How to keep the wolves at bay (ad/spy/virus advice)

[moreau]

I recently found all three of my computers (home, work, laptop) chock full of adware and spyware. Luckily I've been virus free.

Currently I'm using the following protocol: windows update regularly, symantec antivirus client, spybot S&D, Ad-aware.

I update each program and scan every couple of days.

Is this enough to keep one's computers clean? Other proggies to fill in the cracks left by the above? Proper order to scan these things?

Thanks,
CEM

P.S. please save your "stop looking at pr0n" jokes. I have just as much humor as the next person, but I don't care for the insinuation, nonetheless. (not angry, just sayin...)

[moreau]

P.S. I use sp2 with the firewall up, IE with the blockers in place, and Mozilla 0.9.

That seemed pertinent.

CEM

[UtwigMU]

This should be enough.

I have noticed that since I switched to Mozilla (suite) at arround version 1.3 (now on Firefox 1.0PR), the only spyware I got were tracking cookies, so make Firefox default browser and use IE only for Windows Update.

Otherwise, don't install random trialware. Usually for every task there's a spyware free freeware and/or opensource application. Before installing search google for "application name spyware" and ask forums for recommendation.

[schmosef]

AdwareAway has been very useful in cleansing junk that spybot and AdAware have missed. Especially pesky IE hijacks.

[Byock]

I had the same problem, since I started using Firebird, and only using IE for Windows update, I only seem to have tracking cookies as well.

[moreau]

thnx all.

Others with comments?

CEM

[Wombat]

Just to reiterate: Don't use IE. Don't use Outlook.

[dbdg]

I use IE, OE, Sygate and AVG7.

All AdAwarePro/SE ever picks up on my rig is tracking cookies.

IE/OE aren't that evil when it comes to allowing spyware in, at least from my point of view.

[ZokesPro]

Best anti-spyware software I've used is Spybot, you can also update it for free and there's an option to immunize which works damn well.

[moreau]

You know what would be nice:

If these programs would not just tell you which things are evil, but what the non-evil things on your machine actually do.

Specifically, if they could tell you what all of the processes in task manager do, so you know if they are or are not malicious, and are just being missed by spybot, etc.

I end up going through my process list occasionally and Google searching to find out the origins of each process. Have occassionally found things there I didn't want (or need), that weren't caught by spybot, etc.

Just a thought.

CEM

[ZokesPro]

I know what you mean, but as far as I know, there isn't such a software.

[GNEP]

I tend to google processes that are new to me - quite educational usually and has led to me killing things that AdAware and Spybot haven't caught (for example with "HijackThis")

[leech]

*cough* I know people will get pissed at this... but... Use linux.. Spyware free :-) Well, ok, tracking cookies I'm sure could still be installed... but that's a vulnerability of the web itself.

In windows, the ONLY adware crap I get is from file-sharing clients. I run Adaware about once a week or so, and it may find two tracking cookies and that's it. I don't even use an anti-virus software, because generally I know what I'm downloading, and I don't open it in windows if I'm not sure.

Leech

[Kooldino]

I was gonna come on and say linux. But if you're using firefox, that will stop you from getting 90% of them. For now.

[Fat Tone]

I use XP SP2, Sophos, Adaware and I'm behind a h/w firewall.

As others said, pretty much the only thing Adaware finds is tracking cookies.

I colleague had a nasty experience a couple of weeks ago: He brought his machine in for me to 'cleanse' (see my "how can people be so f'ing stupid" thread). Adaware cleaned it up after a couple of goes, but didn't repair the damage done to the Winsock by SAHagent (sp?). That took me a couple of hours on the phone with him once he got it back home. He is now a very religious updater/cleanser!

T.