The best anti spyware program is...

[smileyscout]

Last fall at work I read a issue of PC World someone had kindly left and they had an article which reviewed various anti-spyware programs on Windows Vista. Normally I consider reviews like this in computer magazines to be a tad bit colored by advertisers but it said the testing was done by a third party.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,136205/article.html#
The actual magazine article was quite a bit more detailed.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/136196-1/article.html
According to this link they sure don't think much of Spybot anymore.

In short the article scored the old standby Spybot Search and Destroy at the bottom of the pack and PC Tools' Spyware Doctor 5.0 as the best. Has Spybot really become outdated? Do I really need to spend money to get good spyware protection? If PC Tools is really so much better I might start recommending it even though it isn't free.

I checked the spyware premier thread in the sticky but the last major update was in 2006.

 

[Captain Colonoscopy]

NOD32 does a pretty good job in the spyware department although it isnt free. Of course it also does AV, too.

 

[shade91]

Windows Antispyware. Free and I've had no problems with it.

If your system is getting loaded up with spyware I question your competency with computers.

You can try the old routine and start browsing with FireFox. I still use IE7. No problems, ever.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I still use Spybot Search and Destroy when I come across infested computers. Spybot was getting old..long in the tooth..with version 1.4...which that article comments on. However..they have done quite a few improvements with 1.5..which came out quite a while ago. I also find it's immunize feature good...I have Spybot installed on ALL my clients PCs..whenever I sit down at a clients computer to do something...I'll take a few seconds to update and reimmunize Spybot. Immunization takes zero performance hit from the computer, it's just some blocked sites, nothing running real time.

However...for the best anti-ad/spyware programs..when I sit down in front of an infested machine....I've found SuperAntispyware to be the best at running first..and getting the most stuff. Excellent excellent program...granted it takes a long time to do a thorough scan..but it does a good job. Real time protection does a little slow down on the browsing...so I really just use this as a removal tool....for "problematic users"..I'll leave it running.

Second place....AVG/Grisofts AS...AntiSpyware. Trial program..so I run this second...it's also great a finding and removing stuff that others don't. Being a trial...after a few passes with this...I'll uninstall.

Adaware...and Windows Defender..I've found about as useless as tits on a nun....I don't even waste my time with them anymore.

For the better antivirus/antithreat programs that combine antivirus with good anti-malware....NOD32 and Kaspersky are up top.

 

[Spartacus]

I still use Spybot Search and Destroy when I come across infested computers. Spybot was getting old..long in the tooth..with version 1.4...which that article comments on. However..they have done quite a few improvements with 1.5..which came out quite a while ago. I also find it's immunize feature good...I have Spybot installed on ALL my clients PCs..whenever I sit down at a clients computer to do something...I'll take a few seconds to update and reimmunize Spybot. Immunization takes zero performance hit from the computer, it's just some blocked sites, nothing running real time.

However...for the best anti-ad/spyware programs..when I sit down in front of an infested machine....I've found SuperAntispyware to be the best at running first..and getting the most stuff. Excellent excellent program...granted it takes a long time to do a thorough scan..but it does a good job. Real time protection does a little slow down on the browsing...so I really just use this as a removal tool....for "problematic users"..I'll leave it running.

Second place....AVG/Grisofts AS...AntiSpyware. Trial program..so I run this second...it's also great a finding and removing stuff that others don't. Being a trial...after a few passes with this...I'll uninstall.

Adaware...and Windows Defender..I've found about as useless as tits on a nun....I don't even waste my time with them anymore.

For the better antivirus/antithreat programs that combine antivirus with good anti-malware....NOD32 and Kaspersky are up top.

QFT.

For friends and home users looking for el-cheapo removal and protection I currently install and suggest AVG and Superantispyware (Spybot is still good too). For home users with ability to spend money and all business users, NOD32.

"Autoruns" is also a useful free tool, as is Bart PE. But that starts getting into more advanced manual removal methods.

