spyware

[snakehips]

I've recently downloaded 2 spyware progs. form the internet - microsoft antispyware beta 1 and spyware doctor. Both downloaded ok and so I did a full scan using both. Spyware doctor identified 182 possible threats but MS picked up nothing. Unfortunately, I can't zap anything picked up by Spyware doctor because you have to pay so presumably the spyware are still there. But spydoctor does list 'threats' so could I then delete these (mainly cookies) from my cookie folder? Should I even have a cookie folder?

I've also heard of Spybot search & destroy. Is that any better? - surely one prog. should be enough.

Any help greatly appreciated.

s

[scatty mare]

Can't really answer your questions, but I'm sure someone will! I use ad-aware, it's free and works just fine: www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

[scatty mare]

That should've come out as a link, not sure what happened there.

[wideboy]

Definitely get Spybot S&S. Keep this and Microsoft's up to date with the latest updates. Never been sure about those programs that scan, tell you they've found lots of problems and then want you to buy!! How can you be sure that they're being truthful (ever the cynic !).

[alunrw]

I use Spybot and adaware and have np problem , I read somewhere that a few of these so called spyware removers actually class certian files of rival spyware programmes as being a threat and therefore should be removed - the above two programmes (both free) seem to do the job really well.

[LeMarchand]

Cookies can be useful (the one I let stay for AB saves me having to log on each time I visit) but can also be used to track net usage. I'd recommend the aforementioned AdAware and Spybot progs. AdAware also picks up various Microsoft files that aren't dangerous per se but the paranoid may want to delete them - they contain lists of opened files etc so it depends whether you have been opening "suspect" files or not!