Spy Sweeper User Configuration Guide
Following are user configurable options in UCSF’s Spy Sweeper console. Users can force a spyware scan and can modify these options:
- Which folders Spy Sweeper looks in for spyware: all known spyware folders or all folders
- Spy Sweeper’s scan schedule
- Internet Explorer settings
- Host files settings
- Windows Systems protections
To modify any user configurable option or to force a scan, double click on the Spy Sweeper icon in your computer’s system tray. The Spy Sweeper icon looks like this:
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After you have double clicked on the Spy Sweeper system tray icon, you will see the Spy Sweeper main menu screen. It looks similar to this:
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To force a scan of your computer, select Sweep System, under the Sweep Now heading from the Spy Sweeper main menu and click Start.
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To change which folders Spy Sweeper scans, click Configuration under the Settings heading in the Spy Sweeper main menu.
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Click Sweep only known spyware folders if you would like to only scan folders that are known to have spyware.This option provides a faster scan but is not as thorough as Sweep all folders on selected drives. For the most spyware protection possible choose Sweep all folders on selected drives.
To modify the time Spy Sweeper automatically scans your computer, select Schedule under the Options heading. Spy Sweeper will show you the following screen:
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From this screen you can click on which days and times you would like Spy Sweeper to scan your computer. Best practices are to scan every day at a time when your computer is powered on.
To modify which Internet Explorer settings are allowed on your computer, select Smart Shields, Internet Explorer. The following screen will appear:
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You can select whether you want to have Spy Sweeper protect Internet Explorer Favorites, Tracking Cookies, your Trusted Sites, or your Home page.
Checking IE Favorites Shields will cause Spy Sweeper to prevent other programs from changing your Favorites links.
Select IE Tracking Cookie Shields to not allow tracking cookies to stay on your system. This is useful because it allows your web browser to remember your web page preferences. It will also allow you to remain authenticated on some websites. If this option is not necessary, it is safer to select the tracking cookie option.
IE Trusted Site Shield protects the sites in your allowed Trusted Sites.
IE Hijack Shield prevents other programs from adjusting the Internet Explorer home page.
To modify Host File Settings that are allowed on your computer, select Smart Shields, “host” file. The following screen will appear:
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You can select Host File Protections, Host file Shield, and Common Ad Sites Shield.
Host File Shield prevents changes to your host file. A host file contains a list of server names and if overwritten can cause users to have their Internet browsers connect to a false site.
Common Ad Sites Shield prevents your computer from downloading ads from Spy Sweeper defined common advertising sites.
To modify Host File Settings that are allowed on your computer, please select Smart Shields, Windows System. The following screen will appear:
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In this window you can adjust Spy Sweeper to protect the memory of the system. This will provide protections that prevent malicious code from changing the memory.
To view which files have been quarantined go to the Quarantine Menu.
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UCSF has implemented Spy Sweeper in an effort to give faculty, staff, and students the tools to keep their systems safe from spyware and its effects. If you require further assistance in the configuration of Spy Sweeper, please contact your CSC or OAAIS Customer Support at http://help.ucsf.edu, by email at customersupport@ucsf.edu, or by phone at (415) 514-4100, option 2.
To uninstall Spy Sweeper (if you used the UCSF install) locate a file named SSECleanup.exe in the <RootDrive>\Program Files\SpySweeper Install\ directory. ou can search your hard disk for this file.
From a command prompt enter ssecleanup-Remove.
