Helpful PC Programmes and Tweaking Tools

[Dark Sunrise]

I'm here to tell you about the program Ad-Aware.
Lots of people know it, but lots don't. And that's a shame, cause it's really good!

I copy and paste from the website:

Most people are familiar with freeware, shareware, cookies, media players, interactive content, and file sharing. What they may not realize is that some of the aforementioned may contain code or components that allow the developers of these applications and tools to actually collect and disseminate information about those using them.
They can track your surfing habits, abuse your Internet connection by sending this data to a third party, profile your shopping preferences, hijack your browser start page or pages, alter important system files, and can do this without your knowledge or permission. The security and privacy implications of these exploits should be quite obvious and undesirable on any system or network!
Lavasoft is the industry leader and most respected provider of anti Trackware solutions. We have developed several applications that will provide you with the means to keep your computer or network free of these compromising and intrusive threats to your privacy.

The website:
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

Scanning your comp once a week isn't to much. You always find something. And ofcourse, it's totally FREE. I wouldn't post it here else ;x I highly recommend this program. You'll see ;O

 

[DeltaSuicune]

On a similar note...

Spyware:

A general term for a program or file that surreptitiously monitors your actions. While they are sometimes sinister, like a remote control program used by a hacker, software companies have been known to use spyware to gather data about customers. The practice is generally frowned upon but is used by many advertising firms online.

Spybot Search and Destroy

As well, another variant people are not as aware about...

CWShredder This tool is dedicated to removing the "CoolWebSearch" spyware.

*waves hand* Can a mod sticky this please? This is the second thread on this but the previous one is somewhere in the older threads and I couldn't find it.

~DS

 

[DeltaSuicune]

Sorry for the double post but this is an update on the viruses and computer slowdown that a lot of people have been complaining about recently.

BitDefender Online Virus Scanner Norton and McAffee virus scanners are hacked to death by skilled virus makers, and a lot of viruses these days aren't detectable by them, so use alternate scanners, each program has a unique search alogarithm and thus can detect things other scanners can't.

Another one if you like.

F-Secure Mobile This is the virus scanner I use for home use, there's freeware if you want to download it and don't want to have to scan online all the time (or plain can't access the internet).

Some other things people aren't aware about...

Zonelabs Firewall International award winning firewall software, the freeware is all you really need, grab it if you don't have it already.

Zonelabs spyware scanner This is another unique scanner, it looks at all your cookies and internet related things for spyware, it'll tell you to get the Pro version if it finds anything and needs to remove it, but if you know your stuff well enough you can go digging manually to remove it.

Now, for the current Sasser worm issue (I know 3 people who have gotten this so yeah....)

It's been all over the news so you should know it. avserver2.exe suggest it's variant B, there are other variants, the original one uses avserver.exe. For a fix:

Sasser Removal Tool

You need to install the Microsoft patch to stop this worm from reinfecting your computer. Please note this worm DOES NOT need an email to infect your machine. Your machine is attacked simply by being online or by being on an infected network.

Microsoft patch page

For more info on the worm and fixes.

Enjoy your time online without these stupid hassles hopefully.

~DS

 

[PiPikachu]

another handy programme for people with WINDOWS XP ONLY!
TuneXP

This programme optimizes windows xp to its full advantage meaing you get better performance out of it

 

[DeltaSuicune]

Since more and more people are complaining about how Spybot and Ad-aware are not working to remove their problems, a couple of tips;

Update your versions and reference files by which your spy programs run, they need the most up-to-date batch files to find all the crap that websites can put on your computer. Spybot will update itself, just click the update tab. The update page for Ad-aware is http://lavasoft.element5.com/support/download/, the file is here. It should be file build 01R334.

Also, this came up from elsewhere, but some advanced forms of spyware are coming out now that Spybot is being more well known across the web, both by users and abusers alike. You may need to run spybot and your computer in safemode to remove the tougher forms of spyware, so if normal scans can't remove it, try this. And another thing, don't forget to Immunize your computer after a scan or update, otherwise the same files will download to your computer and you have to continually remove them!

Finally, use this advanced scanner if nothing else will work. It's from Zonelabs, and they know their stuff; here.
Now, if you don't buy their software it won't mean much to amateur computer users, but let it scan your system, and when the results come up, you will have to manually remove them if you don't want to buy anything. Typically you will have to go to your registry and delete the stuff. If you don't know how, go to Start->Run... and enter "regedit". This takes you to the registry, be careful here, if you delete the wrong stuff it can seriously screw up your computer!. Read the results carefully, and browse your registry and delete only what came up from the results. Heed this though, make sure personally that the results from the scan are indeed spyware, this is advanced like I said, and it will retrieve ALL information spewing programs and their files, so in my case I had to manually ignore programs like Gamespy Arcade, since I know that's a program and key I need, since it runs a lot of my online games! Use at your own risk! (Note this site will need to be opened in IE, not Mozilla, because it requires some scanning ports that Mozilla blocks for downloads normally.)

