample protection with very good User Interfacel

Avast would be ideal choice for Windows as it is feature rich and does not effect system performance.

Altough Malwarebytes would be the ideal for MAC.