spyware removal

[capricorn]

I've been using Ad-Aware and have heard mixed reviews about them. Not saying that they're bad but can anyone recommend other spyware removal programs? TIA.

[Neutrino]

ad-aware its not bad at all however its recomended you use it in combination with other software such as spybot or microsoft antispyware. Of course all this must be used in conjuction with a very good antivir and a firewall.

Furthermore the best policy is prevention so use the latest version of Firefox and to add to that use an extension for it called "saferfox" which does not allow any scripting (a bit of a pain to use since its whitelist based but worth it if you allow only sites you know are clean). this combination will make it almost imposible for you to aquire spyware from web surfing.

As another option Opera is quite secure too.

[bonedavid]

Originally Posted by capricorn

I've been using Ad-Aware and have heard mixed reviews about them. Not saying that they're bad but can anyone recommend other spyware removal programs? TIA.

i use adaware also...and i have spybot ...run both as one catches stuff the other lets thru

i also use hijackthis..a neat little prog to see what lurking on your pc.

agree with last post that firefox is safer..but not immune

[capricorn]

Thanks guys. I'll give spybot and Firefox a try. I've never tried anything other than IE as far as browsers go so this might be a good time to try it out.

[Oz]

Try a program called Hitman Pro. It automates the definitions update and scanning functions of about 5 well known spyware removal tools, such as Ad Aware and Spybot. It also cleans temp files and raises the base level of security on your computer to an acceptable level.

Once you've tried it, I don't think you'll look back.

[Neutrino]

Originally Posted by Oz

Try a program called Hitman Pro. It automates the definitions update and scanning functions of about 5 well known spyware removal tools, such as Ad Aware and Spybot. It also cleans temp files and raises the base level of security on your computer to an acceptable level.

Once you've tried it, I don't think you'll look back.

very interesting pice of software. Thanks for the heads up, i'll be testing it right away.

[blazee]

Hitman Pro has been around for about a year and a half. Most of the top anti malware groups have turned their back on it, because the author (Mark Loman) is a tool that violated several EULAs and didn't ask the original creators of the programs he used for their permission.

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=63163



Quote from: http://www.surfing-safe.com/spyware/hitmanpro.php

The advantages/pro's:

• A lot of quality tools bundled in one program
• One click and your system is checked thoroughly
• Hitman Pro changes your default security settings, usefull when you don't know what to do (and don't read the tutorials on this site), useless when you can't access specific site due to these HMP actions and don't know what caused it (now you do)

The disadvantages/con's

• The creator of Hitman doesn't tell which programs are used in his bundle
• The creator didn't make any of the bundled software
• The creator removed all donate banners from the freeware programs and asks for a donation himself, thus no credit for the real creators of the programs
• The trial versions will expire and cease to work
• When you run the program all files and registry values found are immediatly removed. No harm is done, most of the time, but sometimes essential values are deleted or non-malware is deleted which will cause your programs to crash or even windows to become inaccesible.
• Programs which are included, like CwShredder, made to remove certain CoolWebSearch infections, can damage your system when you're not infected with a Coolweb variant it can remove
• The included McAfee Superdat virusscan doesn't remove all viruses so in no way is HMP to be used, I advice not to use it at all, as a virusscan substitute
• Hitman Pro changes your default security settings, usefull when you don't know what to do (and don't read the tutorials on this site), useless when you can't access specific site due to these HMP actions and don't know what caused it (now you do)
• Hitman Pro still conatins bugs causing a program crash, windows crash or even a crash during the deletion of registry files (ouch)
• When uninstalling HMP most of the time not all programs installed with hitman pro are removed so you have to manually uninstall those programs using the software menu or, even worse, you need to use a regcleaner to remove all entries....