Spyware cures may cause more harm than good

C/Net News.com ^ | 2/4/2004 | John Borland

[Taliesan]

Also, "Hijack This" helped me fix a problem both Ad-Aware and SpyBot missed. I found it here: http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/

[El Gran Salseron]

Install, run, update the database then scan your system using Adaware as listed in my previous post.

Spyware Blaster is good to prevent intrusions before the fact but again, you have to keep the database updated.

[El Gran Salseron]

I am currently in the process of evaluating Mozilla and Firebird. That's why they are not on my list of security measures as of yet. :-)

[El Gran Salseron]

Oops! Forgot to mention that if you feel the malware is a virus as opposed to adware then AVG as listed in my previous post is an excellent and free anti-virus program. Download, install, run, update the database then scan your system for viruses. AVG has consistently stopped viruses that NAV has missed.

Some virus programs will identify some adware as worms when, in fact, they are adware so it is always wise to run both Adaware and an anti-virus scan.

The visual blip of the pop-up can't, as far as I know, be stopped.

[Lando Lincoln]

Thank you!

Lando

[El Gran Salseron]

Explain to me how it can find new spy-ware after it's last run, when I have had my computer off-line since then?


The short answer: Cookies

[El Gran Salseron]

"A search for the file index.dat and then delete will do the same."

Index.dat file is in use so that the system won't let you delete it unless you boot up in safe mode.

[Havoc]

Or run linux lol

[El Gran Salseron]

"Do you run multiple anti-virus programs, too?"

I don't know about dts but, yes, I run two anti-virus programs side by side.

No, it does not create any conflicts and, no, they do not clash with each other.

[N3WBI3]

I think it would be correct to say it would suffer from the same number of attempted attacks, but it does not follow that it would succumb to as many of them.

Switching to Linux would cause a reduction in the number of mydooms because of a better multiuser design (specifically better mmu, and a more clear distinction between kernel and non kernel resources.

[CarolAnn]

I have Spybot on both of my computers and I love it.

Thanks for the thread!

[PAR35]

I've been running Mozilla since version 1.0. Once you start using the Cookie Manager and the Tabbed browsing, you won't want to go back. Note - some sites, like the Yahoo Audio broadcasts of college sports, are intentionally set up to not work with anything except Microsoft IE.

[El Gran Salseron]

As luck would have it I am in the computer business and just about have to use IE if for no other reason than that I have to keep up with all MS products and familiarize myself with operation/capabilities/changes/updates/patches, etc. :-)

I am by no means a lover of MS products but I do have to keep up with a product that captures 95% of the market.

[Allan]

Bump

[Terpfen]

Not my thread, but you're welcome anyway.

[Terpfen]

" think it would be correct to say it would suffer from the same number of attempted attacks, but it does not follow that it would succumb to as many of them."

I never said they would succumb in the same numbers; I said the same amount of problems (in the context, hack attempts/viral infections/adware downloads) would exist. The rate of success would obviously change.

[tet68]

Bump.

[JSteff]

Every couple of days I do go to dos and deltree history, tempor~1 (cache), and cookies. That is 98SE, I think it is in a different location (directory) in ME.

[El Gran Salseron]

"That is 98SE, I think it is in a different location (directory) in ME."

And in WinXP it is in yet another entirely different and new location that does not even exist in 98SE and ME. :-)

[hunter112]

SO if tomorrow everyone started to drive volvo's they would be just as dangerous in a head on as a dodge neon?

If Americans got PO'd at Sweden and wanted to target Volvos, then you'd be safer in a Neon. The car analogy is not too valid, since I don't expect there are many out there on the roads targeting specific models of vehicles. Just because its easier to blow up a Neon than it is a Volvo doesn't mean the Volvo wouldn't become the new target if everyone traded in their Neon for a Volvo.