Ad-Aware

Configure the profile scanning settings.

Scan Profiles

Choose which profile to use/edit from the list. Click “+” to add a new profile. To delete a profile click “x”.

File Scanning

Rootkits: A method of hiding files or processes from normal methods of monitoring. This technique is often used by malware to hide its presence and activities.

Spyware Heuristics: Scans with behavior-based detection. A method of detecting unknown malware using systems of rules and patterns.

Archives: Scans within archives such as .zip and .rar .

Executable files only: Scans only for executable files – files with the extension .exe

Skip files larger than: The scan will skip files that are larger than the specified value. This is most useful for those with large (clean) files such as music or digital imaging files. This will decrease scanning time.

Folders to Scan

Select specific folders on your computer to scan by clicking the “Selected Folders” button.

Sections to Scan

Critical areas: Scans the critical areas of your computer.

Running applications: Refers to applications that are active in memory.

Windows registry: Scans known spyware areas of the registry.

Layered Service Providers (LSP’s): Detects and unloads malicious LSP’s. LSP’s are used by malicious software to detect network activity. The LSP’s must be loaded for Ad-Aware to detect them.

Alternate Data Stream (ADS): Scans files and simultaneously investigates ADS streams for malicious objects.

Host file: Scans your Hosts file. Edits to the Hosts file may occur due to home page hijackers. If you use a Hosts file editor to block content, this option can cause some entries to be detected and presented for removal. To avoid any unwanted changes to your Hosts file, please review the content at the end of a scan and select the entries that you want to ignore in subsequent scans.

Most Recently Used (MRUs): A link to a recently opened file, document or program.

Browser hijacks: Scans browser settings (like start page and search page), favorites, and desktop for malicious URLs.

Tracking cookies: A tracking cookie is any cookie used to track a user’s surfing habits. They are typically used by advertisers wishing to analyze and manage advertising data, but they may be used to profile and track user activity more closely. However, tracking cookies are simply a text file, and a record of visits or activity with a single website or its affiliated sites.

Close browsers when deleting cookies: When this option is selected, any open browser will be automatically closed when deleting cookies.

Anti-Virus

Anti-virus engine: Check this box to use Ad-Aware’s extended anti-virus scanner.

If you choose to scan using behavior-based detection, select the level of Heuristics to be used.

Miscellaneous

Add Ad-Aware to Windows right-click menu: This setting allows you to use the right-click menu to scan a file or folder with Ad-Aware.

Click “Ok” to apply any changes made.

Click “Cancel” to cancel any changes made and to close the settings window.