Community Newsletter: Q&A: 2/17/06 How does antispyware work?
- 2/16/06 5:20 PM
Anti-Spyware
by d.arbib - 2/17/06 8:57 AM In reply to: 2/17/06 How does antispyware work? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have used "xoftspy" for a couple of years and it is updated, on avarage, twice a week
Daniel Arbib
London
2/17/06 How does antispyware work?
by quiggo - 2/17/06 9:10 AM In reply to: 2/17/06 How does antispyware work? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
An excellent article without doubt. However, I doubt the overall reliability of the "freebie" issues and experience has shown, over many years, that "one gets what you pay for!" For myself, I have found nothing better than "Spy Sweeper" (now at version 4.5.709) and well worth the money. It's amazing how many updates keep coming through - automatically - just as it is with Norton on anti-virus. GEORGE QUIGLEY.
Have my doubts
by VinceT12000 - 2/17/06 9:11 AM In reply to: 2/17/06 How does antispyware work? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
An nonexpert here who has used a few of the more common and respected AS systems and has found that:
All spyware ends up in my internet temp folders and that simply deleting the contents of same has exactly the same effect as the AS systems. The issue of weather the AS system is real-time or not seems to me to be a/the critical one in my experience.
Don't forget Panda Platinum Internet Security antispyware
by Panda USA - 2/17/06 10:01 AM In reply to: 2/17/06 How does antispyware work? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
In PC Magazine's review of the 2005 product:
"Although the suite doesn't include a dedicated antispyware module, it was more successful in cleaning and blocking spyware than any of the other suites were. In fact, it outperformed all but the best two of the standalone antispyware products we tested."
You can read more about it here:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1754437,00.asp
I used this
by catkenobi - 2/21/06 8:53 AM In reply to: Don't forget Panda Platinum Internet Security antispyware by Panda USATried to anyway. It messed up my machine big time, and removing it was worse.
I do not trust things that are reccomended by microsoft.
Another time I used a microsoft reccomended product and it actually put a virus on the machine.
Can't trust anyone I guess.
Try this
by royjw - 2/17/06 12:16 PM In reply to: 2/17/06 How does antispyware work? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
One of the top rated this month in PC World is Bit Defender. For years I have been running 3 AV programs Norton, AVG, V-Com's antivirus. I keep them updated and I will run at least 2 a week for a complete check.
I ran Bit Defender on line scan and to my amazement my computer was covered with Trojans and all the little gremlins that I thought were not there.
It disinfected about 6000 files.
So my hat is off to Bit Defender. I now run the on line scan at least once a week. I now am waiting for the anti virus program itself so now I will have 4 anti virus program on my computer. Besides the two fire walls.
And contrary to popular belief it has not slowed down my computer. That might be because I defrag at least once a week.
So that is basically my two cents on it. For me I believe it is worth the time to run the online scan, just to see where you stand. I also have and did run Ad-aware and Spybot and A squared
but Bit Defender is just plain great.
Actually not very well
by batavier - 2/17/06 3:49 PM In reply to: 2/17/06 How does antispyware work? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Each of even the best anti-spyware programs catch a limited number of infection. Running more than one is a pain.
Solution: Hitman Pro (http://www.hitmanpro.nl/)
Hitman Pro installs the most comprehensive suite of programs, and then runs them - UNATTENDED.
After installation, just open Hitman Pro. Click on START and the program does the rest (including updating the anti-spyware programs prior to running them.) Note: It does take quite a while (over an hour?) to go through the whole set, so run only when you're ready to take a break.
This is freeware (Contriburions appreciated.)
Website is in Dutch, but installation in English is available.
Outstanding Reply
by momule - 2/17/06 4:01 PM In reply to: 2/17/06 How does antispyware work? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
And exactly along the lines of my experiences and usage. Congrats on getting it right. I'm a happy online computer user with two download crazy teens because I have learned the hard way exactly what you explained so well in your post. I hope others will benefit as well !!!
But he didn't answer the question!!
by Roger K - 2/17/06 6:23 PM In reply to: 2/17/06 How does antispyware work? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Part of the question was, how is an antispyware app different than an antivirus app?
I'm a heavy technophile, professional programmer with 20+ years experience, and old-school hacker, and I have no idea either. In my estimation, spyware IS a virus, and that the only differentiator is what its payload does - "phones home" data found on the host rather than popping up windows with snarky sayings and erasing hard drives. Both are rogue code which replicate from host to host using an attack vector.
So why can't Norton's "superior" engine (which I disagree with BTW - it's buggy and is a CPU hog) detect spyware along with viruses/malware? I would assume it's a marketing ploy for Norton to sell you two products, but I'm not aware of Norton having a spyware product too.
The difference
by batavier - 2/20/06 8:55 PM In reply to: But he didn't answer the question!! by Roger KThis is the way I understand it:
The difference is that the goal of a virus is to harm your computer by attacking it's software.
