Spyware Guide

[MasterWolf]

Hey guys!! I figure you all hate spyware as I much as I do. Figure I throw a website with alot of useful information about spyware. The website is www.spywareguide.com. It has a list of most spyware, malware, adware, etc.. Another thing on this website that is pretty cool is the Spyware Block List file. It's mainly a registry file (basic) that will stop Most spyware that is on their list from installing and running. Just download and double click the file and you are all set. They have an more advanced experts package, but I havent fooled around with it yet. Wanted to share this with you all and I hope it becomes helpful.

[Midtowner]

A friend of mine owns a downtown IT firm and he was telling me that the popup/spyware companies have already defeated the new XP's popup suppression system.

After a year of development and millions of dollars, that's hilarious.

[Joe Schmoe]

I know it doesn't help Windows users, but I'm glad I run a BSD UNIX system. No virii, no spyware installed without my consent, all the excellent commercial software that I need. My point is something I have been preaching for more than 15 years, platform diversity is as important as biodiversity

I've seen reports that 80% of Windows users have spyware installed on their systems.

Plus, I read an article yesterday that hackers are actually using the MS patches to find holes to exploit. Most users don't patch quick enough, so the lag time allows for numerous exploits & power users often delay deployment until they test for compatability. How's that for a loosing scenario of a vicious cycle?

As far as popups, that is pretty easy to fix. Dump Internet Explorer & use Mozilla Firefox. Fantastic browser that makes IE look absolutely stoneage. (notice how IE development stopped after MS beat Netscape in the browser wars?) Firefox supports tabbed browsing, sophisticated popup blocking, fast rendering & is free. You can even block images from any server you choose, so ad servers can be singled out & ads aren't even part of my regular site visits.

http://www.mozilla.org/

Firefox is an excellent lean browser. Thunderbird is a pretty nice email client that can replace the worst vector for virii, MS Outlook, or as some call it, MS Lookout.

Here is some more info on spyware stoppers.
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1645603,00.asp

Spyware like spam is immune to anything congress can do.
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1646812,00.asp

[MasterWolf]

Awesome Joe!! Thanks for the info, I will check out Mozilla Firefox when I get a chance.

[hailmary57yd]

I am using Ad-Aware software from Lava Software.

It works alright. the major reason why I am using this is because It's free....


http://www.lavasoftusa.com/


I have some other progrmas but they don't support and show English language.
These programs are popular and proved in my country. Anyway, they work well. Sometimes they work better than American programs especially to spyware that are made in my country. Sometimes, America programs don't recognize spywares that are made in my country.

[Phlux]

Nice Site. Thanks alot.

[Todd]

I'm with hailmary57yd.

Ad-aware is all you need for the spyware/adware stuff. Use it with Norton Internet Security 2005 and you should have no problems. I read ZoneAlarm was rated just as high if not higher than Norton in the firewall catagory, but I've always had good luck with Norton so why switch?

[Phlux]

I use Spy Bot Search and Destroy, AVG, and Sygate Po Firewall for my Security Measures and a few other lil tools here and their.

[HOT ROD]

Thanks for the browser information. I will try it out.

I hate IE!!!!!

[mranderson]

I have the following. Ad Aware SE, McAfee, Yahoo, and Spykiller.

It seems like none will get rid of all the spyware, and my popup blockers are not working correctly either.

Popup blockers: Yahoo, Spykiller, Microsoft, and one other (the name escapes me as I am not at the computer at home). NOT ONE will get rid of all my pop ups.

Any suggestions? I even run McAfee virus scan once a day.

[MasterWolf]

Well, you could try using the Mozilla Firefox Browser with the Adblock extension as said in another thread, or you can you probrably try the Pop-Up Stopper Basic at www.panicware.com. Its a free program that could help with stopping pop up ads. There are a lot of pop up stopper programs out there but I dont know what would the best because I dont use pop up stopper programs that much.

[mranderson]

Well, you could try using the Mozilla Firefox Browser with the Adblock extension as said in another thread, or you can you probrably try the Pop-Up Stopper Basic at www.panicware.com. Its a free program that could help with stopping pop up ads. There are a lot of pop up stopper programs out there but I dont know what would the best because I dont use pop up stopper programs that much.

Popup stopper was the one I forgot. The mozilla I had installed but could not configure it, so I deleted it. I think the solution will be to have my computer professionally cleaned out, which I want to avoid.

Any other advise as well?

[Okie Mare]

Phlux,did you say somewhere you have a forum? If so where may I ask where it is.I would love to join it also. Thanks Okie

[sella35]

I use panicware's free pop-up stopper, spybot s&d, lavasoft's adaware and my fave is hijackthis from http://www.tomcoyote.org/hjt/

I also use the cwshredder you can get from http://computercops.biz/

Those are my fave things and sites I use to kee[p my computer from getting crud. I found that things some miss other ones catch.

I am also a frequent visitor of housecall and mcafee online scans.

[MasterWolf]

I havent checked out these programs yet, but I think they are worth a look at. Browser Hijack Blaster which can be found here http://www.wilderssecurity.net/bhblaster.html
or Spyware Guard which can be found here http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareguard.html.
They said they are pretty much the same program (Spyware Guard is more updated version).