Preventing Spyware « Tech Talk « Forum

sir_slush

I really think anyone who hasn't done this needs to :/ These are six steps to minimize the risk of getting spyware on a Windows system. This is not a removal FAQ, look elsewhere for that. If you don't want the junk installed in the first place, read this!

1. Run Windows Update
Use Windows Update to get security patches. Windows will still be a horribly insecure OS, but most known holes are plugged with updates. Run this about once a month.

2. Get a Good Firewall
The Windows XP firewall sucks. Period. If you have a router, make sure it's set to block all ports except for those you use. Get a good software firewall running on your machine, too. I use ZoneAlarm.

3. Get Spybot S&D and Ad-aware
AdAware and Spybot: Search & Destroy are the most widely-used, and probably the best tools out there to detect and remove spyware. Update both pieces of software with their update features, and scan regularly. Scanning is important because not all spyware is obvious. Some will transparently log keystrokes or track what sites you visit without you knowing.

4. Get SpywareBlaster
SpywareBlaster blocks known ActiveX-based spyware from installing. ActiveX is a "feature" in Internet Explorer that allows a website to install software on your computer. Even if you don't use IE, it's a good idea to get this, since IE is integrated so deeply into Windows. Update SpywareBlaster regularly, and remember to click "Enable all protection."

(optional)5. Disable ActiveX
Although SpywareBlaster blocks most known ActiveX spyware, nothing is perfect. If you want added protection, disable ActiveX in Internet Explorer by going to Tools > Internet Options > Security (tab), then click the "Custom Level" button. Set everything under the "ActiveX controls and plug-ins" header to "Disable". The only legitimate site that uses ActiveX is Windows Update, so remember to temporarily enable ActiveX when using Windows Update.

(optional)6. Use an Alternative Browser
Probably 80% of spyware infections come through the security-hole-ridden Internet Explorer. There are also other reasons to switch to another browser. I use Firefox, but there are other alternatives. (Netscape, Mozilla, Opera...)

edit: Fixed newline before "ZoneAlarm"

Umi

Fobby Master.

Another thing -

Don't download everything that ever pops up!!! Do a little research first!!!

My friend has to play the reformat hard drive game now because he put so much crap on his computer that just ISN'T coming off. I can't even say what was the main factor, since I have no way of knowing - there's at least 3 things that are STUCK and the one time I *thought* I got (one) of them off for good... hello Windows repair console because now I can't do anything but play around in the BIOS! And surprise surprise, I still have eleventy billion things eating up the CPU usage it's not even worth fixing without starting from scratch. This is all when he's physically disconnected from the internet mind you...

Argh.

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I know someone who's going through pretty much the same thing, apparently his brother clicked on one of those "Your computer might have spyware!" pop-ups right after he got high speed (and before he had configured a firewall) and his computer was reduced to poo in short order.
Which might serve as another proviso: Don't let other people on your computer without getting your network security as tight as you can (or just don't let them on ;p).

EvilPuffBall

I have made modifications to my system to make sure no one uses Internet Explorer on my computer...

(And thanks Sir_Slush for reminding me that I need a software firewall, I keep forgetting to get one)

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zushiba

A new browser should be at the absolute top of that list, the fact is that 99% of all spyware come in over IE. It is IE that caused the entire "spyware" thing to explode in our faces. Because of the glaring security issues in IE entire networks of spyware were built around it.

Step 1: FireFox, So many things can be solved by switching to this browser. Just do it.

EDIT, Also I'm going to sticky this topic because it is very much worth everyone reading.

rivid

Usually I would FireFox, but I have a problem and all my setting and bookmarks are gone. Sad

sir_slush

zushiba wrote on Tue, 07 September 2004 14:40

A new browser should be at the absolute top of that list, the fact is that 99% of all spyware come in over IE. It is IE that caused the entire "spyware" thing to explode in our faces. Because of the glaring security issues in IE entire networks of spyware were built around it.

