Ad-watch options

Ad-watch options

Setting up Ad-watch

To view the Ad-watch configuration screen, open Ad-aware, click the "Settings" quick launch button at the top right to display the "Settings" main menu and then click the "Ad-watch" button.

Load Ad-watch on windows start up - Ad-watch will start with Windows. This option does not require that Ad-aware be configured for automatic mode and can be used concurrently.

Ad-watch window always on top - The Ad-watch window will remain on top of other open windows on the monitor screen.

Real-time accuracy - Determines the speed at which Ad-watch responds to detected items. This means how many concurrent threads Ad-watch will analyze. Please note that at higher settings, more CPU cycles will be required. Set this according to your system's available resources.

	·	Basic - lowest setting available and uses the least resources and good for old or limited systems.
	·	Medium - Mid range setting and a good compromise on intermediate systems.
	·	High - Uses slightly more resources as the Medium option and is recommended for modern systems.

Lock startup sections in registry - The start up (run) sections of the registry will be locked. No changes will be permitted.

Block possible browser hijack attempts - Stops suspicious files from attaching to and taking over the browser.

Block suspicious processes - Ad-watch will block all suspicious processes on the system.

Lock executable file associations - Blocks (only) the most common associations (used by worms and viruses) so that they cannot stealthily change executable, shortcut and registry file associations.

Ad-watch event log window

To open the Ad-watch event log window click the Ad-watch icon at the top right of the Ad-aware interface or click the Ad-watch button on the main Ad-aware screen.

	·	Processes - This is a report of the total number of running processes active on your system. Place your cursor over this section of the window and you will see a listing of these processes, their names and their paths.

	·	Events - Total number of events that Ad-watch has intercepted or detected. If the "Log Ad-aware events" Tweak is selected for example, Ad-watch will not block Ad-aware from scanning but will log this as an "event"

	·	Active - This is an on/off switch that will activate/de-activate Ad-watch

	·	Automatic - Ad-watch will automatically block all suspicious activity.

	·	Log - Displays the Ad-watch event log window, which lists events for the current Ad-watch session. This is the default window when you open Ad-watch. See the screen shot at the top of this section.

	·	Filter - Displays the Ad-watch allowed process filters list, which lists targeted processes, running in memory, which have been allowed to remain on the system by the user. (This is not the same list of items as in the Ad-aware "Ignore-list".)

	Double click on an entry to expand it., double click on an entry again to compact it. Or use the cursor keys and enter.

	Right click in the Ad-watch "Log" screen to open the following popup-menu:

	· Compact view - Closes all expanded Ad-watch log event entries. When chosen all event entries will be collapsed to show a single lines only.

	· Expand all - Expands (opens) all Ad-watch log event entries. When chosen all event entries will be expanded to show detailed
	information about the event or events:


	This example uses a registry modification. You cannot add registry events to the filter, as they are not running processes.
	If this had been a targeted process you would have been given the option to accept it (add it to the filter list) or block it.

	· Clear event-log - Clears the Ad-watch event log.

	· Export event-log - Saves a copy of the Ad-watch event log to any directory or folder the user chooses.

	· Allowed processes - Displays the Ad-watch "Filter" allowed processes list. Note: this is only a "viewer" option. Processes cannot be added to the filter list through this menu option. Please see the "Adding items to the "Filter" list" section below.

	· Preferences - Displays the "Ad-watch Options" configuration screen. Use this option to fine-tune Ad-watch and the way it reacts to system events.

	· Open Ad-aware - This option will open Ad-aware.

Ad-watch Filter list

To view the Ad-watch "Filter" screen, open Ad-watch then click the "Filter" button.

Each item in the list features 4 fields:

"Icon" - The item's icon as it appears in Explorer.
"File" - Objects file name, location or registry entry.
"Vendor" - This is the software system or product vendor to which this component belongs.
"Comment" - Additional comments about the item.

Right click in the Ad-watch "Filter" screen to open the following popup-menu:

	· Select all objects - Select (check) all objects in the list.
	· Deselect all objects - Deselect (uncheck) all objects in the list.
	· Inverse selection - All selected (checked) objects become deselected (unchecked) and visa-versa.
	· Remove selection - Removes the selected item from the Ad-watch allowed processes list.
	· Event log window - Returns to the Ad-watch event log window.
	· Preferences - Opens the "Ad-watch Options" configuration screen.
	· Open Ad-aware - This option will open Ad-aware.

Note that if an recognized process is allowed to run, and later removed from the filter list, it will be detected again (and blocked, if auto-blocking is on)

Adding items to the "Filter" list
Open Ad-watch then launch the process you want to add to the filter list.
When Ad-watch detects the process it will alert you with a prompt to either allow it or to block it.
To permit it, select the "Allow" button and then click "Yes" when prompted for verification of the action.

Removing items from the "Filter" list
Open Ad-watch, click the "Filter" button then select the process you want to remove from the list by right clicking the appropriate entry in the open window.
Select the "Remove Selection" option from the menu and then click "Yes" when prompted for verification of the action.

Ad-watch taskbar menu options

Right click on the Ad-watch icon in the taskbar to open the following popup-menu:

	·	Monitoring Active / Monitoring Off - Displays the Ad-watch status.
	·	Restore Ad-watch - Opens the Ad-watch window.
	·	Preferences - Displays the "Ad-watch Options" configuration screen
	·	Open Ad-aware - Opens Ad-aware.
	·	Terminate - Halts Ad-watch monitoring.

Ad-watch Tweak options
To view the Ad-watch Tweak options, open Ad-aware then click the "Settings" quick launch button at the top right to display the Settings main menu, now click the Tweak.button, and open the Ad-watch sub-section on this screen.

Ad-watch "Tweak" option descriptions:

	·	Deactivate Ad-watch during Ad-aware scans - Deactivates Ad-watch when Ad-aware is scanning.
	·	Completely reanalyze processes on change - When Ad-watch detects a change in running processes, Ad-watch will reanalyze all processes using the in-depth engine instead of using the internal cache.
	·	Block ActiveX installations - Blocks the installation of ActiveX components.

	·	Block IE save operations - Blocks web installations. (Blocks downloads)
	·	Block Popups and banned Sites - Blocks popups from sites defined in the sites.txt file

	·	Automatically pop up event log if event occurs - Ad-watch will pop up if an event is detected.
	·	Automatically save event log on close - Creates an Ad-watch log automatically when Ad-watch is closed.
	·	Log Ad-aware events - Ad-watch will log Ad-aware events.
	·	Don't clear session event log on resetting statistics - Retains Ad-watch log events when resetting statistics on the "Status Screen" page.

Additional Ad-watch associated options/settings

Ad-watch has two more features available within the "Automation" configuration window :

	·	Start Ad-watch minimized - Ad-watch will launch minimized to the task bar.
	·	Start Ad-watch in auto-blocking mode - Ad-watch will automatically block all suspicious activity.

For a complete description of the options available from within the "Automation" configuration window please see the "Automation" page.