[Techtalk] Re: Getting rid of spyware

[Raven Alder]

Heya --

Quoth Dan Richter (Thu, Mar 11, 2004 at 03:39:02PM +0100):
> This arguably isn't spyware because it isn't hidden, but it's still 
> annoying. Does anyone know of a good way to find out what it is and/or 
> get rid of it?

	For cleanup, I'd actually suggest both Ad-Aware and Spybot S&D
(links given by earlier posters).  Sometimes one will catch some spyware
that the other couldn't get.  Also, run a recent virus checker...
spyware and viruses approach convergence sometimes.  I've heard good
things about AntiVir (http://www.free-av.com/), though I have not tried
it myself.

	For prevention of the same thing happening again, I'd suggest
not using IE unless she *has* to.  There are a whole bunch of unpatched
vulnerabilites in IE... something like 32 at last count, I think.  If
she must use it, consider something like Thor Larholm's QwikFix
(http://www.pivx.com/qwikfix/), or turn off Java, JavaScript when not
necessary, be careful about accepting cookies, etc.  She may also want
to consider using something like the Google Toolbar
(http://toolbar.google.com/) to block pop-up ads.  Note about the Google
toolbar -- if you install it with the advanced options, it sends
anonymized information back to Google about you and your browsing
habits.  If you don't want that, install it without the advanced
options.

	See if she's willing to try Mozilla Firefox
(http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/download.html) or some
alternate browser.  There's a Google bar for Firefox, too
(http://texturizer.net/firefox/extensions/#googlebar), if she likes that
sort of thing.  Also, consider something like Privoxy
(http://www.privoxy.org/) for cross-platform privacy-protecting
goodness.

	Sorry to run on... this is something that I deal with *all the
time* doing enterprise security with Windows users who are married to
IE.  So I have the links handy.  [grin] 

Cheers,
Raven
 
"Our wisdom is only there when we're irreverent about it."
  -- Kyrin, on Cambodia