Step 1: FireFox, So many things can be solved by switching to this browser. Just do it.

EDIT, Also I'm going to sticky this topic because it is very much worth everyone reading.

The list doesn't go in any particular order, I just sort of stuck everything in there. Really I think people should switch to another browser, but then you get "OMG BRWOSER ZEALOT"

zushiba

It is okay to be correct. Even if people don't like you for it.

TPC Poo

Really, if you do the other stuff on that list, using IE is no problem.

Hobbes

Overclockers.com actually ran an article a while ago about a thorough process of removing ad/spyware. The author also included some tips on improving performance. It is a pretty good read.

Link: http://www.overclockers.com/tips1166/

Blazingwolf

anyone one know a good anti key logger program thats free?

insanebluecow

A good program to use for getting rid of programs that start when Windows loads is HijackThis.

sir_slush wrote on Tue, 07 September 2004 13:23

Really I think people should switch to another browser, but then you get "OMG BRWOSER ZEALOT"

Pointing the finger at a Mozilla advocate and calling them a "zealot" is a poor answer to the many rational arguments against using Internet Explorer. And besides, there's nothing wrong with a bit of well-paced zealotry where a truly superior product is concerned. Smile

I.M.O.G.

Hey fellas, glad you liked the article hobbes. Smile

If theres any advice I could offer you or any nasty spyware/virii problems you have that I could help with, just email me a link to the thread at spamisyummy@gmail.com

Also, just some constructive criticism... I think not including HJT in the first post is a considerable oversight. Adaware and spybot are certainly essential and no-brainers, however just looking through an HJT scan will let you know if you've gotten rid of all the nasties or if there are still things hiding. It may not make much sense to the novice, but posting a logfile attachment for people to inspect is a good idea after you deal with a spyware infected PC.

You guys can probably figure out what forum I am from pretty easily, and if you ever have spyware related problems you want quick help on, our internet, networking, and security subforum is good for that. I don't want to advertise my regular forum or anything, as it probably isn't something most of you are interested in anyways, but if you need help on something specific with your PC, we are great for that. Smile

Again, glad you liked it, hope it helps. Let me know if I can ever help out your forums with anything, you got my email.

Stigma

Spybot:S&D and AdAware saved my day. I had like 200 files of the stuff. It is fixed now, hooray!

L+R+Start+Select

I got spyware once, it was so bad I had to reformat my computer, that's when I got Windows XP. Then, I got it a second time, reformatted my computer again and switched to Firefox. Since then, I've gotten it only once (for using IE for something Firefox wouldn't run), but it just kind of went away... it's weird, because I did nothing to get rid of it that I hadn't tried before. The spyware just left...

Picky Minch

I did all of those things already with no success. I'm not re-formatting my hard-drive though, I'd rather get spyware pop-ups once every 30 minutes than lose the millions of files I have on here. Also I'm good at fixing any serious problems- when spyware caused my internet to not work, I used my kick-***computer skills to save the day.

There’s nothing wrong with being picky!

L+R+Start+Select

Wow, you're lucky, every time I got it, I was over run by pop ups. It was so bad, my Internet was always shutting down. Ugh, I got spy ware more than twice a second.

Z-Row

what else can i do to protect my system from adware and spyware? adaware isnt getting rid of it, how can i set it to do its job right? does anyone have any suggested configuration settings for adaware?

AdAware and Spybot will get rid of spyware, but they won't keep you from getting it, at least not in their standard versions last time I was aware.
^demon found this hosts file list some time ago, and if you convert it to a true hosts file your computer should be set for most forms of spyware from ad sites.

Z-Row

How do i disable active X in firefox? i just got it today so im new to it

sir_slush

ActiveX is not in Firefox.

Tokage

...which is one of the reasons Firefox is so good.

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Z-Row

How do i turn off active x on the aol browser?

