App Review SpyShelter Pro 2024

[Shadowra]

Content source

https://odysee.com/@Shadowra:f/SpyShelter-Pro-2024:7

SpyShelter is a behavior-based security program.
In fact, it's not an antivirus at all, but rather a security add-on.
The software offers several shields, such as threat protection, which enables it to determine whether a program is malicious, protection against unknown malware, anti-keyloggers and others.

This test is totally different: the pack's protocol is 0day only.

WARNING:
For the test, when SpyShelter indicates that the application is safe, I voluntarily authorize it, as a novice would, and then block all other actions.
The same applies if the application is unknown.
On the other hand, I block if it indicates "Threat".



Opinion: SpyShelter can provide a second layer of protection to support your antivirus software.
Unfortunately, I find that the settings are rather flimsy and little information is given, which can be misleading.
There is also a version of the settings where SpyShelter manages everything on its own, but will authorize everything it doesn't know about, a setting I strongly advise against.
Under no circumstances should it be used as the only protection, as it is insufficient.

 

[Bot]

Thanks for your detailed review and testing of SpyShelter Pro 2024. It's clear that it serves as a solid additional layer of protection, but as you've pointed out, it should not be the sole security solution. The issue about lack of information in the settings is a valid concern and hopefully, future updates would address this.

 

[Dave Russo]

Hope it can be justified, but as is ((default?)even as a complimentary program) no thanks...Thanks for the test Shadowra

 

[Shadowra]

Hope it can be justified, but as is ((default?)even as a complimentary program) no thanks...Thanks for the test Shadowra

That's exactly it!
Sure, he's blocked some attacks, but he's letting too many through too...
But with a complement (like Microsoft Defender, Avira or other), the result would have been different.

 

[oldschool]

Hope it can be justified, but as is ((default?)even as a complimentary program) no thanks.

That's exactly it!
Sure, he's blocked some attacks, but he's letting too many through too...
But with a complement (like Microsoft Defender, Avira or other), the result would have been different.

But why would anyone choose SS over all other available companion programs? I stand by my comment on @Shadowra 's profile that this app has no idea what it's trying to be, and it appears to be lightyears away from the original SS.

 

[LennyFox]

Only in HIGH it offers protection

 

[Dave Russo]

Only in HIGH it offers protection

Any explanation why it doesn't protect in its default? (If you're not kidding

 

[Trident]

But why would anyone choose SS over all other available companion programs? I stand by my comment on @Shadowra 's profile that this app has no idea what it's trying to be, and it appears to be lightyears away from the original SS.

No idea how they departed so much from the original concept of SS. They added features which are neither useful, as they don’t do the job correctly, neither useless as they still somewhat work. Looks like poor management attempting to compete with others, not even knowing who they wanna compete with. It has become ridiculous to watch over the years.

 

[Kongo]

Kinda harsh criticism to be honest. SpyShelter has been stagnant for years without any major improvements and now a new version has been released recently. Maybe it's worth giving them some time and check back a bit later. Seems like it has some potential at least.

 

[LennyFox]

Only in HIGH it offers protection

In Normal it only uses its (cloud?) blacklist and blocks the processes you have blocked yourself and quarantained (not more than just a blacklist addition to our AV).
In Moderate mode it also shows a popup for unsigned processes
in High mode it only allows safe processes (using the whitelist it has build monitoring your system) and the processes or signers the user has marked as trusted, for all other processes it will show a popup.

Although documentation is (like the application) in development. The Normal mode also seems to act as a learning mode. When you use High mode, until user logon is completed Spyshelter seems to run in Moderate mode to prevent borking up your system. The information it provides about running processes is sort of similar to an intrusion detection system (like Panda's process monitor). This info is only usefull when the system keeps running (without cloud or internet based console useless against ransomware or other threats borking up your system).

