CDRLabs.com

1. spyware blaster
2. spybot
3. adaware
browser/pop blocker
1. mozilla firefox
if u have anything better, please share
F U (IE 6)

Mainly Ad-Aware, although I am trying out McAfee's AntiSpyware 2005. I haven't had enough time to tinker around with it yet to pass judgment.

For browsers, I still use IE most of the time. Netscape is my backup browser.

add SpywareGuard to the list.. free & excellent

Webroot has some nice programs.

BigMonkey wrote:Webroot has some nice programs.

Webroot SpySweeper & Norton Firewall.

I can't remember the last unwanted pop up (or pop under) window I got.
But I like that I can set it up for website that use pop ups, like PAGE3. (Topless British women in the Sun newspaper).

Adaware and MS Antispyware

I use firefox for the web currently. And I use IE on my laptop.

Anyways as for spyware/adware.
If you know what you are doing, you don't need any of that junk. But i do use the MS Antispyware, Ad-Aware and Search and Destroy when I have clients that are spyware up

FireFox for my web browser, with the Adblock extension installed --I like this message the best, I only block ads that are especially annoying or misleading (or CPU hogging in the case of one or two Flash ads I've found), as there are plenty of sites I visit (like this one) for free that operate off of ad revenue.

As for malware removers, I use a combination of the following:

AdAware
Spybot Search & Destroy
Pest Patrol (non-free)
Hijack This!

I'll put MS AntiSpyware on someone's system occasionally, but I'll postpone doing it more often until a final version is available that doesn't expire. Like Pest Patrol, it has a memory-resident detector, something I'd like to see more of. AdAware Pro has this, but in testing, I never saw it do anything so I can't say how well it works.

EDIT: I use these mainly for others' machines, not my own. I've only ever gotten a malware bug once, through a vulnerability MS apparently hadn't patched yet. I haven't got a virus since Windows 98 first edition. As for firewalls for those not using WinXP, I usually install ZoneAlarm. Sygate is good too, but ZoneAlarm is somewhat n00b friendly. I use NAV 2004 or SAV Corporate 9 on my machines, and AVG Antivirus 7 Free Edition on others'.

I use Spybot and Sygate Personal Firewall. Sygate is a great freebie.

IE with SP2 for XP to pop blockups.

Ad-Aware + Earthlink Toolbar.
If I'm visiting a questionable website I go to Internet Options and set Security to "high" and Privacy to "block all cookies".

FireFox browser. AdBlock extension but currently it's disabled.
Maxthon (formerly MyIE2) browser for pages that are IE only.

Norton Personal FireWall 2003

Spybot - Search & Destroy
Ad-Aware SE
M$ AntiSpyware Beta1
HijackThis! occasionally

LoneWolf wrote:Like Pest Patrol, it has a memory-resident detector, something I'd like to see more of. AdAware Pro has this, but in testing, I never saw it do anything so I can't say how well it works.

Spybot - Search & Destroy has such a feature too, it's called TeaTimer.

None of the above, Just Safari

Alejandra wrote:None of the above, Just Safari

Hehe, same here. Well, on my PC, it's IE 6 or Firefox with Ad Subtract Pro and NAV 2005.

Firefox with the AdBlock plugin (AWESOME plugin!); content filtered through Kerio Personal Firewal (under windows)l & The Proxomitron (under windows and linux), and an ad-blocking hosts file (see here: everythingisnt.com/hosts.html). The combo means I haven't seen a pop up OR banner ad in a VERY long time (and if I ever do, AdBlock can zap it permently). The combo (minus Kerio) is also cross platform and works perfectly under Linux (Proxo via wine).

For sypware scanning I use Spybot, Adaware, and MS Antispyware. All of which are free. Most "experts" recommend using more than one spyware sweeper, since none actually catch everything. Since all of those are free, why NOT run them? They all work great and catch things that the others don't. Having said that, if I had to pick just one, I'd be hard pressed to choose between Spybot and MS Antispyware. Both offer active scanning (ie, a memory resident scanner) and catch a ton of stuff. Spybot catchs more "trivial" stuff, though - like the history maintained by Wordpad and other apps. I like that

Of course I normally use the absolute BEST spyware protection known to man: Linux.

dodecahedron wrote:

LoneWolf wrote:Like Pest Patrol, it has a memory-resident detector, something I'd like to see more of. AdAware Pro has this, but in testing, I never saw it do anything so I can't say how well it works.

Spybot - Search & Destroy has such a feature too, it's called TeaTimer.

It does, and I've used it, but Spybot's one weakness is it only goes after attacks that match its categorized list, not suspicious activity. Also, when it warns a user, the warning message is apt to be confusing if you're not a techie, scaring the user rather than doing any good.

For me to find a free program to be useful for installing on someone else's system, it has to display errors or warning messages in a manner easily understood by non-techies, or its useless. I install Spybot, but I have people run the Immunize program and the scanner, and don't use TeaTimer.