Spyware vs. Spyware

Everyone, including you, is at risk from an innumerable amount of internet borne pathogens. They travel through email, websites, downloads even instant messages. Although products are available online and through stores cost is often a prohibitive factor. Unfortunately, without any new software you will find that the old antivirus your computer came with just isn’t keeping up with the plethora of malware being produced. Luckily for us there is a large community of programmers putting out shareware to protect us. Here is a list of the best software I have been able to find.




Windows Defender

This Microsoft program with its full set of features and solid spyware-removal functionality is perfect for protecting your computer. A standard scan and delete program, this one has the monetary backing of a major corporation and it shows. Quick and easy it is ideal for the novice user. What it lacks in power it makes up for in functionality. Download it here.

Ad-Aware

This latest version of Ad-Aware SE runs faster than previous versions, and it finds and deletes even more illicit programs which track your surfing and are likely the cause for all of those pop-up ads. It is one of the most thorough scanners I have used and now it has a more user friendly interface that makes the program more attractive and extremely simple to use. This is probably the single most useful tool for cleaning up your computer and you can download it for free here.

Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.4

Spybot - Search & Destroy has been in the antispyware business for a long time and although it does not quite measure up to Ad-Aware it sometimes is able to find a few of those remaining bugs on your computer. One nice feature is that when it scans, the results now appear arranged by groups in a tree, and a sliding panel lets you view information about a selected item to help you decide whether to erase it or not. Another nice feature is the System Startup which lets you review which applications load when you start your computer. You can download it here.


HijackThis 1.99.1

If you have serious problems with spyware, you may want to try HijackThis. The tiny program examines vulnerable or suspect parts of your system, such as browser helper objects and certain types of Registry keys. This program is for computer savvy persons only, make sure you don't check off an item and hit the Fix checked button unless you're sure it's malware. To be safe click the Info on selected item then search the Web for that item's name try searching a tech forum like SpywareInfo. HijackThis is a serious tool for people with a serious problem but if you are careful it may save an otherwise hopelessly infested computer. Download it here.

PopUpCop 2.5.0.65

For those of you who need a pop-up blocker look no further than PopUpCop. Not only is it one of the best programs I have found for blocking all kinds of pop-ups and banner ads, it includes utilities for clearing cached Web files and managing cookies. If you are looking for something to get ride of those annoying pop-ups download it here.

Anti Tracks 6.6.2

As online privacy becomes more of an issue one key factor in the fight against full disclosure is the ability to destroy you web log. Anti Tracks has an exceptionally organized interface where you select which files you want to delete, including ones for Web browsers (IE, Mozilla, Opera), Windows, e-mail, and various applications (such as ICQ or Kazaa). It's also possible to purge folders of your choice. According to sources with a lot more knowledge about computers than me, an added feature is that you can make secure deletions by means of algorithms like DoD 5220.22-M and Gutmann. Anti Tracks seems to be one of the current best bets for anyone who needs a capable way to protect a PC's privacy. Download it here.