Spyshelter could be very interesting when it would offer an internet based console where an admin or digital educated family friend, could watch (keep an extra eye) over what is running on the PC's of family members or friends. Ironically Spyshelter would then spy on other computers With that extra it would be an ideal companion for MBAM business for example

 

[Zorro]

Yes, the new version differs from the classic one quite significantly. But let's not forget that the development of the old version of the program has actually "stalled". The Polish company actually did not know where to develop the product further, what to do next, so it sold its developments to another company.

Both companies are small, with a small staff, and their resources are clearly not comparable with such giants as Kaspersky or Norton, and the task is difficult - to find a market niche for a program that positions itself as an addition (safety net, second opinion) to antivirus or as protection against particularly complex threats that the main antivirus may miss. And then the average user has a question - why would a giant like Kaspersky or Norton need some kind of safety net? These comprehensive antiviruses are already packed with various protective functions "up to their ears", which is just not there, as they say - "Greece has everything." Moreover, in the most expensive versions of these complex antiviruses, a backup is also offered so that, if the threat is missed, everything can be completely restored without any damage. And for corporate users, these antiviruses offer even more settings and protection. And then where can programs of this kind like Spyshelter find their market niche? How to develop the product? Turn it into a comprehensive antivirus like Kaspersky or Norton, but there are no resources for this. Or develop specific functions, but complex antiviruses have enough of these functions and money for their development from more. Polish developers could not find an answer to this question, to the question of further promotion of their product.

Now the product belongs to another small company, and they have to think about solving this problem, think about developing the program. They have already taken the first steps, are now planning new changes, are constantly present on their forum and ask users to actively offer their ideas. But the problem is that there are few users of the product (there were few of them before, when the program belonged to the Poles).

Let's wait and see how things go, let's not rush things and immediately criticize that "it was better in the past", if it had been better in the past, then the above-mentioned problem of product development would have been solved. We will keep an eye on events.

 

[Zorro]

Any explanation why it doesn't protect in its default? (If you're not kidding

Because by default, it minimally distracts the user from work, minimally gives alerts. In the maximum protection mode, there will be a lot of alerts, the user will need to be distracted every time, and in the end he will just allow everything. Between the eternal dilemma of greater security or greater user comfort, the developers chose the second option by default. In antiviruses, developers also tend towards user comfort, and by default, the settings of any antivirus are always several times softer and weaker than at maximum protection.

 

[cruelsister]

What is occurring with SpyShelter reminds me a great deal of another product, RansomOff. This product was at the time an excellent anti-ransom application but as such pretty much a One-Trick Pony.

The developers (Helig Defense) considered this reliance on a single type of malware to be unacceptable (not commercially viable) and re-coded the application in an attempt to cover ALL types of malware. The result was a product that was essentially an anti-exe with alerted the user to just about everything- and an application that alerts to everything is devoid of any real value. Anyway, after about 6 months the company folded and Helig no longer exists.

With SpyShelter, which was an excellent anti-keylogger, the new developers are treading along the same path to oblivion. The current product in its effort to be an all-around anti-malware application comes with 3 settings- The Low is much too permissive to be useful, the High mode is much too restrictive to be of real value, and the recommended Medium level, while being less restricted still yield a great deal of alerts while simultaneously being prone to allowing malware infection to occur. I personally found SS15 to be a bit poorer in detection that Malwarebytes but with substantially more FP’s.

It is very difficult to create a product that is good enough to separate legitimate mechanisms from malicious ones; some, like WVSX succeed, others, like Ransomoff do not and are eventually consigned to the Dung Heap of failed ideas.

Time will tell if SS makes it to a more Optimal level.

 

[LennyFox]

I also think that an old fashioned anti-exe like operating modes would be better

1. LOW = Blacklist mode which also builds (learns) trusted list of applications which are in the SS whitelist of safe proceses
2. MEDIUM = whitelist mode using SS build in whitelist
3 HIGH = whitelist mode using the local builded Iist of trusted vendors

Each mode can be in interactive or silent mode