Best Antispyware Program

[cyberax]

I'm using :

- MS Antispyware

- Spybot Search & Destroy

- Ad-Aware

[Jeremy]

I use those 3 when diagnosing my friends' PCs. I use nLite, Opera 8.02 and a D-Link 604 Router and have 0 spyware/viruses. Steve Gibson is a genius of Windows Security. http://grc.com/securitynow.htm

Edited September 4, 2005 by Jeremy

[wolf7448]

I vote Ms Antispy,

Its easy to understand, has checkpoints, gives updates, keeps spyware scan history, cleens tracks, Has a browser hijack restore, u can stop trouble-sum programs from running and starting up, has a quarenteen, HAS A GREAT SCAN PROCESS, gives information on the spyware ON DEMAND, uses plain english "Scan" "Quarenteen" "Tracks erayser" etc.. insted of useing terms like "search and distroy" What doz that meen?, hardley ever crashes, has a neet visual communication while the scan is happening! and is just better than all the other antispy's!!!

I think i made my point!

[MolTraS]

MS Anti Spyware is nice.

MolTraS

[dromer]

Ad-Aware and Hijackthis. Coupled with Firefox I've never had any problems.

[Zxian]

I vote Ms Antispy,

Its easy to understand, has checkpoints, gives updates, keeps spyware scan history, cleens tracks, Has a browser hijack restore, u can stop trouble-sum programs from running and starting up, has a quarenteen, HAS A GREAT SCAN PROCESS, gives information on the spyware ON DEMAND, uses plain english "Scan" "Quarenteen" "Tracks erayser" etc.. insted of useing terms like "search and distroy" What doz that meen?, hardley ever crashes, has a neet visual communication while the scan is happening! and is just better than all the other antispy's!!!

I think i made my point!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Then there's the problem of "selective cleaning". MS-AS is known to ignore certain companies' spyware.

I use SpywareBlaster and Spybot S&D for preventative measures, and Ad-Aware & Spybot for cleaning. If you setup the computer beforehand with SpywareBlaster & Spybot, you probably won't notice much difference between Firefox and IE in terms of spyware.

[MrGuy]

I've tried a lot of preventative and sweeping utilities:

Adaware

Stopzilla

Spysweeper

BHODemon

CWShredder

IESpyad

SpySweeper

Spybot S&D

MSAS

Spoofstick

Spyware Guard

Spyware Blaster

What I'm using now is Spybot, Adaware, and MSAS along with Norton Firewall. I thought Spysweeper did a really good job except it delayed my boot up and the scan took a long time. I've heard good things about CCleaner and plan on purchasing that this week. I'm kind of suprised at how well Norton Firewall is working out--it's much better that Microsu** Firewall and eliminates a good deal of stuff that I needed all these utilities for in the first place.

[dale5605]

Then there's the problem of "selective cleaning". MS-AS is known to ignore certain companies' spyware.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's just a false rumor. Microsoft does not contract with spyware companies to make profit and not clean their spyware.

Maybe MSAS doesn't pick up certain spyware, but that isn't because of a secret deal or some other conspiracy theory, it's just because it isn't in their spyware database yet.

[DarkShadows]

I have not seen a single anti-spyware application that catches everything, and I use (and recommend using) all of the following:

• SpyBot Search & Destroy

I consider this the best free option. And the best application to base a Spyware defense on. The spyware definition auto-updates and scheduled scans work very well. But I find that you have to check the web site for new software versions as the app doesn't seem to reliable notify when an upgraded version is available. The Immunize function and web host list options are priceless! (Make sure you configure settings to immunize after updates.) The ability to protect certain cookies while deleting all others, or not search certain apps while searching all others (or even certain registry settings within apps) is very nice. You have to do some homework in this app, it has more power than the rest, but you have to configure it. This is the most emulated (and outright copyright infringed) Anti-SpyWare software on earth. It often catches things others don't.

