Antivirus, AntiSpyware, Browser, and Firewall Programs

[Midknyte]

Please try these utilities BEFORE you create a new thread. Most of these apps are free, unless noted otherwise
*Recommended
+Free fully functional trial period

Anti-Spyware Forums:
BleepingComputer - Spyware and Malware Removal Guides (http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum55.html)
Spyware Hammer Forums (http://spywarehammer.com/simplemachinesforum/index.php)

Process Exploring Tools
Process Explorer (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/ProcessesAndThreads/ProcessExplorer.mspx)
Security Process Explorer (http://www.glarysoft.com/spe.html)
Security Task Manager (http://www.neuber.com/taskmanager/index.html)
ExeLibrary (http://exelib.com/)
ProcessLibrary (http://www.liutilities.com/products/wintaskspro/processlibrary/)

Alternate Browsers:
PortableApps browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Iron, Maxthon, Opera) (http://portableapps.com/apps/internet)

Avant (http://www.avantbrowser.com/)
FireFox and Mozilla (http://www.mozilla.com/)
Google Chrome (http://www.google.com/chrome)
SRWare Iron (Chrome variant) (http://www.srware.net/en/software_srware_iron.php)
Maxthon (http://www.maxthon.com/)
Opera (http://www.opera.com/)

Antivirus:
AV-Comparatives.Org (http://www.av-comparatives.org/)
F-Secure Rescue CD (http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/archives/00001474.html) (bootable)

Free:
Avast Antivirus (http://www.avast.com/)*
AVG Antivirus (http://www.grisoft.com/doc/1)
BitDefender Eval versions (http://www.bitdefender.com/site/Downloads/browseEvaluationVersion/1/42/)
Comodo Antivirus (http://antivirus.comodo.com/) - Comodo AV+Firewall (http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/index.html)
Microsoft Security Essentials (http://www.microsoft.com/Security_essentials/)*
Panda Online Scan (http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/com/activescan_principal.htm)
Trend House Call (http://housecall.trendmicro.com/)

Commercial:
BitDefender (http://www.bitdefender.com/)*+
Kaspersky (http://www.kaspersky.com/)*+
McAfee (http://www.mcafee.com/us/default.asp) -- McAfeeStinger (http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/) --McAfee Removal Tool (https://us.mcafee.com/root/MCPR2.exe)
NOD32 (http://www.nod32.com/)*+
Norton/Symantec (http://www.sarc.com/)+ --Symantec Removal Tool (http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039)
VIPRE (http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Home-Home-Office/VIPRE/)*+

AntiSpyware:
Ad-Aware and Spybot are NOT enough!! Try Malwarebytes or SuperAntispyware!!

Check these links to see if you have REAL antispyware:
The Spyware Warrior List of Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products & Web Sites (http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm)
Spyware Guide (http://www.spywareguide.com/)

Free:
Adaware (http://www.lavasoft.com/)
CWShredder (http://www.filehippo.com/download_cwshredder/)
EZPCFix (http://ezpcfix.net/) - works on BartPE
HijackThis (http://www.trendsecure.com/portal/en-US/tools/security_tools/hijackthis)
HijackThis Analyzer (http://www.hijackthis.de/index.php?langselect=english) (Link provided by Ol'Tunzafun)
HijackThis Log Evaluation (http://discussions.virtualdr.com/forumdisplay.php?f=71)
Malwarebytes (http://www.malwarebytes.org/)*
Norman Malware Cleaner (http://www.norman.com/Virus/Virus_removal_tools/en)
Prevx (http://www.prevx.com/) (preventative)
RogueRemover (http://www.malwarebytes.org/rogueremover.php)
SuperAntispyware (http://www.superantispyware.com/)*
SpyBot Search and Destroy (http://www.safer-networking.org/)
Spywareblaster (http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html) (preventative)
SpywareGuard (http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareguard.html) (preventative)
ThreatFire (http://www.threatfire.com/?gclid=CMPTspWKh5UCFQKNxwodhF2jdA)
TrendMicro Spyware Scan (http://www.trendmicro.com/spyware-scan/)
Vipre Rescue (http://live.sunbeltsoftware.com/)
Windows Defender (http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx)
WinPatrol (http://www.winpatrol.com/)* (preventative)
XP-Antispy (http://www.xp-antispy.org/)

Commercial:
Adware Away (about:blank killer) (http://www.download.com/3000-8022_4-10293404.html)
AVG Antispyware (http://www.grisoft.com)+ (Formerly Ewido)
PestPatrol (http://www.pestpatrol.com/)
SpySweeper (http://www.webroot.com/wb/products/spysweeper/index.php)*
Spyware Doctor (http://www.pctools.com/spyware-doctor/)+

Anti-Rootkit:
GMER (http://www.gmer.net/files.php)
Rootkit Revealer (http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/RootkitRevealer.html) - Provided by Ol'Tunzafun
F-Secure Blacklight (http://www.f-secure.com/blacklight/) - Provided by Ol'Tunzafun
Sophos Antirootkit (http://www.sophos.com/products/free-tools/sophos-anti-rootkit.html)

AntiTrojan:
a² Free (http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/free/)
The Cleaner: (Trojan remover) (http://www.moosoft.com/)+
TrojanScan (Link provided by FancyF) (http://www.windowsecurity.com/trojanscan/)