 

[marley1]

i never have found any spyware program to actually clean infested computer 100% im not talking bout just easy hijackthis fix stuff, but alot of times i get machines that are loaded with spyware. takes me longer then i wanna spend when i gotta clean em.

lots of the files/services are running even in safe mode, so most of the spyware cleaners wont be able to delete them. i usually boot into safe mode, run Cleanup! which just deletes temp files, cookies etc. i take a quick look at msconfig and remove as much junk as possible. i check the startup folder, i do some regedit. and i do some add/remove programs. also do Hijackthis in this mix

then ill boot off of ERD (just a bootable windows on a cd pretty much). i do more regedit checking Run, Run Once, Run Services, i check in the WinNT > WinLogon and Notify paths. delete all the bad shit (stuff attached to shell or usernit).

then deleting of files in various locations (system32, drivers, windows, c

then hopefully got it all, boot back into safe mode. Run ComboFix!, SmitFraud, VundoFix. Restart if they have too but always come back into safe mode. After all this I run Spybot 1.5 fix any final problems. Recheck with HijackThis making sure nothing came back. Recheck over files in various directories. Run a antivirus scan

then boot back into normal windows, throw up an IE window and hope for no popups.

But yeah all my clients get: Nod32, Cleanup! and Spybot 1.5 (have to remember to install this, still have 1.4 in the install directories lol).

But no matter what its all about computer smarts. Dont click on stupid shit and you will be fine. Even the best spyware program wont stop the un computer savy person.

 

[Captain Colonoscopy]

i never have found any spyware program to actually clean infested computer 100% im not talking bout just easy hijackthis fix stuff, but alot of times i get machines that are loaded with spyware. takes me longer then i wanna spend when i gotta clean em.

lots of the files/services are running even in safe mode, so most of the spyware cleaners wont be able to delete them. i usually boot into safe mode, run Cleanup! which just deletes temp files, cookies etc. i take a quick look at msconfig and remove as much junk as possible. i check the startup folder, i do some regedit. and i do some add/remove programs. also do Hijackthis in this mix

then ill boot off of ERD (just a bootable windows on a cd pretty much). i do more regedit checking Run, Run Once, Run Services, i check in the WinNT > WinLogon and Notify paths. delete all the bad shit (stuff attached to shell or usernit).

then deleting of files in various locations (system32, drivers, windows, c

then hopefully got it all, boot back into safe mode. Run ComboFix!, SmitFraud, VundoFix. Restart if they have too but always come back into safe mode. After all this I run Spybot 1.5 fix any final problems. Recheck with HijackThis making sure nothing came back. Recheck over files in various directories. Run a antivirus scan

then boot back into normal windows, throw up an IE window and hope for no popups.

But yeah all my clients get: Nod32, Cleanup! and Spybot 1.5 (have to remember to install this, still have 1.4 in the install directories lol).

But no matter what its all about computer smarts. Dont click on stupid shit and you will be fine. Even the best spyware program wont stop the un computer savy person.

JEEBUZ! If you are going to go to all that much trouble why not just backup data, wipe and re-install the OS? That has got to take less time and produce better results.

If it gets to that point I never try to fix it unless it is some sort of mission critical server or soemthing. Just not worth my time to dick with that much....

 

[marley1]

sounds like a lot, but it goes quick enough, maybe 2 hours tops, but thats time that your waiting for scans, so you just work on something else. formatting is a bitch if tons of programs are installed, more time to set it all back up for the user. but anything over 2 hours i just will format, or if the computer is barely used much and i can just load it back up and hand off.

people are dumb tho, i dont run any antivirus, spyware on my personal computer never have a problem and i get into everything good online (torrent, pr0n). n00bs behind the mouse!

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

i never have found any spyware program to actually clean infested computer 100% .

Yup..on the infested machines.....it takes a "shotgun approach"....hit it with many things.

I pretty much stay away from these..as I really don't do "home computer" jobs, but now and then a client will hand me a laptop from home or from their kid....

Wiping clean would be good...but often just not possible...don't have access to all the software install media, etc. Granted an infested computer can easily take 3, 4, 6, even more hours..of scanning and cleaning. But I'll do those as I get a chance..kick off a scan in safe mode..walk away and do something else..or go to bed...kick off another scan when I walk past the computer again...etc. This approach..it's often minimal investment in my time.