Webroot

®

Software

User Guide

for

Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware

Webroot Software, Inc.

PO Box 19816

Boulder, CO 80308 www.webroot.com

Version 6.1

Webroot Software User Guide

Version 6.1

© 2003 – 2009 Webroot Software, Inc. All rights reserved. Webroot, Spy Sweeper, Webroot AntiVirus with

AntiSpyware, and the Webroot and Spy Sweeper icons are trademarks or registered trademarks of Webroot Software,

Inc.

Included antivirus software © 2000 – 2009 Sophos Group. All rights reserved. Sophos and Sophos Anti-Virus are registered trademarks of Sophos Plc and Sophos Group.

All other product and company names mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Contents

1: Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Determining your product version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Protecting your system. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

How online threats can damage your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

How Webroot software protects your computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Sweeps and quarantine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Shields. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Subscription updates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Backup protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Running the program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Opening the Main window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Main window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Closing the Main window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Using the System Tray menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Shutting down program operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Using multiple accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Renewing your subscription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Checking for updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Setting Gamer (silent) mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Responding to alerts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Alerts related to potential threats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Alerts related to system status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

2: Sweeping your System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Determining what to sweep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Running a sweep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Starting an on-demand sweep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Monitoring the sweep process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Reviewing and quarantining items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Viewing the sweep summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Managing quarantined items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Keeping quarantined items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Deleting quarantined items permanently . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Restoring quarantined items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

3: Shielding your System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Viewing the shield summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Setting Web Browser shields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Editing BHOs used by Internet Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Editing the IE Hijack shield settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Setting Network shields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Editing the Hosts file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Setting Windows System shields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Setting the Startup Programs shield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Setting the E-mail Attachments shield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Communication errors with the E-mail Attachments shield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Contents iii

4: Managing Backups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Managing backup accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Activating a backup account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Logging into a backup account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Switching the active account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Using online backup and restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Creating an online backup set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Backing up data to the online repository . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Restoring data from the online repository . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Accessing your account online . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Adding more online storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

5: Setting Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

Viewing and setting sweep options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Reviewing options for Full and Quick sweeps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Configuring Custom sweep options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Setting shield options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Setting antivirus protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Setting behavioral detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Changing the shield alert method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Setting Gamer mode options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Managing detected items automatically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Managing automatic updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Setting program options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Viewing the session log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

6: Creating Scheduled Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

Scheduling sweeps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Scheduling backups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

Managing scheduled events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69

A: Webroot Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71

Requesting Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72

Accessing the Knowledge Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72

Reporting potential threats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72

Joining the WARN program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

iv Contents

1: Getting Started

For an introduction to Webroot

®

Spy Sweeper and Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware, see the following topics:

•

Determining your product version

.

Make sure you know which version you have.

•

•

•

•

•

•

Protecting your system

.

Learn how the Webroot software protects your computer from spyware and other unwanted items.

Running the program

.

Open the Main window, learn its functions, and shut down the program.

Renewing your subscription

.

Make sure your subscription is current, so you receive the latest threat protection.

Checking for updates

.

Keep updated on the latest product releases.

Setting Gamer (silent) mode .

Set the Webroot software to a silent mode for uninterrupted gaming.

Responding to alerts .

Learn about Webroot software alerts and how to respond to an alert.

Note

This guide assumes you have a basic understanding of the Windows operating system. If you need assistance with the Webroot software, see

Appendix A,

“Webroot Support”

for contact information.

1: Getting Started 1

2

Determining your product version

This guide describes how to use the features available for the following product versions:

Webroot software versions

Spy Sweeper

Provides protection from spyware

and other potentially unwanted programs. This version includes a subscription to the evolving database of security

definitions from

Webroot.

Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware

Provides the same protection from spyware and other potentially unwanted programs as the regular version of Spy Sweeper, along with sophisticated Sophos

®

Anti-Virus protection. This version includes a subscription to the evolving database of security definitions from Webroot. Also provides a feature for backing up your computer files.

This symbol indicates notes that apply only to the antivirus function.

Trial Version

Scan-Only Trial

Version

Lets you use the Webroot software on a trial basis. When the trial expires, the

Webroot software notifies you and lets you purchase a full version with a subscription from the Webroot Web site.

This symbol indicates notes that apply only to trial versions.

Performs a complimentary scan (sweep) of your computer and locates any spyware or other potentially unwanted programs. This is a limited version that demonstrates where you might have potential risks.

This version does not quarantine or remove potential risks

. After performing a scan, the Webroot software notifies you and lets you purchase a full version with a subscription from the Webroot Web site.

This symbol indicates notes that apply only to trial versions.

1: Getting Started

Protecting your system

The Webroot software provides a comprehensive solution for protecting your privacy and your computer from online security risks, including spyware, adware, and other potentially unwanted programs. To learn more, read the following topics:

•

•

How online threats can damage your computer

How Webroot software protects your computer

How online threats can damage your computer

Online security threats come in many forms — the most common types come from

spyware

and

viruses

, which could install themselves without your knowledge as you visit Web sites or download software. Spyware programs are specifically designed to infiltrate your computer for commercial gain (stealing personal information or displaying annoying advertisements), while viruses are typically designed to damage your computer.

Types of spyware programs include

system monitors

that capture your e-mails and keystrokes,

Trojan horses

that can steal or destroy data, adware that pops up advertising, and

cookies that store

information about your online preferences and habits. While some of these programs may be harmless, others can steal your personal information and send it to a third party for malicious purposes. In some cases, these programs can damage your computer enough to slow down processing times or cause system crashes. Spyware and other unwanted programs may be part of a program that you installed or they may install themselves as you visit Web sites. They could also arrive bundled with freeware or shareware, through e-mail, or by someone with access to your computer. These programs are difficult to detect, and difficult (if not impossible) to remove.

Spyware can hide in multiple locations and can reinstall if you don’t remove it properly with specialized antispyware software.

A virus is computer code that often duplicates itself and causes a specific event to occur. The event may be harmless, such as displaying a message on a specific date, or may be malicious, such as deleting data or duplicating data to fill a hard drive. Viruses can arrive as file attachments to e-mail, as embedded files on a CD, and as clickable graphics in an e-mail. Once on your hard drive, viruses are difficult to detect and remove, unless you have specialized antivirus software.

Virus protection

To protect against virus attacks, you must have the Webroot AntiVirus with

AntiSpyware version.

How Webroot software protects your computer

The Webroot software offers continuous protection from potential threats and helps secure your valuable data, by offering the following features:

•

Sweeps and quarantine

•

•

•

Shields

Subscription updates

Backup protection

1: Getting Started 3

4

Sweeps and quarantine

You can schedule sweeps to run at convenient times, typically while you are away from your computer (the computer must be turned on) or you can run sweeps on demand. During a sweep, the

Webroot software performs the following process:

1.

2.

Search

. The Webroot software searches for potential threats, looking for any items that

match security definitions in the Webroot database. You can specify where the program

searches (for example, search specific folders or file types) and the types of items to include or ignore (for example, bypass tracking cookies).

Quarantine

. After a search, the Webroot software removes items that match security definitions from their current locations and sends them to a holding area, called the

Quarantine , where they are rendered inoperable and cannot harm the computer. After

items are quarantined, you can delete them permanently or restore them to their original locations. You can also control whether certain items are always quarantined or whether certain items like tracking cookies are always ignored.

Virus protection

If Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware detects a virus, it removes the infected

portions of a file during a virus cleaning process.

3.

Summarize

. Once you have taken action on each detected item (deleted, ignored, or restored), the Webroot software summarizes your actions.

Shields

For added protection, the Webroot software includes a shielding function that continuously monitors activity as you work (for example, when you connect to the Internet or when you open an e-mail attachment). Shields can monitor functions related to your Web browser settings, network communications between your computer and Web sites, Windows system settings, Windows

Startup programs, and e-mail attachments.

If the Webroot software detects spyware or any other potential threat attempting to download, it displays an alert message. For most types of detected items, the alert message asks if you want to proceed anyway or stop the download. You can also specify that certain types of items are always managed in the same way (allowed or blocked).

Subscription updates

The Webroot Threat Research team is constantly updating security

definitions

to protect your computer from ever-changing spyware and other potential threats. The Webroot software can automatically download these definitions to your computer so you are always protected against the most current online threats.

With your purchase of the Webroot software, you receive a one-year subscription to all security definition updates and also to newly released program versions. When your subscription is within

30 days of expiration, the Webroot software will notify you in the alert panel. You can extend your subscription (or upgrade the program) at any time from the Webroot Web site. For more information, see

“Managing automatic updates” on page 62.

1: Getting Started

Backup protection

If your system crashes and you lose access to the hard drive, all your important files could be lost

— family photos, financial records, school projects. Everything. If you do not perform regular backups, your files are vulnerable to system failures, theft, fire, and common human error like accidentally erasing files. Most people understand these risks, but don’t take the time to back up their files.

With the Webroot software’s automatic scheduling feature, you never need to think about the chore of backing up files. You can set a schedule to perform backups automatically to our online

data center . The backup conveniently runs in the background without interrupting your computer

activity.

Whenever you need to recover files, you can access them any time from your account on our Web site. You can also set up the account to share files with friends and family.

1: Getting Started 5

6

Running the program

The Webroot software runs automatically when Windows starts. Look for the Webroot icon in the

Windows system tray in the lower-right corner of your screen. This icon indicates that the Webroot software is running and actively protecting your computer.

Webroot software is running

Note

If you turned off the Load the program at Windows startup option in the

Options/Program tab, you must manually start the Webroot software by double-clicking the Webroot icon on your computer desktop or selecting it through

the Windows Start Menu. This action also opens the Main window .

For information about running or stopping the program, see the following topics:

•

•

Opening the Main window

Closing the Main window

•

•

•

Using the System Tray menu

Shutting down program operations

Using multiple accounts

Opening the Main window

Open the Main window by doing one of the following:

•

•

Double-click the Webroot icon on your Windows desktop or select the program from the

Windows

Start

menu.

Double-click the Webroot icon in the system tray (lower-right corner of your screen).

You can also right-click the icon to open the task bar menu, then click

Home

.

Main window

The Main window is divided into two areas: the Icon panel at the left allows you to select options, while the Main panel on the right displays the corresponding settings available for the selected icon.

1: Getting Started

Icon panel

Main panel

The following table describes the Icon functions.

Icon functions

Home

Sweep

View overall status, as shown in the example above and described in the next table.

Start a Full, Quick, or Custom sweep.

Shields

Backup

Options

Schedule

Help

Set shields to continuously monitor and block activity.

Create a backup account, back up files, or restore files.

Set options for sweeps, shields, quarantines, updates, and the program.

Create schedules for automatic events, such as sweeps.

Open the online instructions (you can also click the icon).

1: Getting Started 7

8

When the Home icon is selected, the Main panel shows overall program status and provides functions, as described in the following table.

Home panel functions

Sweep,

Shields,

Updates

Backup

Last full sweep

: Shows how long ago the Webroot software swept for viruses, spyware, and other unwanted items.

Antivirus functions are only available with the following versions: Webroot

AntiVirus with AntiSpyware or Webroot Internet Security Essentials. You can upgrade to one of these versions by clicking the Upgrade Now link in the Improve Your Protection panel.

Shields

: Shows the status of shield settings and warns you if recommended shields are turned off.

Manage Quarantine: Click to delete or restore items after a sweep. (Only appears if there are quarantined items.)

Sweep Now

: Click to begin sweeping for spyware and other unwanted items.

Last backup

: Shows the date and time of the last backup.

Online storage used

: Shows the amount and percentage of your account’s online storage space used.

Backup Now

: Click to back up files online.

Restore Now

: Click to restore files from the online repository.

Improve Your

Protection

Displays features you could receive by upgrading the Webroot software to another version.

Upgrade Now: Click this link to purchase an upgrade.

Subscription

Active Through

: Shows the date your subscription ends.

About My Subscription: Click for program version information and definitions status.

Updates

Gamer Mode

Alerts

Last check: Shows how long ago the Webroot software checked the update site for program and definition updates.

Check for Updates: Click to view Webroot’s update site.

Click

Turn Gamer Mode On

to set the program to “silent” operation, which suppresses functionality that could interfere with gaming.

Click

Turn Gamer Mode Off

to return to normal operation.

Shows if any alerts were triggered. Click an alert link to view more information.

1: Getting Started

Tabs

Some panels display tabs that give you access to additional options. The following example shows the settings available when you click the Options icon.

Click a tab for more options.

Closing the Main window

When you are finished using the Main window, click

Close

in the upper-right corner of the screen. This action closes the window, but keeps the program running. Look for the Webroot icon in the Windows system tray at the lower-right corner of your screen; this icon means that the

Webroot software is actively protecting your computer with shields. We recommend that you always keep the Webroot software running.

The program is still running

1: Getting Started 9

10

Using the System Tray menu

You can access many of the Webroot software’s main features from the System Tray menu. To access this menu, right-click on the system tray icon (lower right corner of the desktop).

Shutting down program operations

To completely stop Webroot software operations, you can shut down the program. A shut-down action is only necessary if you plan to upgrade to a new version. Otherwise, you should keep the program running so that shields can actively block potential threats.

To shut down the Webroot software:

in your system tray. 1. Right-click the Webroot icon

A System Tray menu opens.

2. Click

Shut Down

.

1: Getting Started

Using multiple accounts

If your computer is configured for multiple user accounts (each person logs in with a unique name and password), the Webroot program is available to all those accounts. Users with administrative privileges have full access to all areas of the Webroot software, while other users have limited access.

The following table describes program functions not available to limited users (those without administrative privileges).

Functions unavailable to limited users

Shields Limited users cannot change shield settings, with the exception of the IE

Hijack shield options:

•

User —Limited users can use this drop-down list to change these settings.

Only the current user account is affected. These settings effectively override the system settings below.

•

System —Only the computer administrator can use this drop-down list to

change these settings. Changes here affect all user accounts, unless a limited user has customized the setting.

See

“Editing the IE Hijack shield settings” on page 30.

Program Options Limited users cannot change settings for these options:

•

Add “Sweep” option to Windows Explorer context menu

•

Load the program at Windows startup

See

“Setting program options” on page 62.

