Re: Spyware

From: JW (JustPostYourReply_at_ToTheNewsGroup.pls)
Date: 06/30/04 

Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2004 10:48:37 -0500

According to the article in PC Magazine, you are wrong. (See
http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,115939,pg,1,00.asp) The
purchased versions of AdAware (Plus or Pro) have a memory resident component
that stays Resident in Memory, and Proactively monitors and Filters out
spyware, Before it enters the PC, unlike the Free version, which is only
good for cleaning up the mess, After the damage is Already done. You can
also confirm this for yourself if you do the research (look for AdAware Plus
and AdAware Pro at www.lavasoftusa.com)

You are right about educating people and about SpywareBlaster.
SpywareBlaster is very very useful, and so is IE SpyAd. There are many
useful Freeware products. However, Free versions of anti-spyware and
anti-virus do Not have a memory resident component, that stays Resident in
Memory and Proactively Monitors and filters out viruses and spyware, Before
they enter your PC. The proof that they still leave you vulnerable is
"Stevegg" (see the original posting), who is using Freeware and still
complains that "I've tried Adaware, Spybot, and now Webroot Spy Sweeper, and
I still have an onslaught" (of spyware).

I would rather spend a few bucks and buy something that works Proactively,
than wait till the damage is Already done, and use Freeware to clean up the
mess. Why ? Because the damage that's Already done might be empty bank
accounts and identity theft. Then it would be too little too late.

"Jason" <Jason@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:32104721-3A6B-4F3E-A1FC-06B92B33FC67@microsoft.com...
Using the free versions does not matter in the cases of Ad-aware and Spybot.
Ad-aware is not proactive by any means. Also, making sure that you have the
most up-to-date reference file always helps.

Using SpywareBlaster (http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html)
is very, very useful as well because the whole point of the program is to
plug certain holes and disable certain ActiveX controls which are the
usually the culprits providing the method for spyware to get onto your
system in the first place.

Finally, user education is also extremely important. People need to learn to
not trust everything that they can download to be non-malicious. People need
to be taught to not just click to get something to go away, but to instead
at least glance over what is there and then make a decision.

-Jason

"JW" wrote:

> If you're still suffering from an onslaught of spyware, even after using
> Adaware, Spybot, and Spy Sweeper, the first explanation that comes to my
> mind is that you are using the Free Versions, instead of the Purchased
> Versions.
>
> The difference is that the Free versions do not Proactively monitor,
filter
> and stop spyware as it attempts to enter. The Free versions are only
> intended to clean up the mess After the damage is Already done.
>
> The Purchased versions remain Active in memory, and Proactively monitor,
> filter and stop spyware, Before it comes in. As with many things in life,
> it's a question of (1) save money now and waste time later, or (2) invest
> money now and save time later.
>
> Switch to the Purchased version and you'll be glad you did.
>
> "Stevegg" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:216bc01c45a4c$e19502b0$a001280a@phx.gbl...
> In the past 6 months I've been invaded by a large
> quantity of spyware: adware, data miners, hijackers, etc.
> I know that this is probable going to be an ongoing
> battle and I'm just trying to get it under control. I've
> tried "Adaware", Spybot, and am now trying "Webroot Spy
> Sweeper", I still have an onslaught and thought I'd ask
> around as to what people are successful with.
>
>
>

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