Author Topic: PC Spyware question (Read 618 times)

rpm · « **on:** September 28, 2004, 11:48:16 AM »

Does anyone know if there is a free spyware removal program? I use Spyware Nuker and it works fine for me. My sister needs one, but would rather have a free version. Thanks in advance guys!

Edbert1 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 28, 2004, 11:50:58 AM »

Spybot Search and Destroy is a good freebie, the updates are too few IMHO and it scans for ~18K but only innoculates against ~500. The best tool I've used is "PestPatrol", but it is not free.

rpm · « **Reply #2 on:** September 28, 2004, 11:53:04 AM »

Thanks edbert, I knew someone on here would know the answer quickly.

capt. apathy · « **Reply #3 on:** September 28, 2004, 11:55:51 AM »

ad-aware 6 is good and free.

Sandman · « **Reply #4 on:** September 28, 2004, 11:57:02 AM »

I've played around with Mozilla Firefox... I don't like it, but I understand that it also resists spyware (and it's free).

Edbert1 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 28, 2004, 12:06:08 PM »

I have PetsPatrol running in the task bar during "internet use" (it scans cookies and memory in real time) and it was catching malware left and right when I used IE. I switched to Mozilla-Firefox months ago and hardly ever get the junk anymore. So far I am pretty pleased with the browser, there are a few pages that do not display correctly but most are great. What did you not like about it Sandman? Opera is another very good tab-browser.

Sandman · « **Reply #6 on:** September 28, 2004, 12:18:05 PM »

Nothing that I can put a finger on directly... it just has a different "feel" to it than IE.

In 1995 or 1996 (I think)... I definitely preferred Netscape, but NS4 (or was it 3) was such a problem on Macs that I switched to IE. I'll probably try to play with FireFox some more and see if I can live with it.

Horn · « **Reply #7 on:** September 28, 2004, 12:58:45 PM »

Here's an excellent "how to" page with links to all versions of free and not free malware removers. Good advice and tips.

http://www.io.com/~cwagner/spyware.html

h

Momus-- · « **Reply #8 on:** September 28, 2004, 01:27:40 PM »

Adaware misses some critters that Spybot S&D spots and vice versa, but using both in conjunction is quite effective. Also worth a look is Spywareblaster (google for it), which is a java based program that the less technically savvy can use to make sure their browsers are configured as far as possible to resist spyware ware, malware and the like.

rpm · « **Reply #9 on:** September 28, 2004, 01:47:31 PM »

She used Spybot Search and Destroy. Problem solved. Once again, thanks guys.

Rude · « **Reply #10 on:** September 28, 2004, 02:02:33 PM »

SP 2 for XP ended all of that crap for me

Sandman · « **Reply #11 on:** September 28, 2004, 02:07:40 PM »

Now that you mention it... yeah... SP2 seems to have beat the mal-ware/spyware installers.

FWIW... been playing with FireFox today... It has one feature I really like... the tabbed windows...

I can't stand the way XP stacks the window buttons on the bottom when you have a lot up at once. (If that makes sense).

capt. apathy · « **Reply #12 on:** September 29, 2004, 12:07:36 AM »

I have much less since SP2 but ad-aware still finds 4 or 5 a week.

J_A_B · « **Reply #13 on:** September 29, 2004, 12:55:25 AM »

"I can't stand the way XP stacks the window buttons on the bottom when you have a lot up at once. (If that makes sense)."

I hate that too

J_A_B

Nilsen · « **Reply #14 on:** September 29, 2004, 01:36:32 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by J_A_B
"I can't stand the way XP stacks the window buttons on the bottom when you have a lot up at once. (If that makes sense)."

I hate that too

J_A_B

But you can disable that in XP