How many anti-spyware progs do you have?

**Timbuk2**

Well, go on, don't be shy

I have 5

If one misses one then the others would get it
The ones I have are

Ad-Aware :: Spybot - Search & Destroy :: Windows Defender :: Microsoft Anti-Spyware :: Spyware Doctor 3.5

What one(s) do you use?

wind00ze

Just two, adaware and spybot. they work great. Don't like spyware doctor for some reason. We just don't get on

aidan_walsh

You know that MS Antispyware and Windows Defender are the same thing, right? In fact, WD should have uninstalled MSAS when it was installing...

Capt'n Midnight

have a look at the stickies on computers for others.

analogx script blocker
firefox - noscript & other extensions

spywareblaster
hijack this

there are loads of others, and oodles of me-too's

kaimera

Oddly enough, none atm.

Had adaware, spybot and MS Defender but wasn't arsed withthem after a format.

Prolly just stick to Defender next time coupled with Nod32.

**Timbuk2**

aidan_walsh wrote:

You know that MS Antispyware and Windows Defender are the same thing, right? In fact, WD should have uninstalled MSAS when it was installing...

As far as I know they are different. I have both of them installed on my computer, and they find different results to each other. Windows Defender belonged to another company (with a different name, obviously), and then Microsoft bought it off them.

Ruu_Old

Just one here Spybot Search and Destroy, i would imagine they would all conflict with each other if you had too many installed.

kaimera

Tbh, are they a necessity?

I mean, a user can get along without being infected with spyware/viruses.
I wanted to say careful user but it's ones own fault for getting crap like that.

Just don't click that link is all.

**Timbuk2**

Good article here

Spyware Warrior - How May Anti-Spyware progs should you have? wrote:

In reality one is NOT enough at the present time. If you look at Eric Howes’ extensive anti-spyware tests of just a few months ago, you can easily see that no one program detected even close to all the defined critical detections. Some fared well, others mediocre and still others failed miserably at detecting and removing the spyware. In my personal experience, I have seen that demonstrated over and over. I’ve deliberately infected my test machine any number of times and seen that no one application detects and removes everything. We see that daily on the forum as well. When I downloaded Grokster to test, it took 3 of the best anti-spyware programs to remove most of the files and registry keys. Following that, I removed a few more using HijackThis and still more manually. The proliferation of new spyware and hijackers in the last year has outpaced the development of the anti-spyware appliations by far. The spyware pushers are constantly using new and more complex methods to infect machines making it difficult for even the best developers to keep up.

Interesting :rolleyes:

aidan_walsh

**Timbuk2** wrote:

As far as I know they are different. I have both of them installed on my computer, and they find different results to each other. Windows Defender belonged to another company (with a different name, obviously), and then Microsoft bought it off them.

MS Antispyware started as a program froma company called GIANT, whom MS purchased. During the Beta 1 phase it was rebranded as Windows Defender, which you will notice carries the tag Beta 2. QED.

bpmurray

kaimera wrote:

Tbh, are they a necessity?

I mean, a user can get along without being infected with spyware/viruses.
I wanted to say careful user but it's ones own fault for getting crap like that.

Just don't click that link is all.

Well, duh! You mean don't click ANY links. You may be soo, soo safe, and never click through to anything, and never allow any double-click enabled sites to show in your browser, but the rest of the planet actually browse around, use Google for information, etc.

And if you do any of these things, even with firewalls (I use 2 - MS's windows firrewall, and ZLID) and Anti-virus tools, neither of which will protect you from adware, you WILL be infected.

I regularly scan with AD-Aware and SpyBot, and find that this combination works well.

mp3guy

0 - Linux tbh

Lump

Just 2.... Spybot and adaware.

John

kaimera

bpmurray wrote:

Well, duh! You mean don't click ANY links. You may be soo, soo safe, and never click through to anything, and never allow any double-click enabled sites to show in your browser, but the rest of the planet actually browse around, use Google for information, etc.

And if you do any of these things, even with firewalls (I use 2 - MS's windows firrewall, and ZLID) and Anti-virus tools, neither of which will protect you from adware, you WILL be infected.

I regularly scan with AD-Aware and SpyBot, and find that this combination works well.

