Anti Adware, Spyware, Hijack

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Ken–

Thanks for putting links to anti-spyware programs and pre-emptive boot ’em before they cause problems programs in one convenient place and emphasizing making sure to have the latest updated reference data bases.

SMBP

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The following links will take you to the necessary sites to download the indicated free anti “Adware, Spyware, Hijack” programs. The programs are “multi-functional” to varying degrees……visit each site for descriptions or download, install and check out the options, preferences, etc. Also, Adaware comes in two pay versions, “Plus” and “Professional”, with additional features, most of which are included in the protection offered by the other programs. Other similar software is available on the internet but these are well established and supported and provide a good starting collection.

To check your computer for malware, and remove it if found, download Adaware Standard and Spybot Search & Destroy. The first time you run each of these, update the reference/database files before you run a scan.
Update and use both regularly, once a week (or more often) is good.

If you think Internet Explorer has been Hijacked, download HijackThis. Run HijackThis but do not fix anything, unless you are very certain you know what you’re doing. Save the log somewhere handy then post it in the HijackThis & Browser Hijacking forum. The regulars there will tell you what is safe to “fix”.

To prevent most Adware, Spyware and Hijack ware from installing in the first place, download SpywareBlaster and SpywareGuard and StartupMonitor. As with Adaware and Spybot S&D, update the reference files regularly (none required for StartupMonitor).

Updated 2004-07-18 with reference to DenGar’s post:
Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware.

When searching for the “latest & greatest” security software, be aware that many titles available for download are rip-offs or clones, or original but designed to appear as, excellent, proven software.
SpywareWarrior provides a list of such software along with descriptive information.
Keep in mind that this list is likely not complete and more than usual caution should be taken if you download from, or even go to, a website listing any security oriented software that has not been recommended by known and trusted users of the software.

Updated 2004-08-22 with reference to my post: Removing Adware Spyware Malware.

“Removing Spyware, How to remove all Spyware, Adware and Malware from your computer” is an excellent article by David Horowitz. This is a specially important read for anyone with a computer that is “brutally infested with malicious software”.
Be sure to read the Overview at the beginning of the article as it explains that “many details have been omitted” and some of the suggested recovery solutions are drastic such as “wipe the hard disk clean and re-install or recover Windows”.

David’s Malware Links page has many links to additional articles dealing with Spyware, Adware and Malware.

Have a Great day!!!
Ken

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Pest Patrol is another removal tool to go with Ad-Aware & Spybot. I find that each will find something that the other overlooks. Pest Patrol has both a free & paid for version.

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Pest Patrol is another removal tool to go with Ad-Aware & Spybot. I find that each will find something that the other overlooks. Pest Patrol has both a free & paid for version.

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Yes, thanks, Ken. I’ve seen several computers at our location so loaded with Adware that, privacy issues aside, had taken a significant performance hit (Pentium 4 as slow as a 486, for example!) I use AdAware on a regular basis, and it has worked to keep the parasites off.

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Yes, thanks, Ken. I’ve seen several computers at our location so loaded with Adware that, privacy issues aside, had taken a significant performance hit (Pentium 4 as slow as a 486, for example!) I use AdAware on a regular basis, and it has worked to keep the parasites off.

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Ken

This is one helpful post, but could you please check the links again, some of them did not work for me, Oct 8th 2003, ~2:00 AM GMT

Wassim

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Wassim–

Not sure why two links are broken but here is what was intended:

HiJack This! Download and Quickstart

All fora linked by Hijack This Site

Browser Hijack Blaster in Addition

SMBP

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Wassim–

Not sure why two links are broken but here is what was intended:

HiJack This! Download and Quickstart

All fora linked by Hijack This Site

Browser Hijack Blaster in Addition

SMBP

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Ken

This is one helpful post, but could you please check the links again, some of them did not work for me, Oct 8th 2003, ~2:00 AM GMT

Wassim

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Hi Ken thanks for the great information

However can you provide a little bit more information for a novice.

I have Adaware Plus, so is there any need for me to use the other programs such as Spybot. Also doesn’t Spywareblaster and spywareguard do the same thing as Adaware and Adwatch or am I completely off track

Thanks

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Just to add…

I am a huge fan of SpywareBlaster. NO, it does NOT do what AdAware and Spybot do. And it does not use minimal resoureces — it uses NO resources whatsoever.

