Anti Virus and Anti Spyware

[leehack]

I currently run these programmes for Spyware:

Adaware SE Personal
Spybot Search & Destroy
Spyware Blaster
NTL Netguard
Windows Defender

I currently run these programmes for Anti-Virus:

AVG
NTL Netguard

I currently run these programmes for registry cleaning:

AMUST registry cleaner
Registry mechanic

I currently run these programmes for Firewall:

Windows Firewall
NTL Netguard

I still have the annoying page opening problem i was experiencing, despite running all of these. What software does everybody use for these areas? Each time i run one of the above programmes, it finds things that the others did not, therefore they all seem to have a job to do.

There are numerous others on the market, all of which find 100 odd issues whilst in trial mode, which in my eyes is to scare you into buying them. I could have spent £200 yesterday on different options, however it's a minefield and pretty impossble to know what the hell to buy.

Can anyone recommend a programme, one that you have found seems to do more than any other. Its a shame that there isnt a suite that you can download that takes care of it all, if you do have one of these, you alwys find that other programmes find things that the suite did not.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

The opening new windows problem is definitely something tracing what i am doing, if i use a search engine, 50% of the time i get a pop up window that is on that subject. I have pop ups blocked so its not actually a pop up, suffice to say it is driving me nuts.

Cheers

[george]

How long ago since it first happened? A system restore out of the question?

[leehack]

Its about a week mate and ive been on here working solid for a week. Tomorrow i am setting up on a new system, but i want this one setup ok for the missus. I have the option to complete restore after i have my new system, however i would like to identify some software that cures this while i have it, so it can protect it in the future.

[george]

Maybe worth adding CCleaner to that list.

Had a look at programmes that are actively running? Nothing odd there?

[Big_Dave]

I use AVG and Spybot and this takes care of most things. Sounds like you have a browser hijack problem.

Try 'CWShredder' (its free I believe and looks for a range of browser related problems).

regards
Dave

[Duncan Rounding]

XoftSpySE is also good it cleared some things that others didn't for me a while back.
All the packages seemt to do somethings better than others. It makes you wonder if the spyware people aren't the spys sometimes and buttering their own bread.

[AndrewPK]

I use AVG (free edition) for anti virus,
Zone alarm for firewall
Spybot Search & Destroy for Spyware scans
And (possibly most importantly) Firefox for web browsing

Fire fox to me seems to block most problems before they even load, and using the extensions, such as add block plus & Firefox's built in popup blocker seems to protect me from most things,

One thing I would recommend which a lot of people seem to overlook is the "immunize" tab in Spybot S&D.
Once you have downloaded updates and ran a spyware scan, click the immunize tab, and tell it to immunize your computer,
it will then do, erm, something to your computer to help stop you from getting the spyware in the first place!

as they say "prevention is better than cure"

AndrewPK

[los_design]

I use AVG and Spybot and this takes care of most things. Sounds like you have a browser hijack problem.

Try 'CWShredder' (its free I believe and looks for a range of browser related problems).

regards
Dave

Same here (AVG Pro Networked), and we use the internal XP FW for the stand alone machine PLUS the routers internal FW as default.

No problems here for 3 years or so...after we started running CWS monthly at any rate

[wjcampbe]

it will then do, erm, something to your computer

It adds S&D's list of malware URIs to the Restricted Sites list in your browser.

[AndrewPK]

It adds S&D's list of malware URIs to the Restricted Sites list in your browser.

Ahhhh, I knew it did something just didn't know what

Another recommendation I have for anybody running Firefox would be IE Tabs. basically it lets you use the Internet explorer rendering engine from within firefox, so any pages you have created can be very quickly check in BOTH browsers for rendering differences. It also comes in handy if you use sites like Ebay which seem to have a dislike for firefox

Get it HERE If you want it

AndrewPK

[jont]

makes you wonder if the spyware people aren't the spys sometimes and buttering their own bread.

There is a long running conspiracy theory about them doing just that.

As Andrew says Firefox blocks most of the nasties before they get near to you. As well as the above mentioned I use a small app called "twister anti spyware" which is $30.00 with free updates for life.

[Darren B]

I find the biggest protection and the best i have every had is two routers with firewalls

I use a Vigor 2600 for my broadband connection, VOIP and firewall then behind this sits a netgear FVS318 for my VPN tunnels to various locations with a firewall as well and my network runs off of the back.

Since i went to this setup i have never had a virus and my spyware problems appear to have vanished.

I use S & D and AVG but now playing with clamwin anti virus on a couple of systems and going to look at stopzilla for anti spyware.

Cheers
Darren

[alewis]

I dont use any of them, except Mcaffe AV and a hardware firewall.

The rest is dealt with by 'efficient' wiping and formatting at the drop of a hat. Probably every 3-4 months on average. I never get attached to a particular build. I find XP tends to drag after a while of installing and un-installing loads of apps and games anyway.