What is a Max Shield?

Max Shield is the Active Protection Shield that Spyware Detector provides you. These options can also be disabled/enabled by right clicking on the system tray icon of Spyware Detector. Click on the Max Shield button on the main Spyware Detector window to view this option. Various Live Monitoring options are described below:

IE Home Page Protection:
Some spyware program changes your Internet Explorer home page settings. For instance, every time you open Internet Explorer, the home page of some website other than your chosen one will be displayed.

Spyware Detector provides you the Active Home Page Protection. If any spyware tries to hijack your home page the Spyware Detector prompts the message
"xxxxx.xxx is trying to change your current home page!
From: about:blank
To: http://www.spywarequake.com/
Do you want to allow this change?"

If you click on Yes, it will allow home page to be changed. If you click No, it will prevent home page from being changed and thus protect your home page being hijacked. It is recommended that you keep IE Home Page Protection turned ON.

Tracking Cookie Protection:
Spyware programs install spyware cookies or Tracking cookies on your PC without your permission. When you surf websites on the internet, tracking cookies can capture your browser information, your IP address and other such details.

With "Tracking Cookie protection" turned ON, whenever you open any website that attempts to access the third party or tracking cookies, these tracking cookies are deleted immediately. Thus the website(s) cannot access information about your system. This keeps your browsing habits, IP address, searches, preferences etc. private.

Process Monitor
Spyware processes run continuously in your computer's memory, using up CPU and RAM thus slowing down your PC. If this option is checked, Spyware Detector continuously scans your computer's memory looking for any Spyware process and kills any spyware processes as soon as it detects.

It notifies you with a message "Spyware exe killed". Thus leaving them inactive. Live Process Monitoring also ensures that no Spyware get installed on your PC. It terminates any Spyware at the time of installation. If you set Process Monitor to "Off", it may leave your system vulnerable to infection by spyware. It is recommended that you leave Process monitor always ON to keep your PC secure.

Host Files Monitor:
Host Files monitoring option blocks spyware from modifying host file and also those sites which user wants to block. It also allows user to keep (block) or unblock site when host file get modified by any user /non user event.

If this option is checked, Spyware Detector continuously monitors the host file which blocks spyware from modifying host file and it will give notification if notification check is ON.
If you set Host Files Monitor to "Off", it may leave your system vulnerable to re-infection by spyware. It is recommended that you leave Host Files monitor always On.
Note: This option is only for Windows XP Service Pack 2 and later version.

Network Monitor:
Many Spyware establish connection with their remote servers to send information. Network Monitor continuously monitors network activities for suspicious Network connections. If any Suspicious Network connection is found then this connection is closed by the Network Monitor and the process which was establishing this connection is also terminated. User is notified with a message “Suspicious Network connection was established to the <IP address / Host Name>. Spyware Detector has terminated the connection."



This feature is available in Active Monitor as well as in Quick and Full Scan.
Note: This option is only for Windows XP Service Pack 2 and later version.

File Association Monitor
Windows operating system keeps a track of application to file extension association. The spyware programs change these associations to disable default computer applications to run which includes anti-spyware, firewall or any other security software.

Some of the Spyware may change the file association of your important or confidential files so that you may not able to open and use that file and may also cause vulnerabilities to your PC. So,Spyware Detector monitors File Association. If any program try to change File Association of any file then, Spyware Detector prompts to user to allow it or not with "Yes" and "No" button on the message window.

If user selects "Yes" it will be allowed and if selected "No" it will be blocked. Spyware Detector will display message "Spyware File Association removed successfully" if user selected "No" and also if Live monitoring is ON.

Windows Restrictions Monitor
Windows Restrictions Monitor protects your PC from many Window settings related changes made by any program.

Many Spyware would create restrictions such as 1.Disable/Enable Drives, 2.Disable Control panel, 3. Disable Change Password, 4.Disable Search, 5.Disable RUN, 6.Disable ShutDown, 7.Disable Network Access, 8.Disable TaskBar Setting, 9.Disable RegEdit, 10.Disable Task Manager, 11.Disable Context Menu, 12. Disable Desktop icon, 13.Disable Display Properties, 14.Disable Background Tab, 15.Disable Screen Saver Tab 16.Disable Setting and Plus Tab 17.Disable Appearance Tab etc.

Spyware exploit these entries. If some program tries to change these settings then Windows Restrictions monitor prompts the user whether he wants to allow these changes. User can make a decision based on information available. To allow changes click ‘Yes’ otherwise click ‘No’.

IE Restrictions Monitor
Many Spyware manipulate IE Restrictions Registry keys to force users to go their advertised websites, redirect searches, change homepage etc.

Internet Explorer Restrictions Monitor protects your PC from changes in your Internet Explorer settings such as NoFileOpen, NoFileNew, NoBrowserSaveAs, NoBrowserOptions, NoFavorites, NoSelectDownloadDir, NoBrowserContextMenu and more.

If some program tries to change these settings then it asks the user whether he wants to allow these changes. To allow changes click ‘Yes’ otherwise click ‘No’.