Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: ForrestS on June 22, 2007, 09:46:59 PM
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Ok this spyware thing is really making me mad. It seems like every computer i touch magicly gets spyware. :furious
I know not to go to any porn sites or download anything. :D
To AH staff: how do u keep spyware off your computer. :cry
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Do you play flash/java based games on the computer? They are a MAJOR source of spyware.
Try disabling ActiveX and Flash.
Oh, and get a really good spyware scanner. I use Adaware
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Of course I'm sure you know that porn is a sure source of malware. Windows defender or the new Symantec and McAfee protection suites are your best line of defense but they can be circumvented by uh, lust. I'm in the IT business and I gave up long ago trying to clean the more insidious infections. If you find yourself in trouble often, create an image after a clean install of windows and apps using ghost or whatever you like.
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cleaning out a friends system I used a total of 5 different tools, in safe mode, with no network attached, and it took me oh 3-4 hours.
in that time I could have re-formatted his HD, installed WinXP, downloaded SP2, installed all updates, and most all of his programs he had installed....
but I had no way to save the 4+ GB of family pictures, and other data they had.
Life lesson:
Never put anything on your PC for permanent storage. backup backup backup on a removable media or something else that can not be infected.
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Gotta go with AKIron... Windows Defender seems to do the trick.
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Originally posted by AKIron
Of course I'm sure you know that porn is a sure source of malware. Windows defender or the new Symantec and McAfee protection suites are your best line of defense but they can be circumvented by uh, lust. I'm in the IT business and I gave up long ago trying to clean the more insidious infections. If you find yourself in trouble often, create an image after a clean install of windows and apps using ghost or whatever you like.
Look up Ad aware by lava soft. It's free and a good product which gets rid of most spyware and so on.
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/ad_aware_free.php
If you are infected with Trojans try NOD 32.. It's way better than McAfee and Norton as it's updated daily and barley uses any system resources.
http://www.eset.com/download/index.php
Norton and McAfee are total crap and system hogs. Once you try NOD32 you won't ever want anything else.
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Originally posted by Sandman
Gotta go with AKIron... Windows Defender seems to do the trick.
but is there really a need when using exclusively firefox? (with adblock and no script properly set up)
I haven't had even a minor blip on my system, and I go to some dubious sites almost every day.
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ad-aware , and "Hijack this " for the hardcore stuff ... you have to know what your doing with hijack this or you can deleate the wrong thing .
Firefox rules btw.
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Originally posted by Roscoroo
ad-aware , and "Hijack this " for the hardcore stuff ... you have to know what your doing with hijack this or you can deleate the wrong thing .
Firefox rules btw.
Yea if ad aware doesn't get it.. Hijack this will, but I agree don't use it unless the first one wont get rid of it.
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Originally posted by crockett
Yea if ad aware doesn't get it.. Hijack this will, but I agree don't use it unless the first one wont get rid of it.
Once infected no single antispyware app will automatically remove everything, at least in my experience. Hijack this is great and if you have the time and patience will help you manually clean just about anything but sometimes it's just quicker to wipe and reload.
Spyware/malware programmers have a lot more incentive than do virus writers and they keep up with thwarting attempts at defense. Using another browser like firefox or opera is definitely a good idea.
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Originally posted by JB73
but is there really a need when using exclusively firefox? (with adblock and no script properly set up)
I haven't had even a minor blip on my system, and I go to some dubious sites almost every day.
I'm not sure... I use both FireFox and Windows defender. I have zero problems. Yeah... yeah... I know. Correlation does not equal causation.
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Originally posted by ForrestS
Ok this spyware thing is really making me mad. It seems like every computer i touch magicly gets spyware. :furious
I know not to go to any porn sites or download anything. :D
To AH staff: how do u keep spyware off your computer. :cry
U can start by switching browsers over to Firefox. Getting rid of that ActiveX scourge will go a long way. http://www.getfirefox.com
The rest of the suggestions are sound also.
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Originally posted by Meatwad
Do you play flash/java based games on the computer? They are a MAJOR source of spyware.
Try disabling ActiveX and Flash.
Oh, and get a really good spyware scanner. I use Adaware
I have done this as well. In addition to that I also refuse to accept cookies. Since then I have had no further problems. I am very leery about looking at some of the links posted on the bbs here since many have other things besides the content you want to see. I'll generally wait until several folks reported visiting the site and if there is no indication of problems I'll check it.
I also use firefox at times if I am unsure about having been to that site previously.
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Thanx everyone it really helped. I downloaded and Installed Ad-Aware.
