SDHelper does not seem to work

[Chadj]

Hi all,


I seem to have the feeling that my SDHelper is not doing anything. It would be nice if there was a good way to test this, sort of like the EICARS test file. But anyway, any help would be greatly appreciated:

Using IE 8, Spybot 1.6.2.46 (updated 7/21/10), Windows XP SP 3

The add-in is enabled. According to the Configuration Window in the IE add-in, the database has 29,999 Blacklisted sites & files, and 594 Cookies...yet the statistics show that nothing has been blocked or allowed.

I've always kept SDHelper on "Ask for blocking confirmation" and the last time I remember getting the Spybot pop-up window was back when I was using IE 6...

Currently using Kaspersky Anti-Virus 7 and Ad-Watch, but I do know that SDHelper was working well with Ad-Watch.

Any suggestions?

[drragostea]

I have not worked with SDHelper in sometime but I am sure it is compatible with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6-8.

What my perspective is, is that the SDHelper automatically blocks the cookies for you. I think that it would prompt you when you have encountered something malicious.

As for the EICAR test, Spybot-Search&Destroy is not an anti-virus program so you would not get the results you expected using SDHelper as a tester.

[Chadj]

Hi drragostea,

Thanks for replying. So what you're saying is that I will only get prompted when I encounter something malicious? I haven't seen SDHelper's pop-up asking me if I want to block something in over a year. I used to get a lot of warnings with ad.yieldmanager banners and such, but I don't even see them anymore. I have a strong feeling that my SDHelper no longer works.

My question is, how do I know that SDHelper is even working?

If I want to test my virus protection, I can use the EICARS file to give me a little bit more piece-of-mind. But there is nothing that I know that can test the SDHelper.

Another reason I don't think SDHelper is working: the IE 8 Spybot add-in statistics show that NO sites & files have been blocked, NO Phishing URL have been blocked, and NO Cookies have been blocked.

[drragostea]

Alright, I will give up.
I was having difficulty finding the SDHelper GUI in Internet Explorer 8.
I think it was because IE8 totally revamped the GUI. There was an issue in the past where IE8 froze sometimes with SDHelper but I am certain that was correctly. I say that because it sort of connects with the existence of SDHelper in IE8.
-
I cannot find SDHelper so I cannot test it. Bitman, another well respected forum member, once spoke about how IE8's Screenfilter was an effective replacement for SDHelper.

I looked up the description that SDHelper gave me in the tools section and it described it to be a "bad download blocker".
So I guess I was sort of right in the first post.

By the way, it would be impossible to trigger an alert from SDHelper (if it "exists") by EICAR because it does not scan for viruses.

My best suggestion for you right now is simply have ScreenFilter take over SDHelper. Screenfilter is not an add on, it is a security component in IE8 by default.

[Chadj]

drragostea,

To find the SDHelper GUI in IE8, go to the Tools Menu. If you don't see it, just hit the Alt key to bring up the traditional menu bar.

In the Tools menu near the bottom you will see "Spybot - Search Destroy Configuration"

My only reason to bring up "EICAR" was to provide an analogy. I do realize that only virus protection programs should catch the EICAR test string.

In other words, I was wondering how I could test SDHelper to see if it was working, like the way you can test virus scanning programs with the EICAR test file.

I appreciate all the help you've tried to provide! :)