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Spytech SpyAgent earned our TopTenREVIEWS Gold Award because of its numerous and enriched features. The No. 2 and 3 ranked products lack the comprehensive functionality of SpyTech SpyAgent.

Spytech Software and Design, Inc. is a privately held company based in Red Wing, Minnesota. The company specializes in security and monitoring software solutions. One of its premiere surveillance applications is Spytech SpyAgent. Numerous, enriched and robust features make the software appropriate for both home and business users.

Prior to installation of Spytech SpyAgent, all antispyware, antivirus, and anti-keylogger applications must be disabled. If left enabled, the software installation may fail. The SpyAgent installation provides the user with two setup options. New users are encouraged to select the Administrator/Tester option. In this method, the setup process installs the software in its entirety. All users of the monitored computer will see the software's icon on the system tray of the PC. Additionally, the application is accessible via the Windows Start Menu and all help files are installed and available.

The second mode of installation is Stealth. In this method, the setup process installs a minimal set of options. Omitted from this mode of installation are user help files and desktop shortcuts. Reserved for advanced users, the stealth installation requires the renaming of files. This file manipulation ensures that the software runs undetected from PC users. This form of installation may confuse inexperienced computer administrators. Both methods of installation require the creation of a password to protect the application from computer users who may desire to change the application's configuration settings.

After the reviewer's installation of the software, Windows Defender alerted to the presence of SpyAgent on the computer. Most antimalware applications will detect the application. Computer administrators need to create exclusions within these types of applications in order for SpyAgent to perform its functions. Some may view this detection as a flaw of the monitoring software. However, those who have installed the software under the computer administrator account and within the legal limits of the software may welcome the overt monitoring the application provides. If desired, manufacturer support can assist the computer administrator with setting up advanced stealth options.

The application uninstalls easily with the manufacturer's Automatic Removal tool. Before removing the application, uncheck any "load on Windows startup" options within the application's administrative interface. Computer administrators may appreciate the Automatic Uninstall feature of SpyAgent. The monitoring software can be set to remove all settings and log files on a designated date.

Spytech SpyAgent runs as a background process and does not drain system resources. The User Interface (UI) provides a highly organized and easy to navigate portal for the management of the application’s numerous features. Customization options include the ability to setup the frequency of screenshots, logging storage options, scheduled monitoring, computer lockdown, content filtering and blocking, keywords and more.

Online Monitoring:

Spytech SpyAgent comes equipped with a robust set of internet surveillance features. The tracking of internet connectivity occurs through the monitoring of all outgoing and incoming connection requests. SpyAgent records transcripts of Webmail messages, sent and received email messages as well as email attachments. The monitoring software has no difficulty in tracking social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook and Twitter.

Computer administrators are able to see both sides of chat conversations. Supported chat and instant messaging applications include AIM, Yahoo Messenger, MSN Messenger, Excite Messenger, GoogleTalk, Skype, XFire and ICQ.

PC Monitoring & Admin:

SpyAgent will pause the monitoring of the PC if user activity stops. Once activity resumes, the application restarts logging all user activity.

The monitoring software's advanced document surveillance capabilities may appeal to business owners who seek to protect their intellectual property from corporate espionage. The application monitors all documents and files a user opens. Additional information includes the listing of the file path, new files created, modification, deletion and printing. Further, the monitoring software logs all files transferred via email and FTP.

Other computer events tracked are Windows viewed, applications executed, clipboard activity, total computer usage and more. Further, computer administrators can block a user's ability to launch applications.

Filtering & Blocking:

A feature rarely seen in the competition is robust content filtering. Spytech SpyAgent not only blocks websites based on designated URLs but also has keyword content filtering and blocking. The application can prevent users from accessing websites that contain pornography, gambling or other questionable content.

Further, computer administrators can block a user's ability to launch designated applications such as chat and instant messaging applications. Additionally computer owners can prevent users from attaching portable drives or other external media devices.

Reporting:

Spytech SpyAgent has multiple reporting abilities. Remote reporting capabilities include delivering logs and reports via email or FTP (File Transfer Protocol). USB retrieval allows for the quick flushing of gathered data to a USB drive. This component allows the computer administrator to collect the data directly from the computer and save it for later viewing and documentation.

By physically accessing the monitored PC, computer administrators can access the UI, which contains numerous built in reports. Administrators can save logs, export them to HTML format, and perform cross-referencing.

The log filtering capabilities of the software are impressive. Administrators can filter out specific data such as backstrokes, email attachments or other unwanted reporting attributes. Filtering the report by date of creation, specified times, username and more is easy.

The built in reports include Top 10 Applications Used Report, Top 10 Websites Visited Report, Top 10 Online Searches Report, Top 10 Files Used Report, Top 10 File Transfers Report, Top 10 Chatters Report, Top 10 Email Senders Report, Top 10 Email Recipients Report, Top 10 Active Users Report, Top 10 Inactive/Idle Users Report and more.

Intelligent Screenshot Capturing is another innovation of this application. Spytech SpyAgent can take screenshots of the desktop at a customized frequency or have the feature triggered by the user typing a designated keyword. The screenshot manager plays back the captured images much like a VCR slide show. Further, the app categorizes the pictures by content, social networking, email, website usage, file accessed and more.

Summary:

Spytech SpyAgent comes equipped with an enriched set of robust features rarely seen in its competition. The application is a reliable and surprisingly affordable tool for both home and business users.

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