The Spyware revolution

https://www.joeuser.com/index.asp?AID=13833
from WinCustomize Forums

Odds are, unless you regularly run anti-Spyware software, your computer is full of it. Not only does it invade your privacy by hijacking your web browser without your knowledge, throwing up pop-up ads, and reporting your activities to companies, it can slow your computer down and make it unstable.

This article as Joeuser.com talks about the growing problem of Spyware and how, thanks to legitimate companies bundling it and distributing it, it is financing a whole new Internet business model at the expense of unwary users.

5,873 views 9 replies
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I didnt see Spybot mentioned in the article. I suggest people use this in conjunction with As-Aware. The good thing about Spybot is that its completely free and often catches things that Ad-Aware doesnt. Get Spypbot at http://www.safer-networking.org/
Elemental: Reforged
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
If you read PC magizine(and I know many here at WC do) there was an entire issue last month about Spyware...Thx imtoomuch for the Spybot link which rated high in the tests. Anti-Virus, Anti-Pop-up, Firewalls, & Anti-Spyware have ruined my initial love of computers - all of these necessary apps DESTROY system performance.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well I use Firefox browser http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ I then just IE for the sites I trust and firefox for everything else.

I never get browser hijacked and popups are a thing of the past.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
You can have the best of both worlds and have the benefit of ActiveX on useful websites and protect yourself from installation of rogue programs from malware sites by using ie-spyad. This is a very effective method of protecting yourself. Since using it I have never had even a single tracking cookie make it on to my PC.

Its free and is regularly updated. For more info visit http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~ehowes/resource.htm
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
My system:

Spybot with its immunize feature
Google search bar with pop-up blocking on
Proxomitron set to medium

I run spybot about once a month. Last time I did it found around 10 bad things.

I have given up running anti-virus programs in live protection mode. I found a program that tracks calls to the regestery and discovered that Norton and RealPlayer were constantly making calls. Now I just run a scan at night. I am behind a firewall and get most of my mail through Hotmail or Yahoo, both of whom scan for viruses. The system is much faster this way.