Here's a quick list of what I've found to be successful when combating spam/spyware etc... Remember to do the online updates
(essentially downloading new 'definitions' for these apps)

A.)
Ad-AWare {Freeware}
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/
http://download.com.com/3000-2144-10...age&tag=button
(if you choose the free version and it stops doing the online updates after xx number of weeks/months, (re)download a current version)




B.)
1.)Spybot-S&D {Freeware}
2.)Detection updates
3.)Tools update
http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=download
NB. On some installations, the application will take long or freeze/crash when doing online updates, choose a different mirror to download from.
Be carefull when googling for Spybot, as there's many apps masquerading
as the real Spybot. Some of them will scan but will prompt the user
to purchase the program to clean up the 'stuff'. Remember to Immunize too.



4.)
Javacool Spyware Blaster {Freeware}
http://www.widersecurity.net/spywareblaster.html
Do an update regularly to keep it fresh.


The items in red are the new 'pestware's' to protect against.


C.)
Pest Patrol's PestSCAN {$ 39.95 or so}
http://www.pestpatrol.com/

PestPatrol picked up other intrusions which, to my surprise, the other three apps didn't see. We had to buy this great lil' app to get rid of
Vx.2 or v2x.BetterInternet. Spyware like this is SOOOO tricky to
clean up (we had to literally unplug the ethernet cable as this one downloaded a new payload everytime it rebooted.)
Hint: it's almost worth it to run two or three software firewalls, and
backup a good copy of the registry (e.g. look for things like Bridge.dll..that don't belong there)

They do offer a free online-scan though:
http://www.pestscan.com/




Other apps which help:

For Pop_uP windows:

Pop-Up Stopper
Pop-Up Stopper Free Edition:
http://www.panicware.com/product_psfree.html

Pop-Up Cop is also decent.


For Web Bugs:

Bugnosis
http://www.bugnosis.org/download.html
Don't know what webbugs are?
http://www.bugnosis.org/faq.html



For html email attachments:

Email Sentinel Pro {non-expiring shareware}
http://www.emailaddressmanager.com/email_sentinel.html


Hope this helps ya out.


Zooter

Spysweeper (www.spysweeper.com) found much more spywares in my system than AD-ware and Spybot... But I believe the solution is do a clean install and drop IE/Outlook Express. And also pay attention to what you're downloading and installing (but this I already did before). Other than that, there will always be some new spyware that hasn't been catalogued by this removal tools so the best solution is don't get them in the first place.

in this sense, spywares are much worse than virus, in my point of view. Virus just destroy and corrupt data, and a good backup procedure can save you from today and tomorrow virus. Of couse, you need a antivirus but the virus will always be a step ahead of the anti-virus. Spywares can cause damage in other ways, they can get your passwords and send somewhere, make your computer dial to distante places (they even turn the modem sound off), or even remotelly control your computer. A virus variation takes a while to spread, while a spyware variation can start being spread right away.

hey V,
ran spysweeper and IT even found a few other items that the other three
missed. Mostly old registry keys. Nice lil app, but too bad it isn't free to update.


ZtR

Downloading Spysweeper right now

-kwag

Mozilla FireFox:
http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.o...xSetup-0.8.exe
(English release, it's available in other languages including brazilian-portuguese)
Very usefull stuff for mozilla:
User Switch- adds user agent changing. Ideal for those pages that insist that only I.E. user can get in.
http://mozdev.oregonstate.edu/userag...ntswitcher.xpi
Flash:
http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub...7installer.exe
Have been using for two days with no failures. This is definatelly the best I.E. replacement.


Mozilla Thunderbird:
http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.o...-0.5-win32.zip
Great EMail client with amazing anti-span features.

I said and repeat: the only way to get 100% free of this madness is reinstall your system, drop I.E. and Outlook Express use, and pay attention to what you install. You can have some anti-spyware software just to do some checks once in a while but they will never be as updated as the spywares itself, so you should make sure you don't get them in the first place.
Some anti-spyware softwares like Spysweeper also have a resident module. Maybe it's a good idea to use it.

Thanks for the SpySweeper recommendation. It found a bunch (55) of items and traces that Spybot and Ad-Aware didn't catch.

Be carefull !!!
To appears more "accurate", some tools turn into spyware or malware things such innocent as cookies !
I used one of them without making attention to what I removed and now... i'm waiting from my bank to send me back the id/passwd in order I see ma account online ! I never typed them since 6 months thanks to a cookie and a tool erased it

My firewall prevent me from cookies steal, so I don't have the slightest need to see them wipped by a anti-spyware tool

Tried it, but it doesn't support resume on crash
Well, sort of, because there's a plugin, but there's no option to allow to close the browser, and when restarted, to bring back your previous state.

