Ad-Aware and Spybot

[Figment]

I use this machine in three different locations, and have software loaded for three different ISPs. Each of these ISPs claim that their software package contains the highest levels of spyware protection, etc.

I run ad-aware and spybot weekly, and each week they find a few bugs.
I also run Norton. Norton always comes up clean as a whistle.

What's the deal? Why are these freeware applications finding things that the paid service misses?
Or are they not really finding anything, they're just putting on a show?

(btw, I don't really think they're putting on a show. Last week there was a truly noticeable difference in performance after the purge. Scary.)

[Popeye]

spyware blaster

[Dolly Varden]

STOP LOOKING AT PORN!!!!

Dutch

[ 01-24-2006, 09:52 AM: Message edited by: Dolly Varden ]

[High C]

Norton's products are the pits.

I routinely find hundreds of viruses, not on my machines, thanks, that Norton misses. They are also resource hogs, slowing down even the hottest machines.

[ 01-24-2006, 10:03 AM: Message edited by: High C ]

[TomF]

Originally posted by High C:
Norton's products are the pits.

I routinely find hundreds of viruses, not on my machines, thanks, that Norton misses. They are also resource hogs, slowing down even the hottest machines.

what do you recommend instead?

[Victor]

Norton is crap. Not only does it not do its job, it also infects your machine itself. Try removing it and see for yourself.

[Tar Devil]

Norton sucks, and it slows your computer to a crawl while it's sucking.

Later,

Phil

[TomF]

... so instead one should use ....?

[Tar Devil]

Originally posted by TomF:
... so instead one should use ....?

Try this. Best I've used yet...

Computer Associates
I've had no glitches with Computer Associates whatsoever and it has done a remarkable job of keeping my machine clean.

[ 01-24-2006, 11:01 AM: Message edited by: Tar Devil ]

[TomF]

Originally posted by Tar Devil:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by TomF:
... so instead one should use ....?

Try this. Best I've used yet...
</font>[/QUOTE]Thanks Phil - I'll check it out this evening.

[High C]

Originally posted by TomF:
... so instead one should use ....?

AVG Anti-Virus

In addition to their network and enterprise editions, they offer a free home version. They make you hunt for it on the website, but it's there. AVG free edition...

[Bruce Hooke]

Based on what I see from running Ad-Aware and Spybot they do certainly cast a pretty broad net. For the most part what they seem to find on my computer, if they find anything at all (which they usually do not), are things that could be consider privacy nuisances rather than true security threats. I'm not saying that they won't find true security threats, just that they don't on my computer.

For example, tracking cookies are objectionable to many people, but the are essentially passive and do not alter other files on your computer, use up computing power, or do the other truly nasty things that viruses and worms do. So, while some programs (like Ad-Aware and SpyBot) may find tracking cookies, I don't think it is a huge indictment of other security software that it does not look for tracking cookies.

[ishmael]

I'm glad to hear that AVG continues to get high marks. I run Spybot and Adaware too, and don't know enough to decide what is a security threat and what is a tracking cookie, so I throw 'em all out.

The AVG freeware seems first rate. Once set up it updates automatically every day and runs, all of which takes about ten minutes on the mornings the machine is on. I've heard that if you don't turn the machine on for a period you might have to goose it to get back in the pink, but aside from that, why pay for anti-virus for a home use computer?

Anyone hear any complaints about AVG? Compared to when I was running Norton(nightmares, missed stuff, stuff it identified but couldn't delete etc.) it's a breeze.

Good advertising, smart cookies, so to speak.

[Bruce Hooke]

FYI - I just ran Ad-Aware, and as usual for me all it found was various "recently used file lists" (MRU lists). This includes things like the files I most recently opened using various applications, as well as things like what directory I most recently saved downloaded files to from my browser. I'm not sure why they consider any of this a security threat (the do class them all as "negligible"). Maybe on a shared computer, if you are particularly private you might not want someone else to easily be able to figure out what documents you were working on. HOWEVER, these "recently used" lists also do some useful things (like make it easy for me to find what I was working on).

This, to me, is a clear example of Ad-Aware finding stuff that should not really be classed as a security threat. I can certainly see why security tools distributed by an ISP would NOT include the ability to look for stuff like this. First off, it has little or nothing to do with the web. Second, I think many users would be quite unhappy with a tool that cleaned out their recently used file lists. Ad-Aware is aimed at a more technical audience, so they may feel that it is safe to include stuff like this...

[Rick Clark]

I had to dig deep in the files and delete the hidden files that they embed on the hard drive, once I did that Norton kept them out.
I also run Spy Bot and a few others, and knock on wood I have never had a virus of any kind.

The most common ones I use to have that was there everyday was>

1- Double Click
2- Avenue A, Inc.
4- Common hijacker

After I got them out they have not had them attached again.