Quarantine panel

Scheduled Sweeps

Limited users can view the Quarantine panel, but cannot restore or delete items that have been quarantined.

See

“Managing quarantined items” on page 23.

All users can run sweeps. However, for scheduled sweeps to run, you must be logged in to the account where you created the schedule. In addition, you can only see the scheduled sweeps configured from your own account.

See

“Scheduling sweeps” on page 66.

Renewing your subscription

Your subscription includes updated security definitions , which protect your computer from

ever-changing spyware and other potential threats. When your subscription is within 30 days of expiration, you will see a red banner and a

Renew

button at the top of the Main window. Click

Renew

to renew your subscription. You can also renew your subscription any time from the

Webroot Web site ( www.webroot.com

) by clicking the Renew your subscription link. The renewal adds time to your existing subscription, so you never lose any subscription time that you have paid for.

If you are not sure when your subscription ends, check the Subscription section of the Home panel.

If you see a Check Status link, click that link to see up-to-date subscription information.

1: Getting Started 11

Checking for updates

While your subscription is valid, you can install updates to the program and to security definitions

when they are available. You should always make sure to keep updated definitions, which identify spyware and other potentially unwanted programs that the Webroot software uses as a basis for detecting potential threats during sweeps. Webroot frequently updates these definitions and makes them available for you to download (manually or automatically) from the Webroot Web site.

The Webroot software is preconfigured to check for program updates and new security definitions on a daily basis. (You must be connected to the Internet for update checks to be successful.) In addition, the Webroot software is also set to automatically download definitions, if available. We recommend that you keep these settings, as described in

“Managing automatic updates” on page 62. You can also manually check for updates at any time; for example, you might want to

check if you have the latest security definitions before running a sweep.

Trial Versions

If you have a trial version, you can download updates within your trial period.

To check for updates to the program version or security definitions:

1. Make sure you are connected to the Internet.

2. From the

Home

panel, click the Check for Updates link below

Updates

. (You can also click the

Options

icon, click the

Update

tab, and click

Check for Updates

from there.)

Your browser opens and displays the Webroot Web site. The Web site indicates if your version of the program is current and if an update is available.

Note

If you are updating the program, do

not

uninstall your previous version of the

Webroot software. Installing the new version over the old one retains Quarantine information from previous sweeps and lets you keep program settings.

If new definitions are available, the Webroot software downloads and installs them. A progress bar shows the status of the download.

Virus protection

Updates include both spyware and virus definitions, for the Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware version.

12 1: Getting Started

Setting Gamer (silent) mode

If the Webroot software interferes with your gaming, you can set the program to a silent Gamer mode. While in this mode, the program will not perform the following activities:

•

Scheduled sweeps

. The program does not run scheduled sweeps. When the program returns to regular operations (Gamer mode is switched off), an alert indicates that an event was missed. The missed event will not run automatically.

•

Shield functions

. All shields will be turned off, except for the Execution shield, which stops executable programs from launching a process on your computer. If the Execution shield detects a potential threat, it will move the item to Quarantine without alerting you.

If desired, you can specify that the Execution shield is turned off along with all other

shields (for instructions, see “Setting Gamer mode options” on page 59).

Alert pop-ups

. The program will not open alerts in the system tray.

•

•

Communications with the Webroot server

. The program will not contact the Webroot server to check for definition updates or program updates.

To run the program in Gamer mode, you can do either of the following:

• From the Main window in the lower-right corner, click

Turn Gamer Mode On

.

• Right-click the Webroot system tray icon in the lower-right corner of your computer screen. In the task bar menu, click

Turn Gamer Mode On

.

Gamer mode will automatically turn off after 4 hours. To change that setting, see “Setting Gamer mode options” on page 59.

To manually turn off Gamer mode, you can do either of the following:

• From the Main window in the lower-right corner, click

Turn Gamer Mode Off

.

• Right-click the Webroot system tray icon in the lower-right corner of your computer screen. In the task bar menu, click

Turn Gamer Mode Off

.

All program activities will be re-enabled, including the previously set shields. The

Webroot software will also contact the Webroot server and check for any updates to security definitions and to the program.

Note

If you shut down and restart the Webroot software, it disables Gamer mode on start-up.

1: Getting Started 13

Responding to alerts

During normal program operation and shielding functions, the Webroot software may open the following types of alerts:

•

Alerts related to potential threats

•

Alerts related to system status

Alerts related to potential threats

When a potential threat is detected, such as spyware trying to download, Webroot’s shields block the activity and open an alert window. You can respond to the alert by blocking the item or allowing it. If you do not respond within the allotted time shown in the counter at the bottom, the

Webroot software blocks the activity.

Some alerts allow you to select

Always take the selected action...

, so that if the Webroot software frequently detects this item, it will always handle it based on your selection here.

14

Alerts related to system status

For alerts that do not require immediate action, such as a missed scheduled sweep, the Webroot software displays an alert in either a pop-up near the system tray (lower-right corner of your screen) or in the Alerts section of the Main window. For more information about changing how status alerts are displayed, see

“Changing the shield alert method” on page 58.

The following example shows an alert in the system tray. To read more information about an alert, click the Review Alerts link.

Click

1: Getting Started

2: Sweeping your System

The sweep function scans your computer’s drives, the Windows registry

, memory, and other places where spyware and potential threats can hide. You decide what you want to sweep: all areas

(Full), only areas where spyware is commonly found (Quick), or selected areas based on your needs (Custom). For Custom sweeps, you decide what types of potential threats you want the sweep to locate and what areas of the computer to scan.

When the sweep locates potential threats that match items in the security

definitions

, it moves the

items to Quarantine

, a holding area where they cannot harm your computer. From there, you decide to keep, restore, or delete the items. To help you decide on an action, the Webroot software shows risk ratings for threats (from low to critical) and provides a link to the Webroot Threat

Research site, where you can read more about them.

To sweep your computer and manage quarantined items, see the following topics:

•

Determining what to sweep

.

Decide whether to run a Full, Quick, or Custom sweep.

•

•

Running a sweep .

Start scanning for potential spyware and other unwanted items.

Managing quarantined items

.

Keep, restore, or delete items moved to Quarantine.

You can also perform these tasks related to sweeps:

•

Reviewing options for Full and Quick sweeps .

Check the preconfigured options for Full and Quick sweeps.

•

•

•

Configuring Custom sweep options

.

Customize where the Webroot software looks for suspicious items and what types of items it scans.

Managing detected items automatically

.

Determine if certain items are always ignored or always quarantined during the sweep.

Scheduling sweeps

.

Create schedules for running Full, Quick, or Custom sweeps.

2: Sweeping your System 15

Determining what to sweep

The Webroot software offers several types of preconfigured and customizable sweeps. See the following table to help determine what type of sweep you should perform.

Sweep recommendations

To thoroughly sweep all areas of the computer:

Perform a Full sweep, which checks all internal drives and any drives directly attached to your computer. This sweep takes longer than a Quick sweep, but is more thorough. The areas swept during a Full sweep are preconfigured and cannot be changed (see

“Reviewing options for Full and Quick sweeps” on page 52).

We recommend that you set a schedule for performing a Full sweep weekly, as

described in “Scheduling sweeps” on page 66. We also recommend that you

run a Full sweep immediately if you suspect that spyware or a virus has downloaded to your computer. Your system might be compromised if you notice slow or erratic performance, numerous pop-up ads, unexplained

changes to your browser, or other suspicious activity. See “Running a sweep” on page 17.

To quickly sweep only potential problem areas of the computer:

To sweep selected areas of the computer:

Perform a Quick sweep, which checks only the locations where spyware and other unwanted programs are commonly found. This type of sweep is less thorough than a Full sweep, but maximizes use of your computer’s processing power to make the sweep as fast as possible. The areas swept during a Quick

sweep are preconfigured and cannot be changed (see “Reviewing options for

Full and Quick sweeps” on page 52).

We recommend that you run a Quick sweep (or a Full sweep) after you perform potentially unsafe Internet activity, such as downloading free software or accidentally clicking on a pop-up advertisement. Spyware commonly piggybacks on free downloads and can install on your computer without your knowledge. Spyware can even get installed in a “drive-by

download” as you surf an infected Web site. See “Running a sweep” on page 17.

Perform a Custom sweep, which lets you focus on specific drives, areas of the computer, or file types. The Webroot software saves these settings for future

Custom sweeps.

You might want to perform a Custom sweep in a variety of situations; for example, you could use the Custom sweep options to limit the sweep only to your C: drive and to skip certain file types that you know are safe. See

“Configuring Custom sweep options” on page 54 and then follow the

instructions in

“Running a sweep” on page 17.

To sweep a single file or folder:

From Windows Explorer, you can right-click on a specific file or folder to start a sweep from the pop-up menu. This method of sweeping is useful if you downloaded a file and want to quickly scan it for threats. To run a sweep from

Windows Explorer, see “Running a sweep” on page 17.

16 2: Sweeping your System

Running a sweep

During a sweep, the Webroot software performs a three-step process:

1.

Search

. Scans your computer for known threats, looking for any items that match

definitions and that meet the criteria specified in the Options tab’s Sweep settings.

2.

Quarantine

. Lists all items that matched security definitions and lets you determine whether to send the items to Quarantine or keep them in their current locations. Items in

Quarantine are rendered inoperable and cannot harm your computer.

3.

Summarize

. Describes actions taken for each found item.

To run an immediate sweep, see the following topics:

•

Starting an on-demand sweep

•

•

Monitoring the sweep process

Reviewing and quarantining items

•

Viewing the sweep summary

If you want to set an automatic sweep schedule, see “Scheduling sweeps” on page 66.

Starting an on-demand sweep

You can start an on-demand sweep from the program’s Main window or from Windows Explorer.

Before you begin the sweep, do the following:

•

•

•

Close all programs that are listed in the taskbar at the bottom of your screen. The Webroot software may not be able to remove spyware associated with a particular program if that program is open. You do not need to close programs shown in the system tray in the lower-right corner of your screen; these programs are only running in the background.

Make sure the security definitions are up-to-date, as described in “Checking for updates” on page 12.

Optionally, you can check what criteria the Webroot software uses for sweeping your system, as described in

“Viewing and setting sweep options” on page 52.

To start a sweep from the Home panel:

From the Home panel, click

Sweep Now

. The Webroot software performs either a Full, Quick, or

Custom sweep, depending on which one is selected in the Sweep panel, as described below.

To start a sweep from the Sweep panel:

1. If you want to select from a Full, Quick, or Custom Sweep, click

Sweep

from the Icon panel.

The Sweep Your Computer panel displays a Start button:

Click arrow to see types.

2: Sweeping your System 17

18

2. Click the down arrow on the button to select one of these sweep types:

•

Start Full Sweep

. Sweeps all areas of the computer thoroughly.

•

•

Start Quick Sweep

. Sweeps only areas where threats are commonly found.

Start Custom Sweep

. Sweeps only selected areas (see “Configuring Custom sweep options” on page 54).

3. Click the button to start the sweep.

To start a sweep from Explorer:

1. Make sure you have enabled the Add “Sweep” option to Windows Explorer context menu as described on page 63 .

You do not need to open the Main window; the program just needs to be running (the

Webroot icon appears in the system tray).

2. Open Windows Explorer.

3. Right-click the file, folder, or drive you want to sweep.

4. From the pop-up menu, select

Perform Security Sweep

.

Monitoring the sweep process

When you start a sweep, the Sweeping panel opens and the Webroot software shows its progress, including the number of items found, progress bar, current sweep location, and a list of detected items.

Note

If you want to pause the sweep, click

Pause Sweep

. When you want to resume the sweep, click

Resume

.

If you want to stop the sweep entirely, click

Stop Sweep

.

On the right side of the Sweeping panel, the fields show more details about what the Webroot software is inspecting and what it has found.

Sweep Details

Search for

Total Definitions Current security

definitions

being used to locate potentially unwanted programs. You should update your definitions regularly to ensure that you are using the most current version (see

“Checking for updates” on page 12).

Items Inspected

Memory

Registry

Cookies

Program pieces that were swept in your computer’s memory. Some of these pieces may be part of a potentially unwanted program.

Items in the Windows registry

that were searched. Some registry entries may be associated with potentially unwanted programs.

The cookies

that were searched. Some cookies contain personal information (including surfing habits, user names and passwords, and areas of interest).

2: Sweeping your System

Sweep Details

Files/Folders

Detected

Items

Files and folders on the selected drives that were searched.

The security definitions matched during the sweep. A security definition is a set of fingerprints that characterize a potentially unwanted program, such as spyware or adware.

The traces

found during the sweep.

Traces

If the Webroot software did

not

detect any potential threats, it opens the Summary panel and shows details about the sweep. You can click

Back to Home

to return to the Home panel.

If the Webroot software did detect potential threats, it opens the Quarantine panel and shows

details about the items it found. See the next section, “ Reviewing and quarantining items .”

Reviewing and quarantining items

After the Webroot software runs a sweep, it opens the Quarantine panel, similar to the following example.

Click to view folder location.

Select to move.

Deselect to keep.

2: Sweeping your System 19

20

The Quarantine panel provides details about detected items, as described in the following table.

Quarantine Details

Summary panel (left):

Found

Auto-quarantined:

Auto-ignored:

List of potential threats that were found. All items are automatically selected and ready to be moved to Quarantine.

If you have Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware and you turned on the

Automatically quarantine viruses detected during sweep option (see page 55

), the Webroot software does not list files with detected viruses in this panel.

Instead, it automatically places them in Quarantine.

If you performed sweeps previously and already set some items to Always

Ignore or Always Quarantine, those items are counted in these fields, but not

listed in the panel below. For more information, see “Managing detected items automatically” on page 60.

Item Details panel:

Name

Category

Risk Rating

Traces Found

Description

Name of the item currently selected in the list. The Webroot software automatically pre-selects all items in preparation for moving them to

Quarantine, except those listed as a rootkit . Items with a green check mark

next to them will be moved to Quarantine once you click

Quarantine Selected

.

Type of item currently selected in the list, such as “Spy Cookie.” The

Glossary

includes definitions for many of the categories.

