Spyware prevention

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Maxine

The latest issue of Consumer Reports rates F-Secure and Webroot's Spy
Sweeper as the two best for spyware protection.

I'm about to get a new computer and want to prevent spyware from the very
beginning. I've always just used Spybot and the free version of Ad-Aware.
But I'm willing to spend some money if it's worthwhile.

Opinions?

Thanks,
Maxine
 
'Maxine' wrote:
| The latest issue of Consumer Reports rates F-Secure and Webroot's Spy
| Sweeper as the two best for spyware protection.
|
| I'm about to get a new computer and want to prevent spyware from the very
| beginning. I've always just used Spybot and the free version of Ad-Aware.
| But I'm willing to spend some money if it's worthwhile.
|
| Opinions?
_____

#1. 'Consumer Reports' has yet to get its ratings for computer related
items exactly right.
#2. 'Spybot Search & Destroy' and LavaSoft 'Ad-Aware SE Personal' are
widely used and praised.
#3. 'Super Anti-Spyware' is very good, and like LavaSoft 'Ad-Aware' comes
in a free and a fee version.

At present, there is no 'one application does it all', so pick your
antivirus program based on how well it handles viruses, and supplement that
program with several others like those listed above to boost protection
against other types of malware.

I thought I'd reply to your post here since replies to your post in
'alt.comp.virus' have swerved off into a discussion of 'rogue anti-malware'
and the reply in this one swerved into net-nannyism.

Phil Weldon

|
| The latest issue of Consumer Reports rates F-Secure and Webroot's Spy
| Sweeper as the two best for spyware protection.
|
| I'm about to get a new computer and want to prevent spyware from the very
| beginning. I've always just used Spybot and the free version of Ad-Aware.
| But I'm willing to spend some money if it's worthwhile.
|
| Opinions?
|
| Thanks,
| Maxine
 
'Maxine' wrote:
| The latest issue of Consumer Reports rates F-Secure and Webroot's Spy
| Sweeper as the two best for spyware protection.
|
| I'm about to get a new computer and want to prevent spyware from the
| very beginning. I've always just used Spybot and the free version of
| Ad-Aware. But I'm willing to spend some money if it's worthwhile.
|
| Opinions?
_____

#1. 'Consumer Reports' has yet to get its ratings for computer
related items exactly right.
#2. 'Spybot Search & Destroy' and LavaSoft 'Ad-Aware SE Personal' are
widely used and praised.
#3. 'Super Anti-Spyware' is very good, and like LavaSoft 'Ad-Aware'
comes in a free and a fee version.

At present, there is no 'one application does it all', so pick your
antivirus program based on how well it handles viruses, and supplement
that program with several others like those listed above to boost
protection against other types of malware.

I thought I'd reply to your post here since replies to your post in
'alt.comp.virus' have swerved off into a discussion of 'rogue
anti-malware' and the reply in this one swerved into net-nannyism.

Phil Weldon
Click to expand...

Thanks, Phil. The reason I re-posted here was because of the digression in
the other group. I've been pretty happy with NOD32 for virus protection,
and yes, I'm looking for the right supplemental programs. What do you think
about Spy Sweeper compared with Spybot and/or Ad-Aware.

-Maxine
 
Maxine said:
The latest issue of Consumer Reports rates F-Secure and Webroot's Spy
Sweeper as the two best for spyware protection.

I'm about to get a new computer and want to prevent spyware from the very
beginning. I've always just used Spybot and the free version of Ad-Aware.
But I'm willing to spend some money if it's worthwhile.

Opinions?

Thanks,
Maxine
Click to expand...

I'm not trying to sound sarcastic, but if you really want to stop spyware,
then delete the Internet Explorer icon from the desktop, and install Mozilla
Firefox. "Right-out-of-the-box" it is not susceptible to most methods of
spyware/malware infestation, and includes a pop-up blocker. It is very
customizable by offering different desktop themes, and the extensions are
fantastic for customizing the browser to your specific tastes. An extension
called Adblock is available to block annoying banner ads, and it can be used
to filter out websites with specific words or phrases. An add-on extension
to Adblock is "Filterset G". This installs a list of known ad generators
into Adblock's block-list.
Firefox, along with all of the themes, extensions, search engines add-ins,
etc., is completely free. There is no cost at all.
http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/ (Firefox download page)
http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/central/ (Info on all the custom add-ons)

I do this for my customers with every system that I build or clean. IE will
still be available from the QuickLaunch bar or from the Start-->All Programs
list, if it's really needed, such as for Windows Updates.

At this time, it is not necessary to spend money to secure your system.
I troubleshoot and clean malware infested systems. My system is used to go
hunting for malicious websites, and yes, it cruises through the back alleys
and gutters of the web. I even click on the bad links that are posted in
this forum as a test for my system. The real test though, is the 2 teenagers
and their various friends that also use this computer : )
I have almost stopped running malware scans on this system, as whenever I do
scan the system, I never find more than 2 tracking cookies. (Both from my
homepage's website.)
My system consists of, and I recommend the following for securing the
system:
Mozilla Firefox http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/
Extensions: Adblock https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/10/
Extensions: Filterset.G https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1136/
Kerio Firewall http://www.sunbelt-software.com/Kerio.cfm
Avast anti-virus http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html (updates
automatically)
SpywareGuard http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareguard.html (make sure
to update it after installation.)
SpywareBlaster http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html (make
sure that Mozilla/Firefox protection is enabled)
That's it. That's all I have found is necessary, and I'm not convinced that
I need SpywareGuard, as I have not seen a warning from it in a very long
time. I do keep a wide variety of malware scanners on hand, but all of them
seem to find only those 2 tracking cookies I mentioned above. (I use A2,
Ad-Aware, Spybot S&D, SUPERAntispyware, X-Cleaner, etc.)
A few free programs will block virtually all of the malware. The one caveat
to this is if a window opens and asks if you want to install a program, an
update, a codec, or something else, usually to be able to view content on
that website. If you click Install, Approve, Yes, OK, or allow it in some
other way, then you will have bypassed most of the protections that are in
place on your system. If the website is one that you can trust, then it
might be safe to install an update, but if you are just surfing around to
unknown sites, absolutely do not let them install anything in your computer!

Sorry for the long post, but I don't like making suggestions or statements
without explaining the reasons for my opinions.
pc doc
 
'Maxine' wrote:
| Thanks, Phil. The reason I re-posted here was because of the digression in
| the other group. I've been pretty happy with NOD32 for virus protection,
| and yes, I'm looking for the right supplemental programs. What do you
think
| about Spy Sweeper compared with Spybot and/or Ad-Aware.
_____

I cannot speak from personal experience about 'Spy Sweeper'. I see that the
publisher offers a 30 day free trial, but that really isn't long enough to
evaluate anti-spyware unless you are targeted for some reason. I can point
out that 'Spybot Search & Destroy' has been mentioned in 125 messages in the
last eleven months in this newsgroup, while 'Spy Sweep' appears in only 6.
'Spybot Search & Destroy' has been around for years, while 'Spy Sweeper' may
be only a few months old.

My experience:
Since 1992 no system for which I've had responsibility has been infected
by malware. As for spyware, all that has been found are cookies. I use
'Spybot Search & Destroy' weekly and 'Super Anti-Spyware' resident and
weekly scans (both free.) I use 'Super Ad Blocker' resident (a for fee
application) which eliminates all embedded, off-site ads and all pop-ups
($29.95 US for one year or $39.95 one-time fee.) The antivirus application
I use is Norton 2005. I've used Norton products since 1991, and I don't
feel like learning the foibles of another publisher, especially since I've
never been infected.

In the last two years my ISP, Earthlink has scanned all email for
infections; during that time, I have not had a single alert on email. Your
ISP may be doing the same, and if not, pressure it to do so. Scanning
benefits the users and the ISP.

Other than the applications above, I have a NAT router which logs and blocks
about 60 unsolicited connection attempts per hour. I use 'Magic Mail
Monitor' to manually delete spam without downloading (filters can be added,
but it's hardly worth the trouble for my current spam rate. I keep my
operating systems (XP Pro & XP Home) up-to-date, and my anti-malware
definitions up-to-date. I always use a guaranteed invalid email address in
Usenet posts. Other than that, I use reasonable care in how I surf.

Phil Weldon


| Thanks, Phil. The reason I re-posted here was because of the digression in
| the other group. I've been pretty happy with NOD32 for virus protection,
| and yes, I'm looking for the right supplemental programs. What do you
think
| about Spy Sweeper compared with Spybot and/or Ad-Aware.
|
| -Maxine
 
I've always just used Spybot and the free version of Ad-Aware.
But I'm willing to spend some money if it's worthwhile.

Opinions?
Click to expand...

In addition to the good suggestions you have already received I'd
recommend adding Microsoft's Windows Defender. I use it in addition to
SpywareBlaster, SpywareGuard, AdAware, Spybot S&D, SUPERAntispyware.
(Free versions.) I also use Ewido, CounterSpy and BOClean which are
pay-for proggys but may have trial periods. Yeah, I'm sorta overkill. Ha.

Windows Defender:

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

Ewido: http://www.ewido.net/en/download/

Counterspy: http://www.sunbelt-software.com/CounterSpy.cfm

BOClean: http://www.nsclean.com/boclean.html

Which may be entirely more than you really wanted to know. LOL!

Luck,
Bud
 
Phil said:
while 'Spy Sweeper' may be only a few months old.
Click to expand...

No, it's been around awhile, several years. My ISP has been offering a
free version for .. two? years, though it isn't the current version. It
is _supposed_ to be fairly good, though I've never found the need for
it.

http://www.webroot.com/
 
Thanks everyone for your informative replies. Yes, I'm planning to get
Firefox right away, so perhaps continuing to use the freeware spyware
scanners will be enough.

-Maxine
 
Maxine G said:
Thanks everyone for your informative replies. Yes, I'm planning to get
Firefox right away, so perhaps continuing to use the freeware spyware
scanners will be enough.

-Maxine
Click to expand...

FireFox does have some advantages,but it also has some drawbacks.
If you use it and have a problem with certain websites, just click out and use
IE.
 
'Maxine' wrote, in part:
| I've been pretty happy with NOD32 for virus protection,
| and yes, I'm looking for the right supplemental programs. What do you
think
| about Spy Sweeper compared with Spybot and/or Ad-Aware.
_____

I forgot to mention that I use IE 6.0.2900 and Microsoft Office 2000 Premium
(with 5 licenses, changing would be a big hit.) No malware through either
one yet, so I don't intend to change. I am familiar with both, and have
seen no reason to change.

Phil Weldon

..
|
| Thanks, Phil. The reason I re-posted here was because of the digression in
| the other group. I've been pretty happy with NOD32 for virus protection,
| and yes, I'm looking for the right supplemental programs. What do you
think
| about Spy Sweeper compared with Spybot and/or Ad-Aware.
|
| -Maxine
 
along these lines you might also want to look at an
extension called no script for FF. It is a little annoying
to use, but it blocks so much intrusive stuff, any of which
could cause problems.

Louise
 
there'a an extension called ie view which allows a right
click to open the same page you're viewing in FF in IE.

BTW, I also changed the icon for IE on my desktop so that
friends and relatives who causually sit down to use the net,
don't get to use IE because they can't find it!

Louise
 
louise said:
along these lines you might also want to look at an extension called no
script for FF. It is a little annoying to use, but it blocks so much
intrusive stuff, any of which could cause problems.

Louise
Click to expand...

Thanks Louise, I forgot about that one, as I have just installed it last
week : )

pc doc
 
Maxine G - 30.08.2006 02:33 :
Thanks everyone for your informative replies. Yes, I'm planning to get
Firefox right away, so perhaps continuing to use the freeware spyware
scanners will be enough.

-Maxine
Click to expand...

perhaps also have a look at the suites (Browser & MailNewsClient all in
one) of Mozilla and/or Seamonkey.
 
"Buffalo" <eric(nospam) said:
FireFox does have some advantages,but it also has some drawbacks.
If you use it and have a problem with certain websites, just click out and use
IE.
Click to expand...
But remember to mail the site admin to tell him his site isn't standards-compliant and
(at least in the UK) doesn't conform to accessibility legislation
 
Maxine said:
The latest issue of Consumer Reports rates F-Secure and Webroot's Spy
Sweeper as the two best for spyware protection.

I'm about to get a new computer and want to prevent spyware from the very
beginning. I've always just used Spybot and the free version of Ad-Aware.
But I'm willing to spend some money if it's worthwhile.

Opinions?
Click to expand...

If you really want to prevent spyware from the beginning and not have
to chase down recommendations on third party software to do so, and
are willing to spend some incremental money in concert with the
purchase of a new computer, right now, this is the best answer to your
question:

http://www.apple.com/getamac/

I'm dead serious. I fix PC's all the time and have several myself,
but the truth is Mac users simply don't have this drama currently.

Best Regards,
 
Maxine said:
The latest issue of Consumer Reports rates F-Secure and Webroot's Spy
Sweeper as the two best for spyware protection.

I'm about to get a new computer and want to prevent spyware from the very
beginning. I've always just used Spybot and the free version of Ad-Aware.
But I'm willing to spend some money if it's worthwhile.

Opinions?
Click to expand...

If you really want to prevent spyware from the beginning and not have
to chase down recommendations on third party software to do so, and
are willing to spend some incremental money in concert with the
purchase of a new computer, right now, this is the best answer to your
question:

http://www.apple.com/getamac/

I'm dead serious. I fix PC's all the time and have several myself,
but the truth is Mac users simply don't have this drama currently.

Best Regards,
 
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