Spyware

[Lazer]

I need to find something better than SpyBot to check for spyware on my computer.  Does anybody have anything better, that won't cost an arm and a leg?

[Staga]

http://www.pestpatrol.com/
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/

[Lazer]

Thank you... trying out adware now.

[Mickey1992]

Make sure you have the most recent version of SpyBot.  I have talked smack recently about SpyBot because it went 5 months without an update to its spyware list.

What I later found was that the developer released a new SpyBot version, and anyone with the older version would no longer get spyware updates.

[Lazer]

Opps... That makes two of us.

[Maverick]

I have both adaware and spybot. I find that adaware isn't nearly as thorough as spybot. They do seem to be complimentary and catch things the other passes by in my experiance.

[SOB]

Ditto, Mav.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by Maverick
I have both adaware and spybot. I find that adaware isn't nearly as thorough as spybot. They do seem to be complimentary and catch things the other passes by in my experiance.

I've found just the opposite, Spybot didn't catch things that Ad-Aware did catch.  But I run both automatically, every Friday at 8am, on all 4 computers.  Good stuff.

They need to pass legislation banning spyware like the bill Bush signed with the Do not Call registry.

[MrBill]

don,t forget this one ... wife used to catch a couple a week ... after adding blaster to her computer sha has only had one in 3 months.

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

[TweetyBird]

Isn't there legislation having to do with internet spam, pending?

(Forgive me, Star Jones, if I mispelled legislation)

[Roscoroo]

there kinda walking the fine line with the spyware ,browser hijackers ,and stuff along that line.
some of it is legal (just barly) and the rest is malicious code (which is illeagle)

if you find a site that has that stuff scripted you need to turn them in either to your AV or isp ...

the last 3 pc's ive seen infected caught it while browsing Wallpaper sites (and no not those type of sites) and one from a shopping site i believe . (hard to tell it had way to many cookies from all over on it)

the one that tried to get me had 7 different Trojans/worms running from it . these sites are defentally illeagle and should be fined/banned for doing this.(yes i ratted on it )

[J_A_B]

I hate malware.

Neither Ad-Aware nor Spybot are good enough on their own, or even together--althouh it's definately better to use them in cojunction with each other.  There are some really nasty malware pogams that both of them miss.

The only sure-fire way to get rid of ALL malware is to:

Browse your registry key-by-key, and check every single .DLL that is in use.  

Here's a few of the programs I use.  I go through my PC weekly for malware.  Some of them are freeware, others offer free trials.  Most of these aren't as user-friendly as something like Ad-Aware, so you use at your own risk.  

Hijack This--detects browser hikackers

Security Task Manager--I like this better than the default one

APM: Advanced Process Manipulation--used to see all the .DLL's that are running

LSP Fix--This one will assist you in removing certain nasty .DLL's

Here's a general malware information site with more links and a lot of good information:

Spyware Removal



Good luck getting your computers cleaned up.  It's not fun.


J_A_B

[Curval]

Originally posted by Lazer
Opps... That makes two of us.

errrr three.

I think I will d/l the new one tonight.

Thanks for the heads-up.

[Otto]

Thanks to everyone that posted links...  I'm going to get serious about this Spyware stuff..