Not my own experience, or even guys I know.

and for proof I scanned after reading this thread and my pc was clean.

*shrug*

Ridire_Dubh

Seven (7) so far (2 paid and 5 freeware). No problems with compatibility. Spend about 15 minutes per day updating. Tried Spyware Doctor and experienced problems, so uninstalled it. Found that no one program covered the 70 to 100 malware that emerges daily (number per PC World magazine). The best of the seven I have used was Ad-Aware SE.

Also have 2 firewalls on laptop, and a third one if using the WiFi router in my flat. And last, but not least, I only use limited accounts lacking administrator privileges to surf and communicate over the Internet, which adds one more layer of protection against the installation of malware.

Will not list all the software used, as this is not in my best interests.

mp3guy

Ridire_Dubh wrote:

Seven (7) so far (2 paid and 5 freeware). No problems with compatibility. Spend about 15 minutes per day updating. Tried Spyware Doctor and experienced problems, so uninstalled it. Found that no one program covered the 70 to 100 malware that emerges daily (number per PC World magazine). The best of the seven I have used was Ad-Aware SE.

Also have 2 firewalls on laptop, and a third one if using the WiFi router in my flat. And last, but not least, I only use limited accounts lacking administrator privileges to surf and communicate over the Internet, which adds one more layer of protection against the installation of malware.

Will not list all the software used, as this is not in my best interests.

If you're that weary about security and don't play games, I would recommend Linux, this isn't a typical "Oh windoze suxx0rs use t3h 1337 l1nux tbh ftw", but you shouldn't be putting that much into security

Ridire_Dubh

mp3guy wrote:

If you're that weary about security and don't play games, I would recommend Linux, this isn't a typical "Oh windoze suxx0rs use t3h 1337 l1nux tbh ftw", but you shouldn't be putting that much into security

I'm just a novice and not a hacker. Maybe someday? In the mean time, I use the trial-and-error method. Install one into the bundle and see if it conflicts or contributes. If it conflicts, I uninstall and move to another. I really don't spend much time on this, other than perhaps a couple of hours experimenting on the weekend and 15 minutes updating when I first boot up in the morning on weekdays. The time it takes to boot up on my machine is negligable, and gives me a minute to enjoy my java (my brain needs its addiction to boot up too).

Remember a recent article by PC World magazine that recommended that online surfers and gamers should not rely on one or two anti-malware programmes, but rather several, because there were an estimated 70 to 100 new malware programmes launched daily, and that no one anti-malware programme company could keep up (and were running behind). A few programming companies were experimenting with heuristics to anticipate future malware programmes based on what malware shares in common, and then block them. BIT Defender seems to be leading the pack, according to PC World, in terms of heuristic detection and blocking of malware-type programmes that have not been listed in anti-malware definitions. But at its best, BIT Defender only identifies about half, missing the other half that could attack your system.

Perhaps your Linux recommendation is well founded. I am not ready to move to a new, open source operating system, just yet. Perhaps after a few more IS lessons and a lot more experience? Until that happens, I'll spend a small portion of my time experimenting, which is fun.

Ridire_Dubh

Oh, regarding my previous post, before someone pulls my chain, I am using the term "malware" in a generic fashion; i.e., to include unwanted spyware and adware in addition to its application to anti-virus, anti-worm, anti-trojan, anti-RAT, etc. Although it may not be technically correct, to me, if someone tries to put something on my machine that I do not want, it is malware (mal = bad news!). This also acknowledges that many of the anti-virus programming firms are including anti-spyware/adware in their bundles now (MacAfee, Norton, BIT Defender, etc.).

Standard Toaster

Just adaware, spybot and a number of extensions for firefox on the windows box and none on Suse laptop.

DMC

Ad-ware, Windows Defender, The Yahoo! Toolbar (quick and effective) and Spybot.

Blowfish

0 - Linux

djmarkus

When i'm using linux 0 obviously,

When using windows MSAS, and i just watch my surfing habits and dont install anything thats phishey

DonkeyStyle \o/

None at the moment.
It's always such an anti-climax when ever I install an anti-spyware app... cue the big red flashing letters alerting me to a cookie... oh noes. :rolleyes: