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Anti-Spyware Guide
This page has links to
getting started articles,
comparative reviews,
recommended products,
freeware,
blockers,
in-depth analysis tools, and
resources to help you fight spyware
including keystroke-loggers, malware, browser parasites, unsolicited
commercial software, scumware, homepage hijackers, and dialers.
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Watch Out -- Do not buy or download any anti-spyware software without checking
Spyware Warrior's
Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products & Web Sites
list first.
Patches & Updates --
Anti-spyware software is only as effective as its most recent update
because it is inherently reactive treating "known" threats. So when
you install anti-spyware software, immediately go to the
vendor's web site and update the program and definitions
and then turn on the auto update feature.
Prices -- See our custom Anti-Spyware
Software Price List
powered by Amazon.com
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Getting Started
- Some anti-virus software products now include
anti-spyware and some anti-spyware products have added anti-virus.
In addition, some of these products include anti-trojan, anti-worm
and other anti-malware features. Before relying on a single security
product, carefully review the vendor's list of features and study
comparative test results if available. See
Editorial - Do you really need a spyware scanner? Gizmo
Richards' Support Alert Newsletter, April 17, 2008.
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The Most Damaging Malware, Mary Landesman, antivirus.about.com,
June 10, 2008
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So, You Think You've Got Spyware? Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine,
May 30, 2007
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How to Remove Spyware From Your PC, Andrew Brandt, PC World,
February 21, 2007
Comparative Reviews
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CNET Top 10 Antispyware Apps, Robert Vamosi, CNet,
March 8, 2008 -- Sunbelt CounterSpy v2 editor's choice
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Nine Ways to Wipe Out Spyware, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine,
February 5, 2008 -- Ad-Aware 2007 Pro, CounterSpy V2, GarbageClean
3.0, Spyware Doctor with Antivirus 5.5 [editor's choice], Spyware
Terminator 2.0, STOPZilla 5.0, SUPERAntiSpyware, SpyEraser 2,
Webroot Antivirus with AntiSpyware and Firewall.
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Anti-Spyware Reviews, Consumer Search, January 2008,
comprehensive summary of 17 reviews for 45 products -- Webroot
Software Spy Sweeper...
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Die, Spyware Die! and
Best
Vista Antispyware [chart], Ryan Naraine, PC World, August 21,
2007 -- PC Tools Spyware Doctor [best buy], Grisoft AVG Anti-Spyware, Webroot
SpySweeper, Microsoft Windows Defender, Safer Networking Spybot
Search & Destroy & Lavasoft Ad-Aware 2007 Plus
Retail Anti-Spyware Software
Based on comparative reviews and
testing, top rated retail anti-spyware software may offer important benefits over freeware --
Better support, more frequent updates, better discovery and removal of
difficult spyware (root kits, etc.), and better pro-active protection
measures. For more choices, see the comparative review links above. For
freeware, see below.
PC
Tools Spyware Doctor
Sunbelt Software
Webroot Spy Sweeper
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Spy Sweeper 5.5 with Antivirus, Neil Rubenking,
PC Magazine, June 28, 2007 -- Editor's Choice
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Webroot Spy Sweeper 5.3 with Antivirus, Robert Vamosi, CNet,
March 20, 2007
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Review: Webroot Spysweeper with Antivirus security software,
Tim Smith, Computer Active, March 8, 2007
Free Anti-Spyware Software
With the exception of avast! (first on the list below),
none of the other free products are recommended for use instead of the
top rated retail products above. On the other hand, any of the other
free
products are much better than not using any anti-spyware at all.
avast!
antivirus Home Edition 4.8, anti-spyware & anti-rootkit for
Windows, free for home use
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avast! antivirus 4.8 Home Edition, Neil Rubenking, PC
Magazine, April 10, 2008 -- "Avast!
has long been a popular free antivirus. The independent labs give it
good marks, though not as good as the very best. Now it also removes
spyware—not as well as Spyware Doctor or WAV, but better than most.
And it's a seriously tough protector against attacks on a clean
system. I'm really pleased to find a free antispyware product that I
can recommend."
Ad-aware,
Lavasoft, one freeware product; they also have two retail versions
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Ad-Aware 2008 Pro, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, May 20, 2008
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Ad-Aware 2007, Robert Vamosi, CNet, December 13, 2007
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Ad-Aware 2007 Pro, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, July 6, 2007
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Lavasoft's Updated Spyware Zapper: Ad-Aware 2007, Tom Spring, PC
World, June 7, 2007
Google Pack -- Includes Symantec's Norton Security Scan for viruses & worms
and PC Tools Spyware Doctor (lite) for spyware, adware, Trojans & keyloggers.
Norton is a PC Magazine editor's choice and Spyware Doctor is a PC World
best buy.
Microsoft
Windows
Defender
Spybot Search
& Destroy, PepiMK Software. Note: Well known
but no longer recommended.
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Spybot
Search & Destroy 1.5, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, February 15,
2008
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CNet
review, Robert Vamosi, March 27, 2007
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Review: Spybot Search & Destroy, Mark Long, TopTechNews,
September 8, 2006
Tools to Block Installation of Spyware
Once you scan your computer with
anti-spyware and know
that it is clean (if not, try another product or skip to "What is that" below), you can move on to
blocking new spyware installations.
Technical Note:
Your anti-spyware software may include some protection features. If you want to use IE-SPYAD, Spybot Search & Destroy,
SpywareGuide Blocklist, SpywareBlaster, a hosts file or any combination
of those, see
IE-SPYAD: Restricted Sites List for Internet Explorer, by Eric Howes,
on how the protection offered in each, affect the others. Specifically
as it relates to 'Restricted Sites', 'Immunization' and hosts files.
SpywareBlaster, Javacool, freeware
Spyware Block List File
- Three versions -- Minimal free, expert
free, and RegBlock $20; Spyware-Guide.com hosted by Xblock Systems
Using a Browser Hosts File
What is that?
Tools
to identify and/or remove tough stuff or if your anti-spyware
software shows you a list of the "processes" running on your
computer and you would like to know what they are:
Resource Sites
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