Spyware does not harm the computer or any software per se'. (the only ''harm'' is that enough of them can slow down your PC to a crawl.) Their goal is to snoop: Check on websites you're visiting, files you're downloading, and as you put it: Phone home - with pertinent resutls that may allow a spammer to innundate your inbox with ''Special Offers.'' Or just trying to collect data on your habits.
Spyware/adware advice
by BobF4 - 2/17/06 6:44 PM In reply to: 2/17/06 How does antispyware work? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Silvana,
I am currently a tech support agent for a major computer manufacturer. The way we on our desk see it, as far as an anti-spyware program goes, you get what you pay for.
Sure, Spybot and Ad-aware are fine programs that don't cost anything. I remember reading a study a few weeks ago that measured the effectiveness of anti-spyware programs as a percentage, much as Miguel referred to. He is mistaken when he said the best only remove up to 75%. The top ones in the study were Spyware Doctor, by PC Tools Software (http://www.pctools.com/spyware-doctor/), Spy Sweeper, by Webroot software (http://www.webroot.com/consumer/products/spysweeper/), and CounterSpy, from Sunbelt Software (http://www.sunbelt-software.com/CounterSpy.cfm).
All three of those anti-spyware titles hit that study at 80-85% effectiveness, not the 75% that Miguel suggests. Windows Defender (formerly Microsoft Antispyware) hit that study in the 70-75% range. Spybot and Ad-aware, however, only removed 50% of identified spyware in that study. Also, I have seen in my career as a tech support agent where Spybot and Ad-aware will sometimes inadvertently remove some items that are not spyware and adware, causing people's programs to not work corretly, if at all.
Admittedly, since the face of spyware and adware changes on a daily basis, no one anti-spyware program alone is good enough. I would recommend using any of the above three programs (I use Spy Sweeper personally) on top of Spybot and/or Ad-aware, if you are going to go with one or both of them.
Good luck!
I have to disagree a little.
by Maynard1 - 2/17/06 11:24 PM In reply to: Spyware/adware advice by BobF4I too was all for Spysweeper and Spydoctor but there was something wrong with my computer and those didn't get it. It wasn't showing anything being on there. I tried Spybot S&D and AdAware and it did find some spyware and removed it successfully and my computer worked fine again. But I only disagree a little. Different Anti progs are programmed to find different things, it all depends on the signatures and whatnot. So one day there could be a new spyware/adware on the market that Spybot finds yet Spydoctor doesn't, the next day it could be vice/versa. There is no DEFINATE one anti prog to use. But as far as I'm concerned, I pay to use the internet, I shouldn't have to pay to keep the bad stuff out of my computer that I bump into on the internet. So I mainly stick with a simple setup of wonderful free programs.
Browser of choice - Mozilla Firefox - It itself has a lot of spyware protection that IE does not provide, by stopping several popups that usually contain spyware, you can also download special extentions for Firefox to stop scripts on webpages unless you know it's a trusted site.
Antivirus of choice - Alwil's AVAST! - wonderful FREE anti-virus that has been proven better then Norton in numerous ways.
Anti spyware of choice - Spybot S&D and AdAware - Both awesome free programs that have kept my computer nice and clean.
Anti-malware of choice - Ewido's security suite - Cause you can't forget about the Malware, Spybot and AdAware are made to stop some malware too but this program is made speciffically for it so it drastically catches alot more then the other 2.
Just an insight,
Maynard
But do they really work?
by icarus242 - 2/18/06 10:42 AM In reply to: Spyware/adware advice by BobF4I use four anti-spyware programmes: Spy Sweeeper; Ad-Aware; SpyBot; and Microsoft AntiSpyware Beta, and Spy Sweeper found some stuff the first couple of times I ran it; AdAware always finds something; SpyBot and MS AntiSpyware don't find anything any more, especially after running the others. I honestly believe that having anti-spyware software is just as vital and important as having anti-virus and registry cleaning programmes. I like the comfort of knowing that from intrusive gremlins but the fact that they all find something different or nothing at all raises the question of are they really effective?
Vincent
Antispyware
by netnite - 2/17/06 8:08 PM In reply to: 2/17/06 How does antispyware work? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I like Trend Micro Anti-spyware because it is extremely simple and fast. It is a free program. You can try it by using a search engine to find it, and then decide whether to download it after it runs a free scan for you.
After only one long scan, you can then use the short scans which are very fast and effective. Takes only seconds to use and easy to delete spyware afterwards. I use it once a day after being out on the web.
It also has a feature which clears out temps. and cookes as well. I highly recommend it be added to the list of anti-spyare.
I am also using the new Microsoft Anti-spyware program which updates frequently but is much longer to use.
Bad Experience with Trend
by pmchefalo - 2/18/06 8:11 AM In reply to: Antispyware by netniteCustomer had Trend AV installed on network, SMB version (paid, supposedly business-worthy.) It was correctly installed, updated automatically frequently. Two problems: 1) the program detected spyware but couldn't remove it, and was annoying people again and again with warnings. 2) When we replaced Trend with Symantec AV product, it detected spyware that Trend missed, or couldn't remove, and took care of it.
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