Btw i was on a home buit computer and it only had SP1 on it, does that make it more voneralbe. (sorry cant speel)
I think everyone that i know thinks im stupid or something because every computer i get near gets some type of spware.:cry
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Originally posted by ForrestS
Thanx everyone it really helped. I downloaded and Installed Ad-Aware.
Btw i was on a home buit computer and it only had SP1 on it, does that make it more voneralbe. (sorry cant speel)
I think everyone that i know thinks im stupid or something because every computer i get near gets some type of spware.:cry
Stupid? Not necessarily. Young? Perhaps. I've yet to have a customer harboring teenagers that didn't enjoy a proliferous variety of maliferous coderations.
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Ad-Aware is a "REAL" spyware remover right? Please dont lie my AH gameing experience relys on this.
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Originally posted by ForrestS
WAIT SO THEY LIED TO ME AND GAVE ME A FAKE SPYWARE REMOVER. Please tell me the truth, cant play AH with my computer all F*ked up.
alt-f4 makes yer pc clean, just keep pressin' it 'till the bad stuff goes away :p
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Avast! Free antivirus, best one i've ever used.
Adaware for the small cookies
Spybot Search and Destroy for the major spyware.
go to majorgeeks.com for all your software needs
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Originally posted by ForrestS
Ad-Aware is a "REAL" spyware remover right? Please dont lie my AH gameing experience relys on this.
Yes Ad Aware is a real remover. Lava Soft is a reputable company. and I've been using it for a very long time. IMO it's one of the best.
PC world article on it if you don't believe..
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,109634-page,1/article.html
or from wikipeda
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_aware
Some people like Spy Bot but I've always been a fan of Ad aware.
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Originally posted by crockett
Yes Ad Aware is a real remover. Lava Soft is a reputable company. and I've been using it for a very long time. IMO it's one of the best.
PC world article on it if you don't believe..
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,109634-page,1/article.html
or from wikipeda
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_aware
Some people like Spy Bot but I've always been a fan of Ad aware.
I've never been able to get the more serious stuff with ad aware, but it is great for getting the small tracking cookies off the PC
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Originally posted by ForrestS
Ad-Aware is a "REAL" spyware remover right? Please dont lie my AH gameing experience relys on this.
Yes ad aware by lavasoft is real .. been using it for yrs now coupled with my Fix-it utilities (Trend micro) AV program.
The problem with XP sp1 is you need sp2, your AV program , and browser set up before you go online.... if your not behind a routor /gateway setup.
Also I don't know anyone that lies about Virous /bug /worms ect here on the AH boards ...we all take this stuff very serious .
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Adaware is good and catchs many things.
BUT...
Spybot Search and Destroy
each catchs stuff the other misses.
Also
Spywareblaster
Also
Spywareguard
Winpatrol
and
Anti-Vir
I also use PC-Tools Firewall Plus.
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I surf pr0n all the time and I've never caught anything.
What am I doing wrong? :rolleyes:
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Originally posted by MrRiplEy[H]
I surf pr0n all the time and I've never caught anything.
What am I doing wrong? :rolleyes:
same here :D
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Might want to make sure you boot into safe mode and disable your restore as well fella, just in case you have something more serious than just spyware............probably not got anything more serious, but better safe than sorry....safe mode should stop it writing/transmitting anything to the web, as it wont be active etc
Wurzel
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Search for my name and keyword "spyware" and follow the link to "hijack this". Follow the steps IN ORDER and it should clear up your problem. About a year ago I had a major spyware disaster to the point where my computer was barely usable, and hijack this cleaned up everything when everything else couldnt.
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Originally posted by AKIron
alt-f4 makes yer pc clean, just keep pressin' it 'till the bad stuff goes away :p
Im not that stupid.:o
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IM actually wandering if ther reallying trying to make money by advertising everything.
Do the ppl who make spware removers pay spware ppl to make spyware so we will have to by a spyware remover.
lol i said spyware alot:rolleyes:
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Also I don't know anyone that lies about Virous /bug /worms ect here on the AH boards ...we all take this stuff very serious . [/B]
Thanks:aok
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Originally posted by MrRiplEy[H]
I surf pr0n all the time and I've never caught anything.
What am I doing wrong? :rolleyes:
LMAO:rofl :aok
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have you tried feeding the spyware to the raccoon?
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Maybe the furry critter gets on your PC at night and surfs coon porn
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Safe pRon...
Buy a damm PlayBoy or a Penthouse.... worse case senario is a paper cut.
or.... meet real women.
:D
Mac
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<--- have yet to have gotten a virus or any other spyware on any of my pc's.
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Originally posted by storch
have you tried feeding the spyware to the raccoon?
no not yet, good idea.
:D
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Originally posted by MrRiplEy[H]
I surf pr0n all the time and I've never caught anything.
What am I doing wrong? :rolleyes:
Because most infections come from comprimised 'safe sites' nowadays.
Good read here for anyone interested http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?storyid=3015
p.s. McAfee is not crap, well not the corporate edition, it's one of the best AV solutions out there. Symantec, AVG, and Avast are average, NOD32 is the best home users choice.
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Originally posted by AWMac
Safe pRon...
Buy a damm PlayBoy or a Penthouse.... worse case senario is a paper cut.
or.... meet real women.
:D
Mac
Depends where you get the paper cut at.
Especially when you think they need an up close look. Paper plus anatomy does not mix.
Pain is a real mood killer BTW
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GIRLS GONE WILD!!
The best p0rn ever made!
I use three antispyware removers to get all the spyware and cookies. Nothing like playing AH and having the saw teeth on the net statis.
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I just wanted to say my computer is SPYWARE FREE!!:O
Thanks everyone. :D :aok
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Are you really really sure about that?????
:noid :noid
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MAYYYYBEEEEEEEE:noid :t
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Here's how I determine if a pc is spyware clean. Download, install, and update Windows Defender (it's free). Reboot and immediately run a full scan with Defender. If it says your clean that's good enough for me. If it finds something, remove it and reboot. Immediately run another full scan. Until you can get a clear scan the first time immediately after rebooting you aren't clean.
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Originally posted by Hamfist
Avast! Free antivirus, best one i've ever used.
Adaware for the small cookies
Spybot Search and Destroy for the major spyware.
go to majorgeeks.com for all your software needs
yup Avast, you can keep symantic and norton were they belong,in the garbage:aok Had a virus hidding in the quarrantine folder,in a sub folder called quarrantine,needless to say symantic would just ignore this.....
Got bullgard,free,to help me get rid of the problem in symantic,used hijackthis aswell.Thats how I found were it was,then installed Avast,haven't had a problem since. BTW it never causes a CTD as with the better known,more expensive,less effective AV programs.
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Originally posted by AKIron
Here's how I determine if a pc is spyware clean. Download, install, and update Windows Defender (it's free). Reboot and immediately run a full scan with Defender. If it says your clean that's good enough for me. If it finds something, remove it and reboot. Immediately run another full scan. Until you can get a clear scan the first time immediately after rebooting you aren't clean.
You do know that Windows Defender has failed a lot of 3rd party testing (the av-comparitives Feb 2007 tests for example), and in the latest May 2007 Retrospective/ProActive Test AVG fails.
Not very good advice to hand our there akiron.
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Originally posted by Vulcan
You do know that Windows Defender has failed a lot of 3rd party testing (the av-comparitives Feb 2007 tests for example), and in the latest May 2007 Retrospective/ProActive Test AVG fails.
Not very good advice to hand our there akiron.
Nothing will prevent an infection and I'm not suggesting that it will. I have found Defender to be very capable in detecting an infection. I spend a lot of time dealing with spyware and as I mentioned previously it is often quicker to clean by wiping and reinstalling. I'm all ears when it comes to news about a better product. What do you recommend for prevention and cleaning?
BTW, I offer a full money back satisfaction guarantee on this forum for my advice.
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Originally posted by AKIron
Nothing will prevent an infection and I'm not suggesting that it will. I have found Defender to be very capable in detecting an infection. I spend a lot of time dealing with spyware and as I mentioned previously it is often quicker to clean by wiping and reinstalling. I'm all ears when it comes to news about a better product. What do you recommend for prevention and cleaning?
BTW, I offer a full money back satisfaction guarantee on this forum for my advice.
All I'm saying is you may think Windows Defender does a good job (and maybe it has for you in some cases), actual testing shows otherwise - significantly otherwise.
What do I recommend? A Layer 7 firewall with edge AV/AS capabilities matched up with either McAfee 8.5i or Nod32. McAfee 8.5i is the corporate product so most people would need to go Nod32. Nod32 has consistantly good performance, I don't use it myself as I do have access to the McAfee corporate product.
Why do I like McAfee 8.5i, because its very good at targetting the vectors most spyware/virii use to make an entrance. Pretty simple really. The retail McAfee product does suck though, I will say that.
