[Andy from Beaverton]

Overview

Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) is a security technology that helps protect Windows users from spyware and other potentially unwanted software. Known spyware on your PC can be detected and removed. This helps reduce negative effects caused by spyware including slow PC performance, annoying pop-up ads, unwanted changes to Internet settings, and unauthorized use of your private information. Continuous protection improves Internet browsing safety by guarding over 50 ways spyware can enter your PC.

Participants in the worldwide SpyNet™ community play a key role in determining which suspicious programs are classified as spyware. Microsoft researchers quickly develop methods to counteract these threats, which are automatically downloaded to your PC, so you stay up-to-date.

The user must be an administrator to install this application.

Download here

I'm so glad that my Mac doesn't have one tenth the problems of my PC.

[sure_fine]

you just have to restart it every few minutes ;)

[A CA Guy]

Because Mac has so few users, that there are few hackers willing to waste their time bothering with it.

[martin_fierro]

FREE PC PROTECTION: (Not an exhaustive list. Your results may vary. Void where prohibited. For entertainment purposes only. No wagering, please. Whattayawantfernuthin'.) (Thanks, but "Buy a Mac" doesn't qualify as "FREE PC protection")

Free Alternative browsers: Mozilla Mozilla FireFox Opera Free AntiSpam Tools: MailWasher Free Antiviral protection: AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition Free Firewalls: ZoneAlarm Sygate Personal Firewall (thanx KoRn) Test your firewall from without with: ShieldsUP! DSL Reports Port Scan Test your firewall from within with LeakTest Free General Anti-Malware tools: Prevx Intrusion Detection (thanx TomGuy) WinPatrol (thanx TomGuy) Free Popup ad killers: Bayden Systems Popup Popper: Blocks popup ads well in MSIE Shoot the Messenger: Close that friggin' Messenger in Windows XP Free Spyware removers: Spybot S&D AdAware Free System Diagnostics: Everest Home Edition (thanx TomGuy) Free Windows Update: Windows Update LAST BUT NOT LEAST: Explore Linux as an alternative OS, without installing it on your hard drive, via a free bootable CD-ROM! Download Knoppix (or one of these other Linux distributions), burn the ISO file onto a CD-ROM, and reboot with the CD-ROM in its drive. If you later want to install Knoppix on your hard drive, here are some tips.

[Reaganesque]

Bookmarking

[Tax Government]

This is great. Microsoft negligently releases a browser architecture that can easily be exploited. And years later, after the problem is widespread and well established, Microsoft learns to make a buck by trying to put the genie back in the bottle. Well done.

(Remember to download and run Mozilla Firefox, and patronize every independent antivirus and anti-spyware tool before giving MS another buck.)

[chudogg]

Does this work against their own spyware?

[Khurkris]

Man...geeks sure are a whiny bunch.

[js1138]

Tried it last night. It found 17 files left behind by Spyware Bllaster, Spybot and AdAware.

I have been pretty much spyware free until I downloaded a game fron CNET, then all hell broke loose. I can't say on the basis of one day's use the the Microsoft product is great, but I have detected no bad side effects.

[JoJo Gunn]

One can't help but notice how they've left the untold millions of 9x users out. But that's just fine with me. The computer world and it's antagonistic business practices against the consumer can kiss Old Rusty.

I'm not a "keep up with the Jone's" type, who just has to have the latest Big Brother security risk.

[Ole Okie]

Bookmark. BTTT.

[Still Thinking]

Microsoft rolls out AntiSpyware

Maybe they could just withdraw Office XP from the market!

[mikenola]

The one plus that hasn't been mentioned much is the new MS spyware tool provides realtime protection, which Adaware and Spybot do not (the free versions anyway)

From the tests I've done so far, its been pretty effective, plus it autoupdates, which Adaware and Spybot do not. Even if you get grandma to run Adaware regularly , getting them to manually update it is a bigger trick.

Assuming the tool remains free (?) , it would be a great tool for the unskilled computer user.

[DefCon]

bump for later