Anti-Spyware Guide

from WinCustomize Forums

 

Spyware Guide for PC users

 

I still see a lot of people here having difficulties with spyware on their computers.  I also noticed that some people still have no idea what tools are available to them that can help them clean and repair their computers.  I compiled a list of some of the best programs to detect, and get rid of spyware on your PC.  Some are free, some are not, and some are online scanners.  Either way you can find some of the best tools here.

Freeware

Ad-Aware 1.06

Ad-Aware is designed to provide advanced protection from known Data-mining, aggressive advertising, Parasites, Scumware, selected traditional Trojans, Dialers, Malware, Browser hijackers, and tracking components.

Download - http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Adaware_SE_Personal/965718306/1

 

Microsoft Windows Defender 1.1.1051 Beta 2

Windows Defender is a security technology that helps protect Windows users from spyware and other potentially unwanted software. Known spyware on your PC can be detected and removed. This helps reduce negative effects caused by spyware including slow PC performance, annoying pop-up ads, unwanted changes to Internet settings, and unauthorized use of your private information. Continuous protection improves Internet browsing safety by guarding over 50 ways spyware can enter your PC.

Download - http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/default.mspx

 

Spybot Search and Destroy 1.4

Spybot Search and Destroy searches your hard drive for so-called spy- or adbots; that is, little modules that are responsible for the ads many programs display. Many of these modules also transmit information, including your surfing behavior on the Internet. If it finds such modules, it can remove them. In most cases the host still runs fine after removing the spyware/adware.

Download - http://safer-networking.org/en/index.html

 

HijackThis 1.99.1

HijackThis is a general homepage hijackers detector and remover. It scans for all objects which may be affiliated with Web Browser activity. StartList scans the system for all objects that are in all startup sections of the registry. It is continually updated to detect and remove new hijacks. It does not target specific programs/URLs, just the methods used by hijackers to force you onto their sites.

Download - http://www.merijn.org/

 


Specific removal tools


Trend Micro CWShredder 2.19

Trend Micro CWShredder is the premier tool to find and remove traces of CoolWebSearch – the name for a wide range of insidious browser hijackers– from your PC. It removes these browser hijackers. CoolWebSearch installs dozens of bookmarks–mostly to porn Web sites–on your desktop, changes your home page without asking, and continually changes it back if you attempt to correct it. Furthermore, it significantly slows down the performance of your PC, and introduces modifications which cause Microsoft Windows to freeze, crash or randomly reboot.

Download - http://www.trendmicro.com/cwshredder/

 

Online Scanners


Trend Micro Housecall

Trend Micro™ HouseCall™ is a FREE Web-based solution designed to scan your PC for a wide range of Internet security threats including viruses, worms, Trojans, and spyware. It also detects system vulnerabilities and provides a link so you can easily download missing security patches. After each scan, HouseCall delivers a detailed report, which identifies security threats detected on your computer.

http://www.trendmicro.com/hc_intro/default.asp

 

These are just a few of the most popular programs designed for spyware.  I would recommend using several as one may miss something another may find.

 

 

35,922 views 18 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I use two Adware SE and XoftSpy which you can find here http://xoftspy.net/
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
May I recommend a2 here http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/free/ very indepth analysis, it's free too.

Spywareblaster, if you run Spybot S&D then this goes hand in hand with that software find it here http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

and WinPatrol as well http://www.winpatrol.com/
Galactic Civilizations IV
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I've installed the Windows Defender on my laptop and one thing I don't like is that it doesn't give any details of what it may have found.

As MS Antispyware it would always flag Ultra VNC (even though I set it to always ignore, it would still show up in the scan list) but now it doesn't. Whether that means that they decided to quit tagging VNC as a threat, I don't know, but I don't like that it seems to be hiding scan details (not that there would be much of anything to find on my work laptop.)

It has also been reported that the new Windows Defender is tagging Norton AV as a threat and removing parts of it, rendering it unusable. Not that NAV doesn't have it's own set of problems, but now you have MS's own product removing parts of peoples AV programs. I guess if you use a different AV product you're OK, but I'm holding off on this one until they show that they have some more of the bugs worked out.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
t has also been reported that the new Windows Defender is tagging Norton AV as a threat and removing parts of it, rendering it unusable


Alright Finally an easy way to get rid of NAV

LoL..

May I recommend a2 here http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/free/ Link very indepth analysis, it's free too.

Spywareblaster, if you run Spybot S&D then this goes hand in hand with that software find it here http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html Link

and WinPatrol as well http://www.winpatrol.com/ Link


Be careful how much junk you put on your system to get rid of the "Junk", it may end up causing more problems than you would have had not doing anything!
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Alright Finally an easy way to get rid of NAV


Unfortunately, it doesn't finish the job, just leaves NAV in a mess.

