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I have three Anti-Spyware programs. Two are full versions, the other is the free Ad-Aware version. Is there a program that can stop spyware before it happens?
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That was easy. I removed access to Internet Explorer except for Windows Update and the kid's machine are clean for weeks at a time.
The default browser is now Firefox or Mozilla.
Bob
Don't rely too much on Firefox and Mozilla...I've had spyware get through just as easy.
Any you know who are the biggest offenders??? Frickin' Disney, AOL and other child website. My gawd...each time my neice got on my system (before I fortified it with spyware tools) I had tons of garbage popping up.
The kids machine have had NOTHING detected for weeks (actually 2 months, but I thought I'd under-report the time) since I locked out easy access to Internet Explorer and Outlook (all versions).
YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY!
The machines at the office with same treatment also get ZERO spyware.
What this implies to me is that most spyware exploits IE. Remove IE/OE and they can't seem to wiggle in.
-> Testing continues.
Bob
yep...Webroot Spysweeper. It costs $29 a year for subscribtion service, but when you use it on seven different systems like I do, it's worth every penny.
I have not had a single spyware app sneak through using this, and I've used Bazooa, Adaware, and Spybot Search and Destroy to verify.
As a test, I took my "disposable" system (one that I use only for web surfing) and surfed many, many bad sites to purposely try to collect spyware (I had Webroot's Spysweeper running). I then ran Bazooka, Adaware, and Spybot Search & Destory and no spys were found.
It boots up automatically, protects against numerous other intrusions, protects your webbrowser, your memory, etc. It even got PC Mag's Editor's Choice.
What anti-spyware programs do you have?
When you call Ad-Aware anti-spyware that is not strictly true. It is an anti-Adware program, to stop adware installing on your computer. But that's me just being niggling. We all call these pests viruses, spyware and the like.
The only program I know that can "infect" your computer from spyware before it gets in is SpywareBlaster from http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/
It immunises your computer by ;
Prevent the installation of ActiveX-based spyware, adware, browser hijackers, dialers, and other potentially unwanted pests.
Block spyware/tracking cookies in Internet Explorer and Mozilla/Firefox.
Restrict the actions of potentially dangerous sites in Internet Explorer.
But it won't catch "all" spyware. You generally need a suite of applications, and most of them, other that SpywareBlaster, you have to do a regular scan of your system.
As suggested, you "could" change your browser to a more secure one, but that won't prevent infected files from being introduced to your computer from downloads, infected CD's from friends, etc, or email attachments. You need to stay on alert, and scan regularly.
You didn't say if you have an Anti-Virus program, or a Firewall. Both are essential.
Mark
Another free one to add from Javacool is SpywareGuard. This is from THEIR web site but comes highly recommended from the V&S Forum.
Quote from the web site.
SpywareGuard provides a real-time protection solution against spyware that is a great addition to SpywareBlaster's protection method.
An anti-virus program scans files before you open them and prevents execution if a virus is detected - SpywareGuard does the same thing, but for spyware! And you can easily have an anti-virus program running alongside SpywareGuard.
SpywareGuard now also features Download Protection and Browser Hijacking Protection!
Features Listing: Fast Real-Time Scanning engine - catch and block spyware before it is executed (EXE and CAB files supported) with signature-based scanning for known spyware and heuristic/generic detection capabilities to catch new/mutated spyware
Download Protection - prevent spyware from being download in Internet Explorer
Browser Hijacking Protection - stop browser hijacking activity in real-time
SG LiveUpdate - provides an easy updating solution
Small size - with a small size and small definition sizes, download and updates are quick
Report Capabilities - keep a detailed log of all spyware detected
Spyware files are blocked before being opened or run - they are not simply shut down after they are loaded in memory (and after they have performed their tasks)
It's a free download
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareguard.html
I'm going to toss my opinion in with Bob and say Firefox. The only thing you have to worry about then is tracking cookies, but it's real easy to just clear all cookies in Firefox (press of a button). Or you can set it to delete all cookies when you close Firefox (really handy if you don't need to stay logged into some site via a cookie). But probably the best solution, is telling Firefox to ask you for each cookie, and then you can go on a domain by domain basis allowing or blocking cookies. You can even set them to be allowed only for the session (until you close Firefox). The first couple of days it'll seem like all you do is click buttons for cookies, but then it'll taper off and you don't have to worry about it anymore.
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