•

•

•

•

•

Red bars show the risk level of the selected item. The more bars shown, the higher the risk, as follows:

—Low

—Moderate

—High

—Very high

—Critical

Number of traces found related to this item. Traces are the individual elements that make up the definition database.

Description of the item. For more information, click View More Details Online.

You must be connected to the Internet to see the additional information.

You can select items to move to Quarantine, which is a holding area where potential threats cannot harm your computer. Moving items to Quarantine does not permanently delete them; you must manually delete items from Quarantine. You can also specify that certain items stay in their current locations and remain active.

Trial Versions

If you have the Scan-Only trial version, you cannot quarantine and remove detected items. Click

Subscribe

to buy a subscription so you can remove these items.

2: Sweeping your System

To select items and move them to Quarantine:

1. Review all items listed in the Quarantine panel:

• To see more details about an item, click on the item name in the list. Details appear on the right. If you need more information, click View More Details Online to connect to the Webroot Threat Research Center (you must be connected to the Internet).

To see the location (full path) to the traces found, click the arrow next to an item. •

2. Determine which items you want to remove or keep. Items with a green check mark will be moved to Quarantine.

If there are any items that you want to keep, click on the box to remove the green check mark. You can also use the Deselect All or the Select All links at the bottom of the panel.

If you aren’t sure what to do with an item, the safest action is to move it to Quarantine, where it cannot harm your computer, but can also be restored if necessary.

Note

If you know you will always want to ignore or quarantine an item for future sweeps, you can right-click an item and select

Always Ignore

or

Always

Quarantine

. For more information, see

“Managing detected items automatically” on page 60.

If you want to quarantine a

rootkit , make sure you click on the box to add a green check

mark. If you are uncertain whether the items listed as rootkits should be quarantined,

contact technical support for assistance (see “Requesting Technical Support” on page 72).

3. Click

Quarantine Selected

to move all selected items (with a green check mark

Quarantine.

) to

The Webroot software first encrypts each trace, removes it from its original location (so it will no longer run), then copies it to Quarantine. Items are not permanently deleted during this process.

Virus protection

If Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware is able to clean the file (remove the virus safely), it keeps the cleaned file in its original location and sends a copy of the corrupted file to Quarantine. The cleaned file is safe to use; the file in Quarantine is

not

safe to use.

The quarantine process can take several minutes or longer depending on the number of traces and the speed of your computer. When finished, the Webroot software opens a summary panel (see

“Viewing the sweep summary” on page 22). Once items are quarantined, you can leave them in

Quarantine, restore them (if necessary), or delete them. See “Managing quarantined items” on page 23.

Some detected items require that you download and use an additional tool to completely remove them from their original locations. If this is the case, the Additional Tools Required panel opens during the quarantine process. (You must be connected to the Internet to download additional tools.)

2: Sweeping your System 21

22

To download and use an additional tool:

1. From the Additional Tools Required panel, click the

Download

link to download the tool to your computer.

The Webroot Web site opens in your Web browser.

2. Follow the instructions on the Web site to download the file that contains the tool.

Make a note of where you downloaded the file on your computer.

3. Follow the instructions on the Web page to install and use the tool.

4. From the Additional Tools Required panel, click

Finish

.

The Home panel opens.

Viewing the sweep summary

When the Webroot software is finished managing items, the Summary panel opens and provides a status of the sweep and quarantine process. The Action Taken column shows how the item was managed (for example, moved to Quarantine).

Sweep summary actions

Quarantined All traces of the item were moved to Quarantine. For more information, see

“Managing quarantined items” on page 23.

Ignored The item was skipped, because you deselected it in the previous panel.

Always Quarantine

Always Ignore

Partially

Quarantined

The item was automatically quarantined, because you have it set to

Always Quarantine. For more information, see “Managing detected items automatically” on page 60.

The item was automatically bypassed, because you have it set to Always

Ignore. For more information, see “Managing detected items automatically” on page 60.

Some traces of the item were quarantined, but not all, because you deselected some traces in the previous panel.

If desired, you can view the detailed sweep session log by clicking the View Session Log link. To view the detailed log later, click the

Options

icon, then the

Sweep

tab, then click the View Session

Log link.

2: Sweeping your System

Managing quarantined items

Once items are quarantined, you can view and manage them by selecting the Manage Quarantine link from the Home panel. (If the Quarantine is empty, this link does not appear.)

Click

You have the following options for managing items detected during a sweep:

•

Keeping quarantined items (recommended). This is the safest action for found items, since

it allows you to test your computer without the item in its original location and determine if all your programs still work properly after it’s moved. However, if the Quarantine area gets too full, the Webroot software alerts you and you must remove some items.

•

•

Deleting quarantined items permanently . You can permanently delete an item if you’re

sure it’s unwanted spyware or another type of threat.

Restoring quarantined items . If you discover that some of your legitimate programs won’t

work properly when an item was placed in Quarantine, you can restore that item from

Quarantine to its original location on the computer.

Trial Versions

If you have the Scan-Only trial version, you cannot quarantine and remove detected items. Click

Subscribe

to buy a subscription so you can remove found items.

Keeping quarantined items

You can keep items in Quarantine, where they are rendered inoperable and cannot harm your computer. This is the safest action to take. It allows you to test your computer to make sure that all legitimate programs still function properly without an item. If necessary, you can restore an item from Quarantine.

If the Quarantine area reaches certain size limits or when your computer’s hard drive is low on space, the Webroot software opens a pop-up alert from the system tray (lower-right corner of your screen), in the Alerts panel, or in a Webroot message window. If you see the Webroot message window, the alert is critical and space on your hard drive is very low. You should take action to make more space available. The alert message gives you three options:

•

•

Delete Old Items.

Click to delete all items in Quarantine that are more than seven days old. If deleting these items does not make enough space available, the Webroot software opens another message recommending that you go to Quarantine and delete more items

(see “Deleting quarantined items permanently” on page 24).

Manage Quarantine.

Click to open the program with the Quarantine panel displayed, where you can selectively delete items from Quarantine (see

“Deleting quarantined items permanently” on page 24).

2: Sweeping your System 23

24

•

Remind Me Later.

Click to have the Webroot software remind you tomorrow. If you take this action, you may want to delete other files to make more hard drive space available.

Deleting quarantined items permanently

If your legitimate programs run properly after quarantining a potential threat, you can permanently delete the item. You will

not

be able to restore the item after deleting it from Quarantine.

To permanently delete quarantined items:

1. From the Home panel, click the Manage Quarantine link.

The Quarantine panel opens with information about items that you have quarantined, but have not permanently deleted. For more information, see the

Quarantine Details table on page 20

.

2. Select each item that you want to permanently delete.

A check mark next to the item shows that it is selected and will be deleted.

3. Click

Delete Selected Items

.

Note

If the

Delete Selected Items

button is unavailable (dimmed), you may not have

access to this function. For more information, see “Using multiple accounts” on page 11.

The Webroot software deletes the selected items and displays information about the deletion at the bottom of the panel.

Restoring quarantined items

You may need to restore a quarantined item if you discover that a program on your computer is not working correctly without it. Sometimes, a piece of spyware is an integral part of a legitimate program and is required to run that program.

In some cases, components with copy protection may not restore from Quarantine properly. You must reinstall these programs from the original media or installation file.

Virus protection

Do not restore a file with a detected virus. If Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware was able to clean the file (remove the virus safely), it keeps the cleaned file in its original location and places a copy of the corrupted file in Quarantine. The cleaned file is safe to use; the file in Quarantine is not safe to use.

To restore quarantined items:

1. From the Home panel, click the Manage Quarantine link.

The Quarantine panel opens with a list of the items that you have quarantined, but have

not permanently deleted. For more information, see the Quarantine Details

table on

page 20

.

2. Select each item that you want to restore.

2: Sweeping your System

A check mark next to the item shows that it is selected and will be restored.

3. Click

Restore Selected Items

.

Note

If the

Restore Selected Items

button is unavailable (dimmed), you may not have

access to this function (see “Using multiple accounts” on page 11).

The Webroot software restores the selected items to their original locations and shows the restore status at the bottom of the panel. If a selected item is part of an e-mail attachment, the Webroot software saves it to the location specified in the

Always save to:

option of the

Setting the E-mail Attachments shield (see page 39 ) or prompts you to select the location

to restore the attachment (if you selected the

Ask me where to save every file

option).

2: Sweeping your System 25

26 2: Sweeping your System

3: Shielding your System

While the Webroot software is running, the shields actively monitor for potential threats that try to download onto your computer. If the shields detect a suspicious item, an alert opens and asks if you want to continue downloading the item or if you want to block it.

Virus protection

Shields also protect against viruses attempting to download to your computer, if

you have Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware. See “Setting antivirus protection” on page 57.

The Webroot software has preconfigured shields. To change shield settings for your own needs, see the following topics:

•

•

•

Setting Web Browser shields .

Protect your

default

home page, list of favorites, and other settings related to your Web browser.

Setting Network shields .

Monitor network communication between your computer and other Web sites.

Setting Windows System shields

.

Protect your Windows system settings.

•

•

Setting the Startup Programs shield .

Stop unwanted programs from displaying in the Windows Start menu.

Setting the E-mail Attachments shield

.

Monitor e-mail file attachments for potential threats.

You can also perform these tasks related to shields:

•

•

Setting antivirus protection .

Block viruses in some of the shield types.

Setting behavioral detection

.

Block potential threats based on the item’s behavior.

•

•

Changing the shield alert method

.

Determine how status alerts open.

Setting Gamer mode options .

Determine if the Execution shield turns off when Gamer mode is enabled.

3: Shielding your System 27

Viewing the shield summary

To see a summary of all shields and their status, click

Shields

in the Icon panel to display the

Shields Summary tab.

The icons in the Shields Summary panel indicate the following:

Status icons

—Full Protection

—Partial Protection In the Shield Status, a yellow exclamation mark indicates that all critical shields are on, but some recommended shields are off. In the panels below, an exclamation mark appears next to the shield that is turned off. You can click the shield name to go to the tab where you can turn the shield back on.

—Vulnerable In the Shield Status, a red X indicates that one or more critical shields are not turned on. In the panels below, a red X appears next to the shield that is turned off. You can click the shield name to go to the tab where you can turn the shield on. We strongly recommend keeping all critical shields turned on.

—Spyware shield

In the Shield Status, a green check mark indicates that all critical and recommended shields are turned on.

—Virus shield

This icon appears next to shields that block spyware and potentially unwanted programs. If it is grayed out, the shield is off.

Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware only.

This icon appears next to shields that block viruses. If it is grayed out, the shield is off.

28 3: Shielding your System

Setting Web Browser shields

You can modify the shields that protect your

default home page, list of favorites, and other settings

related to your Web browser.

To set Web Browser shields:

1. In the Icon panel, click

Shields

.

The Shields Summary tab opens, showing a summary of the available shields and their status. (If any shields are dimmed, you do not have access to them; see

“Using multiple accounts” on page 11.)

2. Click the

Web Browser

tab.

3. Select the options you want to use. Items with a green check mark are enabled.

Web Browser shields

Tracking Cookies

Watches for known cookies (matching those in the security

definitions) and removes them. Tracking cookies are cookies that can track your Web activities. These

may

include cookies that contain user names, passwords, or similar information that you enter on some Web sites.

IE Favorites Protects your Internet Explorer favorites. Whenever a Web site tries to change your favorites, the Webroot software alerts you and lets you accept or reject the change. Some Web sites add entries to your favorites without informing you; this shield ensures that you are aware of attempted changes.

Even if the Webroot software is not open when your favorites change, it detects the changes and alerts you the next time you start the program.

IE Security

Browser Helper Object

(BHO)

Protects your Internet Explorer security settings (select

Tools >

Internet Options

and click the

Security

tab). Whenever a program tries to change these settings, the Webroot software alerts you and lets you accept or reject the change. Some programs change these options without informing you; this shield ensures that you are aware of attempted changes.

Watches for the installation of Browser Helper Objects (BHOs)

.

Whenever a BHO tries to install itself, the Webroot software alerts you and lets you accept or reject the change. BHOs are add-on programs that work with your browser. Some spyware programs add BHOs without your knowledge; this shield ensures that programs do not add a BHO without your consent.

This option also blocks viruses that try to install along with a

BHO, if you have Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware.

BHO Shield Options

button:

Click to change the BHOs that start with Internet Explorer. See the

next section, “ Editing BHOs used by Internet Explorer

.”

Editing BHOs is for advanced users. Deselecting BHOs could cause your browser to not work properly or cause your computer to be unstable.

3: Shielding your System 29

30

Web Browser shields (continued)

IE Hijack Protects various Internet Explorer functions, such as the search page, error pages, and other

default

pages that Internet Explorer opens.

Whenever a program tries to change these pages, the Webroot software alerts you and lets you accept or reject the change. Some programs change (“hijack”) these pages without informing you; this option ensures that you are aware of attempted changes.

Even if the Webroot software is not open when these pages change, it detects the changes and alerts you the next time you start the program.

IE Hijack Shield Options

button:

Click to edit the list of Hijack shields. See

“Editing the IE Hijack shield settings” on page 30.

Editing BHOs used by Internet Explorer

You can edit the BHOs that run when you start Internet Explorer. BHOs are add-on programs that work with your browser. Some spyware and other potentially unwanted programs add BHOs without your knowledge.

Caution

Editing browser add-on items is for advanced users. Editing items in the list could cause your browser to not work properly or cause your computer to be unstable.

Edit with extreme caution.

To edit BHOs used by Internet Explorer:

1. From the

Shields

/

Web Browser

tab, click

BHO Shield Options

.

The Edit Browser Helper Objects window opens, with a list of the installed BHOs. Items with a check mark start whenever Internet Explorer starts. To see more information about an item, select it and click

More Details

. Not all programs provide additional details.

2. Deselect any BHOs you do not want to start whenever Internet Explorer starts.

3. Click

OK

.

Editing the IE Hijack shield settings

You can edit the individual IE Hijack shield settings, including the default

home and search pages for Internet Explorer.

To edit the IE Hijack shield settings:

1. From the

Shields

/

Web Browser

tab, click

IE Hijack Shield Options

.

A window opens for editing the settings.

