Weak, inefficient and slow are the terms used to describe the built-in security features of Windows Vista. And an Enex Testlab test of the anti-spyware software included in Windows Vista, commissioned by PC Tools, comes to confirm the holes in the security that ships with the operating system.

"We have taken a look at several anti-spyware vendors over time to determine the current level of accuracy against spyware threats in 2006. These results show Vista requires more work to protect users. Third party security vendors - especially in the area of anti-spyware are still essential components in protecting users," said Matt Tett, Senior Test Engineer for Enex TestLab.

"We have been watching with interest the development of Microsoft's Vista security effort. We know that Microsoft is facing difficult challenges with the broadening scope of dangerous malware attacks while also trying to maintain backwards compatibility and usability. This independent research was designed to show how we compare in combating real-world threats over an extended period of time," said Simon Clausen, CEO of PC Tools.

With Windows Vista, Microsoft has made Windows Defender an integer part of the operating system. The testing revealed that Microsoft Defender's quick scan managed to stop just 46.61% of threats. In this regard, the full scan performed better blocking 53.39% of the threats. In this context, PC Tools' Spyware Doctor outperformed Windows Defender blocking 83.26% and 88.69% of threats in quick scan and full scan modes.