Ace Scribbler / Italy M3 Guy

Cleansoftware.org is a nice site that I discovered a few days ago. It lists freeware applications, utilities et similia spyware-free or with optional advertising (such as Winamp and Irfanview). I would suggest anyone who wants a clean PC with some good, clean applications to check it out.

Mootie HcGee

BEST WAY TO MAKE SURE YOU GET NO SPYWARE/ADWARE/VIRUSES...Okay write this down.

Step 1: BUY A MAC

(Let's not abuse the font tags, mmkay?)

Naota
I Swung the Bat

Is Firefox any better against spyware than standard Mozilla? I use Mozilla mostly out of habit.

Luna is not my goddess.

Firefox is just the browser portion of the Mozilla suite, but with (as I've heard) extraneous code chopped out.

sir_slush

Naota wrote on Sun, 09 January 2005 23:53

Is Firefox any better against spyware than standard Mozilla? I use Mozilla mostly out of habit.

Anything is better than IE. Mozilla and Firefox are the same at the core, but there are differences between the two. The differences are mostly small things like the way menus are layed out and how plugins are handled.

lord_saur0n

I've noticed that when I go online with my Win 98 machine I have never received any spyware.

Seeing that all new attacks are being designed for newer Operating Systems, 95% of these windows operating systems, I say find a decent linux, OS.

If the Movie Sucks! Dont Go, If its a remake of a Classic, Buy the Classic.

French M3 Guy

False.

I have a Windows 98 machine that gets way more spyware than my XP one

Real Advice: If you want to downgrade your computer to be safe against spyware, downgrade it to windows 3.1 or something.

lord_saur0n

3.1?? ouch, I used to have that on my old packard bell, ouch. Sure you won't get any spyware but will you have any fun?

scph

cap'n crunch wrote on Thu, 30 December 2004 22:23

BEST WAY TO MAKE SURE YOU GET NO SPYWARE/ADWARE/VIRUSES...Okay write this down.

Step 1: BUY A MAC

Wholeheartedly agreed. Macs do not have any known spyware, adware, or viruses. So there you go. And it's not because Macs aren't as popular, it's because Mac OS X is so much more sophisticated, down to the core of the software, that it would be really hard to make Mac spy/ad/viruses. In fact, there is one virus out there for Mac OS X, but it needs you to authenticate it with your password first. So there you have it.

If you still need your Windows box for some reason, get hijackthis also. It's awesome.

edit: typo :o

lord_saur0n

I think its mostly ottributed to their lack of popularity, If there are no attack being designed for MACS then there will be none.

Defying physics and most insurance policies

While I will admit that Windows has security flaws, I argue the main reason it's such a target for viruses is the security issues in combination with a large population of users who know almost nothing about computers and wouldn't give it a second thought if they opened a file and then it asked them for a root password. If other systems become more popular and start gaining more users like this, what's going to prevent them from getting an e-mail saying "Free cool screensaver attached" with the mac or linux version of thisisascreensavernotavirusiswear.exe and running it, filling in any passwords it asks for along the way?

I will agree that at the moment, though, you would be better to go with a mac if you don't know anything about keeping your computer secure. However I have been a windows user for over a decade and can say that I've never had my computer compromised by any nasty viruses or ad/spyware.

Barcode

Fishsticks wrote on Mon, 24 January 2005 10:34

While I will admit that Windows has security flaws, I argue the main reason it's such a target for viruses is the security issues in combination with a large population of users who know almost nothing about computers and wouldn't give it a second thought if they opened a file and then it asked them for a root password. If other systems become more popular and start gaining more users like this, what's going to prevent them from getting an e-mail saying "Free cool screensaver attached" with the mac or linux version of thisisascreensavernotavirusiswear.exe and running it, filling in any passwords it asks for along the way?

I will agree that at the moment, though, you would be better to go with a mac if you don't know anything about keeping your computer secure. However I have been a windows user for over a decade and can say that I've never had my computer compromised by any nasty viruses or ad/spyware.

