At Least FIVE Anti-Spyware Programs

  • Thread starter Thread starter D. Spencer Hines
  • Start date Start date
Thanks.

Good Advice from both of you.

DSH

I think that's good advice, if you don't know the person who sent you the
link.

I often provide tinyurl links myself, but whenever I do, I try to remember
to post the real URL as well. That gives the reader the choice of whether
or not to trust me.
Click to expand...
 
Ron said:
Which updates have you disabled? Some application programs or Windows
Updates?

If you have disabled Windows Updates then you are vulnerable to
attacks as exploits to take advantage of newly discovered security
flaws in Windows are being released onto the Internet within hours of
the security flaws being announced.


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
Click to expand...

Oops! Not the upates notification but the AV notifications. AVG goes grey when it
needs updating so I don't need XP to tell me to update.

Watchman :)
 
The only time I ever got any spyware was when I downloaded a FREE DVD
encoder program. Yea, I read the EULA, but I thought that I was smarter
than they were. It took me an afternoon to get rid of everything. What
really made mad was that the DVD encoder program never even worked. ;-)

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
WTC said:
I have 4 as well, the last time they ever caught any positives was when I
installed the programs. Also, I use IE for everything since I believe I
have secured it properly. Also I am sitting behind a NAT router which
protects me by dropping unrequested packets.

--
William Crawford
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

Wesley Vogel said:
I happen to have four anti-spyware programs.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
D. Spencer Hines said:
Do you honestly expect folks to install at least FIVE different
Anti-Spyware programs, keep them updated, monitor them and constantly
tweak each one as required?

DSH


[...]

There is no one software that cleans and immunizes you against
everything. Antivirus software - you only needed one. Firewall, you
only needed one. AntiSpyware - you will need several. I have a list
and I recommend you use at least the first five.

First - make sure you have NOT installed "Rogue AntiSpyware". There
are
people out there who created AntiSpyware products that actually
install spyware of their own! You need to avoid these:

Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products & Web Sites
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm

Also, you can always visit this site..
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
For more updated information.

Install the first five of these: (Install, Run, Update, Scan with..)
(If you already have one or more - uninstall them and download the
LATEST version from the page given!)

Lavasoft AdAware (Free and up)
http://www.lavasoft.de/support/download/
(How-to: http://snipurl.com/atdn )

Spybot Search and Destroy (Free!)
http://www.safer-networking.net/en/download/index.html
(How-to: http://snipurl.com/atdk )

Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner (Free!)
http://www.kephyr.com/spywarescanner/
(How-to: http://snipurl.com/ate3 )

SpywareBlaster (Free!)
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/sbdownload.html
(How-to: http://snipurl.com/ate6 )

IE-SPYAD2 (Free!)
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/resource.htm
(How-to: http://snipurl.com/ate7 )

CWShredder Stand-Alone (Free!)
http://www.intermute.com/spysubtract/cwshredder_download.html

Hijack This! (Free!)
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html
(Log Analyzer: http://hjt.iamnotageek.com/ )

ToolbarCop (Free!)
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/toolbarcop.htm

Ccleaner (Free!)
http://www.ccleaner.com/

Microsoft AntiSpyware BETA (in testing stages - Free!)
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/
(How-to: http://snipurl.com/fqur )

Browser Security Tests (Free Tester)
http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/BrowserSecurity/

Popup Tester (Free Tester)
http://www.popuptest.com/

The Cleaner (~$49.95 and up)
http://www.moosoft.com/
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
As a rank amateur, I find this fascinating. I would have thought you would
have created a System Restore Point beforehand. For my money, System Restore
is one of the greatest achievements of XP. Surely that would have saved you a
great deal of time.

Wesley Vogel said:
The only time I ever got any spyware was when I downloaded a FREE DVD
encoder program. Yea, I read the EULA, but I thought that I was smarter
than they were. It took me an afternoon to get rid of everything. What
really made mad was that the DVD encoder program never even worked. ;-)

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
WTC said:
I have 4 as well, the last time they ever caught any positives was when I
installed the programs. Also, I use IE for everything since I believe I
have secured it properly. Also I am sitting behind a NAT router which
protects me by dropping unrequested packets.

--
William Crawford
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

Wesley Vogel said:
I happen to have four anti-spyware programs.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In D. Spencer Hines <[email protected]> hunted and pecked:
Do you honestly expect folks to install at least FIVE different
Anti-Spyware programs, keep them updated, monitor them and constantly
tweak each one as required?

DSH


[...]

There is no one software that cleans and immunizes you against
everything. Antivirus software - you only needed one. Firewall, you
only needed one. AntiSpyware - you will need several. I have a list
and I recommend you use at least the first five.