2. Select the options you want to use. Items with a green check mark are enabled.

3: Shielding your System

IE Hijack Shield Settings

IE Home Page Shield

Protects the Web site set as your home page (the site that opens automatically when you start Internet Explorer or when you click the

Home

button). Some spyware programs change your home page.

Use This Page Enter the desired Web site address. The address must be in the following format: http://www.webroot.com.

Alert me before restoring this setting

IE Search Page Shield

Use This Page

Alert me before restoring this setting

Select to display an informational alert when the Webroot software automatically changes the home page back to the site listed above. To avoid seeing alerts about changes to your home page, do not select this option.

Protects the page that automatically opens when you enter a nonexistent Web site. Some spyware programs change this page.

Enter the desired Web site address for performing Web searches. The address must be in the following format: http://www.webroot.com.

Select to display an informational alert when the Webroot software automatically changes the search page back to the site listed above. To avoid seeing alerts about changes to your search page, do not select this option.

Advanced Settings

User

System

Alert me before restoring this setting

Provides advanced configuration options used only in error conditions and/or when a system is severely infected. Use these options to repair your Internet Explorer settings when a browser hijacker embeds itself deeply in your browser. Webroot customer support is available to assist.

Use this drop-down list to change settings to the current user account.

These settings effectively override the system settings below. Enter the Web site addresses in the following format: http:// www.webroot.com. You can also enter the path to a file.

Use this drop-down list to change settings for all user accounts, unless a limited user has customized the setting. (Only the computer administrator can change this setting; see

“Using multiple accounts” on page 11.) Enter the Web site addresses in the following format:

http://www.webroot.com. You can also enter the path to a file.

Select to display an informational alert when the Webroot software automatically changes the pages listed in the Advanced Settings dropdown list back to the site or path listed in the text field. To avoid seeing these alerts, do not select this option.

3. If you want to reset all of the Internet Explorer page settings back to the defaults

(automatic options) used when Internet Explorer was first installed, click

Reset IE Page

Settings to Defaults

.

4. Click

OK

.

3: Shielding your System 31

Setting Network shields

You can modify the shields that monitor network communication between your computer and other Web sites. These communication settings are vulnerable to the effects of spyware and viruses and can be changed without your permission. Network shields block some ads that may open in your browser. They also stop Web sites from sending you to other, unexpected Web sites.

To set Network shields:

1. In the Icon panel, click

Shields

.

The Shields panel opens, showing a summary of the available shields and their status. (If

any shields are dimmed, you do not have access to them; see “Using multiple accounts” on page 11.)

2. Click the

Network

tab.

3. Select the options you want to use. Items with a green check mark are enabled.

Network shields

Common Ad Sites

Hosts File

Blocks banner and other advertising from common advertising sites.

When you go to a Web site that has advertising from one of the blocked sites, you may see a small graphic that indicates a broken link to a graphic (typically a red X in a box). This X just shows where the blocked ad would display. The Webroot software updates these sites when you update your definitions.

Monitors the Hosts file for any changes. Some programs will add or change the IP address for a Web site in the Hosts file. When you try to go to the added or changed Web site, you will really go to a different

Web site, such as an advertising site. This shield ensures that programs do not change an IP address without your knowledge.

Hosts File Shield Options

button:

Click to edit the Hosts file. For more information, see

“Editing the

Hosts file” on page 33.

Internet Communication Monitors communication from your computer to known Web sites that are related to potentially unwanted programs. The Webroot

software includes a list of known sites with its definitions

.

If the Webroot software detects an attempt to communicate with a site on the list, it displays a pop-up alert in the system tray (lower-right corner of your screen) telling you that access to the site was blocked.

32 3: Shielding your System

Editing the Hosts file

Caution

This section describes highly technical features associated with how your computer locates the actual address of a Web site. The features described here will not damage your computer or remove anything you need if you enable them, but the underlying technology is complex if you are not aware of how IP addressing works.

You can configure the Webroot software to continuously monitor several functions related to the

Hosts file. The Hosts file is a Windows file that helps direct your computer to a Web site using

Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. Your Web browser uses the IP address to actually connect to a site.

When you go to a Web site, your computer first looks in the Hosts file to see if it already knows where to go. If the domain (for example, webroot.com) is listed, your computer goes directly to the

IP address listed in the Hosts file. If the domain is not in the Hosts file, your computer looks up the information from the Internet (a slightly slower process).

You can use the Hosts file to your advantage by routing certain domains, such as advertising sites, to a dead end. This will block tracking cookies and other monitoring programs. However, some spyware and adware will route (or “hijack”) certain domains to false addresses (for example, by making a commonly used search site open to a porn site).

Using the Webroot software to manage the Hosts file, you can block a lot of unwanted adware activity, while preventing your Web browsing from being hijacked. When the Webroot software detects activity related to the Hosts File shield, it displays an alert.

To edit the Hosts file:

1. From the

Shields

/

Network

tab, click

Hosts File Shield Options

.

The Edit Hosts File window opens, showing entries that you, your IT department, or potentially unwanted programs have added to your Hosts file. If you have the Common

Ad Sites Shield turned on, it does not display the blocked ad sites.

The Webroot software compares the IP address of each entry in the Hosts file to the correct address on a domain name system (DNS) server. Any address that does not match and is not set to the local machine address (127.0.0.1) is flagged as possibly hijacked .

2. Select the entries you want to remove.

3. Click

Delete Selected

.

The Webroot software deletes the selected entries from your Hosts file.

4. Click

Close

.

3: Shielding your System 33

Setting Windows System shields

You can modify the shields that monitor Windows system settings, which some malware can change if not protected.

To set Windows System shields:

1. In the Icon panel, click

Shields

.

The Shields panel opens, showing a summary of the available shields and their status. (If

any shields are dimmed, you do not have access to them; see “Using multiple accounts” on page 11.)

2. Click the

Windows System

tab.

3. Select the options you want to use. Items with a green check mark are enabled.

Windows System shields

ActiveX

Watches for programs that install ActiveX technology on your computer.

Whenever a program tries to install ActiveX technology, the Webroot software alerts you and lets you continue the installation or stop it.

This option also blocks any viruses that try to install ActiveX technology, if you have Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware.

ActiveX Shield Options

button:

Click to edit the ActiveX shield option.

Prompt me only for known spyware items

:

This option watches for only known items from the security definitions that try to install ActiveX technology. Leaving this option turned on will reduce alert notifications, but could permit a new threat to install that is not yet included in the definitions.

Alternate Data

Stream Execution

Watches for programs that try to start from an

Alternate Data Stream (ADS)

.

Turning on this shield lets the Webroot software alert you if a program tries to start from an ADS.

This option also actively watches for viruses that try to start from an alternate data stream, if you have Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware.

Windows

Messenger

Service

Applies only to Windows XP. Not available for Vista.

Turns off and actively watches the Microsoft Messenger Service. This service is

not

an instant messaging program and does

not

affect your use of instant messaging. This service is often used for sending spam (unwanted email) and creating pop-up ads. Turning off the service stops these types of spam and pop-ups.

If your computer is in your home, you can turn off this service without any problem. If you work in a corporate environment, contact your system administrator to determine if your company uses the service to communicate with company employees. If you are not sure, leave the service turned on until you know.

34 3: Shielding your System

Windows System shields (continued)

System Services Monitors the system

registry

drivers from installing.

and protects against unwanted services and

This option also blocks viruses that try to install in the system registry, if you have Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware.

System Services Shield Options

button:

Click to edit System Services shield options.

Highest Security:

Select this option to display an alert related to any item detected by the

System Services shield.

High Security:

Select this option to allow a

signed service , but display an alert when an

unsigned service or a potential

malware

application is detected.

Moderate Security:

Select this option to prompt only when potential malware is detected.

3: Shielding your System 35

36

Windows System shields (continued)

Execution Watches for known items from the security definitions that try to install themselves. Whenever a potentially unwanted program tries to install itself, the Webroot software alerts you and allows you to block or allow the installation.

This option also actively watches for potentially unwanted programs that try to start when you start a program and when you save to the disk drive.

Whenever the Webroot software detects a potentially unwanted program in either of these situations, it alerts you and allows you to block or allow the action. If you block the action, the Webroot software places the file that tried to install, start, or save itself in Quarantine. You can then remove or restore the file. See

“Managing quarantined items” on page 23.

This option also watches for viruses that try to install themselves, if you have Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware.

Execution Shield Options

button:

Click to edit Execution shield options.

Automatically quarantine programs detected by this shield

:

Automatically stops the installation, startup, or saving of known items from the security definitions and places the file that tried to install, start, or save itself in Quarantine, without alerting you.

Automatically quarantine viruses detected by these shields

: This option automatically stops the installation, startup, or saving of known viruses that are in the security definitions and places the file that tried to install, start, or save itself in Quarantine, without alerting you. You must have Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware.

Scan for viruses when starting applications

: This option watches for viruses that try to start when you start a program on your computer, alerts you, and allows you to block or allow the startup. Select this option if you want stronger protection against viruses. If programs take longer to start than you want, deselect this option. You must have Webroot

AntiVirus with AntiSpyware.

Analyze executable programs in protected memory space before starting

: Isolates and examines suspect processes when you start a program and looks for potentially unwanted programs. The process isolation gives the Webroot software a better chance to see what the process does. If the process matches a security definition, the Webroot software alerts you and allows you to block or allow the startup. Select this option if you want stronger protection against potentially unwanted programs. If programs take a long time to start, deselect this option.

3: Shielding your System

Windows System shields (continued)

File System Watches for programs during write and read operations.

This option also blocks any viruses that try to install during write and read operations, if you have Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware.

File System Shield Options

button:

Click to edit File System shield options.

Scan on Write

: Monitors files or programs that attempt to install (write) to your computer.

Scan on Read

: Monitors programs as your computer attempts to read them. You can specify that all files types (extensions) are included by clicking “Conduct full on-read scanning,” or specify that only certain file types are included by clicking “Scan only selected file types on read.” To include only specific file types, select the extension types and click

Add to

Extensions to Scan

. You can also delete items from the list by clicking on the file extension and clicking

Delete Selected

. To return the list to its original contents, select

Reset List to Default

.

Automatically quarantine programs detected by this shield

:

Automatically stops the installation, startup, or saving of known items from the security definitions and places those items in Quarantine, without alerting you.

Automatically quarantine viruses detected by this shield

: This option automatically stops the installation, startup, or saving of known viruses that are in the security definitions and places those viruses in

Quarantine, without alerting you. You must have Webroot AntiVirus with

AntiSpyware.

3: Shielding your System 37

Setting the Startup Programs shield

You can set a shield to monitor the list of programs that start every time you start Windows. Some spyware add themselves to this startup list if you are not protected, which causes the spyware program to start every time you start Windows. The Webroot software also lets you edit the startup items.

Caution

Editing startup items is for advanced users. Some items listed may be required by

Windows or other programs. Deselecting items from the list could cause your computer to not start properly or cause some programs not to work. Edit with extreme caution.

To set up the Startup Programs shield:

1. In the Icon panel, click

Shields

.

The Shields panel opens, showing a summary of the available shields and their status.

2. Click the

Startup Programs

tab.

3. Select the options you want to use. Items with a green check mark are enabled.

Startup Programs shield

Startup Items Watches for attempts to add any item to your startup list. Select an option below to set when you want the Webroot software to alert you.

This option also actively watches for attempts to add viruses to your startup list, if you have Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware.

Startup Programs Shield Options...

button:

Click to edit Startup Items shield options.

Alert me only for suspected spyware and virus changes to startup items

:

Watches for attempts to add potentially unwanted programs, such as spyware, adware, and suspect programs, to your startup list. Some spyware will install to your startup list, so the programs will always run on your computer. This shield ensures that spyware programs do not add themselves to your startup list without you being aware of it.

This option also watches for viruses, if you have Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware.

Alert me for all startup item changes

: Watches your startup list for all changes. Some spyware will install to your startup list, so the programs will always run on your computer. This shield ensures that you are always alerted when a program tries to add an item to your startup list.

Checked items automatically start when Windows starts

: The items in this list start on your computer when Windows starts. To see more information about an item, select it and click

More Details

(however, not all programs provide additional details). If you do not want an item to start with

Windows, deselect its checkbox.

Some items listed may be required by Windows or other programs and may cause your computer to not start properly if removed. Edit with caution.

38 3: Shielding your System

Setting the E-mail Attachments shield

You can set a shield to monitor file attachments for both incoming and outgoing e-mails. If the

Webroot software detects that an attachment or its contents match a threat definition, it replaces the content of the attachment with an alert message that describes what it found. The Webroot software will move the original attachment to Quarantine, where you can decide whether to save it to your computer or delete it. You can also direct the Webroot software to always restore quarantined e-mail attachments to a specific directory.

Note

The E-mail Attachments shield does not support e-mail clients that use Secure

Sockets Layer (SSL).

To set up the E-mail Attachments shield:

1. In the Icon panel, click

Shields

.

The Shields panel opens, showing a summary of the available shields and their status.

2. Click the

E-mail Attachments

tab.

3. Select the options you want to use. Items with a green check mark are enabled.

E-mail Attachments shield

E-mail Attachments Monitors e-mail attachments for incoming e-mail (through POP3 protocol) and outgoing e-mail (through SMTP protocol). If it detects a suspicious attachment, it replaces the content of the original file with an alert message describing the potential threat, and then places the original file in Quarantine.

Note

: Some firewall configurations might prevent the E-mail

Attachments shield from monitoring e-mail. For more information, see

“Communication errors with the E-mail Attachments shield” on page 40.

This option also blocks any e-mail attachments where a virus has been detected, if you have Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware.

E-mail Attachments Shield Options...

button:

Click to edit E-mail Attachments shield options.

Restoring Attachments

:

Select

Ask me where to save every file

if you want to be prompted for every quarantined attachment that you want restored or select

Always save to:

to create a default

location for restored e-mail attachments.

You can enter a file location in the field or click

Select Location

to browse directories from Windows Explorer.

E-mail Port Settings

:

Enter the POP3 port number for incoming mail and the SMTP port number for outgoing mail. The Webroot software automatically displays port numbers that most computers use for e-mail communications. If necessary, change the port numbers or contact your ISP (Internet Service Provider) for the port numbers.