I have Symantec AV v10.1 corporate on the laptop, and Defender hasn't affected it, so there must be enough of a difference that they can co-exist.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I'd like to thank Island Dog, Bushman, Mr tbm, for giving at least some links to available AV software....just curious DZ, what kind of AV/SW removal apps do you use?? I've used Panda Titanium along with Webroot & have been disappointed somewhat in their performance. Thx for posting this topic: very useful!! - 5-STARS!
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
just curious DZ, what kind of AV/SW removal apps do you use??


On my HD,,
I use MS Antispy, it wont expire until july so I see no need to upgrade to "Defender" just yet..

AV- I use AVG Free...pretty decent program, but none are perfect...

To keep those in check...
I built myself a version of BartsPE UBCD which has 4 or 5 other AV programs on it, as well as the more common spyware programs such as spybot, adaware, etc,etc
I run the UBCD from the CDRom and perform all the scans. The software isnt installed on my HD and I can test the HD while it is not in use.
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I've been using SpyBot...Adaware...SpywareBlaster & WinPatrol together for the past fews years with no ill effects at all. They all seem to play quite nice together.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
THX DZ & WebGizmos....I'm always looking for decent AV/SW software since as you say none are perfect. Thx again for the reply posts!
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I have been using Trend Micros Internet Security for a while now and it's very nice.  It's a full security suite that is very simple for users.  It costs less than $50.

http://www.trendmicro.com

 

Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
THX DZ


Your welcome George, I used to be quite a fan of NAV but lately the program has taken a turn for the worse and I refuse to use any symantec products..
One PC I had to fix for a friend had 28 Virii & Trojans on it, She had been running 2005 Internet Security suite, and upgraded to 2006.. No down time between subscriptions, "Defs" were supposidly up to date, according to the software..

When I got to the PC all it would boot to is the wallpaper, LoL!
No Icons,no programs, nothing, just deskspace and a useless cursor..
NAV must have been napping...LoL
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
On AV, the closest I've found to perfect is NOD32 by Eset, which has had a 100% catch rate for the last 7 years now, according to ISCA Labs, a security software certification lab for the industry. This 100% catch rate is not only for know threats that defs have been issued for, but also for heuristic hunting abilities ("In the wild", or as yet unknown viruses.), and no other AV program has matched this ability. Also, I've never had any conflict with NOD32, unlike other AV programs I've used, and the cost is VERY reasonable too, at just $27. for an annual renewal. Check out both www.icsalabs.com, and www.eset.com. As for my anti-spyware programs, well, the list is WAY long! And firewalls, well, do yourself a favor no matter what software firewall you use and also add Stingray hardware firewall to your system, it's fully automated, and you'll notice your software firewall takes virtually no unsolicited probes after you add it! Happy Hunting! Dockerboy
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
WOW!!!I don't mean to sound copious here but I really love this.....I fully appreciate all the input & response comments to these issues!!! As far as I'm concerned this sort of subject matters greatly & having more experienced users than myself is GREAT!! Thx again DZ, W/Island Dog, C/dockerboy!! 10 STARS!!!!
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thx again DZ, W/Island Dog, C/dockerboy!! 10 STARS!!!!


LoL, Your very welcome George, "just doin my small part",
I did want to also mention that I have never used *NOD32* but all I have ever heard about it has been excellent, so you probably wont go wrong if you decided to use that software...
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yes DZ....I too have heard of NOD32 but wasn't sure if it was that good....I wish I would have known that before getting Panda & Webroot, Thx again!
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Gotta chime in as well regarding Nod32...everything I've heard and read about it has all been good. And when my symantec subscription runs out I think I'll be switching to Nod32 myself. Not that I have had any problems with it...I just don't like how symantec embeds itself so deeply. The biggest and only problem I've had with symantec is uninstalling it.

And George...the thing I like about WinPatrol is that it catches and alerts you to most everything that is trying to install itself on your pc. It then gives you the option of stopping it from installing. It also is very good at supplying you with info about anything presently running on your pc (Plus version) and upgrading to the paid version is well worth it.

Since I've been running all of the programs I mentioned above, and keeping them all up to date, I can say that I have very little, and lately, no spyware or adware on my pc.
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
No issues running all these apps on any of my systems, but thanks for the heads up DZ. Again I would recommend NOD32 as the best AV I have used ever. For anyone looking in the free side of AV's then Avast! is a worthy winner.