Firewall:
602 LAN Suite (http://www.software602.com/products/ls/)
Comodo (http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/)*
Jetico (http://www.jetico.com/index.htm#/jpfirewall.htm)
Online Armor (http://www.tallemu.com/free-firewall-protection-software.html)*
Outpost (http://www.agnitum.com/products/outpostfree/index.php)
SoftPerfect Personal (http://www.softperfect.com/products/firewall/)
ZoneAlarm Free (http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/catalog/products/sku_list_za.jsp?dc=12bms&ctry=US&lang=en&lid=dbtopnav_zass)

Popup Blockers:
EndTask Pro (http://www.endtaskpro.com/index.htm)

Delete and Unlock Tools:
Killbox (http://www.killbox.net/)
MoveOnBoot (http://www.gibinsoft.net/)
UnDLL by Eset (http://www.nod32.it/tools/undll.php)
Unlocker (http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/)
WhoLockMe (http://www.dr-hoiby.com/WhoLockMe/index.php)

Other Fixes:
SmitFraud Fix (http://siri.geekstogo.com/SmitfraudFix.php), SmitFraudFix How To Guide (http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/How-to-use-SmitFraudFix-t109268.html)
ComboFix Guide - BleepingComputer (http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/combofix/how-to-use-combofix)
Comodo Registry Cleaner (http://registry-cleaner.comodo.com/download.html)
SDFix Guide - BleepingComputer (http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic131299.html)
VundoFix (http://vundofix.atribune.org/ )
Windows Update Repair Tool (http://software.hitoma.com/WURT/)
WinsockXP Fix (http://majorgeeks.com/WinSock_XP_Fix_d4372.html)
LSPfix (http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm)
Hostsman (http://www.snapfiles.com/get/hostsman.html)
IEFix (http://windowsxp.mvps.org/IEFIX.htm)

[Imperion1]

isearch toolbar uninstaller.
http://toolbar.isearch.com/uninstall/

[mireland]

I can see this as being a VERY useful sticky...:t

[zybch]

Especially regarding the iSearch toolbar link.
Man I hate that thing, my customers ALL install the blasted thing and I have no idea why.

[Steve R Jones]

What is Spyware?

Spyware, also know as Adware, is basically software that is installed on your computer without your knowledge, and gathers information about you and your PC, sending it back to base for either Advertising/Marketing or selling to other companies.

How does it get on my computer?

Ways that spyware find its way on to your pc are through Warez, and Porn sites that can download the software without you even knowing. P2P software is also a main contender for carrying spyware, and is often installed as part of the program. Some websites may trick you into downloading a piece of software that they claim is required for the website to run properly, once you download/install it then that’s when ‘real’ problems can start.

Even software that you think is safe to download and use (Download Accelerator, for example) are actually considered spyware because they can check the websites that you have visited and then send back ads that are in relation to those websites. Other software such as Porn Dialers and Premium Rate Dialers are also a big problem.

What can Spyware do?

Once on your PC, its purpose is to gather information about you the user and your pc. Data like Personal details, Passwords, and Credit Card information can be stolen and sent to someone else via your internet connection, again without you knowing. Keyloggers are a form of spyware that can be installed on your pc and that can be used to trace and log all data that you type. Your PC and your web browser can also be hijacked, meaning that your browser's homepage could be taken over by certain unwanted websites.

How do I know I have spyware?

The symptoms are similar to those from a virus:


Your PC may be slower, with higher CPU usage than usual.
Unexpected icons and shortcuts may appear on your desktop, and extra bookmarks in your Favorites.
Your Web browser may have a search/tool bar that you’ve never seen before and a new home page.
Popup ads may appear even when a browser is not open.


These are all classic symptoms that you have been hijacked and are being spied on.

What can I do about it?

Thankfully there is software that you can use to eliminate Spyware and Hijackers.

First you should download, update and run both Ad-Aware and Spybot Search & Destroy. These will get rid of most of it.

Then you should download HijackThis, extract it to its own permanent folder. Run a scan, save the log. Then you will be able to post a thread in the security forum and we could take a look at the log for you, to see what else needs removing.

Another program called CWShredder should be used only if you have a variant of the Coolwebsearch hijacker.

[Bigjakkstaffa]

http://www.overclockinghq.com/articles/junkware1.php

OCHQ's guide to removing "Junkware"

--Jakk:t

[Imperion1]

Claria removal (http://www.sysopt.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=168097)

Provided by Bigjakk

This is the old version of Gator. This process will NOT remove the latest version of Gator/Claria.

[Steve R Jones]

The following links were provided by fancyf:


I just thought this site was useful and could be posted in the "Antivirus, AntiSpyware, and Firewall Programs" thread

http://www.spyany.com/program/remove_adware_spyware_index.html

http://www.spyany.com/program/article_adware_spyware_rm_more2.html



There's also the Symantec versions

for spywares:
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/expanded_threats/spyware/


for viruses:
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/tools.list.html

also: http://doxdesk.com/parasite/

[Imperion1]

Neo Toolbar removal, and other toolbars.
http://spyware.pcwash.com/neo-toolbar.html

[Steve R Jones]

..->http://tech.cybernetnews.com/2006/09/04/and-the-best-antivirus-is/ :eek: