You may remember Ad-Aware, one of the first and the most popular anti-spyware software at one time. Over a period of time, there were user reports that it had become bloatware and as a result of it, its popularity decreased over the years. Moreover, antivirus companies started including anti-spyware definitions too, in their security software, thereby marginalizing most good anti-spyware software like Ad-Aware and SpyBot. Later on, Ad-Aware too started offering anti-virus protection along with its anti-spyware protection. The free version of Ad-Ware, however, did not offer real-time protection, and therefore there were not many takers for it.
Ad-Aware Free for Windows PC
But now there seems to be great news! Lavasoft, the makers of Ad-Aware have decided to include real-time protection, network protection, registry protection, download protection and more in their free version of Ad-Aware.
Porting so many of the features of its Ad-Aware Pro to Ad-Ware Free 10, now makes it a direct competitor to many of the other good free anti-virus and security software available on the internet.
Apart from offering you protection from virus and spyware, Ad-ware Free will now offer the following:
- Real-time process protection: Adware Free will now offer active protection and block malicious processes that try to infect your computer.
- Real-time network protection: It will now also monitor outgoing network traffic and block connections to blacklisted IP addresses and known malicious websites.
- Real-time registry protection: It will detect, attempted changes to the Windows registry, a favorite target for many malware distributors, and alert you when a program tries to make changes to it.
- Download Protection: It will now also automatically scans files before they are downloaded and detect malware before it can be launched.
- Optional Toolbar: It offers an optional toolbar for Internet Explorer and Firefox, to scan URLs.
- Game Mode: Ad-Aware was the first free antivirus program to include a game mode. Game Mode will suspend security alerts, system scans, and auto-updates while you work or play without compromising your security.
Is Adaware protect free?
Adaware was free, but it is now no longer free. You may instead take a look at these free Adware Removal Tools for Windows PC.
Is Adaware good antivirus?
Yes, Adware is a pretty good antivirus when it comes to protecting your computer from modern-day malware and virus. Whether you use countless external devices or browse the internet frequently, you can use this antivirus to protect your computer. It is pretty good in terms of features, options, security engine, etc
Sorry, Andy, but according to LavaSoft’s website, Ad-Aware Free does *not* include all these features.
… unless you know something LavaSoft’s team doesn’t seem to know, yet.
According to their comparison chart at lavasoft.com/download_and_buy/product_comparison_chart.php …
The free version includes only “Basic real-time protection”, which is described as “Ad-Watch Live! Basic process protection blocks malicious processes and infected programs that try to start or run on your system.”
The feature that “monitors outgoing network traffic and block connections to blacklisted IP addresses and known malicious websites” is known as “Expert real-time protection” and is available in only the paid Pro & Total Security versions.
That same “Expert real-time protection” feature is the one that includes detection of attempted changes to the Windows registry, so that feature also is *not* in the free version.
The Free version does not include Web surfing protection, nor e-mail scanning, nor anti-spam, nor instant messaging protection.
Nor the Game Mode, that is Pro version only.
I think they have not updated the page. Check this announcement: http://www.lavasoft.com/mylavasoft/company/blog/the-new-features-of-adaware-free-10
Version 10 is not yet available. It is still at version 9.6.
Please post again when version 10 is available.
Thanks for the heads up!
If you see the image, you will be able to see that I have downloaded and installed v 10.0.138.2879.
I just downloaded the application. The version is 9.6 NOT 10.
Strange! I had downloaded it on 8th Feb from their website…Maybe they made some changes since then …
More links:
http://www.lavasoft.com/mylavasoft/company/blog/the-new-features-of-adaware-free-10
http://www.lavasoft.com/products/adaware-beta/index.php