Useful URL's : spyware, virus killers, malicious script removers etc

TheMusicMan

TheMusicMan

tMP Founder
Staff member
Here's a list of useful programes (some free, some not) that help rid your PC of those nasty critters we all picj up from time to time. If you know of any more, please drop a reply here.

Adaware - free spyware remover..

Spybot Search and Destory - another very good spyware killer

HijackThis - removes unwanted trojans, scripts and stuff

http://www.webroot.com - spysweeper from Webroot is very good also. It protects from unauthorised changes to IE settings, favourites etc.

www.mozilla.org/firefox - Using a browser other than Internet Explorer can also help prevent your machine being hijacked by spyware and other nasties. Download Mozilla Firefox free here.

http://www.zonelabs.com/ - Free FireWall software. This is the website of Zone Labs, makers of Zone Alarm (the basic version is free, and more than adequate)
 
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davidsait

davidsait

Member
Using a browser other than Internet Explorer can also help prevent your machine being hijacked by spyware and other nasties.

As I've mentioned before I whole-heartedly recommend Mozilla Firefox, which is built specifically (amongst other things) with privacy and security in mind.

Download it for free here: www.mozilla.org/firefox
 
Jan H

Jan H

Moderator
Staff member
this is the website of Zone Labs, makers of Zone Alarm, a free Personal Firewall:
http://www.zonelabs.com/
(the basic version is free and more then adequate, but they will try to sell you the "pro" version...)
 
bagpuss

bagpuss

Active Member
Adding to Johns list of useful URL's

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
This is a piece of software which actively blocks adware and spyware that it knows about as well as moitoring vulnerable 'ports' within Internet Explorer and Mozilla/Firefox. It is recommended by Spybot search and destroy, it's free and it seems to do a pretty good job too.

http://www.intermute.com/spysubtract/cwshredder_download.html
This is a very small piece of free software which specifically looks for the 'Cool Web Search' trojan/adware/spyware in all its forms on your PC. Cool Web Search is one of the most difficult ones to get rid off because your average adware program will identify it and even kill it but it will still be there next time you boot your PC. CW Shredder actually removes it from the Prefetch directory and the system registry, hopefully making sure it won't be there next time. It can be updated too.

On another post, http://www.themouthpiece.com/vb/showthread.php?t=13510 wewizrobbed said she had a problem with a little pop - up telling her that her computer was vulnerable to spyware. This may be one of her security packages reminding her to update or get some anti-spyware software (unlikely). What is more likely however is that it is caused by WINDOWS MESSENGER. Windows messenger is an absolute annoyance and I don't know anyone who uses it anyway. It is much better to get rid of this program once and for all!!! IT IS NOT THE SAME PROGRAM AS MSN MESSENGER!!!!! They may look the same, they may even have similar command lines but they are not the same. If you know your way around your PC it is quite easy to stop windows messenger from functioning, if you don't there is software available to do it for you.

The easiest ones to use are 'plug-ins' for adaware. If you have adaware, go to www.lavasoft.com and click on 'add ons' on the left hand side of the page. Each of the addons (there are 3 or 4) for messenger is quite a small file and can be launched and controlled from within adaware.


Hope this helps someone.


Puss
 
flugelgal

flugelgal

Active Member
This nice little piece of software sits on top of MSN Messenger to allow your conversations to be encrypted - it's very simple to use..

Simp Lite

We use the pro version at work and it's pretty good, the lite version only allows you to encrypt one type of instant messaging at a time, but is rather nifty.
 
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bagpuss

bagpuss

Active Member
flugelgal said:
This nice little piece of software sits on top of MSN Messenger to allow your conversations to be encrypted - it's very simple to use..

Simp Lite

We use the pro version at work and it's pretty good, the lite version only allows you to encrypt one type of instant messaging at a time, but is rather nifty.
Click to expand...

Anyone using zonealarms pro version gets an instant messenger encription tool built in. However, for thoseof you that don't use zonealarms, simp lite is very good!!!

Puss
 
NeilW

NeilW

Member
If you wonder if your firewall is working, and what connections you're allowing:

http://www.grc.com/

and play with ShieldsUp (there's no direct link to it!)

Also has a utility to stop Windows Messenger and lots of good explanitory stuff.


On the virus front, of course I should put a plug in for:
http://www.sophos.com

There's specific disinfectors for some of the more complex-to-remove malware at:
http://www.sophos.com/support/disinfection/

plus virus info:
http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/

Lastly, you can get "this month's" command line disinfector (which you can bring "bang up to date" too) from
http://www.sophos.com/tools/sav32sfx.exe
(read the "Disinfecting Trojans" section on the disinfection page for how to use it!)

Neil.
 
DaveR

DaveR

Active Member
bagpuss said:
On another post, http://www.themouthpiece.com/vb/showthread.php?t=13510 wewizrobbed said she had a problem with a little pop - up telling her that her computer was vulnerable to spyware. This may be one of her security packages reminding her to update or get some anti-spyware software (unlikely). What is more likely however is that it is caused by WINDOWS MESSENGER. Windows messenger is an absolute annoyance and I don't know anyone who uses it anyway. It is much better to get rid of this program once and for all!!! IT IS NOT THE SAME PROGRAM AS MSN MESSENGER!!!!! They may look the same, they may even have similar command lines but they are not the same. If you know your way around your PC it is quite easy to stop windows messenger from functioning, if you don't there is software available to do it for you.
Click to expand...

There's no need to download software for this problem, and no amount of anti-spyware etc will stop these popups. All you need to do is go to the Start Menu, and click on Control Panel. Go into Administrative Tools, and then into services. Find the service called Messenger, and right click on it. Go into properties and click on stop, and then change the start up type to be disabled. Bingo, job done!
 
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