Community poll forum: How many utilities do you use to protect against spyware?

Ad-Aware S&D is my resident anti-spyware (ASW) software.

Even when my OS is XP Pro, I have its ASW tool decommisioned.

From time to time I run the Spybot to check upon Ad-Aware's efficiency. It always finishes up with the ''Congratulations'' notice.

Every time a new one is offered on a trial version I pick it, scan my PC and see what happens before uninstalling it thereafter. Save one or two times when something not really important was found, no new ASW proved yet more effective than Lavasoft's great product in either version (free or paid).

Two anti-spywares just isn't enough. I have two running all the time - MS Beta 1.07 and Spybot Search and Destroy 1.3. I also have Ad-Aware SE and CA Anti-Spyware. My Anti-Virus of choice is also CA.

MS A/S runs constantly and comes live about 2 am every morning for a complete system scan. It blocks lots of spyware but it practically never "finds" any on a scan.

I run SB S&D weekly and it typically finds about 25-35 baddies that MS Beta allows to pass through. This number varies depending on how much I have used the internet, but I seldom go to new or different web sites. When I do the above numbers increase.

Next I run Ad-Aware SE and it typically finds 5-8 that have been missed by both of the above.

If I reverse the order they numbers almost reverse. But not quite. AA SE will catch the 25-35 but SB S&D will pick up 10-12 that are missed.

I just purchased the CA A/S program and am about to install and run it. It will be interesting to see what, if anything, it picks up after the other three.

Now to costs. MS and AdAware SE are FREE programs. SB S&D costs $30 and is maybe the best $30 I have spent recently. CA A/S is bundled with CA A/V and costs. But from all reports it is well worth the price - and CA A/V for my money is the #1 anti-virus program out there. I've been using it, succdessfully and happily, for over 7 years.

Windy - windy@uniserve.com

I use:
Microsoft beta
Ad-Aware
Spyot
Ewido
then run Panda Scan - free online. It will pick up items that all the rest will not. Free version will not eradicate them but will inform you they are there

Spywareblaster and Defender thats it and all I get is tracking cookies. The best antispy of all though is commonsense

Spybot, Adaware, Microsoft Antispyware

and each one finds a few different things.

Spybot, Ad-Aware and Norton Anti-Spyware, plus I have Ewido for Malware. Norton usually doesn't find anything. Ran Ad-Aware today and found 3.

So how about installing a different one. We don't know what you are using but if its MS try Ad Aware. If its Ad Aware, try MS.

Once installed, run it and find out just how accurate you really are in your "None, no infections ever" assessment. Then get back to me with your results.

I'm really interested in 1) which program you actually use for these phenomanal and fantastic results, and 2) if your assessment holds up under the second test?

windy@uniserve.com

I use 3 utilities, Ad-Aware SE 1.06, SpyBot Search & Destroy 1.4, SpyWare Blaster 3.5.1

I use
Ad-Aware SE
Spybot S+D
Pest Patrol
Spyware Doctor
Spyware Blaster

I use three products.
Norton Protection Center
Webroot Spysweeper
Zone Alarm Firewall

Microsoft Anti-Spyware Beta 1 (Now Beta 2)
CounterSpy

We used to used Ad-Aware, but since they lost the lawsuit to Gator, it does not remove their stuff, and they are one of the biggest offenders.

Lavasoft ad-aware and avg. I only use three stuff.

Currently using Avast and Microsoft Antispyware (formerly Giant). I used to have Adaware (which I should really put back on) and NAV - which I did not re-install after it caused complete corruption of my C drive.