Hidden Spyware Programs on your Computer

[46Driver]

Thought I would let everyone know about this. My computer has been getting slower and slower despite a cable modem. Saw an article in the Wall Street Journal about programs installing themselves on your computer and you not knowing. I took the Journal's advice and ordered "Spybot Search and Destroy". It found 294 programs on my computer transmitting data back to who knows where. I paid for the software (downloaded on the internet for $29.99) and it cleaned my computer. The number of pop-ups has decreased exponentially and the speed is now extremely fast.

Thought I would let everyone know about it - seems to be the real thing. I am well pleased with it.

 

[pilot141]

I think that Spybot can be had for free.

Go here to download the program. You can also donate money via credit card or Paypal if you like the product.

Also look into Lavasoft's Ad-Aware. It's also free and catches some of the stuff that Spybot misses.

Run each once a month or so and keep your machine clean!

 

[Eagleflip]

A vote for Ad-Aware.

I too run the free version of Ad-Aware from Lavasoft. It works like a champ and I've never had it delete anything that was actually useful from my computer.

Interestingly, my kids wind up visiting more sites that insert spyware than I do...the folks who design that stuff must have a demographic in mind when they send it out via cookies and such.

In short, between Ad-Aware and McAfee virus scan, I feel relatively safe.

Until Vladimir Lenin and General Lee get on line, that is...

 

[Hawker1]

Yea, both of those programs will get the spyware off your computer. I personally run Spybot Search & Destroy about once a week. If you notice anything different about your computer, I'd run it just to be safe. Chances are, it's something that Spybot will detect and get rid of.

 

[Timebuilder]

Both ad-aware and spybot are available through Kim Komando's website.

She recommends them highly. I just turned my sister on to these programs, and Kim's site.

 

[A1FlyBoy]

Time Builder beat me to posting Kim Komando's link...

She also has a good 'firewall' that everyone should, at the very minimum, have installed...

 

[huncowboy]

My vote for Spy-Bot. I have been an Ad-aware user for quite a while until just recently I tried Spybot Search & Destroy. After cleaning the rig with Ad-aware Spybot still managed to come up with a few more spyware on my HD. Both pretty good programs.

 

[cl-65link]

If you have a broadband connection, a firewall is an absolute necessity. I use zone alarm from zone labs. They used to make a free version, but I don't think it's free anymore.

 

[Vavso]

Another important application thats a mu

a program called hijack this it deletes stuff that takes over your internet start page and adds crap to your favorites folder . a must have when your computer is "hijacked" Vavso

 

[bart]

Get ad aware 6 , it works

 

[snoopy_1]

Another great free product, CoolWebShredder http://www.spychecker.com/program/cwshredder.html
will get rid of the program that resets your homepage.

A lot more free cool products
http://www.spychecker.com/topdownloads.html

 

[Wiggums]

Also, if your going to use Kazza use this program Diet K with it, blocks all spyware and ads.

 

[wildbill]

I've been using Spy Ware nuker. The initial was free,but paid the $29.95 and feel a little safer. I was surprised at the number of trackers on my system..

 

[mike1mc]

I just got Norton (Symantec) Internet Security 2004. This thing does it all. Firewall, Anti-virus (with Spyware detector), Intrusion Security, Spam eliminator, pop-up blocker, and ad/porn blocker (if you ever wanted to do such a thing). Its kinda pricey, but its the best thing I've seen so far. I can't that Zone Alarm program.

 

[bobbysamd]

PC Alternatives

Another idea would be to acquire an alternative computer, such as a Mac, or something other than Microsoft. It sure seems that Microsoft OSs are the prime targets of viruses and spyware, aside from how Windows computers are crash-prone. I found that adding memory seemed to help that problem.

I can vouch for Apple's claims that a Mac just works. I had been a PC user for ten years and was weary of having to reinstall my OS every six weeks or so. I purchased an iMac, plugged in my cable modem, phone line, printer and old PC's visual mouse, turned it on, and it worked. I haven't had to diddle with or otherwise reinstall my OS, either.

