Spyware War continues

[Guest]

I had the free AdAware and Spybot...

I read a review of antispyware and Microsoft has a beta out..PC World seemed impressed

Just downloaded it and it caught several (12) programs.

Microsoft Antispyware..

Now if Microsoft can just make available some good sermon preparation software..

[Jeannieb43]

please... could you give me the link for the free spyware and adware. my computer was down for three days with gobbledygook all over the screen on popups. it finally righted itself enough for me to use it again, but my Norton tells me i have 14 programs of spyware or adware which should be deleted--it just doesn't say HOW.

Help, please?

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/sad25.gif" alt="" />

[Gregory Matthews]

I run AdAware, SpyBot, and the new Microsoft Beta. I have read good reviews on the MS Beta. But, I am perplexed. I will run it first, find nothing, then run AdAware, and find something.

[Gregory Matthews]

Enter <AdAware> and <SpyBot> into Google and you will be taken to numerous places whereyou can download it free.

As to the MS Beta, Microsoft has a special place to download it. I have forgotten where it is. Look for it. It has some other programs that come with it that seem good.

[Jeannieb43]

thank you, gregory. i ran Noadware... it found several programs which should be deleted. then it said: "To clean your system, you must register." That costs $29.95 and needs my credit card.

I'm afraid to give this information, under the circumstances.

But nothing seems available to clean the system for free....

What should I do?

Any suggestions?

thanks in advance...

[Guest]

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

click continue on the Windows validation and then go to the bottom of the next screen to skip the validation and download the program..

You can Validate if you want ..but can be a pain if you don't have your code handy.

BTW...no cost for BETA

[Guest]

It's a 6 meg program ..so if you have dial up will take awhile

[Guest]

On another note..

I have DSL at home for 26.95..introductory 1 year thing..

When they up me I plan on going to DSL extreme for ???

21.99 unless I hear some better or gotchas

[Guest]

In the latest PC WORLD isue is where I sdaw the ratings..and article about MS spy program..

No program catches 100%...that is why some will catch what others won't

But 2 of the programs and the MS one were the best...so far

[_david]

personally i would never pay for a service of spyware removal. Since none catch it all. (if you want to buy i'd recommend Webrot (? spelling) Spy Sweeper)

You should be able to find all of the below @ http://www.download.com

I have SpyBot, Adaware, Spyware Doctor (scan and prevent), Yahoo AntiSpy, MS AntiSpyware Beta (scan & prevent), Bazooka Scanner, SpywareBlaster (prevet), WinPatrol (prevent) and AOL SpwareWare Protection (only reason havn't uninstalled it, when i want to update the def. i just gon on my best friend account as a guest). And they all catch different things that the others missed.

Yahoo & Bazoka are very quick so they are not the best. Bazoka is almost worthless never catches anything. Yahoo i pretty good considering how quickly it scans.

SpyBot is really good

Adaware: catches a lot (very good at finding "tracking" files, cookies, programs.

Spyware Doctor catches what i find adaware seems to miss.

MS i was quite pleased at the begining, but now i find it not so good

AOL Spyware takes long (try not running another program that is using a lot of resources, it will find 1-3 of the hard files, usually keyloggers that all the other miss)

SPywareBlaster i have not seen anything good to it, WinPatrol i use it for something else, as it hasn't seem to prevent certain cookies, from getting in the comp (even though i keep updating the names)

my preference:

Ad-Aware

Spyware Doctor

SpyBot (use to be 2nd, but i dont' like the update they did too it)

Yahoo

MS AntiSpyware BETA (probably better than my preference)

AOL (for those couple that get pass the rest)

Bazooka (i'll probably delete it, only foudn things the first 2 times i scanned)

I tend to run them all at least once a week.

Adawre and Spybot (at least one of them every 2 days, usually both of them)

i have to have all of these, because i'm always downloading things.

[Jeannieb43]

wow, thank you david and everybody. i guess i got this spyware in the first place from downloading ---music, maybe?? [can't recall doing so but i guess i must have.]

i've gone through the windows anti-spyware link from JIMBOB. Haven't checked my Norton again to see if the bad stuff has been deleted.... i'll just keep plugging away at this.

[Gregory Matthews]

You can download a free copy of AdAware at:

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

You can download a free copy of SpyBot here:

[NOTE: There is a charge site that is often mistaken for the real SpyBot.]

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html

I have used RegSeeker for several months, and never had a problem with it. I recommend it as a free registry cleaner. You can download it at:

http://www.hoverdesk.net/freeware.htm

For a free raft of computer tools go to Karan's Power Tools, and click on the download icon on the left at:

http://www.karenware.com/

If you need a good fireway I like ZoneAlarm. It has free, 15-day trial, and paid versions. I have used both the free, and the paid versions. The free version does fine. you can access it at, after clicking on the "Free download and tiral" icon:

http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/home.jsp

[Jeannieb43]

okay, some of the free anti-spyware is installed, and i try to run it every day. it keeps identifying several bad programs and i repeatedly instruct it to 'search and destroy' but each day they're there again. also, the puter is very slow.

so i'm going to hire my computer guru to come give this thing a once-over. just hope i can stall off any further major attacks till he can get here.

this is just a follow-up and thanks to all you computer whiz kids for your help. you've definitely improved my quality of life. :-)

[Amelia]

I use both adaware and spybot also.

[Gregory Matthews]

Some anti-s0pyware programs report "DSO" Exploit", and "Alexia".

If you are current on your Windows upgrades, DSO Exploit has been fixed by Windows. You do not need to worry about it. However, many anti-spyware programs still report it (false positive) due to the manner in which Windows fixed it. You probably can go into the settings for you anti-spyware program and tell it not to report DSO Exploit, if you are current on your Windows updates. Or, you can just live with the false positive.

Alexia is also closely conntected with Windows, but in a way that differs from DSO Exploit. You can continue to live with that reporting, ignore it, or whatever.