First - make sure you have NOT installed "Rogue AntiSpyware". There
are
people out there who created AntiSpyware products that actually
install spyware of their own! You need to avoid these:

Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products & Web Sites
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm

Also, you can always visit this site..
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
For more updated information.

Install the first five of these: (Install, Run, Update, Scan with..)
(If you already have one or more - uninstall them and download the
LATEST version from the page given!)

Lavasoft AdAware (Free and up)
http://www.lavasoft.de/support/download/
(How-to: http://snipurl.com/atdn )

Spybot Search and Destroy (Free!)
http://www.safer-networking.net/en/download/index.html
(How-to: http://snipurl.com/atdk )

Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner (Free!)
http://www.kephyr.com/spywarescanner/
(How-to: http://snipurl.com/ate3 )

SpywareBlaster (Free!)
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/sbdownload.html
(How-to: http://snipurl.com/ate6 )

IE-SPYAD2 (Free!)
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/resource.htm
(How-to: http://snipurl.com/ate7 )

CWShredder Stand-Alone (Free!)
http://www.intermute.com/spysubtract/cwshredder_download.html

Hijack This! (Free!)
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html
(Log Analyzer: http://hjt.iamnotageek.com/ )

ToolbarCop (Free!)
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/toolbarcop.htm

Ccleaner (Free!)
http://www.ccleaner.com/

Microsoft AntiSpyware BETA (in testing stages - Free!)
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/
(How-to: http://snipurl.com/fqur )

Browser Security Tests (Free Tester)
http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/BrowserSecurity/

Popup Tester (Free Tester)
http://www.popuptest.com/

The Cleaner (~$49.95 and up)
http://www.moosoft.com/
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
This is the second time in this thread that the word "insurance" has been
used. Insurance is where the many pay relatively small amounts to an
organisation, with the intention that any contributor will be recompensed by
that organisation if he/she suffers loss by reason of the injury covered by
the policy.

That is very different from "protection". I have no definition to offer of
the word "protection" but it suggests, in the present debate, that if you use
a certain program, or a group of programs, you *will* be protected. That is
something in the nature of a warranty or guarantee. Here we are in the realm
of the "snake oil" salesmen who say "Drink this and you will get well!" The
comedian W C Fields, in a number of old comedy films, makes mock of such
salesmen. Perhaps we should use the same attitude to the many who offer
untested help to the world's sufferers.
 
I don't say decades in my case but if you want an integrated package and you
aren't a professional, then Norton Internet Security offers a good deal of
support.
 
Your remarks have been disturbing me for a couple of days since I first read
them. It must take you several hours a week to run all those programs. I
assume you do not have to work for a living!

Seriously, I think the need for so much protection is unnecessary. At the
other end of the scale, there are those who feel that "God will provide". And
He won't, of course.

I hope you will notify us all when your system, with all its protection,
does crash and burn -- using a friend's computer, of course.

Shelly F said:
Do you honestly expect folks to install at least FIVE different Anti-Spyware
programs, keep them updated, monitor them and constantly tweak each one as
required?

DSH
[...]

There is no one software that cleans and immunizes you against
everything. Antivirus software - you only needed one. Firewall, you
only needed one. AntiSpyware - you will need several. I have a list and
I recommend you use at least the first five.

First - make sure you have NOT installed "Rogue AntiSpyware". There are
people out there who created AntiSpyware products that actually install
spyware of their own! You need to avoid these:

Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products & Web Sites
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm

Also, you can always visit this site..
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
For more updated information.

Install the first five of these: (Install, Run, Update, Scan with..)
(If you already have one or more - uninstall them and download the
LATEST version from the page given!)

Lavasoft AdAware (Free and up)
http://www.lavasoft.de/support/download/
(How-to: http://snipurl.com/atdn )

Spybot Search and Destroy (Free!)
http://www.safer-networking.net/en/download/index.html
(How-to: http://snipurl.com/atdk )

Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner (Free!)
http://www.kephyr.com/spywarescanner/
(How-to: http://snipurl.com/ate3 )

SpywareBlaster (Free!)
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/sbdownload.html
(How-to: http://snipurl.com/ate6 )

IE-SPYAD2 (Free!)
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/resource.htm
(How-to: http://snipurl.com/ate7 )

CWShredder Stand-Alone (Free!)
http://www.intermute.com/spysubtract/cwshredder_download.html

Hijack This! (Free!)
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html
(Log Analyzer: http://hjt.iamnotageek.com/ )

ToolbarCop (Free!)
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/toolbarcop.htm

Ccleaner (Free!)
http://www.ccleaner.com/

Microsoft AntiSpyware BETA (in testing stages - Free!)
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/
(How-to: http://snipurl.com/fqur )