3: Shielding your System 39

Communication errors with the E-mail Attachments shield

When the E-Mail Attachments shield is turned on, the Webroot software intercepts all traffic on the POP3 and SMTP ports used for e-mail communications so it can scan attachments for spyware and viruses. By

default

, the Webroot software monitors port 110 (POP3) for incoming mail and

port 25 (SMTP) for outgoing mail, but you can change the port numbers in the E-mail Attachments

settings, if necessary.

Some firewall configurations might prevent the Webroot software from intercepting e-mail traffic.

If this is the case, the following alert appears every time an e-mail is sent or received:

40

If this alert appears because a firewall application is blocking the Webroot software, you need to configure your firewall application to allow the program to monitor the port traffic. For more information about resolving communication issues between your firewall application and the

Webroot software, you can contact Webroot Technical Support or click the following link (you must be connected to the Internet):

Firewall Configuration Information

If the alert appears only once or just periodically, the problem may be due to an inactive network configuration or a non-responsive SMTP or POP server at the ISP (Internet Service Provider). This is a temporary situation; the E-Mail Attachments shield should be able to function normally once communication is restored. If the message appears frequently when these types of communication errors occur, you can select “Do not show this message again,” so the alert only appears in the

session log (see “Viewing the session log” on page 64).

3: Shielding your System

4: Managing Backups

Webroot’s backup function preserves your files from hard drive crashes, fire, theft, or accidental deletion. You can run backups at any time to Webroot’s online

data center . You can also schedule

automatic backups so you never need to remember to run them yourself. The backup runs in the system’s background, without interrupting your computer activity. The Webroot software even backs up files that are open and in use.

To ensure the highest level of data protection during backups, the Webroot software first encrypts data with the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). Next, it transmits the data to Webroot’s highsecurity data centers, located in two different locations within the United States, and then encrypts the data a second time. Finally, it replicates data at both data centers. With these multiple layers of security, you can rest assured that your data can always be retrieved.

To manage backup and restore functions, you must create a backup account. This account is available from the Webroot software’s Main screen or from Webroot’s Web site. From this Web site, you can restore files (convenient if you are traveling) or share files with others. Your backup account is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and provides one gigabyte of backup storage space. If necessary, you can purchase additional storage capacity.

To manage backups and restore data, see the following topics:

•

•

Managing backup accounts .

Create a backup account with your user name and password.

Using online backup and restore .

Copy files to Webroot’s data centers for safe storage. Later, you can easily recover files or share them with friends online.

Note

If you previously installed the standalone version of Webroot Secure Backup, you do not need to uninstall it from your computer. You can access your backup account from Webroot Secure Backup, as well as from Webroot AntiVirus with

AntiSpyware.

4: Managing Backups 41

Managing backup accounts

A backup account defines your user name, password, and e-mail address. To access backup and restore functions, you must log into the account using this name and password.

To manage backup accounts, see the following topics:

•

•

•

Activating a backup account

Logging into a backup account

Switching the active account

Activating a backup account

If you have not already created a backup account, you can use the Webroot software’s Main screen to access Webroot’s account activation. If you already created a backup account, see

“Logging into a backup account” on page 44.

To create a new account:

1. Make sure you are connected to the Internet.

2. From the Main screen, click

Activate Backup Account

.

The Webroot Web site opens in your browser and displays a dialog for creating an account.

42 4: Managing Backups

3. Enter information in the fields, as described in the following table.

Creating an online backup account

First Name/User Name Enter your first name and a name you will use to log into the account.

The user name can be a single word from 3 to 50 characters. You may include letters from the English alphabet, numbers, a period, an underscore, an @ sign, or a dash.

Password/Confirm

Password

Email/Email Confirm

Enter a password you will use to log into the account. The password can be a single word from 5 to 20 characters. You may include letters from the English alphabet, numbers, or these special characters: ! @ # $ % ^

& * ( ). The password cannot contain a space.

Enter your e-mail address. Webroot will use this address for sending a password reminder (if you request it) and for allowing you to share files online with friends.

Password recall option To allow Webroot to send you a password reminder (if necessary), select a security question and enter an answer from 2 to 100 characters.

The answer must begin with an English alphabet letter, then either a letter or a number for the second character. Remaining characters can be letters, numbers, or an underscore.

If you do not want Webroot to have access to your password, select the

Advanced Password Protection

checkbox. Keep in mind that if you select this option, Webroot does not know your password and will not be able to send you a password reminder.

Be sure to write down your password and store it in a safe location.

4. Click

Submit

.

The Webroot software opens a confirmation screen and creates your account in a few minutes. If desired, you can click Check for Updates on the right of the Home panel to retrieve account information immediately.

When account creation completes, the Backup panel and Backup icon are activated on the

Main screen.

4: Managing Backups 43

44

Logging into a backup account

Before you can use the backup and restore functions, you must log into your backup account. The backup account remains active until you shut down the computer.

To log into an account:

1. Make sure you are connected to the Internet.

2. From the Main screen, click

Login to Backup Account

.

A Backup Account dialog opens with your user name already displayed.

3. Enter your password, then click

OK

.

The Backup panel and Backup icon are then activated on the Main screen.

Switching the active account

If you previously installed the standalone version of Webroot Secure Backup, you can switch to that account from the Backup tab. Only one backup account can be active at one time.

To switch backup accounts:

1. In the Icon panel, click

Backup

.

2. Under Active User Account, click

Switch User Account

.

A Switch User Account dialog opens with your current user name already displayed.

3. Enter the new user name and password, then click

OK

.

4: Managing Backups

Using online backup and restore

Online backup ensures that your important files are always kept safe and available in Webroot’s storage repository, which consists of redundant data centers in different geographic areas. The backup feature also maintains your privacy. Because of the sophisticated encryption system, your archived files cannot be accessed without your user name and password.

To use online backup and restore functions, see the following topics:

•

•

•

•

•

Creating an online backup set

Backing up data to the online repository

Restoring data from the online repository

Accessing your account online

Adding more online storage

Creating an online backup set

A backup set contains details of what you want copied and when you want the backup to occur.

You must create a backup set before running a backup.

To create an online backup set:

1. Make sure you are connected to the Internet and logged into your backup account.

2. In the Icon panel, click

Backup

.

The Backup panel opens.

Note

If the Backup icon is grayed out, you must create a backup account and log in (see

“Managing backup accounts” on page 42).

3. From the Backup Sets panel, click

Edit

.

Click

4: Managing Backups 45

The Online Backup setup wizard opens.

46

4. Enter your backup settings in each screen, as described in the following table. Click

Next

or

Back

to move between the screens.

Editing an online backup set

Step 1: Select Items to Back Up

Select the individual drives, folders, and files you want to include in the data set. We recommend that you back up any files that you consider irreplaceable (digital photos, financial records, and so on). Items with unchecked boxes will not be backed up.

You can see the contents of folders by clicking the plus sign to the left of the folder name. You can also right-click in the list of files (as shown above) to see the files in different views.

Once you select items, the Webroot software calculates the capacity (if

Automatically calculate space used

is checked). If you exceed the account’s storage allotment, you must choose a lesser amount or purchase

more storage (see “Adding more online storage” on page 50).

Step 2: Schedule

Automatic Backups

If you want to create an automatic backup schedule, select a frequency, time, and interval.

To ensure that this backup runs even if you are logged out, select the

Run backups even when Windows user is not logged on

checkbox at the bottom (however, the computer must still be turned on for backups to run).

If you do

not

want to schedule automatic backups, de-select the

Schedule this backup to run automatically

checkbox at the top.

Step 3: Other

Backup Options

If you want reports sent to your e-mail address when a scheduled backup is finished, select the

Send email reports...

checkbox and enter your e-mail address. Also make sure that the Internet connection speed (Dial-up, DSL/

Cable, or Corporate LAN) reflects your current connection type.

Step 4: Summary Review your backup set selections. If necessary, return to previous screens by clicking

Back

.

4: Managing Backups

5. When you’re done, click

Finish

.

The wizard closes. You can run the backup by clicking

Backup Now

.

Note

You can also add a file or folder to the online backup set at any time from Windows

Explorer or from your Windows Desktop. To do this, right-click on the file or folder, then select

Protect with Webroot Backup

from the pop-up menu. The file or folder is then included in the next scheduled online backup.

Backing up data to the online repository

After you create a backup set, you can copy data to the online repository. This process runs in the background and does not slow down your system.

To back up data:

1. Make sure you are connected to the Internet and logged into your backup account.

2. If you have not already done so, create a backup set (see “Creating an online backup set” on page 45).

3. Click

Backup Now

either from the Main screen or from the

Backup

tab.

A dialog window opens and shows the progress of the backup. The files are compressed first, then copied to the online repositories. The time required for the backup depends on how many files you selected, the capacity of the files, and the speed of your Internet connection.

Restoring data from the online repository

You can restore an entire data set, a specific folder, or just an individual file from the online repository. This repository is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

To restore data:

1. Make sure you are connected to the Internet and logged into your backup account.

2. Click

Restore Now

either from the Main screen or from the

Backup

tab.

The Restore setup wizard opens.

4: Managing Backups 47

48

3. Enter your restore criteria in each screen, as described in the following table. Click

Next

or

Back

to move between the screens.

Restoring data from an online backup

Step 1: Search

Backup Points

Locate a backup set that contains files or folders you want restored. Dates shown in bold are when backups were performed. If you search by date, the Webroot software locates backups performed on or before the date you selected.

To limit the results, you can also search by file size, file type, or a specific file name.

Step 2: Select Items to Restore

Step 3: Select

Location for

Recovered Files

Select what folders or files you want recovered. (Items with unchecked boxes are not included in the recovery.)

Determine where you want files recovered. You can accept Webroot’s

default

folder or enter a new one. Specify recovery options, as follows:

• To restore files to the default location, leave the

Default location

checkbox selected.

• If you want files restored to a folder other than the default location shown, select

New location

.

Enter a new directory or click the browse button to select a new directory. If you want to save this new location as the default, be sure to select the

Save this new location as my Default location

checkbox.

• If you want to append the directory structure of the original backup to this new location, select the

Include original path

checkbox. For example, if the directory of the original backup was C:\mystuff\ and you specify C:\backups\ as the new location, the restore process saves data to C:\backups\mystuff\.

4. When you’re done, click

Finish

.

A dialog window opens and shows the progress of the recovery.

4: Managing Backups

Accessing your account online

You can access your backup account from any computer with an Internet connection, so you can change account settings, retrieve files remotely, or share files with others.

To access your account remotely:

1. Open your browser and go to myaccount.webrootbackup.com

, or click

Backup

in the Icon panel and then click the Online Backup Web Access link.

2. In the Login dialog, enter your user name and password. Click

Login

.

An account summary page opens, similar to the following example:

Tabs

The tabs at the top of this page allow you to manage your account, recover files, and share files.

To recover or share files remotely:

1. From the top panel, select

Online Recovery > Recover

.

2. Follow the on-screen instructions to select the computer, drive, and the desired files.

Recovery screens look similar to the example below.

4: Managing Backups 49

50

3. If you want to share files with friends, click the Share link in the Action column. Another screen opens where you can enter your friend’s name, e-mail address, and a message. To send the e-mail with a link to your share, click the

Share

button.

The e-mail your friend receives looks similar to the example below.

4. To remove a shared file or directory, select

Manage Shares > View Shares

, and click the

Unshare link.

Adding more online storage

Your account includes one gigabyte of backup storage space. If desired, you can use a credit card to purchase additional storage capacity in the following levels: 2, 5, 10, 25, and 50 gigabytes.

To add more storage space:

1. Make sure you are connected to the Internet and logged into your backup account.

2. From the Main screen, click Increase Online Storage Space.

Click

The Webroot upgrade site opens in your browser.

3. Follow the on-screen instructions for purchasing more storage.

4. Click

Submit

.

4: Managing Backups

5: Setting Options

The Webroot software includes options that allow you to control sweep settings, shield settings, and other items related to program activity.

To set Webroot software options, see the following topics:

•

Viewing and setting sweep options

.

Review preconfigured sweep settings (the areas it searches and the types of threats it detects) and change settings for a Custom sweep.

•

Setting shield options

.

Change options that affect how shields block threats.

•

•

•

•

Managing detected items automatically

.

Determine how you want the sweeps and shields to manage items that are frequently detected (block or ignore).

Managing automatic updates .

Change the interval at which the Webroot software checks for program updates and new security definitions.

Setting program options .

Change some options that affect the Webroot software’s operation, such as whether it loads when you start your computer.

Viewing the session log

.

View activity for sweeps, shields, updates, and any errors that may have occurred.

5: Setting Options 51

Viewing and setting sweep options

Before running a sweep, you should review what options are currently set for each sweep type:

Full Sweep

, Quick Sweep , and

Custom Sweep

.

See the following topics:

•

•

Reviewing options for Full and Quick sweeps

Configuring Custom sweep options

Reviewing options for Full and Quick sweeps

The Webroot software includes pre-set options for a Full Sweep and a

Quick Sweep

. You cannot

change these options. To run a sweep with modified settings, you must run a Custom Sweep (see

“Configuring Custom sweep options” on page 54).

To review option settings for Full and Quick Sweeps:

1. In the Icon panel, click

Options

.

2. Make sure the

Sweep

tab is selected.

3. Under

Sweep Type

, select either

Full Sweep

or

Quick Sweep

.

In the lower panel, a check mark appears next to each option that is currently enabled for the selected sweep type.

52

The following table describes each option.

5: Setting Options

Sweep Options

Sweep All Attached

Drives

Sweeps all drives attached to your computer (such as a CD-RW drive), as well as the internal drives.

Virus Sweep

Applies only to Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware.

Performs virus-sweeping in the following areas: Memory Objects,

Compressed Files, System Restore Folder, All User Accounts, and Direct

Disk Sweeping (providing those options are also turned on).

Windows Registry

Memory Objects

Cookies

Compressed Files

Sweeps the computer’s registry

, where spyware and other potentially unwanted programs commonly create entries.

Sweeps the computer’s random access memory (RAM) , where spyware

and other potentially unwanted programs commonly load into memory.

Sweeps for known cookies

that are included in the security definitions. You can determine which ones you want to keep from Quarantine.