I've only been a windows user for pretty much half your time. Just recently have I been serious about using my computer. I've managed to go for about 2 years without a virus on my computer, and they were only small problems (or in other words, Medium Risk). But then I was not being smart and got Kazaa. All I wanted to do was to find a few items. After getting what I wanted, I deleted Kazaa because I did hate it. Immediatly after deleting it, my computer crashed. Everytime I booted up and got on my user name, it would shut down in about 10 seconds.

I can't remember why that had happened, but I re-installed windows.

Spyware and adware, however, I get those almost everyday. But, I've managed to get less of them when I switched over to Firefox. And yes, those po- I mean "special" web sites are just ways of inviting trouble and harm to your computer. At least.... If you don't have InternetSecurity DX equipped with Jeff.

lord_saur0n

I pretty much did a complete scan Virus/Adware the second I got Kazaa Lite and removed 5-6 items.

Last night my brother got pretty mad about me using his computer, because I had deleted some game he had installed *that put spyware on*. Well I got my own PC last night, and I am taking all of my stuff off of his, including adware, spybot, firewall, etc. He's Screwed Smile

sir_slush

I installed Spybot, AdAware, and SpywareBlaster on my dad's computer. I showed him Firefox too. I heard him a few days later talking about how Firefox had "broken his computer".

Flash to last week. Some "HotTravelDeals" or something got a hold of his credit card number and charged him for a trip to Hawaii or something.

I checked on his computer, and he had uninstalled all the anti-spyware tools and Firefox.

lord_saur0n

Your dad reminds me of My dad...

Ranger1

I'd like to to point out that Microsoft has released a Beta of their new Anti Spyware software. I'm not really sure how reliable it is, probably not enough to replace all the programs aforementioned here, but it's worth a shot. It incorporates a "network" that when something is detected, it's sent off to let everyone else on the network know. (This feature is completely optional.) Also has a "Tracks Eraser" which lets you delete in mass all of those different folders we already knew how to clear anyway. Blah blah blah, it's nothing super or innovative but I think it's worth trying if your spyware problem isn't overflowing. Definitely not recommended for the desperate.

It's available at the Microsoft Download Center.

VGJustice

What about Pop ups? Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't some pop ups contain spyware? Isn't it a good idea to block those suckers and keep that stuff out? Even if I'm wrong, a good pop up blocker can't be a bad thing. Reason I ask, is 'cause my dad pointed me towards this site:
http://www.popuptest.com/
It throws just about every kind of pop up known to man at your machine (with instructions on how to close the more destructive ones), but none of the pop ups do anything. Could help, right?

Defying physics and most insurance policies

VGJustice wrote on Thu, 21 April 2005 02:36

What about Pop ups? Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't some pop ups contain spyware?

Yes, but a page doesn't have to be in a popup for you to get spyware from it; popups aren't really any different from any other web page as far as being able to contain malicious code. So a good popup blocker may help, but will not make you immune to spyware.

Eb fan 2

Spyware Doctor is great on my laptop it removes spyware, adware, viruses, trojans, and tracking cookies. To me it is the best protection for my computer. It would find alot more things than ad-aware or spy bot.

the_artic_one

Ranger1 wrote on Thu, 17 March 2005 23:21

I'd like to to point out that Microsoft has released a Beta of their new Anti Spyware software. I'm not really sure how reliable it is, probably not enough to replace all the programs aforementioned here, but it's worth a shot. It incorporates a "network" that when something is detected, it's sent off to let everyone else on the network know. (This feature is completely optional.) Also has a "Tracks Eraser" which lets you delete in mass all of those different folders we already knew how to clear anyway. Blah blah blah, it's nothing super or innovative but I think it's worth trying if your spyware problem isn't overflowing. Definitely not recommended for the desperate.

It's available at the Microsoft Download Center.

I got that and its level of quality surprised me. I would reccomend using it in addition to the other programs listed here, after all you can never have too many spyware scanners.