• Yahoo! Anti-Spy

Yahoo! Anti-Spy comes with Yahoo toolbar, and I consider it the second best free option. Simple interface; not many settings here. But it's not bad and often catches things others don't.

• Adaware Personal

I'm talking about the free edition here (I've never used the commercial license). I don't get as involved in this app as SpyBot S&D, but it's not bad and often catches things others don't. From what I know of people who use the commercial license, is that it's about equal to SpyBot S&D in terms of overall coverage, but each does things the other does not.

• Microsoft Anti-Spyware

I find that this app to be the worst of this list. It often consumes copious amounts of Virtual Memory (100+ MB) and slows down the system. I also find that when I <alt>+<Tab>, there is a hidden application window open somewhere but I can't get to it. You can only see it when this app is running in the Notification area and you are alt tabbing with the Cool task switching feature enabled. (So much for Microsoft knowing the inner workings of Windows. Actually, Microsoft didn't program this app, they bought out another company who programmed this app.) Don't assume that an app is better just because it's Microsoft. Microsoft still lists this as Beta, so that should tell you something. And Microsoft is the McSoftware company. This app should get better in time, but it has issues now.

•PestScan Free Online scanner CA This won't remove anything for you, but another independent check is always nice. And it always seems to find something that some other app has missed.

Edited September 27, 2005 by DarkShadows

[DarkShadows]

What I'm using now is SpyBot, Adaware, and MSAS along with Norton Firewall.  ... I'm kind of surprised at how well Norton Firewall is working out... eliminates a good deal of stuff that I needed all these utilities for in the first place.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I couldn't agree more with this line-up. But I like to add Yahoo! Anti-Spy to it. Norton firewall is powerful, but only if you lock it down. The way it comes out-of-the-box is an open sieve. When you first install Norton Firewall (or Internet Security), go find the Advanced Settings, which have been buried deep since version 2002, and delete all the web sites listed. If you look closely, you'll see some are actually advertisers! Then go lock down everything.

• Make the default to prompt you to allow Cookies, ActiveX, and Scripts.

• Make the default to deny Email, Browser info, and User Information

• Make the default to prompt you to allow any application internet traffic coming in or out.

• Make the default to prompt you to allow remote connections.

• Know your computer IP address. Add localhost to trusted sites.

• Perform an Application Scan to review all the Internet enabled software you have.

• As you browse your trusted websites, add them to the firewall Advanced Settings and open up access to them individually.

• As you browse all other sites (not yet trusted), you leave them blocked (which is done by the default settings) until you see what the site does. If the site doesn't work you'll have to open up the things that we denied above (do it item by item). Then you must <Ctrl>+<F5> to hard refresh the site (forces page to re-download).

The above approach is almost the exact opposite of the way Norton comes installed. But it locks things down really tight--anything that gets in, you know about and authorized. Sure you will get a bunch of prompts in the beginning, but once you get all of your sites in, things will be less interruptive. If you know what you are doing, you can get by with Just Norton and SpyBot, but only if you do your homework and configure them.

I have customers for whom I've had to re-install all of their software, because of security compromises. (It's usually quicker than trying to clean up the mess!)

With just these two apps, I have PCs that have re-installed that are running clean after 3, almost 4 years. All are using Norton Internet Security <Edit> 2002 </Edit> and SpyBot.

Edited September 28, 2005 by DarkShadows

[Zxian]

That's just a false rumor. Microsoft does not contract with spyware companies to make profit and not clean their spyware.

Maybe MSAS doesn't pick up certain spyware, but that isn't because of a secret deal or some other conspiracy theory, it's just because it isn't in their spyware database yet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Microsoft AntiSpyware used to detect Claria software and select it for quarantine, but after Claria contacted Microsoft and requrested that MS re-evaluate the way that MSAS detects Claria software. It's Gator for crying out loud! I remember getting Gator on my first computer... it was a real pain in the butt to get rid of.

