Spyware: Be Careful What You Clean With

[pultneytooner]

Here are some anti-spyware programs you should avoid using:

http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue...re.htm#products

[davem]

The pop up blockers that arrive via pop up, .......another Meldrew moment.
How could they think that a pop up is a good way of promoting a blocker!!!!!

[Doolally]

I use Ad-Aware SE and as far as I'm aware, it's one of the best programs out there to remove spyware. It updates easily and is simple to work.

It's free for download from here, http://www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware/

[brandy]

i use spyware dr

[gleeber]

I picked up something nasty a couple of weeks ago called winfixer. It attaches itself to internet explorer and sends out popups willy nilly. I checked it on the internet and it recomended XoftSpySE to clear it. It cost 30 bucks and I still have the bug. Any ideas?

[cuddlepop]

i think we use spyware,ithink its spyware doctor

[Oddquine]

I use Spybot-Search and Destroy http://www.spybot.info/en/index.html

And I also don't use IE if I can possibly avoid it!

[Dali]

I use Ad-Aware SE and as far as I'm aware, it's one of the best programs out there to remove spyware. It updates easily and is simple to work.

It's free for download from here, http://www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware/

Use Ad-Aware SE then download spyware doctor and check out how much Ad-Aware SE missed you will be amazed.

I use 3 different spyware removers as i find they all do not find everything .
Spyware Dr being the best i have used.

[Oddquine]

I picked up something nasty a couple of weeks ago called winfixer. It attaches itself to internet explorer and sends out popups willy nilly. I checked it on the internet and it recomended XoftSpySE to clear it. It cost 30 bucks and I still have the bug. Any ideas?

Think you've been stung, gleeber............you did just what winfixer intended that you should do!

Do you actually have a winfixer bug/malware.........or is it Windows XP Messenger (as opposed to MSN messenger) advertising by pop-up ...........if the latter, you can disable it in Services. If the former try looking here..all of it may not apply, but you will at least know what you are looking for http://forums.tomcoyote.org/index.php?showtopic=48520

and/or http://forums.tomcoyote.org/index.php?showtopic=61964

Hope the links work............and no reason not to have a go at removing the stuff they talk about manually if you can identify it......

[gleeber]

Think you've been stung, gleeber............you did just what winfixer intended that you should do!

Do you actually have a winfixer bug/malware.........or is it Windows XP Messenger (as opposed to MSN messenger) advertising by pop-up ...........if the latter, you can disable it in Services. If the former try looking here..all of it may not apply, but you will at least know what you are looking for http://forums.tomcoyote.org/index.php?showtopic=48520

and/or http://forums.tomcoyote.org/index.php?showtopic=61964

Hope the links work............and no reason not to have a go at removing the stuff they talk about manually if you can identify it......

Cheers for that Oddquine but I need it all in English. I get a popup telling me that I have a problem with my pc and winfixer will fix it. I smelt a rat immediatley and just closed all the popups. I checked google for winfixer and identified the problem. The solution given was XoftSpySE. Maybe its a partnership and I have indeed been stung.

[Oddquine]

Cheers for that Oddquine but I need it all in English. I get a popup telling me that I have a problem with my pc and winfixer will fix it. I smelt a rat immediatley and just closed all the popups. I checked google for winfixer and identified the problem. The solution given was XoftSpySE. Maybe its a partnership and I have indeed been stung.

Try going into Programs/Administrative Tools/Services and in Services(local).scroll down to Messenger, highlight and right click and open properties.in the General tab......disable it, and in the log on tab, disable it in all profiles.

That, if my memory serves me right should stop it loading at all, and should, if you haven't got malware, stop the pop-ups.

Windows messenger is just a vehicle for adverts, and it won't hurt anything not to have it working.

Though I'd still advise using Firefox!

[pultneytooner]

First of all guys, don't touch winfixer with a bargepole. Secondly, adaware se has bundled spyware, don't touch.

[obiron]

the spyware we use is through aol seems ok.