-kwag

There's a workaroud for this: whenever you want to come back later and see the same tabs, go to Tools/Options/General/Start Page and click on "use tabs" (I am using the brazilian version so I don't know the exactly translation of the menus). This only works if you are viewing many pages using multiple tabs (not multiple windows)

There is no option "Use tabs" anywhere
I downloaded Firefox version 0.8
I can type "CTRL+T" to open new tabs, but when I close the browser and restart it, I loose all tabs and it starts again as default.

-kwag

I don't know how exactly this is translated in the english version, but in General/Start Page, there are three buttons:
Use blank page
use bookmark
use current tabs

But use current tabs only appears if you have more than 1 tab opened. If you have only one, it si shown as "use current page", what makes sense since there's only one page.

No matter how many tabs I open, I only have:

Use Current Pages
Use Bookmarks...
Use Blank Page


-kwag

Ok, got it
Even though it says "Use current pages", and doesn't say anything about tabs, you just open all the tabs you want and then go to options and check this option.
It would be nice if it was automatic, like with Opera and Avant Browser, but it's good enough for me
I'm sure they'll add the option in the future

-kwag

I think this option is in Mozilla. I have seen it before so not doubt it will make its way into Firefox.

Cheers,

__________________
rhino

@vmesquita,

FireBird is solid as a rock
I've been running it now for hours, and not a single crash.
I also imported all my Outlook Express E-Mails into ThunderBird, and everything is working fine and dandy.
Last time I tried Mozilla (about a year ago), it was not very stable.
Obviously, things have changed

Thanks
-kwag

@kwag
Yes, I've been using FireFox for two days and no crashes. I also tried mozilla a while ago but it looked like a improved netscape, and also lots of crashes. Also the pop-up killing feature is really great.
I imported in Thunderbird my emails from outlook (I have emails dated 1996, when I was using Internet Mail and News, that came with I.E. 3!), and all went fine. About 10 emails got a wierd date problem (showing 2100 ) But importing near 4000 messages and having problem with only 10 in date... I belive it's already very good. Also I can't wait for the span feature to become tuned!

one more will use firefox and thunderbird in few minutes (downloading)

thanks vmesquita and Kwag(pm) for recomendations!

The SPAM feature is good enough already
I was using "MailWasher", and this thing is great
Today, I was wondering why I didn't have much E-Mail in my Inbox.

But when I looked closely, I found dozens of SPAM messages in the "Junk" folder
The program recognizes what is a valid E-Mail and a SPAM E-Mail.
This is really cool

-kwag

i will that the next version of "MailWasher" don't have a "gay" developer.
then, i still get the naked girls!

Hi guys.

Yesterday, I was attached (TWICE w/in two hours) by RED Intruders trying to
peak inside me, thanks to my firewall for protection
I was quite pissed off, because I have only 56k dialup. So, for those who
think that 56k dialup is not worth it to them (those trying to break in) think
again
I don't know what they are looking for, but they are looking.
.
.
Also, I noticed that the TCP numbers were from the same attacker. And,
I did have another attack just recently, a few weeks ago - same attacker.

So, I decided ...

I D/L 'ed that latest version of "ad-aware 6.0" and installed it. I ran it.
It spilled out well over 114 variations of bugs and bad cookies. Lots were
reported as those that report your internet footsteps and I think some were
trying to creatk "back-door holes", cause I would get a lot of

I had other experiences w/ various types of attacks, but I'll spare you all
the boring details, though mostly from ad-ware/spam junk.

One question though... please...
Even though I'm on 56k Dialup, can I still get a Router for my PC ??
I'd like the benefit of it's built-in HW firewalls support.
And, I'd still like to go back to networking my pcs in saftey, and just use my
3rd pc as Internet-Only, so that I will never have to worry about attacks
again, because:

#1, I'll have a ghost image to restore every day, and
#2, I'll have no other software but w98 and browser and minimal necessary
.......apps to do Surfing - no need for personal info/items or whatever, and
........I'll probably only need a couple of 100MB's for software and drivers.

Then, I could hookup my "2-port mini KVM switch" to LAN and Internet pc.
This one is from iVIEW, and I think the model no is: 169646

Any ideas on some advice guys ?? ..I would sure love to hear them

Thanks all,
-vhelp