About Webroot Threat Research

To excel in the spyware research field, several methods must be employed. While user submissions aid in researching anti-spyware, the nature and complexity of spyware requires additional assistance. There are three main methods that companies utilize to detect spyware: manual discovery, client automation, and Web crawling automation.

A very effective and efficient means of identifying spyware is to employ Web crawler technology to find new threats before they can infect end-users. Webroot employs this methodology by using Phileas, a malware crawler that populates a threat database. Phileas utilizes dozens of servers with high bandwidth Internet connections, controlling an army of "bots" that scour the Web for sites containing malware.