Spybot & Bad URLs

Although anti-virus software such as AVG and Malwarebytes protects computers from viruses and malicious executable files, it is not designed to prevent a user from accidentally downloading the files in the first place. Spybot Search & Destroy, a popular anti-spyware suite, helps reduce this risk by blocking access to known, bad URLS.

Immunization

Spybot's primary layer of protection against bad URLs and malware downloads is its immunization feature. Immunization uses a regularly updated database to block ActiveX ID signatures of known malware, cookies and blacklisted URLS. Immunization is available for both Firefox and Internet Explorer.

SDHelper

SDHelper is a plugin that adds an extra layer of protection for Internet Explorer users. The plugin blocks the download of malicious software and can be set to either inform the user when a download is blocked, or run silently in the background.

Limitations

Spybot's bad URL protection is limited to its database and thus does not provide complete protection from accidentally accessing bad websites or downloading malicious code. While firewall software can help further reduce this risk, users must be aware of the dangers of Web surfing and learn to avoid questionable websites.

References

• Safer Networking: Why are some of my favourite internet sites blocked?
• Spybot Forums: How Spybot-S&D protects against hte installation of Spyware/Malware
• Safer Networking: What is the immunization feature and what are the other permanent protection options?