~DS

 

[Forgotten Member]

Mozilla Firefox is a browser that you can use instead of Internet Explorer. It has built-in popup blocking, and is in general more secure at protecting your computer from viruses/adware/spyware than IE. It also has a bunch of cool features like tabbed browsing (so you can open up a bunch of sites in one browser window), and there's lots of options and features that it has by default or are easily gotten as extensions. It's quite a powerful (but easy to use) browser .

 

[Ataru]

I'm here to tell you about the program Ad-Aware.
Lots of people know it, but lots don't. And that's a shame, cause it's really good!

I copy and paste from the website:

Most people are familiar with freeware, shareware, cookies, media players, interactive content, and file sharing. What they may not realize is that some of the aforementioned may contain code or components that allow the developers of these applications and tools to actually collect and disseminate information about those using them.
They can track your surfing habits, abuse your Internet connection by sending this data to a third party, profile your shopping preferences, hijack your browser start page or pages, alter important system files, and can do this without your knowledge or permission. The security and privacy implications of these exploits should be quite obvious and undesirable on any system or network!
Lavasoft is the industry leader and most respected provider of anti Trackware solutions. We have developed several applications that will provide you with the means to keep your computer or network free of these compromising and intrusive threats to your privacy.

The website:
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

Scanning your comp once a week isn't to much. You always find something. And ofcourse, it's totally FREE. I wouldn't post it here else ;x I highly recommend this program. You'll see ;O

Before using adware download "winsock fix" ad ware messes with windows sockets, wich will not let you go to the Internet, so i strogly recomend it (it happened to me)

 

[Dark_Pikachu]

Well, I downloaded Spyware Stormer. I have something like 135 Adware infections, but I have to pay 30 dollars American via Credit Card to register it and wipe the infections... DAMN! *sorry for the swearing*

 

[Forgotten Member]

Well, I downloaded Spyware Stormer. I have something like 135 Adware infections, but I have to pay 30 dollars American via Credit Card to register it and wipe the infections... DAMN! *sorry for the swearing*

Ad-aware and Spybot: search and destroy should do the same thing, and they're both free. Links are in the top two posts .

 

[Ferret]

Spybot is the superior adware checker, due to it's method of checking. (It looks for a giant list of specific programs, instead of guessing if programs are adware.) However, having Spybot, Ad-aware AND Spy Sweeper is the best option, you can't miss much with all three.
Oh and for god sake, keep them up to date.

I second and third the recommendation for Mozilla Firefox, the worst thing you can be doing is using IE, regarding internet security.

 

[JoDa]

Heres a list of programs to use if you are having spyware problems smile.gif :

Ad-aware - http://www.majorgeeks.com/download506.html

SpyBot-Search & Destroy - http://www.majorgeeks.com/download2471.html

CWShredder (only If you have "CoolWebSearch", but be carefull, It changes names) - http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4086.html

Home Search Assistant And about:Blank - http://majorgeeks.com/download4289.html

Spyware Blaster (free spyware
blocker)-http://www.majorgeeks.com/download2859.html

HijackThis (advanced users!!) - http://www.majorgeeks.com/download3155.html

 

[Ferret]

HijackThis (advanced users!!) - http://www.majorgeeks.com/download3155.html

Are you sure you should be linking something like Hijack This to the users of this forum??

 

[JoDa]

Hijack will help you eliminate spyware and other thrash from your PC... just be crefull, do go erasing everything you get on the search.

 

[Parl]

I use Hijack This - it rules. Although, I don't seem to have securty problems with this PC. Odd spyware that I get odd time are just gone with a scan (or two/three)

 

[DarknessTrainer]

Here is another good spyware/adware program. Its from the company Microsoft recently bought. Its really nice. http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

 

[Parl]

lOl - I've used that before. They'd had full versions out which you had to pay for (or crack, or just wait until it runs out and reinstall). It's a pretty good program unless Microsoft has had it changed.

 

[mukmaster]

here are 2 realy handy programs antispyware beta and media player 10.
Go to www.microsoft.com then on the left hand side there will be a link called downloads and find the two programs there they are awsom

 

[Powerful_Blaziken88]

Microsoft AntiSpyware is the ultimate spyware scanner and remover. I had C2.lop, and Ad-aware and spybot detected it, but couldn't remove it. Microsoft antispyware, however, removed it clean from my system. the scans are long, but thorough and it's excellent. goes to show slow and steady wins the race, lol.

 

[ricocheting]

Microsoft AntiSpyware is .... goes to show slow and steady wins the race, lol.

no, that goes to show you that knowing where all the holes are in your software (Windows) leads to certain advantages when creating a scan looking for anyone exploiting those holes.

 

[Parl]

Indeed. One day, Microsoft might think it's a good idea to get rid of all of the faults in Winduhs.