Everyone seems to be having problems from spyware these days,

What is it? Tracking software monitoring your surfing habits, and reports it to advert companies so they can "tailor" your adverts, or it may be software that redirects your internet searches. It's all to do with money, people want your clicks. It slows your machine down, makes it more unstable, and can even be a security threat, with some reportedly looking for personel info including credit card details.

How did it get there? Most often from saying YES to a popup that asks if you would like something installed (like a clock-sync-tool). These often install other nasties.Also File Sharing programs are rife with the problem, KAZAA being the worst offender

 

 

Always be cautious of 'free' software. Look in the readme to see if there is anything like this

"This version of DivX Pro(tm) is available to you at no cost because it is
supported by advertising delivered via the Gator Advertising and
Informational Network (GAIN). GAIN occasionally delivers online advertising
and informational messages selected based on Web sites you view. The GAIN
software must be installed in order for this version of DivX Pro to operate
properly."

If you see Advertising Delivery or Web Page Tailoring or if you aren't sure then don't touch it with a very long stick.

Beware of places on the net that say they will scan your machine on-line. I saw one today saying how terrible SPYWARE is, and on the same page was KAZAA and MESSENGER PLUS !! If you get them to scan your machine they are more than likely to infect your machine.

 

To find which programs are running in the background - well you can do a ctrl-alt-del and use Task Manager, but this does not show the whole picture, programs can hide from this list, and also programs may run at startup , do something nasty, and then close.

So use MSCONFIG to see names of startups on your PC. The programs running here should be identifiable to you, anything suspicious can be looked up

- To find out about STARTUPS go here.

How can I remove it? Here are some sites with free tools for combating spyware..There's no definitive answer and the people who make the nasties are always looking to get one step ahead of the good-guys.

A good cleaning method...Run SPYBOT and then run ADAWARE. Reboot and repeat the process until they both come up clean.

You may want to run these programs in SAFE MODE - it is more likely that the spyware will be removed because it probably won't be running. Also SAFE MODE may be your only option if you are so infected with spyware that the machine will not run Windows properly. (Tip to get into SAFE MODE - Press F8 when the computer is first turned on - just after the first screen of writing vanishes).

 

 

I can recommend these....

• Hijackthis (for expert use only because it highlights the good as well as the bad, and you have to pick what to delete.)
• CWShredder (easy to use and good against certain HIJACKERS that hijack the search bar and send you elsewhere).
• Spybot - to clean spyware (The best in my opinion).
• Ad-Aware to be used as well as SPYBOT (they both pick up things the other doesn't).
• ZoneAlarm (The best free firewall).

These are recommended by other people but I have yet to try the software...

• Kerio Firewall (some say "The Best Free Firewall") (I use ZONEALARM)
• AVG (The Best Free Anti-Virus Software) (caused my pc to become unstable but other people swear by it).
• SpywareBlaster (Stop spyware from getting on your PC - many people swear by this.)
• SpywareGuard (Stop spyware from getting on your PC)

Windows updates....

• Windows Update (go here to get your machine updated).

Another things that can get installed on your PC without you knowing : Browser Helper Objects (BHOs) - Programs that run with your browser, generally good ones but you can get nasty BHOs. Hard to find, you need some software such as BHO COP.

WARNING - Removing SPYWARE can stop programs that depend on it from working.

Programs that install SPYWARE on your machine : (a very incomplete list!)

• KAZAA (FILE SHARING SOFTWARE)
• BEARSHARE (FILE SHARING SOFTWARE)
• MESSENGER PLUS (MESSENGER PLUGIN)
• P2P NETWORKING
• WINMX (FILE SHARING SOFTWARE)
• OVERNET (FILE SHARING SOFTWARE)
• NIMO Codec bundles ( notorious for installing spyware).
• DIVX Free codecs (used to be full of spyware, but the company has seen sense and new versions of the codec are clean.).

 

 

One last note, go to Internet Explorer and click on Tools > Internet Options... Select the Security tab and click on Custom Level... Make sure that it is at least set to Medium and that the first option called "Download signed ActiveX controls" is set to Prompt. Then be very careful about which ActiveX component you install from the web.