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February
2005
A more complete version of this newsletter is available by email. Request it from tim@toriangroup.com
One of the biggest problems our clients are facing these days is adware and spyware. Once you get it, it can be very hard to get rid of. A memory resident adware detector is becoming a necessity.
Recently, detailed testing was done on the effectiveness of anti-adware programs. (http://spywarewarrior.com/asw-test-guide.htm ) We have been recommending a combination of Spybot S&D and ad-aware. We have some new recommendations based on these tests. It is still a good idea to run multiple anti-spyware products, and both Spybot and ad-aware got very good ratings. The most effective product available, catching about 63% of spyware is Giant AntiSpyware. This product was just purchased by Microsoft, and is being offered as a free “Beta” product. Because it is in Beta, they are changing the version every few weeks, and you will need to uninstall and reinstall when this happens. It is not clear yet whether Microsoft plans to charge for it. It can be downloaded at www.microsoft.com/downloads . The other product that came out near the top is WebRoot Spy Sweeper. Giant/Microsoft and WebRoot Spysweeper combined seems to be the best choice at present, catching about 70%.
None of these products will detect Coolwebsearch infections. This requires a separate product called Cwshredder, which was recently bought by Intermute. It can be downloaded at: www.intermute.com/products/cwshredder.html . Because the spyware changes so often, you must download and use the latest version – it is updated every few days.
Another way to protect yourself is to add the malicious sites to your blocked sites list in Internet Explorer. SpyAd is a program that updates your settings with a list of sites to block. Since they are constantly changing, you need to uninstall and reinstall this on a regular basis if you use it. https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/resource.htm
Some spyware protection products block sites by creating a HOSTS file which redirects a list of malicious sites to your own computer, effectively blocking IE from connecting.
Spyware Blaster is a free memory resident program that blocks spyware in real time. Use it if you decide not to purchase a product that has real time protection. www.javacoolsoftware.com
Additional tools:
Hijack This – For in depth analysis of applications running on your pc. Use with caution.
www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html (scroll down the page a bit)
Also, be aware that Ad-aware no longer provides updates for their older version. You must have Ad-Aware SE. Uninstall the old version first. Also, their memory resident version is not free.
I am offering a free seminar on Trends in Technology thru the SBDC on Feb. 15. See www.toriangroup.com/events for details. Come learn about the next version of Windows, Voice over IP, the Paperless Office, and more.
Tim Torian
Torian, Group, Inc.