I recommend two programs for all Windows users:

• Spybot Search & Destroy
• AdAware SE

Both are free. Turn on the immunization feature of Spybot to block many spyware programs. As with an anti-virus, you should update both these programs regularly and scan at least weekly.

To avoid browser hijacking use the free Mozilla or Firefox browsers. They also block pop-ups, and have useful additional features like tabbed browsing. You needn’t try to remove Internet Explorer (that’s not a good idea) but I suggest you not use it for day-to-day browsing. Reserve it for sites that require it like Windows Update.

If you insist on using Internet Explorer, I strongly recommend the free Spyware Blaster to make it a little safer.

If your browser is hijacked, I recommend Hijack This to help find the name of the hijacker.

The one commercial program I recommend is Pest Patrol. You can get much of its functionality free with the Yahoo Toolbar for Internet Explorer.

The following article was written by Justin Wallace, a listener. I haven’t tried all these programs so I’m not passing any judgment on them.

Spyware should be stopped before it starts. I have decided to post a few of the the things I always tell people to prevent spyware. — Justin Wallace

• Spyware Blaster & Guardian - Leo recommended both of these on one of his 90-second tips on TSS a few weeks back. I’ve been using both of them since he recommended them, and I must say I love them both and use them on all my Windows machines…
• Spy Sweeper - Best Spyware removal tool out there. It really gets the hard stuff… EDIT: SpySweeper has recently gone commercial only, but you can scan your computer from their website here.
• PeerGuardian — Well known, but ever since I started using it I haven’t had a single trace of Spyware (mainly because it blocks all incoming IP adresses for sites that have Spyware or other Mal-ware/Police-ware.
• Get rid of IE!!! I like Mozilla Firefox or Opera. Firefox does a superb job of filtering out malicious scripts, Active-X controls, etc.

I feel that it is important to run some type of Spy removal tool and scanner at least once a week. I run Spy Sweeper on all my Windows machines at least once-a-day (I usually turn it on as I’m going to bed and let it run all night).

Spyware is becoming more and more of a threat and it’s getting out of hand. I feel that it [Spyware] should be taken care of before it starts. By monitoring and implementing “check stops” at each point that Spyware can penetrate, then you will almost always [within 99 percent of the time] be safe. I can honestly say that my Windows systems are 100% spy-ware free because I usually reinstall Windows at least every 6-months when possible, and then I run all the anti-spyware measures that I mentioned above.

EDIT: If you’re running XP and have multiple users, always remember to run Spy-Sweeper (or whatever Spyware remover you’re using) on each account. Spy removal tools will not check any other section of the HD but what user you are.

Other way of preventing spyware…..
Is to always run your computer as a non-administrator account so spyware or trojans can’t install themselves onto system files. Always create an extra User account. Or, as a matter of fact, create one other additional Administrator account besides the built-in Administrator account that is in Windows 2000/XP and then create a User account for everyday computing purposes. This should also do the trick in preventing spyware and Trojans installing themselves on your system files.

-Andy

Paul Tevis writes:

When you download the instant messenger, AIM, make sure you do not install the weatherbug. That is spyware! So, be careful to not install that.