It’s artic not arctic.
☺♥♥•
Digipen Games, play them, they’re free. Just don’t play any made by me.

hegel5000

Umi wrote on Mon, 06 September 2004 20:39

Another thing -

Don't download everything that ever pops up!!! Do a little research first!!!

I couldn't agree better myself. This is especially the case with the Firefox extensions. Though Firefox is something that will protect you from ActiveX, the extensions aren't made by the makers of Firefox. When I had downloaded one, I found that I ended up with nothing but but the sound from the TVs in the Sims that were set to represent new processes starting. These new processes included things somewhere along the lines of installer.exe, and adkls2rffj902u32urfaj.tmp Shocked

. It was very scary. This particular one was the extremely dumb: Do Not Fear, one. I am however obsessed with downloading, causing me to do this kind of thing. Either way, stick to the mycroft.mozdev.org stuff for the search bar, and stick to only the stuff from it that you plan to hold and hug for eternity. The only downloads that seem to be safe besides those would be the Googlebar (also from mycroft.mozdev.org), but I recommend that you avoid downloads altogether altogether and stick to stuff from Microsoft, might be defective, but at least not malicious. Or of course things that everyone else in the entire world endorses with thoughtful reports (like the ones mentioned here in forum.starmen.net).
This website has given me so much support on my spyware problems even though I never contributed anything useful to it. It is weird how some videogame (even though it is one of the most fantastic piece of art ever) has brought so many geniuses into one extraordinary place. Cool

EBPlayer1028

NO Message Body...

Oh, wait, scratch that.

... What? Just stop using it, deleting it (PS: you're probably deleting the link, not the program itself) will likely cause system instability (plenty of MS products reference it anyhow), unless you happen to be running a Mac.

Defying physics and most insurance policies

EBPlayer1028 wrote on Mon, 06 June 2005 22:30

/me goes off topic.
How do we disable Internet Explorer? Each time I delete it, another one pops up!

What specifically do you mean by "delete it?" If you mean removing the icon from the desktop, that can be done by Control Panel > Display > Desktop > Customize Desktop... > General > Uncheck the Internet Explorer box. However, deleting the desktop icon will not uninstall Internet Explorer. If by delete it you mean End Process it from the task manager's process tab, keep in mind that Internet Explorer is iexplore.exe, not explorer.exe. If you meant something else by "delete it," please tell me in more detail what you mean.

My instructions were assuming you are using Windows XP.

hegel5000

If you wanna trash IExplorer, then what you should probably do (I've never actually tried it myself, but I think it would work) is to go into add or remove programs. From there, try that add or remove windows components thing that I saw. If you want to simply stop using it, then, in the same window of the add or remove programs control panel, you should go to set program access and defaults, or whatever the name of the tab at the bottom is, choose custom, and and set the default browser to be something other than internet explorer GET FIREFOX!!!!!!, and set it so there isn't access to IExplorer. When you turn off access to any program from that panel, you will only be deleting a bunch of shortcuts at the default directories for those programs' shortcuts, and when you change the default browser or whatever, then you are changing the program that opens weblinks and web pages.
Idea

Do you think I should make a topic where we could share information to identify safe and unsafe downloadable accessories/utilities? Question

Paralistalon
Paralysed Hair Salon

The thing I'm apprehensive about is that some anti-virus and anit-spyware programs themselves consume CPU power and slow things down. Is this an unreasonable fear?

Communism is the very definition of failure! -Libery Prime

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Umi Fobby Master.

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Ace Scribbler / Italy M3 Guy

NaotaI Swung the Bat

Luna is not my goddess.

French M3 Guy

Defying physics and most insurance policies

Defying physics and most insurance policies

Defying physics and most insurance policies

ParalistalonParalysed Hair Salon

Umi

Fobby Master.

Naota
I Swung the Bat

Paralistalon
Paralysed Hair Salon