Anti-Spyware/Malware/Scumware/Adware/Scamware/Junkware/Badware etc.

Whatever you call it, it's a pain in the neck!

There used to be a time, a long time ago, when you could install a program and it would fall into one of three categories, those are...

  1. Bought Software
  2. Shareware
  3. Freeware

Somewhere along the lines, some induhvidual convinced his cow-orkers that category two could be monetized by putting ads into it. True shareware was never seen again. At last report it mutated into the GPL with donations, or freeware with expanded features available for a reasonable amount. Category two is now filled with adware and it's fellows.

All hope is not lost!

Several companies and software creators disturbed, bothered, and disgusted by this turn of events, came into being shortly after the death of shareware. Some of them were looking for a decent but reasonable profits, some were on a mission to stamp out the pollution of their art, and some just hate commercialization of every medium. And at least one man, did it for unrequited love!

How you can remove this junk.

Truth is always stranger than fiction, and this is one of those cases, most of the good software for removing the nastier bits of this software, is free! Even if it has some functions disabled, the free versions do have some value. Yes, despite what you have seen on the TV you won't have to pay an arm and a leg for help. Here is a quick review of these system cleaners, with ratings.

* * * * * Spybot Search and Destroy. THE KING of spyware prevention, protection, and removal. Checks for nearly over a whopping 500,000 different versions of unwanted software on your machine. It uses a massively multi-pronged approach to keep your computer secure. A few of it's features are...

  • IT'S FREE!
  • Realtime malware execution denial.
  • Realtime Internet Explorer protection.
  • Realtime protection of registry settings.
  • Immunization of the system against spy-cookies, and several kinds of malware programs.
  • Immunization of the system to prevent going to certain domain names (where spyware companies are distributing their garbage.)
  • Scanning for and removal of rootkits, robots, malware, spyware, adware, scamware, junkware, scumware, and more!
  • Scanning for, and removing of invalid un-installers. (This saved Mike's bacon once!)
  • Secure "shredding" (deleting) of documents in a way that they are gone for good.
  • Startup program removal/deactivation.
  • I could go on, but this list is getting LONG.

If that's not enough for you, take my word for it, you need SBS&D!

* * * * * Windows Defender. Microsoft finally woke up one day and decided that windows systems getting loaded with malware was tarnishing the company's image. So, they went out and did what Microsoft does, looked out at the field and acquired a software vendor with the solution they needed. Now, instead of charging an arm and a leg for it, all they ask is the downloaders have legal copies of windows, and it's free then. This software used to be known as GIANT Anti-Spyware, and I guess now it should be called TITAN, but that would give Microsoft a swelled head. The name Windows Defender is fine. It also is a multi-pronged approach like Spybot Search & Destroy (which it can happily co-exist with), and while it isn't as advanced, it is very user friendly.

* * * * _ MalwareBytes Anti-Malware. This software recently got upgraded 2 stars as I have met, and co-ordinated a bit with one of the CSRs of MalwareBytes. The main reason (and it's not a buddy-buddy one) it came up in the world is, I realized that the excellent support level even offered people with the free version, is far beyond any lack the software may have. To witness some of this support, check out TeMerc.com .

As a further note, I tried this out, just to see how it did, and it threw an exception and caused a BSOD on a clean, malware free, legal, activated, and genuine advantage authorized computer. So it does need some code polishing and safing, or it may be incompatible with SBS&D and/or Windows Defender. Still, when infected with FakeXPA, it may be your only saviour.

* * * * _ Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool. Simple, fast, does it's job, but is limited to the biggest, nastiest threats currently in circulation. Updated regularly, depending on the global threat scope. Download and run on a 1 to 2 month cycle if you don't have automatic updates turned on.

* * * _ _ xp-AntiSpy. A strange program, but good at what it does. Allows you to turn off several snoops built into windows itself, and several other functions. This program also assumes a good knowledge of the internal workings of windows, so be cautious if you don't understand something in it, and leave it alone. As I said, strange.

Off subject a bit, the neat thing about this program is the best hidden thing. In the special menu at the top, There is a connection limit patcher. Surprisingly, XP only allows 8 or 10 connections to be attempted at the same time, unless you buy one of the server OSes. This limit was imposed to help save the world from malware that would infect machines, and spray out denial of service attacks. It also snubbingly assumed the user would be too stupid (if they didn't buy a server package, they weren't considered pros) to keep their system clean.

Well, if you made it this far in the reviews, and have installed any, or all of the above, you are no idiot. Back up your original file with the program, and then patch it for whatever you feel you need. (Really helps bittorrent!)

* * * _ _ Spyware Blaster. A nice, simple, clean and thorough immunizer. Give it a try.

* * _ _ _ SUPERAntiSpyware. OK program. It's one of the few that does a good job removing FakeXPA, But a lot of functions are disabled. I call this baitware, it's almost as bad as crippleware, but it does serve a fuction.

* _ _ _ _ Ad-Aware Free. Sad, very sad. Ad-Aware used to be the king of malware removal. Then it became somewhat cripple-ware, then it became down-right weak in it's free version. About the time the emo lusers showed up on the page for it, I quit using it. It became slow, ineffective, and never found anything that Spybot didn't already kill, except for cookies. It's a cookie eating machine. Even eats some sign-on cookies you want to keep. FAIL! But, if you want to make sure your system is absolutely free of junk, you might try this.

_ _ _ _ _ StopSign, Veloz, or any eAcceleration product. Once again, even if you changed your ways, it's not a good idea to be Christian when it comes to system security. Once a molester, always a molester, just like I said on my anti-virus page.