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Online Solutions Autorun Manager - identifying and controlling autorun applications
Posted by ClifNotes, Mar 2009, permalink Security Tools
As you may know, an autorun is a program that starts when Windows boots up and they'll often display an icon down in the System Tray (next to the clock). Some programs don't display an icon down there. Some programs (bad ones) don't even want you to know that they are running. Spyware and Adware like to start without your permission. Lots of other programs love to start little apps silently even though you don't need them to run. Altogether, they'll slow your PC to a crawl if you don't get some control over them.
How can you tell the good ones from the bad ones? I used to use QuickAccessInfoBar, WhatsRunning and WinPatrol to help me identify which autoruns were good and bad. After a certain amount of time, I stopped using the QuickAccess product because it is now too commercialized. I stopped using WhatsRunning as I became familiar with what should be running on my PC. I still use WinPatrol and generally install it on all my PCs.
I recently tried OSAM (Online Solutions Autorun Manager) and I was amazed at all the things it can do. The OSAM utility comes in an installed and a portable version and has more functions than I'll ever need.
According to the website, here are the features.
Functional capabilities:
• support of virtually all known methods of automatic loading using the system registry or special folders;
• automatic detection of the peculiarities of settings on specific user systems;
• validation of digital file signatures;
• color marking of file statuses for better comprehension;
• filtering by statuses of detected objects;
• search by masks using any parameter in any display mode;
• output of additional information for any object type;
• output of detailed file information, validation of file existence and accessibility;
• temporary disablement of registry objects or files without creating additional keys or subfolders;
• generation of two types of report files (text and HTML) with all autoload information.
Unique capabilities:
• protection against rootkits by detecting hidden registry keys and records using the method of direct registry data analysis (without using OS functions);
• comprehensive support of LSP (Layered Service Providers) filters deletion and recovery with rearrangement of the providers chain;
• support of namespace providers (NSP) with rearrangement of the providers chain.
Advantages:
• a completely free application!
• grouping by file objects enables you to quickly find all links to a specific automatically loaded file;
• regular updates of the methodological database after the analysis of in-the-wild malicious software;
• full Unicode support (any national characters, filenames and registry data);
• support of visual themes (skins) for users who do care how their favorite software looks.
My final opinion of OSAM is mixed. It has lots of features and lots of power. That's part of the problem. I had trouble figuring out how to use it and stumbled around for a long time.
I believe that WhatsRunning is a better application for most users. If you need more horsepower, then OSAM is likely what you'll want to use. It never hurts to use WinPatrol all the time because it will let you know every time a new autorun application is added to your PC.
Quote from the website
"OSAM" (Online Solutions Autorun Manager) is a powerful and reliable tool for controlling the 'cleanliness' of components and applications that are automatically loaded or started under certain conditions without user's consent.
"OSAM" provides an easy one-click way of obtaining detailed information about the components that are run automatically at the system start and can potentially affect its operation.
Basically, all types of malicious software that have been around for the last 7-10 years use various mechanisms of sticking to an infected system. With this product, you will be able to monitor and control these activities and, which is more important, eradicate the threat on your own.
http://www.online-solutions.ru/en/osam_autorun_manager.php
