Spyware Protection & Removal -- On this page, we offer links to articles, software reviews and resources to help you fight spyware that includes what is sometimes called predatory advertising or parasitic adware.

Articles

• Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products & Web Sites [also lists good ones], Eric Howes, Spyware Warrior, last update June 30, 2004

• Beginners Guides: Browser Hijacking & How to Stop It, Mike Dowler, PCstats, May 10, 2004

• To Outsmart Intruders, Enlist a Counterspy, Thomas Fitzgerald, New York Times, April 22, 2004.

• PCs Monitored, E-mail bugged, Robyn Greenspan, eSecurityPlanet, April 20, 2004.
• How to Protect Your Computer from Spyware and Adware, Jerry Honeycutt, Microsoft, April 20, 2004.
• Average PC Plagued With 28 Pieces of Spyware, Security Pipeline, April 15, 2004.
• Spyware: They came from cyberspace, Dwight Silverman, Houston Chronicle, April 10, 2004.
• Browser Hijacking [overview] and Prevent Browser Hijacking, Mike Healan, SpywareInfo, March 23, 2004.
• Free Utilities To Annihilate Spyware, Kirk Kroeker, TechNewsWorld, March 19, 2004.

• Beginners Guides: Spyware Protection and Removal, Mike Dowler, PCStats, September 4, 2003.

Comparative Reviews

• An Arsenal to Combat Spyware -- Spybot Search & Destroy, Ad-aware, Norton Antivirus, PC-cillin and AVG Anti-Virus, Michelle Delio, Wired, June 25, 2004

• Spyware Removal Tools Compared -- Ad-aware, Spybot, SpySweeper, SpyHunter & SpyRemover, Team Flexbeta, June 17, 2004

• Stop direct marketers from spying on you -- Spybot, Ad-aware, PestPatrol, McAfee AntiSpyware & Spysweeper, Robert Vamosi, CNet, May 17, 2004

• Bigger Threats, Better Defense, Mary Landesman, PC World, May 11, 2004, includes testing of anti-spyware from Aluria, InterMute, Lavasoft, McAfee, Panda, Spybot, Norton & PC-cillin

• Spy Stoppers, Cade Metz, PC Magazine, March 2, 2004: editor's choice SpySweeper 2.2; review also included Ad-aware Plus, Spyware Eliminator, Spyware/Adware Remover, McAfee Internet Security 2004, Norton Internet Security 2004, Panda Platinum Internet Security, PC-cillin Internet Security 2004, Pestpatrol, Spybot Search & Destroy, SpyCop, SpyGuard, SpyHunter, and Spy Remover.
• Pest Zappers, best buys Norton AntiVirus, Spybot Search & Destroy, and Ad-aware, reviews included eight anti-virus programs -- Boomerang Software EXtendia AntiVirus AVK Professional, F-Secure Anti-Virus 2003, GeCad Software RAV AntiVirus Desktop for Windows 8.6, Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal 4, Network Associates McAfee VirusScan 7 Home Edition, Panda Software Antivirus Platinum 7, Symantec Norton AntiVirus 2003, and Trend Micro PC-cillin 2003; and four anti-spyware programs -- Lavasoft Ad-aware Plus 6, PepiMK Software Spybot Search & Destroy 1.2, PestPatrol Software PestPatrol 4.2, and Webroot Software Spy Sweeper 1.5. Scott Spanbauer, PC Magazine, May 29, 2003.
• Spyware: It's Lurking on Your Machine, editor's choice SpyBot, comparative review of Ad-aware, Spyware Eliminator, BPS Spyware/Adware Remover, Internet Cleanup, PestPatrol, QuickClean, Spy Remover & Spy Sweeper, Cade Metz, PC Magazine, April 22, 2003

Step #1: Tools to Find & Remove Spyware

Ad-aware, Lavasoft, one freeware & two payware versions

• WinPlanet review, Forrest Stroud, May 10, 2004
• Ad-aware 6.0 review, Andy Shaw, Webuser, November 14, 2003
• Ad-aware 6.0 Pro review, Berislav Kucan, March 20, 2004
• Tools to Ward Off Adware, Tom Spring, PC World, February 21, 2003
• Scot Finnie's Newsletter Review: LavaSoft's Ad-aware Plus 6.0 *Top Product!* February 3, 2003

Earthlink Spy Audit free online service.

Spybot Search & Destroy, PepiMK Software, freeware; donations are encouraged.

• WinPlanet review, Forrest Stroud, May 19, 2004
• InfoInfra review, Courtney Gallimore, February 24, 2004
• ZDNet UK review, Robert Vamosi, February 18, 2003
• SpyBot S & D review, Craig Rashad, net-integration, June 17, 2002
• Web User review, Susan Denim, March 26, 2002

Spysweeper, Webroot, $30

• Spy Sweeper 3.0, John Clyman, PC Magazine, July 23, 2004

• Uncover spyware on your systems with Spy Sweeper, Bill Detwiler, TechRepublic, October 6, 2003
• Sweeping for Spies, Improved, K. Karaqiannis, PC Magazine, September 16, 2003
• A Trail of Cookies? Cover Your Tracks, Thomas Fitzgerald, New York Times, March 27, 2003

Step #2: Tools to Block Installation of Spyware

Javacool freeware (hosted by WildersSecurity.com)

• SpywareBlaster -- SpywareBlaster doesn't scan and clean for spyware - it prevents it from ever being installed.
• SpywareGuard -- Provides a real-time protection solution against spyware in addition to SpywareBlaster's method. An anti-virus program scans files before you open them and prevents execution if a virus is detected. SpywareGuard does the same thing, but for spyware. It also features download protection and browser hijacking protection.

Step #3: Tools to Block Spyware from Phoning Home (if you need it)

SpyBlocker $20 blocks the activity of Spyware, Ads, Cookies, Web Bugs, Scripts, Worms, Scanners and Adware while you use your computer.

• Rendering spyware mute, Mark Gibbs, Network World, May 28, 2001
• Resources to secure your business enterprise, InfoSecurityMag, May 2001
• SpyBlocker review, Dr. File Finder
• SpyBlocker review, PC911

Resource Sites