Introduction

Scanning and Removal Tools

Prevention Tools

Further Reading and Useful Links:

Introduction:

I have been asked a number of times what is malware, how does it get onto a computer, and what are the consequences.  Simply, malware is software that is installed to your system, often by tricking you into the installation, that will try to convince you to buy something, hand over your personal information/identity, or track your surfing habits and computer use.

Other commonly used terms are Adware, spyware, hijackware, contentware, and reportware.

It gets installed either maliciously by scrupulous means or, and this could also be considered malicious, because you agreed when you installed that cool new screen saver or neat little icon in the system tray that reports the weather temperature.  Honest!  Try reading the end user license agreements (EULA) when installing software the next time.  It is because of this EULA that anti-virus vendors are hesitant to add spyware detection and removal to their software.

Many of the free for personal use programs do not have some of the bells and whistles such as scheduled or automated scans.  I used to have a batch file to automate Ad-Aware as a scheduled task.  This was very useful, as it was one less maintenance task to remember but several free versions ago the command line options became unavailable.

Rather than put too much additional commentary and effort into typing a page, it seems better to put together a collection of worthy links in the Further Reading and Useful Links section.

Scanning and removal tools:

Super Anti-Spyware - My current favorite

Microsoft Defender

Combo Fix

AdAware

SpyBot Search and Destroy

Spy Buster

Prevention tools:

Spywareblaster

Spywareguard

Though it is not software that gets installed onto a workstation it is worthy to mention OpenDNS.  Open DNS offers free and up services to block categories of sites.  It is easy to sign up, easy to setup, and performs well.  Whether you are a parent wanting to block your children from pornography sites or a business that doesn't want its employees shopping during work hours I highly recommend OpenDNS.  I personally use it to block, among others, categories for Adware and Phishing.  It's one more layer of protection.

As with most pages at SWCA, I'm more than happy to add a useful link so feel free to pass it along.

Further Reading and Useful Links:

http://www.stopbadware.org

http://onguardonline.gov

http://www.spywareinfo.com/

http://www.spywarewarrior.com/

http://spotlight.getnetwise.org/spyware/

http://www.spy-buster.com/spywareinfo.htm

http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite

http://www.opendns.com

Click HERE to mail a link for this document to someone.

Schmahl World Computer Assistance, LLC

this page:  http://www.schmahl.net/spyware.php

updated May 2, 2011