[Teetorbilt]

This was just sent to me from a U.S. Gov't. source. Thought that you might find it interesting.

Please review and let me know any other tools found that may help, hopefully we can come up with a better way of handling these soon.


App.
Ver.
Time
Effectiveness
Notes

HiJack This
1.97.0.7
30s
Demonstrates only known hijack vulnerable entries. Provides no sustaining protection, is not a full spyware solution.
Freeware: No corporate restrictions applied, Has no automated functionality. Not a tool for beginners. Requires no installation.

Spybot S&D
1.3
5m
Moderate effectiveness and provides automation and an immunize function.
Freeware (even to corporations), Simple operation and some degree of proactive protection.

Ad-Aware
SE
7m
Very thorough. Extremely user friendly, and automated. Trial was not made under professional version.
(This was abnormally fast for Ad-Aware)

No sustaining protection, this is a reactive only tool. The commercial version however does but is not free for corporate use. (Est: $27.00 per seat)

Security Task Manager
1.6
30s
Not a spyware checker per se, however a hidden process tracker, which helps isolate rogue applications (typically how Trojans and spyware operate) This was the tool that located the Downloader.GK and Briss.A
Not free, (est: $15.00 per seat). Requires no installation.

Spy Sweeper
3.2.0
7m
Very thorough and user friendly, offers ongoing protection (fully installed)
Cost (est: $29.95 per seat) Requires full install to system. Can be removed afterwards.

Panda Antivirus
--
45m
Antivirus -Detects and cleans worms/Trojans not identified by Symantec.
-Consider recommending a bootable version to speed the process??



Cost(est: $40.00 per seat)

Registrar Lite/Registrar
2.0
N/A
Not a Spyware tool again, however can be used to remove hidden Registry keys.
Cost (est: 44:95 per seat) Can operate separated from installation.

One note of concern includes version updating. Most of us have already noted that the versions on these tools are changing rapidly and difficult to keep up with, and maintain updated definitions

 

[housedocs]

I've gave a coupe of those a trial spin, but never have gotten rid of Norton Anti-Virus from the puter, The latest version NAV 2005, finds the adware, worms, all the little nasties lurking around cyberspace. As far as I'm concerned it's $30 well spent.

 

[Teetorbilt]

Housedocs, I have NIS and NAV. Spybot S&D finds 8-10 twice a week that snuck through.

 

[housedocs]

Wow really, maybe I better check them out. I have had Norton Systemworks running since the 2000 version came out, I goofed and let my virus subscription run out and a nasty little bug got in my machine over xmas vacation. Kids were on msn msgr alot during the time, so no telling how it got it. But it had everything all screwed up. When I'd try & run a system scan, just the splash screen would come up & then it would immediately shut down & my internet connection would try to connect up without prompting and if it got connected, the only way to disconnect was to hit Ctrl, Alt Delete & choose shut down, & sometimes that wouldn't even work & you'd just have to manually shut down the machine but pressing and holding the start button on the tower.
Tried to reboot using my 2000 NSW disk, but it couldn't detect it. So I went out to local store & bought the 2005 NAV & booted from that, it found the little monster & quarentined it & I forwarded it to Symantec, first one I ever submitted that wasn't already in their data base.

 

[leadarrows]

Internet Spy-ware and pop-up blockers Systems that work for me
I found a very informative site. I am still reading info there. They have a tester that's pretty cool.

https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2
I run these programs and have paid subscriptions to each.
I think it's worth it because I have no pop-ups and I passed this test 100%.
I'll list the programs and give their subscription price.


1. Spy Sweeper
Version 2.2.0 (Build 44) using software definitions 315
Full Program
http://www.webroot.com
Subscription Price: Including down load of software. $29.95 per year


2. Ad-aware version 6
Ad-aware Professional Edition

$54.85 includes two years of updates.
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/

3. Norton System-Works 2003 Pro 1 Windows 98/Me/2000/XP Digital River
I paid: $ 99.95
Subscription Price: $39.95 for 2 years

If you buy the Norton works it comes with a simple version of Go-Back. I up-graded to the full version because you can search for individual files with it.
Go-Back up-grade price.
Item(s) Subtotal: $ 24.95
Sales Tax: $ 0.00
Shipping & Handling: $ 6.95
TOTAL: $ 31.90

GO-Back. If all else fails. This has saved my rear a few times.
GoBack is easy-to-use software that lets you quickly solve a wide range of computer problems. In addition to retrieving missing or overwritten files, GoBack can also restore your hard disk to exactly as it was at a time before any system problem occurred—even if Windows won’t boot. From the moment you install GoBack, the robust protection of GoBack makes lost data and system problems caused by user error, computer viruses, troublesome system crashes, and software installation problems a thing of the past.
http://www.symantec.com/

4. Registry Mechanic 2.1
http://www.winguides.com
$19.95

5. Pop-Up Stopper by PanicWare get it at wal*Mart for about $10.00
6. The Goggle tool bar is safe and has some nice features like a Pop-Up blocker and a auto fill tab that fills out your name and other info onto on-line forums and such.
It's Free at : http://toolbar.google.com/
For a total cost of........about $286.00 pulse change in tax.
expensive yes but I have zero pop-ups and look what I scored on the security test.



Your system has achieved a perfect "TruStealth" rating. Not a single packet — solicited or otherwise — was received from your system as a result of our security probing tests. Your system ignored and refused to reply to repeated Pings (ICMP Echo Requests). From the standpoint of the passing probes of any hacker, this machine does not exist on the Internet. Some questionable personal security systems expose their users by attempting to "counter-probe the prober", thus revealing themselves. But your system wisely remained silent in every way. Very nice.



Other test results:
Your Internet port 139 does not appear to exist!
One or more ports on this system are operating in FULL STEALTH MODE! Standard Internet behavior requires port connection attempts to be answered with a success or refusal response. Therefore, only an attempt to connect to a nonexistent computer results in no response of either kind. But YOUR computer has DELIBERATELY CHOSEN NOT TO RESPOND (that's very cool!) which represents advanced computer and port stealthing capabilities. A machine configured in this fashion is well hardened to Internet NetBIOS attack and intrusion.
Unable to connect with NetBIOS to your computer.
All attempts to get any information from your computer have FAILED. (This is very uncommon for a Windows networking-based PC.) Relative to vulnerabilities from Windows networking, this computer appears to be VERY SECURE since it is NOT exposing ANY of its internal NetBIOS networking protocol over the Internet. "


You might try the free versions of Ad-Aware and Reg Mechanic first
You will be shocked at how many they find the first time you use them. It's a crime I tell ya.

 

[hack_houslege]

I run Grisoft AVG 7.0, SpywareGuard, SpywareBlaster, and RegistryProt on my computer. I check every once in awhile with Ad-Aware SE, Spybot Search & Destroy, CWShredder, and HijackThis. I havent found any spyware or viruses on my machine in about two months. All the above programs are free and easily googled.

hack

 

[dem50]

Aother geat program to maybe consider is Counterspy , gets great reviews in latest PC mags , found a lot of spyware lurking in my PC that my other progs missed , give it a whirl see what you think :Thumbs: .. www.sunbelt-software.com .

 

[saintjimmy]

i h8 norton. my dad insists on running it but it chugs up so much memory and makes my computing generally slower....