I had AdAware on my PC, and it indeeds blocks popups. Alternative browsers, such as Netscape and Mozilla, have anti-popup capabilities that really do work.

 

[CA1900]

I'll second Bobbysamd's recommendation to get a Mac. Unless you're a hard-core gamer, you'll find more than enough software to do everything you'd ever need, and you won't have to worry about spyware, deadly file attachments, viruses that mail everyone in your address book, etc.

I'm just thrilled with mine; I'll never go back. Certainly worth a look if you've had enough of such a vulnerable OS as Windows.

 

[huncowboy]

apple? ummm... not for me

Depends on what you want to use it for. I like to play games on the PC. This will probably stay my hobby and apple is not good for that. Games are released for the PC first and then much later a few of them are out for the mac. The other reason is that I like to build my own PC lately and I don't see myself ever buying a ready made one again. Why miss out the fun of planning, ordering and building it while you save on it? It just doesn't make sense anymore once you get into building your own. I am sure you can build your own Macintosh too but the community behind it is much smaller and you don't get the amount of info that you can for regular PCs. "Is my nVidia card going to work with the Epox board with the whatever chip set?"... kind of thing I am talking about.

I really don’t see how apple is still in business. They are doing something right for sure. But I just have not seen a heavy argument that would make me join a group that is 10% of the size of PC users. I don’t know what kind of advantage could balance that. But I have never researched this. The thought of getting a Mac has never crossed my mind. I buy the argument that you are less vulnerable because your group of users is smaller and thus less viruses are written for your OS. But than it is also true to say that you have less security people working on freeware software to keep your Mac safe for the very same reason. Internet security can be achieved in Windows too. But if you want to be as safe as it gets regardless what OS you are using you will need to end up with a hardware firewall. The decent ones start around $100+ and the time to learn how to configure it.

Win95 and 98 and millennium was crap, but IMO XP is very stable and I am really not a B Gates fan. You do need a bit of tweaking (but all this info is on the net for free see: www.tweakxp.com) to optimize it and turn off some useless stuff but that takes like 20 min including reading instructions. Of course you need to do your windows update on every Sunday after church but that goes for the hardware too in your computer not only for the OS. Is this not the case for Mac? So far I have XP Pro over a year and the only reason I decided to reinstall it once was because I bought a faster HD and I wanted to have the OS on the fast HD not on the old one. I am playing games and downloading stuff all the time and believe or not I have to experience a "blue screen of death" yet (not a single one!!!!) or anything that needs a cold reboot. With Win98 this was a daily event. So far in XP I have always been able pull up the system monitor with CTRL+ALT+DEL in less than 10-15 sec and end the application that was hanging whenever I've encountered a crash. It won’t get much better than that since most the time new software and old drivers is the culprit and not the OS, and we will always get newer software and non functional drivers every day.

Just my 0.02

 

[2000flyer]

I'll add my vote for Macs. Before buying my iMac, my PC seemed to attract every virus known to man. Granted, Norton caught [nearly] all of the virus. I was constantly getting messages that a new virus had been quarantined.

Since I switched to the iMac, I have had no browswer redirects, no viruses, no homepage being covertly changed, no emails from contacts saying "you sent me a virus!" Granted, the iMac with the 17" screen wasn't an inexpensive purchase, but the reduced headaches, amazing speed and flexibility are well worth it!

2000Flyer

 

[jetexas]

Get Spybot and adaware (free...and you can also get it off of www.pcworld.com) and put Norton System Works 2004 on your computer.
Also defragment all drives regularly.
It should run like a top if you do all that! Mine does.

Also get IL-2 Sturmovik 'Forgotten Battles' if you are trying to get rid of a wife or girlfriend. This game is totally kicka$$ !!!

 

[wingnutt]

ok,

for the computer illiterate in the room, once dowloaded and program has been run, do you just delete all the suspect files/programs?

i dont want to dump anything that belongs, but 506 total objects found sounds like alot.