SpywareBlaster
Encyclopedia
SpywareBlaster is a killbit
program for Microsoft Windows
designed to block the installation of ActiveX
malware
.
, adware
, browser hijacker
s, dialer
s and other unwanted programs from the user's computer. SpywareBlaster works by blacklisting the CLSID of known malware programs, effectively preventing them from infecting a protected computer. This approach differs from many other anti-spyware programs, which typically offer the user a possibility to "scan" the memory and hard drive of the computer and remove the unwanted software, after it has been installed.
SpywareBlaster also allows the user to prevent privacy hazards such as tracking cookies. Another feature is the ability to restrict the actions of websites known to distribute adware and spyware.
SpywareBlaster supports several web browser
s, including Internet Explorer
, Netscape
, Mozilla
and Mozilla Firefox
, Mozilla Seamonkey
, and Flock
.
, for personal and educational uses. However, a feature called AutoUpdate is available for a price. The AutoUpdate feature simply checks for and installs any updates for SpywareBlaster. This feature is not included in the freeware due to the required high bandwidth, but users can still update manually without requiring to pay anything.
Killbit
Killbit is a security feature in web browsers based on Microsoft's Trident engine and other ActiveX containers that respect the killbit...
program for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
designed to block the installation of ActiveX
ActiveX
ActiveX is a framework for defining reusable software components in a programming language-independent way. Software applications can then be composed from one or more of these components in order to provide their functionality....
malware
Malware
Malware, short for malicious software, consists of programming that is designed to disrupt or deny operation, gather information that leads to loss of privacy or exploitation, or gain unauthorized access to system resources, or that otherwise exhibits abusive behavior...
.
Features
SpywareBlaster blocks the installation of most ActiveX-based spywareSpyware
Spyware is a type of malware that can be installed on computers, and which collects small pieces of information about users without their knowledge. The presence of spyware is typically hidden from the user, and can be difficult to detect. Typically, spyware is secretly installed on the user's...
, adware
Adware
Adware, or advertising-supported software, is any software package which automatically plays, displays, or downloads advertisements to a computer. These advertisements can be in the form of a pop-up. They may also be in the user interface of the software or on a screen presented to the user during...
, browser hijacker
Browser hijacker
A browser hijacker is a form of malware or spyware that replaces the existing internet browser home page, error page, or search page with its own. These are generally used to force hits to a particular website.- Morwill Search :...
s, dialer
Dialer
A dialer or dialler is an electronic device that is connected to a telephone line to monitor the dialed numbers and alter them to seamlessly provide services that otherwise require lengthy access codes to be dialed...
s and other unwanted programs from the user's computer. SpywareBlaster works by blacklisting the CLSID of known malware programs, effectively preventing them from infecting a protected computer. This approach differs from many other anti-spyware programs, which typically offer the user a possibility to "scan" the memory and hard drive of the computer and remove the unwanted software, after it has been installed.
SpywareBlaster also allows the user to prevent privacy hazards such as tracking cookies. Another feature is the ability to restrict the actions of websites known to distribute adware and spyware.
SpywareBlaster supports several web browser
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
s, including Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer
Windows Internet Explorer is a series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, starting in 1995. It was first released as part of the add-on package Plus! for Windows 95 that year...
, Netscape
Netscape Navigator
Netscape Navigator was a proprietary web browser that was popular in the 1990s. It was the flagship product of the Netscape Communications Corporation and the dominant web browser in terms of usage share, although by 2002 its usage had almost disappeared...
, Mozilla
Mozilla
Mozilla is a term used in a number of ways in relation to the Mozilla.org project and the Mozilla Foundation, their defunct commercial predecessor Netscape Communications Corporation, and their related application software....
and Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox is a free and open source web browser descended from the Mozilla Application Suite and managed by Mozilla Corporation. , Firefox is the second most widely used browser, with approximately 25% of worldwide usage share of web browsers...
, Mozilla Seamonkey
Mozilla SeaMonkey
Mozilla SeaMonkey may refer to:* the Mozilla Application Suite, an Internet suite from The Mozilla Foundation codenamed "Seamonkey" and often referred to simply as "Mozilla"...
, and Flock
Flock (web browser)
Flock was a web browser that specialized in providing social networking and Web 2.0 facilities built into its user interface.Earlier versions of Flock used the Gecko HTML rendering engine by Mozilla....
.
License
SpywareBlaster is currently released as freewareFreeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
, for personal and educational uses. However, a feature called AutoUpdate is available for a price. The AutoUpdate feature simply checks for and installs any updates for SpywareBlaster. This feature is not included in the freeware due to the required high bandwidth, but users can still update manually without requiring to pay anything.