In 2008, Australian-based PC Tools was acquired by global security giant Symantec. Many thought this would see Symantec's scanning software being ported into PC Tools' products, but the two have actually continued as separate entities. And with many big-name security vendors now relying on third-party scanning technology, it's refreshing to see PC Tools still uses its own software.

As its name suggests, Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2010 offers protection from both traditional virus-based attacks as well as the abundance of malware that's currently circulating the Internet.

Installation was both quick and painless, with the software immediately running a quick scan to check there weren't any major infections. The main interface is well designed with large buttons and provides information relating to the status of the scanning tools.

Novice computer users will delight in being able to let the software take care of most decisions, while more advanced users will find plenty of extra tools and features to play with. Clicking on the Intelli-Guard button displays the ten separate scanning modules contained within the suite, and each one can be deactivated or tweaked to best suit your needs.

We gave Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2010 a test run on a Windows 7 desktop and an XP-based laptop. On both, the full scans took a little longer than we were expecting (around an hour), but the IntelliScans, which concentrate on inspecting running processes and locations that are most susceptible to attack, took under five minutes.

At the end of each scan, the software emits an alarming beep (which thankfully can be turned off) and displays a brief summary of the detected threats. On our test systems, all threats turned out to be cookies and were therefore given a ‘Low' risk rating. Eliminating the little blighters is then just a button press away. For extra security it's possible to create a restore point within the software; if you then think it's removed something it shouldn't have, reversing the changes is quick and easy.

PC Tools has also included an enhanced version of its ThreatFire real-time scanning engine, and in a world where new viruses are released each day this is no bad thing. Thanks to its heuristic scanning, ThreatFire constantly scans for emerging threats by detecting suspicious activity. The advantage here is that even threats that are as yet unknown have a good chance of being picked up. ThreatFire itself is actually available for free as a standalone product; for more information, read our full ThreatFire review.

Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus also comes with some browser-related tools that help steer you away from potentially dangerous websites. In much the same way as AVG's LinkScanner, it places ticks next to search results that it believes are safe. Click on one that is known to be a dangerous site and a warning window will pop up.

Considering the suite's vast range of security tools, its price tag of £39.99 is pretty good. This price also includes one year of free updates along with three separate licences, which allows you to install it on other computers in your home. If you want total protection, PC Tools Internet Security 2010 (£49.99) is also available and has the added bonus of a firewall (something this version lacks).

Verdict
Combining a good scanning engine with decent real-time protection, Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus is a competent security suite for home users. We also like the way novices can simply let it get on with the scanning, while advanced users are able to take advantage of the many configuration options within the settings. It's a shame a firewall isn't included in the price, though.

Company: PC Tools

Tags: pc tools antivirus spyware doctor symantec windows 7 avg (software) windows xp security