Sweeps compressed files such as .zip, .rar, .lzh, and .cab files, where potentially unwanted programs can hide.

The first time the Webroot software scans compressed files, the sweep time takes considerably longer than it would without sweeping compressed files.

But after the first sweep with this option, it will skip compressed files that have not changed, thereby saving time.

System Restore

Folder

All User Accounts

Direct Disk

Sweeping

Rootkits

Verify Executable

Programs

Behavioral

Detection

Applies only to Windows XP.

Sweeps the folder where Windows saves system restore files. If a restore point contains a potentially unwanted program, the Webroot software finds

it and lets you remove it. After removing the unwanted program, you can still use that restore point in the future.

Sweeps registry entries for all user accounts or login IDs on your computer.

Searches for strains of spyware that hide themselves from the Windows operating system.

Sweeps for rootkits. A rootkit

is a software tool that an attacker can use to maintain access to your computer for malicious purposes.

Performs a thorough analysis of executable programs by running them in a protected memory area. This is an advanced detection technique that may lead to longer scan times.

Applies only to Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware.

Initiates

Behavioral Detection , which analyzes programs for behavior

typical of malware before its code can execute.

5: Setting Options 53

Configuring Custom sweep options

You can change Custom Sweep

settings to customize where the program looks for suspicious items and what types of items the program scans.

To configure options for a Custom Sweep:

1. In the Icon panel, click

Options

.

2. Make sure the

Sweep

tab is selected.

3. Under

Sweep Type

, select

Custom Sweep

.

4. Click the Change Settings link.

Change custom sweep settings

54

The Custom Sweep window opens, with a panel in the middle that provides four buttons for selecting custom options: Where to Sweep, What to Sweep, Skip File Types, and

Advanced Options. You can select any button, in any order.

5. In the Where to Sweep panel, you can exclude certain drives, directories, or folders from the sweep by deselecting them (click the checkbox to remove the green check mark next to each folder or file). Typically, most spyware and other threats install on the C: drive, but you should sweep all drives periodically.

Virus protection

If you have Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware, you should sweep all drives regularly. Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware can sweep all internal drives for viruses. Viruses can be found in all types of files and in any location.

6. In the What to Sweep panel, you can select options as described in the following table.

(Items with a check mark are enabled. Click in the box to deselect or select options.)

5: Setting Options

What to Sweep (Custom options)

Sweep for Viruses

Applies only to Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware.

Enables virus sweeping in the following areas: Memory Objects, Sweep

All User Accounts, Compressed Files, System Restore Folder, and Direct

Disk Sweeping (providing those options are also turned on).

Automatically quarantine viruses detected during sweep

Applies only to Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware.

After performing

virus cleaning

, it places files in Quarantine that contain a virus and lists them on the Quarantine panel during the sweep process.

Windows registry

Memory objects

Cookies

Sweep all user accounts

Sweeps the computer’s

registry

, where spyware and other potentially unwanted programs commonly create entries.

Sweeps the computer’s

random access memory (RAM)

, where spyware and other potentially unwanted programs commonly load into memory.

Sweeps for known cookies

that are included in the security definitions.

Sweeps

registry

entries for all user accounts or login IDs on your computer. If this option is turned off, the Webroot software only sweeps the registry entries for the current user account.

Compressed files

System Restore folder

Sweeps compressed files such as .zip, .rar, .lzh, and .cab files, where potentially unwanted programs can hide. You may want to use this option after you have found spyware programs and you want to be sure that you have removed them.

Enabling this option increases sweep time significantly. (After the first sweep with this option, the Webroot software will skip compressed files that have not changed, thereby saving time.)

If you download a compressed file in the future, you can run a sweep on just that file from Windows Explorer to save time. For more information, see the instructions for setting the

Add “Sweep” option to Windows

Explorer context menu

on

page 63

.

Applies only to Windows XP.

Sweeps the folder where Windows saves system restore files. If a

restore point contains a potentially unwanted program, the Webroot software

finds it and lets you remove it. After removing the unwanted program, you can still use that restore point in the future.

7. In the Skip File Types panel, you can specify the file types for the Webroot software to ignore during a sweep. Enter the file extension and click

Add to Skip List

. For multiple entries, use a comma or semicolon to separate entries (for example: .mp3,.wma).

Note

Do not skip .dll, .exe, or .com file types, because spyware and other potentially unwanted programs typically hide in them. Be very careful when determining file types to skip. Threats can hide in any type of file.

8. In the Advanced Options panel, you can select additional sweep options, as described in the following table.

5: Setting Options 55

56

Advanced Options (Custom Options)

Enable Direct Disk

Sweeping including

Rootkit detection

Searches for strains of malware that hide themselves from the Windows

operating system, including rootkit

files. Keep this option selected, unless sweeps do not complete. Some computers need to turn off this option for sweeps to run completely.

Sweep for masked files Sweeps for items hidden from the operating system.

When this option is selected, the time required for the sweep will double. Use this option only if you are particularly concerned about your computer’s security or continue to see unwanted advertising after running a full system sweep. Otherwise, turn off this option for quicker sweeps.

Analyze executable programs in a protected memory space

Enable behavioral detection

Performs a thorough analysis of executable programs by running them in a protected memory area. This is an advanced detection technique that may lead to longer scan times.

Applies only to Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware.

Enables Behavioral Detection

, which analyzes programs for behavior typical of malware before its code can execute.

Automatically quarantine behavioral detections

Applies only to Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware.

Places any items found with the Behavioral Detection feature in

Quarantine.

Sweep Speed vs.

Processor Usage

Allows you to provide more processing power to other programs as sweeps are running. To do this, move the slider (click with your mouse and drag) toward “Conserve processing power” at the left. This setting slows the sweep process, but provides more processing power for other programs. For the fastest sweeps, leave the slider all the way to the right.

9. When you are finished selecting options, click

OK

.

Your Custom Sweep settings are automatically saved and are used any time you select

Custom Sweep as your sweep type.

5: Setting Options

Setting shield options

To configure shield options, see the following topics:

•

•

•

•

Setting antivirus protection . Blocks viruses in some of the shield types.

Setting behavioral detection

. Blocks potential threats based on the item’s behavior.

Changing the shield alert method

. Determines how shield alerts open.

Setting Gamer mode options . Determines if the Execution shield turns off when Gamer

mode is enabled.

Setting antivirus protection

When Antivirus Protection is turned on, the following shields also block viruses:

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Browser Helper Object shield (see

page 29

)

ActiveX shield (see

page 34

)

Alternate Data Stream shield (see

page 34

)

System Services shield (see page 35 )

Execution shield (see

page 36

)

File System shield (see page 37 )

Startup Items shield (see

page 38

)

E-mail Attachments shield (see

page 39 )

Virus protection

Antivirus Protection is available only in the Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware version.

To set Antivirus Protection:

1. In the Icon panel, click

Options

.

2. Click the

Shields

tab.

3. Select the

Protect against viruses

option to enable virus-blocking in the shields listed above.

5: Setting Options 57

58

Setting behavioral detection

Behavior detection is a method of identifying emerging threats, based on suspicious behavior that is typical of malware programs. When this option is turned on, shields will block new threats that

may not yet be listed in the security definitions . However, be aware that on very rare occasions,

this detection method could classify a legitimate program as malicious because it shows malwarelike behavior.

Virus protection

The Behavioral Detection option is available only in the Webroot AntiVirus with

AntiSpyware version.

To set Behavioral Protection:

1. In the Icon panel, click

Options

.

2. Click the

Shields

tab.

3. Select

Enable behavioral detection

.

4. Select

Automatically quarantine behavioral detection

to move any found items into

Quarantine.

Changing the shield alert method

When the Webroot software detects activity related to any of the shield settings, it displays an alert. Alerts that require immediate attention always open in a separate window and cannot be changed. Alerts that do not require immediate attention open in a pop-up window from the system tray; if desired, you can change the alert method so that the program opens and shows alert details in the Alerts panel on the Home page.

To select the alert method:

1. From the Icon panel, click

Options

.

2. Click the

Shields

tab.

3. From Shield Alerts Method, select either:

–

–

Show notification above system tray

: Shows a small, pop-up window above the system tray (lower-right corner of your screen) whenever the Webroot software needs to alert you to an activity that does not require immediate action. If the pop-up has a link, you can click it for more details.

Open the program to show alert details

: Opens the program’s Main window for most types of alerts that require additional information. (Some alerts are informational pop-ups, which still display only as a pop-up above the system tray.)

5: Setting Options

Setting Gamer mode options

For Gamer mode (silent program operation), you can control several options:

•

Turn off the Execution Shield

. When you set the program to Gamer mode, all shields will be turned off except for the Execution shield, so it can stop potentially harmful executable files from launching on your computer. If desired, you can specify that the

Execution shield is turned off along with all other shields.

•

Automatically turn off Gamer Mode

. You can specify how long you want to run the program in silent mode before it automatically switches back to regular operations.

To turn off the Execution shield:

1. From the Icon panel, click

Options

.

2. Click the

Shields

tab.

3. From Gamer Mode Options, de-select the checkbox next to

Turn Execution Shield OFF when entering Gaming Mode

.

To specify how long Gamer mode runs:

1. From the Icon panel, click

Options

.

2. Click the

Shields

tab.

3. From Gamer Mode Options, make sure the checkbox next to

Automatically turn Gamer

Mode OFF...

is selected. Enter the number of hours you want to use Gamer mode before it turns off and switches to regular program operations.

4. If you do not want Gamer mode to automatically switch off, deselect the checkbox.

5: Setting Options 59

Managing detected items automatically

You can specify how certain items are automatically handled when detected by sweeps or shields.

By

default , the Webroot software sets all items to Always Ask, which means that the program

always lists the items it detects and requires you to take action on each one (or just leave them in

Quarantine).

Trial Versions

If you have the Scan-Only trial version, you cannot quarantine and remove detected items. Click

Subscribe

to buy a subscription so you can remove found items.

If you repeatedly see the same items during sweeps and shielding, you can specify that these items are always ignored or always quarantined:

•

Always Quarantine

. If the same unwanted items appear during sweeps, you can specify that they are always quarantined and not listed in the Quarantine panel during a sweep. For example, you might want to quarantine certain tracking cookies that get downloaded whenever you visit a particular Web site so you don’t need to always quarantine the cookies manually after every sweep. For shields, the Always Quarantine setting blocks activities related to the particular item and does not open an alert.

•

Always Ignore

. If you know some items are required for legitimate programs, you can specify that they are always ignored and not listed in the Quarantine panel during a sweep.

For example, a legitimate program might need a piece of spyware that should not be removed. In this case, you can instruct the Webroot software to always bypass that spyware program during sweeps so it does not get moved. For shields, the Always Ignore setting allows activities related to the particular item and does not open an alert.

After you specify how Webroot software manages items in the Always Apply tab, the sweep function still detects them and includes them in its count of found items and traces, but it will not include the items in the Quarantine list, which reduces the number of items you must evaluate after sweeps.

Virus protection

Detected viruses are not displayed on the Always Apply tab (applies only to

Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware).

To manage detected items automatically:

1. In the Icon panel, click

Options

.

2. Click the

Always Apply

tab.

The Always Apply tab opens with a list of all items found on your computer during past sweeps.

60 5: Setting Options

Filter list

List of detected items. Use Ctrl and Shift to select items.

Select how to handle found items

If desired, you can filter which items appear in the list by choosing one of the following options from the drop-down list:

•

Show All Items

. Displays all items found in any sweep, unless you have cleared the item from the list.

•

Always Ask

. Displays only found items that are set to Always Ask, which is the default setting.

•

•

Always Ignore

. Displays only found items that you have set to Always Ignore.

Always Quarantine

. Displays only found items that you have set to Always

Quarantine.

To sort the list based on the heading, click a column head.

If you want to further reduce the number of items shown in the list, select ones that you don’t plan to handle with Always Quarantine or Always Ignore and click

Clear from List

.

Clearing items does not delete them; it just makes the list on the Always Apply tab shorter for you to manage. If the program finds the same item again, it will be added to the list.

3. To learn more about any item listed, click the View link. (You must be connected to the

Internet to see the additional information.)

The Webroot Web site opens in your browser and displays information about the selected item to help you decide whether to ignore or quarantine the item.

4. Select each item that you want to either quarantine or ignore every time. To select more than one item, hold down the

Ctrl

key and click each item you want to include.

5. Click either

Always Quarantine

or

Always Ignore

.

Later, if you want the Webroot software to always ask about an item, you can return to the

Always Ask panel, select the item again, and click

Always Ask

.

5: Setting Options 61

Managing automatic updates

For the highest level of protection, the Webroot software is already configured to check for program updates and new security

definitions

on a daily basis. (You must be connected to the

Internet for update checks to be successful.) In addition, the Webroot software is also set to automatically download definitions, if available. If desired, you can change the interval for checking updates to hourly or you can turn off automatic checks and automatic downloads for definitions. If you decide to turn off automatic checks, make sure you remember to manually check for definition updates at least once a week. To see when you last updated them, open the

Main window (Home panel) and read the Updates panel.

To check or change settings for automatic updates:

1. In the Icon panel, click

Options

.

2. Click the

Update

tab.

3. Under

Auto-Update

, you can change the following settings:

•

Automatically check for program updates

. We recommend that you keep this option selected. If desired, you can change the interval from daily to hourly. If you deselect this option, Webroot cannot notify you of either security definition updates or program updates, nor can it automatically send updates to you (the next options are automatically disabled). You will need to check for updates manually by clicking

Check for Updates

below Update Now.

•

Automatically download security definitions if available

. We recommend that you keep this option selected. Updates will automatically download as long as you are connected to the Internet. If you deselect this option, you must download updates manually by clicking

Check for Updates

below Update Now.

Setting program options

You can set program options that allow you to control the behavior of the Webroot software, such as whether you can run sweeps from Explorer.

To set program options:

1. In the Icon panel, click

Options

.

2. Click the

Program

tab.

3. Select the options you want to use. (Items with a green check mark in the box to deselect or select options.)

are enabled. Click

Program options

Display

Display splash screen on program startup

Perform “Check Status” on startup

Displays the splash screen whenever the Webroot software first starts.

