Legit Reviews

This Forum Thread is a starting point for anyone trying to remove Spyware. Please only post here if you are adding to our list of software. Thanks and good luck!

The Basics: Highly advised to run to run both of these

Spybot Search & Destroy
One of the oldies, but still a good solution. In version 1.3, there are two new featuresworth pointing out. The first is "TeaTimer", a new feature that will prompt the user to allow or disallow any registry changes. Secondly it has "ResidentIE", which allows blockingof some tracking cookies. (examples: Double Click & Avenue A)Information | Download

Ad-Aware
Adaware has been around for a while and has always done a good job. In September of 2004 version SE came out with a number of changes that make it better. Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition has the capability to scan and list Alternate Data Streams (ADS) in NTFS enabled volumes. Plus it has a new Code Sequence Identification (CSI) technology, you will not only be protected from known content, but will also have advanced protection against many of their unknown variants.
Information | Download

When Spybot and Ad-Aware are run together you will end up with great proctection against Spyware. If you get spyware that can't be removed or are looking for something else you do have options!

Alternate Choices: When You Are About To Give Up!

HiJackThis!
HijackThis is a tool, that lists all installed browser add-on, buttons, startup items and allows you to inspect, and optionally remove selected items. If you know you have spyware running this program may help identify what is going on!
Information | Download

CWShredder
A small utility for removing CoolWebSearch (aka CoolWwwSearch, YouFindAll, White-Pages.ws and a dozen other names). This is something that Spybot and Adaware does not remove (as of right now). So if you need to remove it this is what you need. Quote:
Information | Downloads

CoolWWWSearch SmartKiller MiniRemoval
If you are trying to run anti-spyware software or visit their homepage and can't this is the fix for you. Spyware now has the ability to close anti-spyware apps when you try to open them! Run this application first then run your applicaitons (Spybot, Ad-Aware) to remove it fully.
Information | Downloads

Webroot Spy Sweeper
Webroot Spy Sweeper is another anti-spyware software that effectively detects and safely removes spyware and adware from your PC.
Information | Downloads (Trial Software)

AboutBuster
About.Buster does a good job of fixing About.blank or RES:// hijacks: So if you are having those problems this is what you need!
Information | Downloads



Hope this gives everyone a good starting point for removing their Spyware! Feel free to post links to more software not mentioned here. If you are having a spyware problem start a new thread with your details!

Lavasoft Ad-Aware version 1.06 is now out!

The launch of version 1.06, Lavasoft introduces a new extensive revision to the Threat Assessment Chart (TAC) which has been improved with a more fine grained technical analysis of the target criteria, which aids users to better understand why applications are detected by Ad-Aware.

With the 1.06 update you can be certain to receive the best protection available against disturbing privacy threats with faster scanning and more efficient Code Sequence Identification (CSI) capabilities in both Ad-Aware and Ad-Watch

The above download link has the latest version!

Microsoft Antispyware is a pretty good spyware remover. It stays resident in memory and catches spyware before its installed. It also has a system explorer that shows you things such as startup programs, host file entries, and Internet Explorer settings. Its a real good program to put on computers for the non-tech savy because of the resident shields, automatic updates and scans.

However, it's still in beta and it has yet been undetermined to my knowledge if Microsoft is going to charge for it or not.

I work in a computer repair shop and 95% of the problems I see are spyware related. These programs listed here are pretty much all we use and can cleanup almost any machine.

I use Counterspy (editor's choice in PCWorld or PCMag...I forget which) and I really like it. It has preventative anti-spyware functionality so it functions proactively rather than just reactively which most other spyware apps don't do. It's not free but if you are serious about protecting you PC and your data it's worth the money. I personally use Counterspy, the free versions of Ad-Aware and Spybot Search & Destroy along with Norton Anti-virus, firewall etc. because no one proggy will get all the bugs all the time.

Using one antispyware program (and only one) is like going swimming with one arm (and all other limbs bound). No single app will catch it all, I use Ad-Aware and Spybot S&D. Also, SpywareBlaster [ Info and Download ] can prevent some spyware from installing. BEWARE: the protections offered by this app sometimes cause sites with ads from doubleclick.com/net and fastclick.net to not load as SB thinks the pages (like eBay) are trying to install something.