SpywareBlaster simply prevents SOME Ad-ware or Spy-ware from being installed in the first place. The other two programs are mostly “recovery” programs once you are already infected — the can remove items once they are on your computer, but they are not preventative (per se). I believe AdWatch is supposed to be a preventative program, but it works in a completely different way than Spyware Blaster.

Every security site recommends a multiple layer defense, so use multiple programs. Another program that I love — expecially for users who tend to click and open things randomly — is ScriptSentry.

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Just to add…

I am a huge fan of SpywareBlaster. NO, it does NOT do what AdAware and Spybot do. And it does not use minimal resoureces — it uses NO resources whatsoever.

SpywareBlaster simply prevents SOME Ad-ware or Spy-ware from being installed in the first place. The other two programs are mostly “recovery” programs once you are already infected — the can remove items once they are on your computer, but they are not preventative (per se). I believe AdWatch is supposed to be a preventative program, but it works in a completely different way than Spyware Blaster.

Every security site recommends a multiple layer defense, so use multiple programs. Another program that I love — expecially for users who tend to click and open things randomly — is ScriptSentry.

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Hi Ken thanks for the great information

However can you provide a little bit more information for a novice.

I have Adaware Plus, so is there any need for me to use the other programs such as Spybot. Also doesn’t Spywareblaster and spywareguard do the same thing as Adaware and Adwatch or am I completely off track

Thanks

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Hi All

Please accept my apologies for not replying to your notes and requests.

Phil……
Thanks for adding your reference to Pest Patrol. There are many other programs available and I didn’t intend to provide a comprehensive list so I just commented on those that I’ve found to be most popular and effective.

Wassim……
All the links except the one for HijackThis should have worked. The HijackThis link works now (I had a two “http://” strings).

SMBP……
Thanks for the additional links!

Sonia…..
1….Adaware Plus provides you with some enhancements not available in the free standard version. The standard version, however, does everything required to identify and get rid of adware on your computer……and it’s free.
2….Spybot S&D does what Adaware does, given the reference/database files available for each. My personal experience is that Spybot S&D is more thorough, however, Adaware will still, on occasion, find something that Spybot S&D has missed. There is so much malware being introduced daily that neither application is likely to catch them all, all the time.
3….SpywareBlaster, SpywareGuard and StartupMonitor are effective, use minimal resources, and are polite with the other applications.

Many sites and forums that deal with this subject will suggest that it is wise to use more than one such application….often Adaware and Spybot S&D are suggested. I have found that by adding the others that I have listed has given me near total protection from Adware and Spyware……and I spend many hours every week surfing the web for software downloads. All are easy to use and all are compatible. (Note that Adaware and Spybot S&D will report on each other if they are not set up properly.)

Regardless of which programs you use, you must keep the reference/database files up to date.

Have a Great day!!!
Ken

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Kenk

Thanks very much for the information. I guess I’d better look into adding Spybot S&D to my collection

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Kenk

Thanks very much for the information. I guess I’d better look into adding Spybot S&D to my collection

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Hi All

Please accept my apologies for not replying to your notes and requests.

Phil……
Thanks for adding your reference to Pest Patrol. There are many other programs available and I didn’t intend to provide a comprehensive list so I just commented on those that I’ve found to be most popular and effective.

Wassim……
All the links except the one for HijackThis should have worked. The HijackThis link works now (I had a two “http://” strings).

SMBP……
Thanks for the additional links!

Sonia…..
1….Adaware Plus provides you with some enhancements not available in the free standard version. The standard version, however, does everything required to identify and get rid of adware on your computer……and it’s free.
2….Spybot S&D does what Adaware does, given the reference/database files available for each. My personal experience is that Spybot S&D is more thorough, however, Adaware will still, on occasion, find something that Spybot S&D has missed. There is so much malware being introduced daily that neither application is likely to catch them all, all the time.
3….SpywareBlaster, SpywareGuard and StartupMonitor are effective, use minimal resources, and are polite with the other applications.

Many sites and forums that deal with this subject will suggest that it is wise to use more than one such application….often Adaware and Spybot S&D are suggested. I have found that by adding the others that I have listed has given me near total protection from Adware and Spyware……and I spend many hours every week surfing the web for software downloads. All are easy to use and all are compatible. (Note that Adaware and Spybot S&D will report on each other if they are not set up properly.)

Regardless of which programs you use, you must keep the reference/database files up to date.

Have a Great day!!!
Ken

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Please see Post 307233.