[gleeber]

Try going into Programs/Administrative Tools/Services and in Services(local).scroll down to Messenger, highlight and right click and open properties.in the General tab......disable it, and in the log on tab, disable it in all profiles.

That, if my memory serves me right should stop it loading at all, and should, if you haven't got malware, stop the pop-ups.

Windows messenger is just a vehicle for adverts, and it won't hurt anything not to have it working.

Though I'd still advise using Firefox!

I dont have an administrative tools facilty in my programmes menu. I never heard of firefox until now, and have downloaded and made it my default browser to see how it goes. In the meantime a hot email to the maunufacturars of XoftSpy is on the cards. Cheers.

[canuck]

gleeber - our fellow orgers had a great discussion about firefox on a browser thread a few months ago. I learned a lot, even stopped calling it firefly after awhile. http://forum.caithness.org/showthrea...hlight=browser

[Oddquine]

I dont have an administrative tools facilty in my programmes menu. I never heard of firefox until now, and have downloaded and made it my default browser to see how it goes. In the meantime a hot email to the maunufacturars of XoftSpy is on the cards. Cheers.

Try Control Panel...........and if it isn't there, you must have a separate admin log-in/user profile that you'll have to use to get at it!

Or go to Start/Run/ and type msconfig, and go to services tab on there, untick messenger, restart 'pooter and that SHOULD stop it on your profile at least........in the unlikely event you don't like Firefox.

[gleeber]

Try Control Panel...........and if it isn't there, you must have a separate admin log-in/user profile that you'll have to use to get at it!

Or go to Start/Run/ and type msconfig, and go to services tab on there, untick messenger, restart 'pooter and that SHOULD stop it on your profile at least........in the unlikely event you don't like Firefox.

I found everything just as you said. Firefox seems pretty good since I downloaded it, no popups.
Canuck, cheers for that link. I usually give that technical stuff a swerve but i found the thread really informative. Tabbed browsers wow.

[jimbews]

I use Spybot-Search and Destroy http://www.spybot.info/en/index.html

I agree, especially if its Tools section is used in advanced mode where it allows startup items to be checked, etc. BUT - be sure of what you're doing and if in doubt do NOT remove items where you're not 100% convinced that it really is malaware.

Also protection from "Spyware Blaster" at http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/

And, from Microsoft:

Microsoft's Antispyware (Beta 1) has been renamed (in its beta 2 form) as "Windows Defender". I have been using the beta 1 version and have been very pleased with it, but have not progressed to the beta 2, so can't comment on that. Has the advantage that it auto-updates.

For corporate users: please note that reading of the fine print for Lavasoft's Adaware SE shows (the last time I checked) that it is for PERSONAL use only.

Jim

[Neil]

I think what is being referred to is not XP messenger but windows messaging service which is the hole in windows which is switched on by default and lets the messages through.

You dont need to do anything complicated. Type shootthemessenger into google.

You will find a little applet which when run switches off messaging immediately.

Also winfixer is malware, like a trojan. There is a small visual basic applet that when run deletes all the elements out of the registry. If I can find the weblink, I will list it here.

Best wishes

Nothing is ever complicated in windows XP because somebody smarter has always encountered and fixed the problem before you, except of course for Microsofts own programmers who write crap software so you have to keep buying updates.

As for Firefox, it has as many holes as Internet Explorer and doesnt like Activex. There is a beta of Internet explorer 7 on the web. Works well with built in phishing filter.

Try it, much better than firefox.

More best wishes

[Geo]

Secondly, adaware se has bundled spyware, don't touch.

I've been using Adaware for years and in all that time no reviews including those on legitimate anti-spyware sites have ever mentioned Adaware as being spyware. If true it would be flagged on all these sites. Do you have a source?

I use Adaware and Spybot Search and Destroy for scans to make sure nothing has sneaked onto the PC.

I use SpywareBlaster which stops spyware being installed in the first place. It also stops tracking cookies. http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html