Automatically performs a license check when the Webroot software starts to provide up-to-date subscription information.

62 5: Setting Options

Program options (continued)

Add “Sweep” option to

Windows Explorer context menu

Adds the

Perform Security Sweep

menu option to Windows

Explorer. When you right-click a file or folder from Explorer, you can select this option to run a sweep at the selected location. For more information, see

“Starting an on-demand sweep” on page 17.

If this option is unavailable (dimmed), you may not have access to it (see

“Using multiple accounts” on page 11).

Proxy Settings

Proxy Settings ...

Allows you to enter a domain and port number for a

proxy server

, if you use one to connect to the Internet. Click the

Proxy Settings

button. Another window opens that allows you to select:

• Use Internet Explorer proxy settings

• Use custom proxy settings

If you select

Use custom proxy settings

, enter the fully qualified domain name of the server (for example,

proxy.company.com

), the port number, user name, and password.

Click

OK

when you have changed the setting.

Other Options

Load the program at

Windows startup

Enable password protection

Starts the Webroot software whenever you start Windows, so it is always protecting your computer. We recommend keeping this option enabled. If you deselect this option, but have a scheduled sweep set to

When I Log On

, the Webroot software still loads with Windows.

If this option is unavailable (dimmed), you may not have access to it (see

“Using multiple accounts” on page 11).

Lets you create a password to protect access to the following areas: Options, Shields, Alerts, and Quarantine panels, and shut down. The Webroot software remembers your password as long as you are actively using the program. After five minutes of inactivity or after you minimize the program, it will ask for the password again.

To enable a password, click this option. A window appears where you can enter the password and confirm it. Be sure to remember your password when using the program.

Report Potential Threat

Report Potential Threat Lets you help the Webroot Threat Research team identify new spyware and viruses. If you encounter something that you suspect is a potential threat, click

Report Potential Threat

. See

“Reporting potential threats” on page 72 for more information.

Run Setup Wizard

Run Setup Wizard Opens the Setup wizard, which allows you to configure some key tasks in the Webroot software.

5: Setting Options 63

Viewing the session log

The session log shows all Webroot software activity for sweeps, shields, updates, and any errors that may have occurred.

To view the session log:

1. In the Icon panel, click

Options

.

2. Click the

Sweep

tab.

3. Click the View Session Log link at the bottom of the panel.

A Session Log panel opens and shows all activity related to Webroot software operations.

By

default , the Webroot software shows the last 20 log sessions, but you can modify that

amount by changing the value at the top, right of the panel.

If you want to save log activity to a file, click

Save to File

and enter a log name.

You can clear old log activity by clicking

Clear Session Log

.

64 5: Setting Options

6: Creating Scheduled Events

The Webroot software allows you to create scheduled events, such as automatic sweeps, so you don’t need to run them manually. Scheduled events can run at intervals, such as monthly or weekly, or at any time and day you specify.

To create scheduled events, see the following topics:

•

•

Scheduling sweeps

.

Run sweeps automatically to scan your computer for spyware and other unwanted items.

Scheduling backups .

Run backups automatically to preserve your files in a safe location.

•

Managing scheduled events .

Edit or delete schedules for automatic events, such as sweeps.

6: Creating Scheduled Events 65

Scheduling sweeps

You can schedule sweeps to run automatically. The sweep function scans your computer’s drives, the Windows

registry , memory, and other places where spyware and potential threats can hide. We

recommend that you run a Full sweep once a week. For more details, see

Chapter 2, “Sweeping your System” on page 15.

The Webroot software does not need to be open in the system tray for a scheduled sweep to run; however, the computer must be turned on.

Note

If your computer is configured for multiple user accounts (each person logs in with a unique name and password, as described in

“Using multiple accounts” on page 11), users can schedule their own sweeps. To run your own scheduled sweep

and to view the results, you must be logged into the user account where you created the schedule.

To schedule sweeps:

1. From the Icon panel, click

Schedule

.

The Schedule window opens.

66

2. Under

Add Events

, select “Add a scheduled sweep” from the drop-down box and click

Add

.

The Schedule Wizard window opens.

6: Creating Scheduled Events

3. Select the type of sweep you want to schedule and click

Next

:

•

Full Sweep

. If you select this type of sweep, a Schedule Wizard panel opens for

entering the desired frequency and times (continue with

step 4

below).

•

•

Quick Sweep . If you select this type of sweep, a Schedule Wizard panel opens for

entering the desired frequency and times (continue with

step 4

below).

Custom Sweep . If you select this type of sweep, there are several panels for entering

custom options. Click

Next

after entering information for each panel; click

Back

if you want to return to a previous panel and change the options. (You can create multiple custom sweep schedules, each with different sweep settings.)

Custom sweep panels

Where to Sweep If desired, you can exclude certain drives, directories, or folders from the sweep by deselecting them (click the checkbox to remove the green check mark next to each folder or file).

Typically, spyware and other threats install on the C: drive, but you should sweep all drives periodically.

What to Sweep

Skip File Types

Select the areas where you want to sweep for threats. For more information, see the

What to Sweep (Custom options) table on page 55

.

If there are any file types that you would like to skip during the sweep, enter the file extension and click

Add to Skip List

. For multiple entries, use a comma or semicolon to separate entries.

Do not skip .dll, .exe, or .com file types; spyware typically hides in these types of files.

Advanced Options Select the advanced options that you want to set. For more information, see the

Advanced Options (Custom Options)

table on

page 56 .

4. Select an interval for the sweep (based on time or when you log onto the computer), then click

Finish

.

The Schedule panel opens and shows your scheduled sweep. If desired, you can repeat the previous steps to add another scheduled sweep.

To change a scheduled sweep, select it and click

Edit This Event

. To delete a scheduled sweep, select it and click

Delete This Event

.

If desired, you can run one of the scheduled sweeps now by selecting it and clicking

Run

This Event Now

. If a potential threat is detected, see “Reviewing and quarantining items” on page 19.

6: Creating Scheduled Events 67

Scheduling backups

You can schedule backups to run automatically. The backup function preserves your files from hard drive crashes, fire, theft, or accidental deletion. For more details, see

Chapter 4, “Managing

Backups” on page 41.

To schedule backups:

1. From the Icon panel, click

Schedule

.

The Schedule window opens.

68

2. Under

Add Events

, select to add a scheduled backup from the drop-down box and click

Add

.

The Backup wizard opens.

3. For Backup wizard instructions, see Chapter 4, “Managing Backups” on page 41.

4. In the final wizard screen, review your backup set selections and click

Finish

.

The Schedule panel opens and shows your scheduled backup. If desired, you can repeat the previous steps to add another scheduled backup.

To change a scheduled backup, select it and click

Edit This Event

. To delete a scheduled backup, select it and click

Delete This Event

.

If desired, you can run one of the scheduled backups now by selecting it and clicking

Run

This Event Now

.

6: Creating Scheduled Events

Managing scheduled events

You can edit, delete, or run a schedule event at any time.

To manage scheduled events:

1. From the Icon panel, click

Schedule

.

The Schedule panel opens.

2. Click on a scheduled event.

3. Select one of the following:

•

Edit This Event

: Opens the schedule wizard, where you can make changes.

•

•

Delete This Event

: Removes the event from the schedule.

Run This Event Now

: Initiates the event immediately.

6: Creating Scheduled Events 69

70 6: Creating Scheduled Events

A: Webroot Support

You can contact Webroot through our Web site for:

•

Requesting Technical Support .

Submit an online trouble ticket.

•

•

Accessing the Knowledge Base .

Read articles that describe common issues and resolutions.

Reporting potential threats

.

Report suspicious items to the Webroot Threat Research Center.

•

Joining the WARN program .

Help fight emerging threats by participating in Webroot Automated Research Network

(WARN).

A: Webroot Support 71

Requesting Technical Support

Technical support is available from the Webroot Web site. Submit a trouble ticket to our service representatives at: www.webroot.com/support

Note

If clicking the link above does not open your browser and take you to the Webroot

Support page, copy the text of the link and paste it into your browser.

We make every effort to respond to your request on the same day you send it in, but please allow up to 48 hours.

Accessing the Knowledge Base

The Webroot Knowledge Base contains many articles that describe common issues and resolutions for Webroot software operations. These articles are constantly updated, expanded, and refined by

Webroot support professionals to ensure that you have access to the very latest information.

To access this database, visit the Support Center at: support.webroot.com

Note

If clicking the link above does not open your browser and take you to the Support

Center, copy the text of the link and paste it into your browser.

Reporting potential threats

If you believe that the Webroot software is not finding something you suspect is spyware, adware, a virus, or a potentially unwanted program that you have on your computer, you can report it to the

Webroot Threat Research Center. Webroot follows up on all reports to determine if it should add to its definitions.

Trial Versions

If you have a trial version, you cannot report potential threats.

To report spyware or viruses:

1. Make sure you are connected to the Internet.

2. In the Icon panel, click

Options

.

3. Click the

Program

tab.

4. Click

Report Potential Threat

.

72 A: Webroot Support

The Report Potential Threat window opens. You can use this window to enter information about any problems you believe are related to spyware, adware, or viruses. In addition to your comments, the program will send a log that contains information about the items found on your computer.

5. Enter your e-mail address in the first field. If you do not want Webroot to contact you about the problem, de-select the checkbox under the e-mail field.

6. Enter a description of the problem in the Comments field.

7. Click

Send Report

.

When the data has been transmitted successfully, a confirmation screen appears.

Joining the WARN program

The Webroot Automated Research Network (WARN) is a global community of individuals and businesses who provide Webroot with sample items detected on their computers to help us identify and fight emerging threats. When you join WARN, the software gathers information during sweeps and shielding activities, including spyware, viruses, and potential threats that are not yet classified, then sends the data to Webroot.

Note

The Webroot software does not gather personal information. Your participation is completely anonymous.

After you installed the software, the Webroot Setup wizard prompted you to join the WARN program. You can return to that Setup wizard and change your selection.

To join or opt-out of the WARN program:

1. In the Icon panel, click

Options

.

2. Click the

Program

tab.

3. Click

Run Setup Wizard

.

4. Follow the on-screen instructions to join the WARN program.

5. Click

Next

until you see the final Setup Complete screen, then click

Finish

.

A: Webroot Support 73

74 A: Webroot Support

Glossary

ActiveX

Developed by Microsoft, ActiveX technology is a group of functions allowing programs to share information. Many legitimate programs use ActiveX, but some spyware programs also use ActiveX to install themselves.

adware

Adware is a type of software that may display advertisements on your system. Some adware may also hijack Web searches, meaning it may reroute your Web searches through its own

Web page. It may change your default home page to a specific Web site. Adware generally propagates itself using dialog boxes, various social engineering methods, or through scripting errors. Adware and BHOs are often bundled with various free software programs, such as clocks, messengers, alerts, and software such as screensavers, cartoon cursors, backgrounds, sounds, etc. Removing adware bundled with free software programs may cause the software to stop operating. These adware programs may also cause slowing of your Web browser and system performance issues.

Alternate Data Stream (ADS)

API

An Alternate Data Stream is a highly technical way to hide images, data, or code in a file and can be used to hide malicious code. The hidden content is impossible to detect using regularly available tools, such as Windows Explorer.

A

pplication

P

rogram

I

nterface. API is a language and message format used by an application program to communicate with the operating system, a program, or a communications protocol.

The Windows API, also called WinAPI, is the core set of APIs available in the Microsoft

Windows operating systems.

applications

An application is a set of files that work together to make a software program. Some applications, like Internet Explorer, access the Internet and allow traffic to flow in and out of your computer.

Behavioral Detection

Additional protection against programs that may not match a threat definition, but exhibit behavior typical of malware. The Webroot software stops the program from executing before it can cause damage. This option can locate many emerging threats, but on very rare occasions, a legitimate program could be classified as malicious because it shows malware-like behavior.

Browser Helper Objects (BHOs)

Browser Helper Objects are add-on programs that work with your browser. Some spyware programs add BHOs without your knowledge.

Glossary 75

76

cache

A temporary storage area where data that you access frequently can be stored for rapid retrieval.

certificate

A digital certificate identifies an entity and verifies its credentials so that information it sends can be trusted. Certificates are issued by a Certificate Authority (CA), who attest that the public key contained in the certificate belongs to the person, organization, server, or other entity noted in the certificate.

child process

A computer process that is linked to a parent process and inherits most of the parent’s attributes. Malware writers can sometimes create a child process and attach it to a legitimate parent application. For example, Internet Explorer is used quite often by malicious processes to circumvent security. Since Internet Explorer is usually “allowed” in security products, a malicious process can spawn a child process and instruct it to perform some malicious task.

cookies

Cookies are small files that are generated by a Web server and stored on your computer for future access. When you visit some Web sites, a cookie may be placed on your system to track your personal preferences and Web surfing habits through uniquely identifiable information

(browsing habits, usernames and passwords, areas of interest, etc.). Some cookies may just track which ads the site displayed while you were there to make sure the site does not display the same ads. Other cookies may store preferences that you set, passwords you create for the site, and information about the pages you visited. Some cookies can be helpful, because they contain user names and passwords that let you log in to a Web site automatically or contain preferences you set for a Web site.

CPU

C

entral

P

rocessing

U

nit. The CPU performs the computer processing and is usually contained on a single chip. A complete computer system is comprised of the CPU, clock, main memory, operating system, storage devices, and other controls.

Custom Sweep

A Custom Sweep lets you select options to meet your needs. The Webroot software saves your custom sweep settings and uses them as the basis for any scheduled custom sweep that you configure.

data center

A group of computer systems and associated components used to store a repository of data.

default

An option that automatically appears or is pre-selected.

definitions

A security definition is a set of fingerprints that characterize a potentially unwanted program, such as spyware or adware, or that identifies types of viruses. Webroot regularly updates these definitions to provide better protection against the latest versions of spyware and other unwanted items.

Glossary

dialer

Dialers may disconnect your computer from your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and reconnect you to the Internet using an expensive toll or international phone number. Dialers can accrue significant phone charges and can run in the background, hiding their presence.

They generally propagate themselves using dialog boxes, various social engineering methods, through scripting errors, or may be delivered with a Trojan horse. The Federal Trade

Commission recommends that you dispute the charges with your telephone company and report the incident.

domain name

A name that identifies a Web site (for example, “webroot.com”). You can use either the domain name or an IP address to access a Web site; in most cases, the domain name and the IP address are interchangeable. Other times, a server can host several different Web sites (each with unique domain names).

executable files

An executable file contains a program that can be launched when you double-click the file name in Windows Explorer. Typically, executable files have an

.exe

file extension, but they can also have other extensions, such as

.bat

or

.com

.

filters

A filter is a set of firewall rules for what packets to allow or deny. To monitor packets, filters use a variety of screening methods, such as looking at the IP addresses, protocols, and ports that the packets are using.

Full Sweep

A thorough sweep of all internal drives and drives directly attached to your computer.

host name

The name assigned to a computer so it can be identified on the Internet or a network.

Computers on the Internet are often named WWW. Computers on a network are usually single names that describe the computer, such as “accounting1.” Host names can be part of a fully qualified domain name (FQDN). For example, in “www.webroot.com,” the “www” is the host name and “webroot.com” is the domain name.

HTML

H

yper

T

ext

M

arkup

L

anguage. The method used to display content in Web pages.

IP address

An

I

nternet

P

rotocol address identifies a machine (computer or server) on the Internet. The address is a series of four numbers separated by periods (for example, 64.78.182.210). Your own computer’s IP address may be the same address during every Internet connection (called a

static IP

, used in most T1/DSL connections) or it may change for each Internet connection

(called a

dynamic IP,

used in most cable/dial-up connections).

keylogger

A keylogger is a type of system monitor that has the ability to record all keystrokes on your computer. Therefore, a keylogger may monitor keystrokes, e-mails, chat room dialogue, instant message dialogue, Web sites visited, usernames, passwords, programs run, and any other typed material. They may have the ability to run in the background, hiding their

Glossary 77

78 presence. Keyloggers and system monitors may be used for legitimate purposes but can also be installed by a user to record sensitive information for malicious purposes.

Someone with administrative access to your computer, such as a system administrator or someone who shares your computer, typically installs commercial system monitors. This program may be installed on the machine without your knowledge or consent, and may allow an unauthorized, third party to view potentially sensitive information.

Worst case scenario: A third party may be able to view your personal conversations and may gain access to private information such as your usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, or your Social Security number.

local drive

A drive on your computer system, such as a CD, DVD, or disk drive (hard drive), that is connected directly to the computer.

malware

Mal

icious soft

ware

that is designed to destroy or harm your computer system, such as a virus.

netmask

The part of an IP address that identifies the host by filtering out (masking) the network address. (An IP address has two components: the host address and the network address.) Also called a

subnetmask

.

packets

Chunks of data that travel between machines on the Internet. When you send or receive data over the Internet, the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) divides the message into manageable packets, which are efficient for routing. When the packets arrive on the receiving end, TCP reassembles the message into its original form.

parent process

A computer process that has subprocesses (or “children”) associated with it.

ports

Ports are numbers that identify the entry and exit points of your computer. Computers divide one physical port connection into thousands of virtual port connections, most of which are never used. All communications protocols have designated entrance ports to your computer.

For example, traffic sent using HTTP for Web pages generally travels through port 80. Your computer’s ports are either open or closed. An open port allows any information to flow through it and can make your computer vulnerable to hackers. A closed port blocks incoming traffic.

potentially unwanted program

A potentially unwanted program is a program that may change the security or privacy state of your computer and online activities. These programs can (but do not necessarily) collect information about your online activities and send it to a third party without your knowledge or consent. A potentially unwanted program may arrive bundled with freeware or shareware, various social engineering methods, or by someone with access to your computer.

processes

A process refers to the actual running of a program module. When a computer is booted, numerous processes are started. Some are parts of the operating system, while others are applications that have been designated to run at startup. Several processes may be associated

Glossary

with the same application. In Windows, you can view a list of running processes in the Task

Manager (press

Ctrl-Alt-Delete

, then click

Task Manager

).

protocols

Rules that govern the way information is transmitted from one device to another. For example, the standard communications protocol for the Internet is TCP/IP and the standard protocol for local networks is Ethernet.

proxy server

A computer system or router that acts as a relay between a client and server. Proxy servers are used to help prevent an attacker from invading the private network and are often used in building a firewall.

Quarantine

A holding area for spyware, viruses, and other potentially unwanted programs found during a sweep. The quarantine process does not delete items from your computer. Rather, it keeps the items in a safe place until you decide whether to delete them permanently or restore them.

Quick Sweep

A fast sweep of only locations where potentially unwanted programs are commonly found.

This type of sweep maximizes use of your computer’s processing power, to make the sweep as fast as possible.

random access memory (RAM)

The main memory that acts as the computer’s workspace for running programs. Spyware and other unwanted programs can steal the computer’s memory resources, which can lead to system crashes, slower performance, or instability.

registry

A database of hardware and software settings about your computer’s configuration, such as the types of programs that are installed. Spyware can create entries in the Windows registry, which can ultimately slow down your computer and cause problems in your system.

restore point

A copy of the computer’s contents that allows you to restore your computer to a previous state.

rootkit

Rootkits use file obfuscation techniques to allow spyware and other malicious software to avoid detection and removal. Rootkits typically hide logins, processes, files and logs, and may include software to capture information from desktops or a network. A rootkit’s abilities to hide the presence of an intruder and the intruder's actions explain the increase in use of this method.

signed service

A certificate from an authorized certificate verification service (such as from VeriSign), which ensures that an application, service, or driver is from a trusted source and has not been tampered with.

spyware

Spyware is a program that may either monitor your online activities or possibly install programs without your consent. Information about online activities may be subsequently sent to a third party for malicious purposes without your knowledge. Spyware may arrive bundled

Glossary 79

80 with freeware or shareware, through e-mail or instant messenger, may propagate itself using dialog boxes, various social engineering methods, scripting errors, or by someone with access to your computer. Spyware is difficult to detect, and difficult (if not impossible) for the average user to remove without the use of a top-quality antispyware program.

system monitors

System monitors, typically non-commercial, may monitor and capture your computer activity, including recording all keystrokes, e-mails, chat room dialogue, instant message dialogue,

Web sites visited, usernames, passwords, and programs run. This type of program may be capable of taking screen shots of your desktop at scheduled intervals and storing the information on your computer in an encrypted log file for later retrieval. These log files may be sent to a pre-defined e-mail address. A system monitor can run in the background, hiding its presence. These programs typically install via other threats, such as music downloads and

Trojan downloaders. These system monitors may allow an unauthorized, third party to view potentially sensitive information, such as passwords, e-mail, and chat room conversation.

threads

A thread represents a single process in a multitasking application, allowing that application to split itself into two or more tasks running simultaneously.

traces

Individual elements that make up the security definition database. The more traces found and put into the definitions, the more complete the removal of the potential threats.

training mode

A firewall function that analyzes the normal activities of your computer’s applications and processes. The firewall uses this training period as a baseline, so that later, it can more easily determine what activities deviate from normal. (If you do

not

enable a training period, numerous alerts may display for all Internet applications and WinAPI processes as they launch, which may require you to take action by selecting “allow” or “block” each time one of these events first occurs.)

Trojan horses

A Trojan horse may take control of your computer files by using a program manager that allows a hacker to install, execute, open, or close programs. The hacker can gain remote control of your cursor and keyboard and can even send mass e-mails from your infected computer. It can run in the background, hiding its presence. A Trojan is usually disguised as a harmless software program and may also be distributed as an e-mail attachment. Opening the program or attachment may cause an auto-installation process that loads the downloader onto your computer and download third-party programs on your computer, resulting in the installation of unwanted programs without your knowledge or consent, and jeopardizing your privacy. Trojans can also open a port on your computer that enable a hacker to gain remote control of your computer.

virus cleaning

A procedure that removes infected portions of a file, when a virus is detected during a sweep.

If the Webroot software can remove the virus successfully, it restores the cleaned file to your computer in its original location and places a copy of the corrupted file in Quarantine. The cleaned file is safe to use; the file in Quarantine is not safe to use.

Glossary

URL

U

niform

R

esource

L

ocator. The URL is the unique address for a file that is accessible on the

Internet. To access the home page of a Web site, you can enter the URL of the home page (for example: http://www.webroot.com) in the browser’s address line. You can also access specific files using URLs (for example: ftp://www.webroot.com/sample.txt). The URL contains the name of the protocol to be used to access the file resource, a domain name that identifies a specific computer on the Internet, and a pathname for a specific file.

viruses

A virus is a self-replicating program that can infest computer code, documents, or applications. While some viruses are purposefully malignant, others are more of a nuisance, replicating uncontrollably and inhibiting system performance.

Glossary 81

82 Glossary

Index

A

accounts

42

activating a backup account switching the account

ActiveX shield

34

44

Additional Tools download

administrative privileges

11

21

advertising, blocking

alerts

14

32

42

changing display method disabling for gaming

13

58

viewing in session log

64

Alternate Data Stream Execution shield

Always Apply tab

60

Always Ignore option

60

Always Quarantine option

60

Antivirus Protection shield

57

attachments, E-mail Attachments shield automatic quarantine or ignore

automatic updates

62

Auto-Update option

62

20

34

39

B

backup

41 access to account

41

accessing and changing account creating an account

42

creating online backup set

45

immediate online backup

47 including files from Explorer

increasing online storage logging into an account

50

44

47

49

online backup and restore

scheduling

68

sharing files online switching account

49

44

45

behavioral detection

53

custom sweep setting

56

enabling

58

BHOs, editing shield options

Browser Helper Object shield

30

29

C

categories of threats

20

Change Settings link for sweep

Check for Updates link

Check Status link

11

12

closing the Main window

9

54

Index

Common Ad Sites shield

32

compressed files sweep setting

cookies

3

found during sweep

18

shielding from

sweep setting

29

53

Custom Sweep

16

changing options

54

running

17

customer support

72

53

D

definitions

4

updating

12

used during sweep

18

direct disk sweep setting

direct disk sweeping

drives, sweeping

53

53

56

E

E-mail Attachments shield

39

e-mail, communications error alert

errors, viewing

events

65

64

40

backups

68

changing or deleting

69

sweeps

66

executable programs, analyzing in protected space

Execution shield

36

Explorer, running sweeps from

extensions, file system scanning

18

37

56

F

favorites for IE, protecting

29

File System shield

37

firewall issues with E-mail Attachments shield

Full Sweep options for

16

52

running

17

40

G

Gamer mode

13

turning off automatically

59

turning off Execution shield

59

H

home page for IE, protecting

Home panel

8

31

83

Hosts File shield

Hosts file, editing

32

33

I

Icon panel

6

IE Hijack shield

30

IE Hijack shield, editing

30

Increasing Online Storage Space link

Internet Communication shield

IP address changes, blocking

32

32

items detected during sweep

19

50

K

Knowledge Base, at Webroot Web site

72

L

Load the program at Windows startup

logging into a backup account

logs, sweeps and shield activity

44

64

63

M

Main window and panel

closing

9

Home functions

8

6

icon functions

opening

6

7

masked files, sweeping for

56

memory objects sweep setting memory, program pieces swept

53

18

Messenger Service shield

34

N

Network shields, setting

32

O

online backup and restore

62

45

opening the main window operating system, sweeping

6

53

options, program

P

password, setting for backup account

password, setting for program

processing power, conserving

63

56

42

program options

62

Protect with Webroot... function from Explorer

proxy settings

63

47

Q

Quarantine

23

accessing and managing detected items automatically place items in

deleting items from

24

60

items displayed in panel

keeping items in

23

19

23

84

Quarantine 23 (continued) moving items after sweep restoring items from

Quick Sweep

16

24

options for

running

17

52

20

R

RAM sweep setting

53

Read shield

37

registry entries

53

registry items swept registry sweep setting

18

53

registry, protecting

35

renewing subscription

11

Report Potential Threat option reporting potential threats restore

41

72

63

access files remotely

49

immediate restore from online

restore point, sweeping risk ratings of threats

20

53

rootkits, sweeping

Run Setup Wizard

53

63

running sweeps immediately

running the program

6

17

47

S

Scan on Read shield

Scan on Write shield scheduling

65

37

37

backups

68

deleting or editing schedules

69

sweeps

66

search page for IE, protecting

31

security settings for IE, protecting

29

server, proxy

63

session log, viewing

64

Setup Wizard

63

sharing files from online backup

Shield Alerts method

shields

27

alerts for

14

Antivirus Protection

58

57

49

disabling for gaming

E-mail Attachments

13

39

Network

32

Startup Programs

38

summary

28

Web Browser

29

Windows System

34

shutting down the program silent mode

13

Skip File Types panel

55

10

Index

splash screen, disabling

spyware

3

62

managing in quarantine reporting

72

23

shielding from downloading sweeping for

17

viewing more details online

starting the program

6

27

20

starting the program from Explorer

Startup Programs shield

38

stopping program operation

subscriptions

4

10

renewing

11

viewing status

Summary panel

support

72

8

22

63

Sweep Speed vs. Processor Usage sweeps

15

adding option to Explorer

63

automatic ignore or quarantine

56

60

changing what to sweep

disabling for gaming

13

54

results of

18

running from Explorer

running immediately

scheduling

66

17

18

setting options

summary of

22

52

types of

16

system restore folder sweep setting

System Services shield system tray icon

6

35

system tray menu

10

system tray, changing alert method

53

58

T

tabs, using

9

technical support

72

traces found during sweep

Trial version

2

19

U

updates to program

12

automatic

62 perform Check Status on startup

user accounts sweep setting

user accounts, using multiple

53

11

62

V

verify executable programs

53

version, viewing current version number

viruses

3

automatic quarantine setting

55

changing automatic quarantine setting

8

56

managing in quarantine

reporting

72

23

setting sweep option

55

shielding from downloading

57

sweep option setting

sweeping for

17

53

updating program for protection

viewing more details online

20

12

W

WARN program

73

Web Browser shields, setting

Webroot products

Webroot Support

2

71

29

What to Sweep panel

54

Windows Messenger Service shield

Windows Startup shield

38

Windows System shields, setting

Write shield

37

34

34

Index 85

86 Index