What is Spyware? When your PC is infected with spyware, everything you do on your computer can be recorded and monitored by those who have secretly and remotely installed it. In more detail, spyware can be used to:
- gather credit card information
- transmit your passwords
- elicit identity theft
- transmit confidential files
- change your browser home page
- display advertisements on your desktop
- display annoying popup windows and advertisements
- install new Internet Explorer toolbars
- install yet more unwanted software
- make your modem dial expensive phone numbers in remote countries while you think you are just connecting to the Internet
- alter links inside Web search results
- cause your computer to be slow and unstable
- cause Internet connection problems
- etc.
How did I get infected? If you access the Web using Internet Explorer without the proper security settings, it is only a matter of time before your PC gets infected with spyware. Little Windows programs or scripts ('ActiveX controls') which are embedded in certain Web pages, usually pornography-related, can install malicious programs on your computer without your knowledge.
To be safe, either you should not use Internet Explorer, but an alternative browser or you should apply the proper security settings.
Moreover, certain downloadable programs, such as a number of music/video fileshareing applications can also contain hidden and unwanted malware.
It is also not safe to download and install cracks or hacked software.
Below we present a number of utilities which can help you block, detect and remove spyware.
| Free Anti-Spyware | |
|---|---|
| a-squared free | Removes Trojans, Worms, Keyloggers, Dialer and Spyware/Adware from your PC. The free version does not offer real-time protection. |
| Arovax AntiSpyware | Free anti-spyware program for Windows; sponsored by user forum. |
| Browser Hijack Retaliator | Internet Explorer protection. Prevents IE from being 'taken over' by malicious scripts and ActiveX controls. |
| Damage Cleanup Engine | Freeware spyware removal program for Windows. Terminates malware instances in memory, removes malware entries from registry and system files, scans and deletes malware from local hard drives. |
| Spybot Search & Destroy | Freeware spyware removal and detction program for Windows. |
| Spyware Detector | Scans for spyware/malware for free; spyware removal is not free though. |
| Spyware Terminator | Free anti-spyware program with real-time protection, manual and scheduled scan, safe quarantine, automatic update, etc. |
| SpywareBlaster | Free windows program which protects against spyware: prevents the installation of ActiveX-based spyware, adware, browser hijackers, dialers, and other potentially unwanted software. blocks spyware/tracking cookies in Internet Explorer and Mozilla/Firefox, restricts the actions of potentially unwanted sites in Internet Explorer. |
| SuperAntispyware | Free anti-spyware program for home use; runs on Windows. There is also a more advanced pro version available for $ 29.95. |
| ThreatExpert | ThreatExpert can detect viruses and other malware residing inside your computer's memory. It does not attempt to remove them from your harddisk though. Freeware for Windows. There is a 32 bit edition and a 64 bit edition. This virus scanner does not run in the background, it only performs its duty when you tell it to do so - which is a thing we like. |
Non-free Anti-Spyware
| a-squared Anti-Malware | Protects against Trojans, Bots, Viruses/Worms, Keyloggers, Dialer and Spyware/Adware and Rootkits. |
| Ad-Aware | Not only scans and removes spyware, but can also prevent infection before it happens. For Windows. |
| Spy Sweeper | Blocks and removes spyware on Windows. |
| Spyware Doctor | Spyware removal and real-time protection tools for Windows. |
Virus- Spyware- and Trojan- scanner tests
| Check out these sites if you want too see which scanning programs offer the best protection or find out whether your scanner is effective. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The PCMan Website | Free virus scanner test. This service tests your Virus Protection online see if your installed virus scanner detects the test string. This test virus was developed by the European Institute for Computer Anti-Virus Research (EICAR). This is just a test it is NOT a real virus but a harmless string of characters. This string is used to verify the effectiveness of your virus scanning software. If your virus scanner is set up and working properly it should intercept the downloading of these files. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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