Tech TV compared Spybot, Adaware, Adaware Paid Version $27, and Norton Antivirus 2004 which now showcases a spyware feature.

None of them detected any of 10 of the most common spyware/malware in real time, before they entered your system, but all of them detected 10/10 when run later. This makes it useless to pay the $27 for AdAware paid version, because that’s what you’re paying for, and points up the value of using pre-emptive spy guard applications if you want to catch the bad guys before they enter your system. See:

Protect your privacy by stopping spyware before it infects your system. Tech TV The Screen Savers October 27

SMBP

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Please see Post 307233.

Tech TV compared Spybot, Adaware, Adaware Paid Version $27, and Norton Antivirus 2004 which now showcases a spyware feature.

None of them detected any of 10 of the most common spyware/malware in real time, before they entered your system, but all of them detected 10/10 when run later. This makes it useless to pay the $27 for AdAware paid version, because that’s what you’re paying for, and points up the value of using pre-emptive spy guard applications if you want to catch the bad guys before they enter your system. See:

Protect your privacy by stopping spyware before it infects your system. Tech TV The Screen Savers October 27

SMBP

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Ken, I’m aware that this post is kind of older but I’ve been having problems with these %$#% pop ups and my homepage is constantly changed. So I found this and several other posts, great info, thanks. In your post you write that I need to update the reference/database files before running a scan. Could you please explain this to me, am a bit a nerd when it comes to these things, know about the Registry but wouldn’t dear touch it. I would greatly appreciate your help. Thank you very much, Tira

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Hi Tira

Sorry it’s taken so long to reply. This thread doesn’t get many replies so I don’t checkup as often as I probably should. You can always email someone posting on the lounge by clicking on their underlined name to the left of each post.

Anyway…..
Most of the anti-spyware/adware/virus programs work by comparing information they find on your harddrive against information they have stored in a reference/database file on your harddrive. As new malware is found by the people supplying the reference/database data, it is provided to their program users for download in the form of ‘Update’ files. Most such free programs require you to manually click on their ‘Update’ button. Paid-for versions will often have an ‘Automatic Update’ option. Of course you have to be “on the net” for either to work. Since new malware and new versions of malware are introduced every day, it’s important to update regularly. The frequency might depend on your web surfing habits, but at least once a week would be a good idea, even if you’re only on the net once a week.

The first time you run one of these programs it may not have the most recent reference/database on file due to a delay from when it was downloaded, or made available for download, and the time it was installed and run. That’s why it’s important to update even if it is a new instal.

Please note, however, that my posts in this thread deal with adware and spyware, not “PopUps”.

There are lots of PopUp blocking software available for free download from the net.
I suggest using Firefox instead of Internet Explorer, or if you want to use IE, get the Google bar popup stopper.
You can find out more about Firefox, previously named Firebird and also part of Mozilla, by doing a search in the “Other Browsers and Email Clients” forum.

Have a Great day!!!
Ken

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Hi Tira

Sorry it’s taken so long to reply. This thread doesn’t get many replies so I don’t checkup as often as I probably should. You can always email someone posting on the lounge by clicking on their underlined name to the left of each post.

Anyway…..
Most of the anti-spyware/adware/virus programs work by comparing information they find on your harddrive against information they have stored in a reference/database file on your harddrive. As new malware is found by the people supplying the reference/database data, it is provided to their program users for download in the form of ‘Update’ files. Most such free programs require you to manually click on their ‘Update’ button. Paid-for versions will often have an ‘Automatic Update’ option. Of course you have to be “on the net” for either to work. Since new malware and new versions of malware are introduced every day, it’s important to update regularly. The frequency might depend on your web surfing habits, but at least once a week would be a good idea, even if you’re only on the net once a week.

The first time you run one of these programs it may not have the most recent reference/database on file due to a delay from when it was downloaded, or made available for download, and the time it was installed and run. That’s why it’s important to update even if it is a new instal.

Please note, however, that my posts in this thread deal with adware and spyware, not “PopUps”.

There are lots of PopUp blocking software available for free download from the net.
I suggest using Firefox instead of Internet Explorer, or if you want to use IE, get the Google bar popup stopper.
You can find out more about Firefox, previously named Firebird and also part of Mozilla, by doing a search in the “Other Browsers and Email Clients” forum.

