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Best spyware blocker?

Best spyware blocker?

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Seems my system as been nailed by someone tracking it.
What is a good blocker, or something to make sure it stays clean?
Kelly

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Adaware 6 is great for removing spyware, I run it on the harshest settings about once a week, you can download the free version from lavasoft, sorry don't have the link to hand, will try and find later. Also I hear spybot is good, but I've never used it.

Also recommend you download and install Zone Alarm if you have the windows firewall running at the moment, it is much better.

Good luck

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Originally posted by Starrman
Adaware 6 is great for removing spyware, I run it on the harshest settings about once a week, you can download the free version from lavasoft, sorry don't have the link to hand, will try and find later. Also I hear spybot is good, but I ...[text shortened]... ws firewall running at the moment, it is much better.

Good luck
Zonealarm is not a good idea if you an internal firewall in your router. Then it will only cause more problems than solve them.
Adaware is good. Will recommend CCleaner also, download at http://www.ccleaner.com/

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Sorry, yes, should have mentionted the router, I don't have one so I often forget.

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You can get Adaware 6 Personal from Lavasoft at the following link

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/

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Originally posted by DCS
Zonealarm is not a good idea if you an internal firewall in your router. Then it will only cause more problems than solve them.
Adaware is good. Will recommend CCleaner also, download at http://www.ccleaner.com/
How so? ZA and all software firewalls work independantly of any hardware firewall. Now two software firewalls is a no-no.

Feivel

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Originally posted by KellyJay
Seems my system as been nailed by someone tracking it.
What is a good blocker, or something to make sure it stays clean?
Kelly

I recommend Ad-Aware wholeheartedly. BUT, before you use it you should kill any process trees running that aren't supposed to be. Also, afterwards, you should probably double-check both your registry run & runonce keys...always still seems to be junk there after.

-f

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I have found Spybot catches stuff Adaware doesn't, and vice versa. Spybot also has an "immunize" feature which blocks known spyware programs before they get on your computer.

http://www.spybot.info/en/index.html

None of these things is perfect, though, so backup your data and if system performance degrades despite running these tools, considering reinstalling Windows.

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Don't forget to update your spyware, anti-virus, firewall etc software regularily, things change fast. Many of these programs have an auto-update feature which helps keep you current.

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Originally posted by KneverKnight
an auto-update feature which helps keep you current.
Yes but in some twisted sense soyware calls home and we don't want that so why should it be ok for anti-spyware apps to call home? i prefer to do all my updates manually 🙂

Feivel

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Also, if you're not particular about what browser you use, running something other than MS Internet Explorer will help tremendously, and oftentimes entirely eliminate the need for Adaware or similar programs...unless you surf for a lot of porn, of course.

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Originally posted by Poison Godmachine
Also, if you're not particular about what browser you use, running something other than MS Internet Explorer will help tremendously, and oftentimes entirely eliminate the need for Adaware or similar programs...unless you surf for a lot of porn, of course.
I recommend u all to use Mozilla Firefox v 1.0. Download at http://www.mozilla.org/

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Originally posted by DCS
I recommend u all to use Mozilla Firefox v 1.0. Download at http://www.mozilla.org/
Yeah, the tabbed browser thing is really cool, and it will probably included in the next iteration of IE. The vast majority of spyware is attuned to IE. Just ask a Mac user about how much virus and spyware problems they have.

That being said, I'm still sort of prejudiced against it as the back-end is a real pain to code against. IE does have its benefits, but for the average end user, looking to keep their hard drives clean, Mozilla is probably the best way to go (the ActiveX problems go away).

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I currently use spybot alongside norton antivirus 2004, it is good because its an effective program and free. Spybot was rated slightly better than adaware in a recent review on the net (by functionality and general effectiveness). The greatest spyware removal program avaialble is about 50 odd quid - its could aluria and is a very comprehensive and thorough piece of scanning software, capable of removing nearly 200,000 known threats compared to spybots 20,000.

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I use AdAware to remove spyware, and No! Flash to stop it in the first place.