Browser Security Tests (Free Tester)
http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/BrowserSecurity/

Popup Tester (Free Tester)
http://www.popuptest.com/

The Cleaner (~$49.95 and up)
http://www.moosoft.com/
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
For antispyware, I have SpySweeper running continuously, auto update.
Every two weeks after updating I run: Adaware, Spybot, Spyware
Blaster(update), Microsoft antispy, and safety.live.com.
That makes 6, plus running AVG antivirus with auto updates.
I also backup my computer using Casper each week, and I backup Outlook
Express weekly using ABF and XP is updated monthly.
Safe hex here - Have a nice day!
Click to expand...
 
Calling someone a troll just because they don't agree with you is like
calling someone a witch. Easy to say, hard to prove. Mr Hines started a
debate here that is deserving of serious consideration. "Ya, boo" tactics do
not diminish a genuine argument, but they may diminish the name caller.
 
Tonyo said:
I don't say decades in my case but if you want an integrated package
and you aren't a professional, then Norton Internet Security offers a
good deal of support.
Click to expand...

ROFL
 
I don't say decades in my case but if you want an integrated package and
you aren't a professional, then Norton Internet Security offers a good
deal of support.
Click to expand...

My experience with Norton products (beyond AV) is that they cause more
problems than they prevent/fix. I personally would not recommend them.
 
Bingo!

I've used Norton/Symantec for decades and been well-rewarded with
protection.

As I noted previously, I also have backup artillery ready to fire -- if
required -- but have never had to use it in over 20 years.

DSH
 
Tonyo said:
As a rank amateur, I find this fascinating. I would have thought you
would have created a System Restore Point beforehand. For my money,
System Restore is one of the greatest achievements of XP. Surely that
would have saved you a great deal of time.
Click to expand...

System restore will not get rid of most malware. At best it will temporarily
stop it from loading at the next boot.

Kerry
 
D. Spencer Hines said:
Do you honestly expect folks to install at least FIVE different
Anti-Spyware programs, keep them updated, monitor them and constantly
tweak each one as required?

DSH
Click to expand...

Thank you for the thought provoking question. It has been fun and
enlightening reading the responses. Like many here I make a living working
on computers. I work on a wide range of systems: home, business, networks,
Windows, Linux, Xenix, Novell, and more. I hate spyware. It has made my work
boring and repetitive. I used to see the odd virus once a month or so. I now
spend most of my day removing spyware, viruses, malware etc.. I have removed
malware from all versions of Windows, from well protected machines to
completely, hopelessly open machines. I have had irate customers insist that
their machine couldn't possibly be infected as they use xyz and abc
anti-spyware programs daily and nothing could possibly get in. I have seen
well protected machines infected via the wmf exploit by clicking on a link
from a Google search. It was a hijacked site that was fixed within a day but
it can and does happen. Some of my personal machines have been infected
although rarely and I was pretty sure that they would be infected but I knew
I had a good backup and didn't care. I've since switched to using Linux to
visit anywhere I'm not sure of. I regularly use multiple anti-spyware,
anti-virus, rootkit finders, process explorers and more. There isn't one of
them that will find everything. Even with a very large arsenal I still find
about one or two systems a month that can't be cleaned and need a complete
rebuild.

All that said, for my customers I recommend they install a router, SP2, any
anti-virus (they all work well enough), Adaware, Spybot Search & Destroy and
scan their system weekly with all three. I also tell them about MSAS but
that it is technically a beta so it is up to them to install it themselves
as I can't support it. It does work well. I use it on my main personal
machine. If you want to pay for a program both Spysweeper and Ewido seem
worth the money. Either will find more than Adaware and Spybot combined.

Like others have already said, I never click on tinyurl's, any url in an
email, and am very careful about surfing. I mostly use Firefox.

Did I mention I hate spyware?

Kerry
 
Tonyo said:
Calling someone a troll just because they don't agree with you is
like calling someone a witch. Easy to say, hard to prove. Mr Hines
started a debate here that is deserving of serious consideration.
"Ya, boo" tactics do not diminish a genuine argument, but they may
diminish the name caller.
Click to expand...

I called him a troll because he is not debating - but debasing.

I do not care that he disagrees with me - that is fine.
Everyone has their opinion - and in most places - their right to express it.
However - it is the *way* someone expresses themselves that defines how I
will respond to them.
 
Good Post.

Sound Advice.

We don't work on computers for a living -- and have lives beyond the
Cybernetic.

Shenan fails to understand that simple fact of life.

DSH
 
Kerry

System Restore can restore malware!

--

Regards.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
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