The august issue of PC Magazine, has Spyware Doctor as the best tool, followed by the Microsoft anispyware. But adaware wasn't even reviewed.

Sasquatch wrote:Microsoft Antispyware is a pretty good spyware remover. It stays resident in memory and catches spyware before its installed. It also has a system explorer that shows you things such as startup programs, host file entries, and Internet Explorer settings. Its a real good program to put on computers for the non-tech savy because of the resident shields, automatic updates and scans.

I like the MS Antispyware also. Since it runs all the time it catches the spyware before it does any damage All of the antispyware apps need to stay resident, what good is it to let the crap infect your computer and then have to clean it up. All of the anti-virus apps need to ad spyware detection and treat it just like a virus (Symantec does with its Corp client ver. 10)

Alister

Recently an update for Microsoft Antispyware came out pushing back the beta expiration date to December 31, 2005. So it appears that you can still use it for free for a good while.

all licensed Windows users will have it at no charge anyway once it's done

hey guys i think the antivirus and spyremover programs that u have listed are great but i think the avg free edition and trend micro are pretty good as well.

i could say that spy defense performs very poorly. the most infections it ever found on my pc was 1 ! dont recommend that to anyone

I just use avg / adaware / spybot and CWShredder and the firewall in my router.....

Don't forget as a preventive measure versus ActiveX based spyware to get SpywareBlaster. It's basically the same thing as Spybot's Immunize feature (which adds restricted websites to your host file), but it offers some protection that this latter does not offer. You can pick up your free copy over here: ;)

[ http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html ]

Some other tips for protecting yourself from spyware: use a decent pop-up blocker and, last but not least, be vigilant on the Internet. Do not visit websites that you do not know or that might look suspicious. If you see a software that claims to superbly enhance your computer, try to make a search on Google before downloading and installing it.

These little tips of mine have kept me spyware-free for 2 years.

Zenphic wrote:Don't forget as a preventive measure versus ActiveX based spyware to get SpywareBlaster. It's basically the same thing as Spybot's Immunize feature (which adds restricted websites to your host file), but it offers some protection that this latter does not offer. You can pick up your free copy over here: ;)

[ http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html ]

Some other tips for protecting yourself from spyware: use a decent pop-up blocker and, last but not least, be vigilant on the Internet. Do not visit websites that you do not know or that might look suspicious. If you see a software that claims to superbly enhance your computer, try to make a search on Google before downloading and installing it.

These little tips of mine have kept me spyware-free for 2 years.

Great post.....thank you!

kenc51 wrote:Great post.....thank you!

No problemo Ken! Just trying to give some tips to our fellow members. Oh how many times has it been when I had to explain my friends the softwares they had to download to protect themselves from spyware and cleaning them... ah the memories I felt a bit mechanical when I posted that.

Another software that I would recommend you guys using once in a while is Trend Micro Anti-Spyware (formely SpySubstract. It was part of InterMute, who was the maker of CWShredder). The software manages to pick up some spyware missed by other ones. Pick it up here:

[ http://www.trendmicro.com/en/products/d ... erview.htm ]

Also, if you are in the business to purchasing an anti-spyware solution, TopTenReviews, a very reputed website of software reviews, has written a roundup of 24 anti-spywares. I recommend checking this website to know which anti-spywares to consider and which one to not.

[ http://anti-spyware-review.toptenreviews.com/ ]

Also if you are wondering which things to select for deletion in HiJackThis!, feel free to post your log in this forum as I will be coming and trying my best to give you advice

This is a good sticky to bookmark.

Another anti-spyware scanner I would suggest using is ewido anti-spyware. Although this anti-spyware is a shareware, you can still use it after the 30 day trial. I believe you only lose the real-time scanning feature and the automatic update feature too, which isn't THAT bad

Get it here: http://www.ewido.net/en/

Another one I would recommend is a-squared Free, which also scans for trojans. It saved my booty a few times.

Get it here: http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/free/

Cheers

great info, Thanks all.

I use ad-aware and spybot S&D. Didnt really know of all the other programs posted here. Nice! thanks. (Hope i never need them :p)

The latest McAfees for Broadband form AOL doesn't let SpyBot Search & Destroy to work properly. I've had to restore my HDD recently to fix the conflict.

So, be careful not to mix too many spyware/malware softwares together from different companies.