Which ad aware program?

[ThinkPad]

Whats the recommended spy bot/ ad aware program to use. I heard "spy bot" messes with the security registry.

[MadeInJapan]

I use Ad-Aware and Spybot Search and Destroy...both are free and I have no problem with XP SP-2. What one program doesn't find, the other one does, so it's good to run both about once a week.

[GACrabill]

At a minimum, use Spybot, Ad-Aware, and SpywareBlaster. Spybot and SpywareBlaster put thousands of entries into the Internet Explorer restricted sites table to minimize the amount of spyware and malware crap that can get dumped onto your machine. Ad-Aware and Spybot can scan your machine to identify and remove crap that may already be there.

[daeojkim]

The microsoft anti spyware had great reviews. It was originally developed by another company which was bought by MS. it is free until July of this year.
it works really well. I am using it right now and it also has real time protection as well.

ad aware and spybot are not bad but from my experience they were not able to move all of the spywares that I encountered.

[GACrabill]

[quote="daeojkim"]The microsoft anti spyware had great reviews. quote]

I removed it after trying it for a week. To me, it was obviously poorly tested. Their web forum had numerous users who couldn't get their machine up after using it. It also identified and removed some of the restricted sites entries that Spybot had placed there (really! ... did anyone test this on a machine using the most popular spyware removers around?). When I tried to add an entry to the restricted sites table (after Ad-Aware identified it as a spyware cookie), the MS anti-spyware asked me to verify the addition to the TRUSTED sites table ... whazzupwiththat? Poorly tested, I couldn't trust it and surely wasn't going to pay for it later.

[kjarrett]

I remove spyware "semi-professionally" (i.e. get paid very well to do it) for residential customers. For the past few years, I have been using:

SpyBot S&D
AdAware SE
Spyware Blaster

as my standard "trio" of tools with great results. When conditions warrant, I also use:

Hijack This
CoolWebShredder
BHODemon

and a few other, more obscure and specialized tools. HOWEVER...

I am getting ready to purchase, and begin recommending my clients purchase, Spy Sweeper 3.5.

I tried Microsoft's AntiSpyware tool but had mixed feelings about it. Clearly not ready for prime time, it has promise, but need s a lot of work. The interface is OK, but I was concerned about false positives.

I did some reading and decided to give Spy Sweeper a try on my "test mule," a machine I have at home just for this purpose. So far it has worked very well. I like the automatic updates and the interface. I also have some clients I will be using the software on "in the field" to test its real-world effectiveness.

I am pretty sure I will be staying with Spy Sweeper. www.webroot.com

-kj-

[Leon]

I am a software security professional, working for some of the largest financial institutions in the world. I run three programs each night (automatically), Spy Sweeper, the new Microsoft Anti Spyware Program, and Norton Antivirus. Although I use my machine extensively for browsing (both for personal and business use, and also go to many "questionable" sites for test purposes, I have had absolutely "0" findings every day after setting up these three programs on this machine (T42).

[krosenstein]

Question to both of you:

I've used AdAware, SpyBot and Spyware Blaster for a long time now and have yet to find any spyware installed. I've been considering adding Spy Sweeper.

My question is whether that is necessary, particularly since I use Firefox as my only browser, which seems to minimize problems.

[Leon]

go to this link and check!

http://www.webroot.com/services/spyaudi ... 6863eb02f3

[MadeInJapan]

I used to use SpySweeper but both Spybot and Ad-Aware blow it away.

[Leon]

I think you'll find the latest version vastly improved!

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1650587,00.asp

Bottom Line:
Still the best single antispyware package we've tested, though (as is the case with others) it doesn't provide an impenetrable shield.

[s0larian]

Here a nice comparison: MS AntiSpyware vs Ad-Aware vs SpyBot

http://www.flexbeta.net/main/articles.p ... show&id=84


Conclusion

Though still in beta, Microsoft AntiSpyware was able to detect more infected files than the current leading anti-spyware applications in the market today, Ad-Aware and SpyBot S&D. AntiSpyware’s user interface is better looking than both SpyBot and Ad-Aware, not to mention much easier to use than SpyBot. Though Microsoft AntiSpyware was able to use better detection than both Ad-Aware and SpyBot, there is still the difference of cost between the three. Ad-Aware and SpyBot offer great performance for free, yet when Microsoft debuts its AntiSpyware application, it will require a subscription fee. Is Microsoft AntiSpyware really worth the subscription fee when there are currently good spyware removal applications out there that will do it for free? My answer to that question would be, if you can afford the fee, it is absolutely worth it; however, if you chose to use Microsoft AntiSpyware as your spyware removal tool, you will still need to run other tools such as Ad-Aware and SpyBot.

[fireracer7]

I used to be a big fan of Ad-Aware but now love the Microsoft Antispyware product.

P.S. I heard Microsoft will soon be complimenting its Antispyware with its own brand of Antivirus software?

[CoolRunnings]

Funny as it sounds, I'd say use all of the above! Microsoft Antispyware is great for those who don't know how to avoid spyware in the first place. For those of us who do, however, the prompts can get quite annoying at times. As such, I have mixed feelings about it. I haven't personally been infested with spyware in a very long time due to following careful browsing proceedures (and yes, I even use IE as my main browser... gasp!). I currently run AdAware and Spybot regularly and they have done quite well by me...