Have a Great day!!!
Ken

Reply | Quote

Ken, I’m aware that this post is kind of older but I’ve been having problems with these %$#% pop ups and my homepage is constantly changed. So I found this and several other posts, great info, thanks. In your post you write that I need to update the reference/database files before running a scan. Could you please explain this to me, am a bit a nerd when it comes to these things, know about the Registry but wouldn’t dear touch it. I would greatly appreciate your help. Thank you very much, Tira

Reply | Quote

The following links, suggested by John Gray, provide some excellent information on how to ensure the security of your computer against spyware infection.

They provide “a number of recommendations that will help tighten….your security settings” and “…a series of browser security tests to see whether you are vulnerable.”

Thanks for the suggestion John.

Have a Great day!!!
Ken

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Man these programs have helped me a bunch. Now I can finally keep some of that stupid stuff off my comp. Thanks for the info.

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Please be aware that most of the “FREE” programs mentioned above are free for “home and non-commercial use only” – meaning if you are working on a system at work, or you have a system at home you use as part of your self-employment, you must purchase a license.

You might also use one of these free on-line virus scanners. Some very malicious malware has been known to disable PC based AV scanners.

Trend Micro HouseCall
or
PandaSoft ActiveScan

Bill (AFE7Ret)
Freedom isn't free!

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Please be aware that most of the “FREE” programs mentioned above are free for “home and non-commercial use only” – meaning if you are working on a system at work, or you have a system at home you use as part of your self-employment, you must purchase a license.

You might also use one of these free on-line virus scanners. Some very malicious malware has been known to disable PC based AV scanners.

Trend Micro HouseCall
or
PandaSoft ActiveScan

Bill (AFE7Ret)
Freedom isn't free!

Reply | Quote

Man these programs have helped me a bunch. Now I can finally keep some of that stupid stuff off my comp. Thanks for the info.

Reply | Quote

The following links, suggested by John Gray, provide some excellent information on how to ensure the security of your computer against spyware infection.

They provide “a number of recommendations that will help tighten….your security settings” and “…a series of browser security tests to see whether you are vulnerable.”

Thanks for the suggestion John.

Have a Great day!!!
Ken

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Way to go, Ken, with today’s update to the original post. Glad you linked that here.

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Way to go, Ken, with today’s update to the original post. Glad you linked that here.

Reply | Quote

The following links will take you to the necessary sites to download the indicated free anti “Adware, Spyware, Hijack” programs. The programs are “multi-functional” to varying degrees……visit each site for descriptions or download, install and check out the options, preferences, etc. Also, Adaware comes in two pay versions, “Plus” and “Professional”, with additional features, most of which are included in the protection offered by the other programs. Other similar software is available on the internet but these are well established and supported and provide a good starting collection.

To check your computer for malware, and remove it if found, download Adaware Standard and Spybot Search & Destroy. The first time you run each of these, update the reference/database files before you run a scan.
Update and use both regularly, once a week (or more often) is good.

If you think Internet Explorer has been Hijacked, download HijackThis. Run HijackThis but do not fix anything, unless you are very certain you know what you’re doing. Save the log somewhere handy then post it in the HijackThis & Browser Hijacking forum. The regulars there will tell you what is safe to “fix”.

To prevent most Adware, Spyware and Hijack ware from installing in the first place, download SpywareBlaster and SpywareGuard and StartupMonitor. As with Adaware and Spybot S&D, update the reference files regularly (none required for StartupMonitor).

Updated 2004-07-18 with reference to DenGar’s post:
Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware.

When searching for the “latest & greatest” security software, be aware that many titles available for download are rip-offs or clones, or original but designed to appear as, excellent, proven software.
SpywareWarrior provides a list of such software along with descriptive information.
Keep in mind that this list is likely not complete and more than usual caution should be taken if you download from, or even go to, a website listing any security oriented software that has not been recommended by known and trusted users of the software.

Updated 2004-08-22 with reference to my post: Removing Adware Spyware Malware.

“Removing Spyware, How to remove all Spyware, Adware and Malware from your computer” is an excellent article by David Horowitz. This is a specially important read for anyone with a computer that is “brutally infested with malicious software”.
Be sure to read the Overview at the beginning of the article as it explains that “many details have been omitted” and some of the suggested recovery solutions are drastic such as “wipe the hard disk clean and re-install or recover Windows”.

David’s Malware Links page has many links to additional articles dealing with Spyware, Adware and Malware.

Have a Great day!!!
Ken

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