★★ SPYWARE & ADWARE ★★
◙ TIP: TO MAKE CERTAIN YOU GET ALL OF THE SPYWARE & ADWARE OFF YOUR COMPUTER YOU SHOULD SCAN FOR THEM IN THE SAFE MODE. THAT'S BECAUSE SOME OF YOUR WINDOWS STARTUP FILES MIGHT HAVE SPYWARE & ADWARE IN THEM. TO OPEN THE SAFE MODE TURN OFF YOUR COMPUTER AND RESTART IT. BEFORE WINDOWS LOADS REPEATEDLY HIT F8. THEN SELECT THE SAFE MODE WHEN THE MENU APPEARS.
◙ ADAWARE (BEST) - Scans fixed and removable drives, memory and Windows registry Removes aggressive spyware and malicious content Logs information about scans and malicious content removals. Users of Ad-Aware Personal can efficiently remove behavior-tracking spyware; thus protecting your privacy on the Internet Provides greater computer security by removing key loggers and other programs, which put passwords, credit card numbers, and other vulnerable data at risk online. Allows you to stay abreast of spyware, not just a step behind, thanks to the Code Sequence Identification (CSI) technology .
☞ http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
◙ STOPZILLA - True Real-Time® Spyware / Adware protection. Most advanced Pop-up protection available. (CNET Editors' Choice award winner) Anti-Phishing / ID Theft protection. Integrated Cookie and History cleaning. Integrated Homepage Hijack protection. ZILLAsmart Technology automatically checks for updates daily. FREE support via live chat, e-mail and toll-free 800 number.
☞ http://www.stopzilla.com/download/download_select.aspx
◙ SPYWARE DOCTOR - Recommended by experts and editors around the world as the best Anti-Spyware. FREE award-winning customer support for all users. Frequent advanced updates ensure that you are always protected. Detects, removes and blocks all types of Spyware and Adware threats. Easiest to use with intelligent automatic protection. 100% Guaranteed.
☞ http://www.pctools.com/spyware-doctor/
◙ Here is a wealth of information about fighting spyware and spyware producers. Join their free forum for answers to your questions.
☞ http://www.spywareinfo.com/
☞ http://www.spywarewarrior.com/
☞ http://www.google.com/search?q=adware+info
◙ Here are more programs and info sites.
☞ http://www.google.com/search?q=free+online+spyware+adware+remover
◙ When malware (adware, back doors, cookies, dialers, hijackers, key loggers, spyware, thiefware, trojan horses, viruses, worms, and zombie pcs) or other undesirable software are installed into your computer they sometimes leave Uninstall entries in your Add or Remove Programs control panel. For some applications, you can remove the software using this Uninstall method. Other times they are there just to appear legitimate and only provide a hint that you are infected. This list contains entries left behind by undesirable programs in your Add or Remove Programs control panel. This information will allow you to determine if an entry in your Add or Remove Programs list should be uninstalled.
☞ http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/uninstall/
◙ Startup programs are programs that are automatically started by Windows when the operating system starts. The problem is that many programs, adware, back doors, cookies, dialers, hijackers, key loggers, spyware, thiefware, trojan horses, viruses, worms, and zombie pcs set themselves to start automatically when Windows starts. As more and more programs are started automatically, your computer's valuable resources are drained, thus making your computer start to operate slow. This database will allow you to search for programs that you find starting automatically on your computer and determine if they are considered to be malware (harmful), unnecessary to run, or necessary to run. To examine your computer for programs that are automatically started by Windows, you can download and install Autoruns by Sysinternals. You can then search for entries found in the programs output using this database to determine if the program should be running. If from the information you decide they are not necessary to run, you can uncheck that entry in the Autoruns program and it will no longer start.
☞ http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/startups/