Spyware and Adware drives me nuts
14-May-2008
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Spyware and Adware drives me nuts

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Have you been dogged by spyware for a while now?  Well join the club, because so has nearly everyone else that I know.  I’ve been tearing my hair out with pop ups and about a zillion spyware removal tools, it has been tough trying to find a tool that does the job effectively.
For those who have no idea what I am talking about, spyware and adware is software made by publishers that allow them to snoop on your browsing habits and invade your privacy.  Other unwanted side effects include being flooded by popup ads and your computer may begin to run much slower.  A very much more sinister scenario is one in which personal information may be leaked back to these publishers from your computer without your knowledge.

It’s all very nasty stuff and there are a growing number of downloadable software applications that claim to remove the threat and guard against future attacks.  I have tried quite a few of these including Ad-aware, and the Bazooka anti-spyware detection tool.  Ad-aware is quite popular and was one of the first tools that I came across.  In the early days when we were first swamped with dodgy spyware from the peer-to-peer networks Kazaa and the likes; Ad-aware was very useful and was good for keeping the PC clean.  These days however it appears to have lost some ground and isn’t as effective as it used to be.

I found Bazooka to be quite useful and although it couldn’t actually remove any adware or spyware, it linked you to a page with some manual removal instructions.  Not for the faint hearted this one, as a poke around in the registry was more often than not required.

These days however, there is a lot of choice and some of it is quite suspect.  I’ve heard that some spyware removal software actually contains the code it is meant to protect against. For me though, there is only really one choice.

Spyware and Adware removal tools, microsoft anti-spyware

I downloaded and installed the beta version of Microsoft Anti-Spyware and it actually does what it says on the tin, it gets rid of all the unwanted spyware and leaves your PC clean and in good working order.  It is regularly updated and easy to use, what more can you ask for?  Oh yeah, you could ask for it to be free! It would seem that Microsoft have implemented an anti-piracy measure in an attempt to prevent those with illegal copies of Windows from downloading their software. The rumours are however that this has already been cracked!  Very silly Billy!  Don’t you realise that the secret to world domination is to give your stuff away free?

Some sites that may be of interest

Microsoft Anti-Spyware (beta)
The main download site for the Microsoft spyware removal tool.  Make sure you have a legitimate copy of windows though!  What?  Do people actually buy that then?

PC Hell
This is a top site with lots of good spyware and adware removal advice.

Bazooka Spyware Scanner
This is PC download site for the tool I mentioned earlier, as I said it’s a scanner and doesn’t actually remove the spyware.  It used to be a very useful tool but I’m not sure how up to date it is anymore.


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The anti-virus programe generates the spam to make it look like it works. Everytime you connect to the net the anti-virus programe contacts their server and it sends you some spam and other things which your anti-virus programe finds and kills. The only way you can get a virus on a computer is if you run a dodgy .EXE Your computer does not automatically receive or run viruses, it only does what you tell it, so if you dont download programes from dodgy sites you wont have any virus. Un-install your anti-virus programe, it's not needed and your spam stops too.
*Bruce H  27-Jul-2007 00:21

 
I too have had it ~UP-TO-HERE~ with adware! I don't go to any websites of questionable character - for want of a better expression. These slime balls that perpetuate adware are just that - slime balls! I've had run ins with the webmasters of several websites that I have valid reason to believe are responsible for adware getting into my computers - of course they deny, deny ... yeah right! Another somewhat similar issue is these banner ads that show up on some websites I visit - one webmaster said he knew nothing about such ads on his website but was hardly convincing. These banner ads only serve to (in most instances) totally cheapen what is otherwise a great website. Adware and ads ... a royal pain in the xxxx!!
*Captain D  08-Dec-2006 20:27

 
Ted"Nuff Said" Miller,It's not as simple as that.I don't go on porn sites,sites connected with Phishing,Medical enlargment sites or have ever offered to launder money through my bank account.I have never asked to be included on any mailing list and only use my email account for comunicating with friends and family.
These Spammers are getting very sophisticated now and use software to generate mail addresses which they then blitz with spam.If you inadvertantly open or reply even when it says unsubscribe, they've got you as a live account.Ted I hope you never get put in the position where this happens,I have one account which I can't use because it has been obtained by one of these spammers and have had to give my son a new email address as he has been sent some to.One of the mails I was sent looked as if it contained child pornography and I immediately refered it to the Internet Watch Foundation who deals with this type of thing.This is despite all the filters I have put in place.And before you ask,I regularly check my sons account to check the sites he visits and have told him he will lose it if he abuses it.
*Bob  07-Nov-2006 11:48

 
You all make the assumtion that to get spyware and spam, you have to go on the site that sent it.I have been having a tussle with AOL lately because of all the porno phishing medical fraudulant and dating spam emails that I have been flooded with.Sites which I have never visited.Evidentaly the spammers generate or purchase lists of email addresses and then blitz those names with spam.You only have to inadvertantly open one and they know your email address is active and from there on you get sent more and more.
AOL is not very good at handleing this as all they seem interested in is preventing you from canceling your account at all costs.
*anon  06-Nov-2006 14:06

 
Just dont look at porn and things that will obiously get you spyware! Or there are some good free blockers out there
*Tonny  03-Oct-2006 08:41

 
I prefer SpyBot (Search and Destroy). It can be used alongside the Microsoft equivalent and is very reliable. (It's also free).
*Attila the Mum  29-Sep-2006 22:58

 
The first question I ask when I get dragged out to fix someones spyware infested machine is "do you have teenage children?". This is because most of the worst spyware comes in with p2p file sharing programs commonly used to get music illegally. It's all in the user agreements which noone reads, you agree to have this crap on your machine.

Legal/moral issues aside steer clear of p2p to keep your machine working.

Other good tools.

Lavasoft AdAware
Javacool soft Spyware Blaster
Ewido (free trial)

Google for these, install them and KEEP THEM UP TO DATE.

Also free antivirus from
AVG or AVAST and KEEP IT UP TO DATE

And switch to Mozilla Firefox, it's better then IE when you're used to it and the spyware finds it much harder (but not impossible) to use a route into yout machine.

Steer clear of Pr0n, p2p and free software your not sure of and you'll be fine.
*Infosec guy  10-Oct-2005 10:57

 
If you don't go on the porno sites you don't get the spyware, its as simple as that.

Keep of the porn and get a decent firewall.
*Ted "Nuff Said" Miller  17-Sep-2005 23:01

 
I'm sick to death of spyware, popups, ads and all the rubbish you get. I havent tried the microsoft blocker yet but I might give it a go. Why do people waste time creating spyware and adware when they can do something usefull
*Michael  10-Sep-2005 13:38


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