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My customers have firewalls with AV and usually either McAfee or Symantec Corp AV. These do not always prevent spyware/malware infections though they have gotten better. Those customers who grant to their users only the default domain user rights are far less susceptible. However, I think this thread is primarily about home use.
If you have no better free product to suggest than Window Defender I guess I'll have to keep on using my current methods and giving "not very good" advice.
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What sort of firewalls with AV? Cisco? Juniper? Fortinet? Or Sonicwall? What models?
Why does it have to be free? Giving good advice doesn't mean you have to point to free solutions that aren't up to scratch. But if you want free Avast or AVG both do better than Windows Defender. And it is no secret either that Windows Defender is not the great.
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Originally posted by Vulcan
What sort of firewalls with AV? Cisco? Juniper? Fortinet? Or Sonicwall? What models?
Why does it have to be free? Giving good advice doesn't mean you have to point to free solutions that aren't up to scratch. But if you want free Avast or AVG both do better than Windows Defender. And it is no secret either that Windows Defender is not the great.
I was self-employed until about 6 months ago. After 7 years of going it alone I finally threw in the towel. The company I now work for is a reseller of Watchguard boxes and we sell only those. Prior to that I typically worked with the Cisco PIX boxes and a variety of other lower end stuff.
Defender is not AV and I expect everyone to have an AV product. I wasn't aware that AVG made an antispyware product but I've used their free AV product and I'm not impressed. I always recommend Symantec for AV as I've been pissed at McAfee since 6-7 years ago when they released an update that left computers unable to boot. I have customers (when I say that I mean businesses) that use McAfee and I am very familiar with the product. I find the Symantec Control Center more useful than McAfee's Protection Pilot.
The reason I use a free antispyware product is because very few of my customers have any antispyware defense other than what may be built-in to their AV. It is quick and easy to download Defender and I don't have to get purchase approval. Like I said, I'm always interested in others experiences. If you have some to share in this area I'm all ears. If you have only what you've read on the net I'll stick to what works for me.
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McAfee Pilot Protection is still the 'retail' level product. Corporate is EPO with 8.5i. But, like I said for retail products you can't go past Nod32 for consistantly good performance.
For the firewalls I prefer Sonicwall, Cisco's ASA is just another awful mishmash, Juniper was OK when they brought Netscreen but have done little to keep up the line at the mid to low end, Fortinet has so many issues its hard to know where to start. We rarely see watchguard here, it has been behind in UTM for so long and the box performance is pretty meak (according to utm benchmarks kicking around). They've all but disappeared off the market, but I have replaced a few watchguards with sonicwalls (tbh old models).
Quick and easy is nice with freeware, but given windows defender's poor performance the question you have to ask is are you really acheiving anything or helping your clients?
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I worked with the netscreen product, seemed effective but perhaps overpriced. We are looking at the Sonicwall but it does not do as indepth a packet inspection as does Watchguard. At least that's Watchguard's claim.
If it were up to me none of my customer's would have local admin or power user access to their machines. That makes clean up much simpler. Since it isn't up to me I work with the tools at hand.
I'm still unclear Vulcan as to what antispyware (apart from AV) product you recommend at the destop level or to home users.
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I always recommend Nod32 these days. There ya go :)
Sonicwall reckon watchguards packet inspection isn't that hot suprise suprise :) . Now I will admit I'm biased, but Sonicwall have done the DI/IPS stuff longer than Watchguard, so my expectation would be the Sonicwall is a more mature product.
Sonicwall are also about to release OS4, with 'Application firewall' functionality. It's the next step on from the L7 IPS stuff. For example I can build a dictionary and look into packets for matches on all or selected protocols and then perform actions based on that (even if it is just a log count). I've set it up to monitor our apple users IM traffic for 'naughty' words as a test (oh yes... they do hate me).
Have a good look at Sonicwall, make sure you look at EnhancedOS, not the StandardOS found on the baby boxes (its basically Firewalls for Dummies). I think you'll like it.
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I'm not entirely satisfied with the level of control given over the watchguard proxies. I've had to bypass them with filters a few too many times. While I'm not a decision maker in this company I'm with I like to believe I do have some influence. I will take a close look at the Sonicwall. I'll also check out Nod32. Thanks Vulcan.
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PM'd you with some extra info. BTW I Nod32 is 'the competition' for me so thats gotta be a good recomendation.
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I've been using Nod32 for years and it has worked fine and is low on resource usage. My laptop runs only 22 processes and I have desktop enhancements and stuff on it. Some antiviruses run 22 processes just by themselves full with HD activity and processor activity. Installing one is worse than most viruses.