If you want to read more...

I couldn't agree more with this line-up.  But I like to add Yahoo! Anti-Spy to it. Norton firewall is powerful, but only if you lock it down.  The way it comes out-of-the-box is an open sieve.  When you first install Norton Firewall (or Internet Security), go find the Advanced Settings, which have been buried deep since version 2002, and delete all the web sites listed.  If you look closely, you'll see some are actually advertisers! Then go lock down everything.

• Make the default to prompt you to allow Cookies, ActiveX, and Scripts.

• Make the default to deny Email, Browser info, and User Information

• Make the default to prompt you to allow any application internet traffic coming in or out.

• Make the default to prompt you to allow remote connections.

• Know your computer IP address. Add localhost to trusted sites.

• Perform an Application Scan to review all the Internet enabled software you have.

• As you browse your trusted websites, add them to the firewall Advanced Settings and open up access to them individually.

• As you browse all other sites (not yet trusted), you leave them blocked (which is done by the default settings) until you see what the site does.  If the site doesn't work you'll have to open up the things that we denied above (do it item by item).  Then you must <Ctrl>+<F5> to hard refresh the site (forces page to re-download).

The above approach is almost the exact opposite of the way Norton comes installed.  But it locks things down really tight--anything that gets in, you now about and authorized.  Sure you will get a bunch of prompts in the beginning, but once you get all of your sites in, things will be less interruptive. If you know what you are doing, you can get by with Just Norton and SpyBot, but only if you do your homework and configure them.

I have customers for whom I've had to re-install all of their software, because of security compromises. (It's usually quicker than trying to clean up the mess!)

With just these two apps, I have PCs that have re-installed that are running clean after 3, almost 4 years.  All are using Norton Internet Security 2000 and SpyBot.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's a good guide. I used to use NIS2003 and 2004, but I found 2004 slowed down my computer quite a bit...

I'm wondering about you using NIS2000 (or was that a typo?). Don't you think that using outdated software poses a (minor) security risk as the software itself is no longer maintained?

Also... some websites won't work properly if you deny browser information. I think (I think.... can't confirm right now) that Gmail is one of them. You might be able to get around this by adding mail.google.com to a trusted site, but you'll have to check that for me.

In my opinion, you could replace the Yahoo Anti-Spy with SpywareBlaster. It's a preventative measure as well, but it gives you that protection without an added toolbar.

[DarkShadows]

Actually, I meant 2002! So yes it was a typo, but I still do use an older version.

Symantec still provides updates to NIS2002, but not technical support (I don't need it). You can still pay for subscriptions for 2002. Each year I download the trial of the latest NIS bloatware and I like 2002 all the more.

The main reason, is convenience. I can add the Advanced Options to the context menu of the notification area icon. This means when I get to a web site that I've locked out but realize that I want to let in, I simply right-click once and I'm at the add a website screen. In 2003,2004,2005, you have to click like 5 times to get there. I swear Semantic wants to keep users idiots and punish advanced users who know what they are doing.

If I do a security check with 2002, the online check tells me everything is fine except of course the version of my software. But my systems are clean, and verified by many online checks.

[Zxian]

Well... if that works for you...

Thanks for the quick configuration guide.

[dale5605]

1. Forum rumors and blogs don't make something true.

2. Yahoo anti-spy is terrible.

3. Norton is bloated and not good at all..

[Zxian]

1) If you do some searching, you'll find more information on the MS-AS/Claria situation. We're talking about Gator software here. One of the most abundant spyware out there and MSAS recommends to "Ignore" it...

2) I've never used Yahoo Anti-Spy, so I can't say much about it. I did recomment SpywareBlaster which I believe others use as well and find effective.

3) Norton 2002 was decent. 2003 was heavier, but they also added some new features (the stupid-user settings as DarkShadows might call them). 2004 was the worst version there was, and yes, it was badly bloated. 2005 was a bit better, and I have yet to use 2006.