- Spybot Search and Destroy
Spybot Search & Destroy can detect and remove spyware of different kinds from your computer. Spyware is a relatively new kind of threat that common anti-virus applications do not yet cover. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you didn't intentionally install, if your browser crashes, or if you browser start page has changed without your knowing, you most probably have spyware. But even if you don't see anything, you may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging that is silently tracking your surfing behavior to create a marketing profile of you that will be sold to advertisement companies. Spybot-S&D is free, so there's no harm in trying to see if something snooped into your computer, too :)
- Adaware
This is a spyware removal utility that scans your memory, registry and hard drives for known spyware components and lets you remove them. Options such as scanning depth and automatic modes can be set in the preferences menu. It features a wizard-style interface that will guide you through the scanning and removal process.
It also includes backup and restore functionality, excluding of selected components, multilingual support and shell integration.
- Bazooka
Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner detects a multitude of spyware, adware, Trojan horses, keyloggers, and trackware components, sources of irritation that many antivirus products do not deal with. The scanning process only takes a fraction of a second and tells you how to uninstall the invasive spyware or puts you in contact with the spyware developer for the most up-to-date and safe uninstall instructions. Spyware and adware often is bundled with software such as Kazaa, Morpheus, Grokster, iMesh, Xolox, and Gnutella, and in many cases it's installed without your knowledge. Some send information about your surfing habits to ad companies, which target you with pop-up ads that fit your preferences. Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner search for Gator, GAIN, Bargain Buddy, CommonName, FlashTrack, IPInsight, nCase, NetRatings, NewDotNet, SaveNow, and WurldMedia.
- CWShredder
Coolwebsearch is the name for a long list of browser hijackers. It uses many names and is especially difficult to clean manually. If your browser is going to strange search pages, you probably have CoolWebSearch.
This tool will find and destroy all traces of the CoolWebSearch (CWS) hijacker on your system. This includes:
- Redirections to CoolWebSearch related pages
- Redirections when mistyping URLs
- Redirections when visiting Google
- Enormous IE slowdowns when typing
- IE start page/search page changing on reboot
- Sites in the IE Trusted Zone you didn't add
- Popups in Google and Yahoo when searching
- Errors at startup mentioning WIN.INI or IEDLL.EXE
- Unable to access antispyware tools or sites
Important! A new variation of Coolwebsearch includes the CWS SmartKiller, which prevents you from reaching anti-spyware sites, and keeps Spybot and Hijackthis from working. In order to clean your system, you must first download and run a special Smartkiller cleaning tool.
- Spyware Blaster
Stop spyware from installing itself on your system.
SpywareBlaster keeps your system clean. No, it doesn't find spyware on your system and delete it. We have Ad-aware and Spybot - Search & Destroy for that. As Roger demonstrates on today's "Call for Help," it prevents spyware from installing in the first place.
SpywareBlaster detects known spyware ActiveX controllers and prevents Web pages from putting them on your system. Gator will never again ask you to download something. Xupiter and Bonzi Buddy will never again come knocking. All you have to do to keep SpywareBlaster aware of the latest threats is regularly update the software's database.
SpywareBlaster also boasts a system-restore function similar to the one in Windows XP. It takes a picture of your spyware-free system. If you get infected later (maybe because you didn't update the spyware database), you can restore your system to its original spyware-free state.
- Hijack This (If their site is down, you can get it from download.com)
Hijackthis! is a versatile tool created by Merijn.org that can track down problems with your computer. It creates a log of running processes and other information that can be used to track down spyware and lets you remove it.
Warning: Do Not make changes using Hijackthis! unless you know what you're doing. It is better to save the log and send it to an expert before deleting items. You can have your Hijack This log analyzed at Castle Cops
