Broadband Tech > Security > Security > is there spyware software worth bucking up for?

is there spyware software worth bucking up for?

If I were buying.. I'd buy SuperAntispyware.. but I ain't buying...
--
da Cajun Darn I hate Malware

reply to tmaertin
Spysweeper.

reply to tmaertin
Unless you've been compromised in some way, which you didn't mention happening, why would you want to spend money? You say you're "disappointed"....disappointed why, because they don't find anything? Maybe there's nothing TO find?

Spybot doesn't make you "warm and fuzzy"? What does that mean? Windows Defender "seems useless"....well, if nothing is wrong....

Why would you want to "buck up" when what you have seems to be working fine?

Is the cash burning a hole in your pocket?

If you aren't having any problems, I'd stick with what you doing.
--
~~"As long as America is an infidel enemy, terrorizing it is a duty." Sayed Imam Abdul-Aziz el-Sheriff~~

reply to CajunTek
do you know how much memory SuperAntispyware uses running resident? the two windows defender processes (msascui.exe and msmpeng.exe) use about 28mb on my system now. that seems like a lot for getting a little in return.

was hoping to try and stay under that if i can.
--
"The best case you'll find against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter." - Winston Churchill

reply to La Luna
la luna,

i should have clarified my disappointment before. i had a couple of things slide by the protection i currently have (smitfraud c being one of them).

Superantispyware caught it in an on demand scan. i had run spybot, adaware and defender scans (the latter two as full system) and none of these caught this infection. luckily, i have BOClean running resident, which stopped smitfraud from running in memory. so thats why i am not all "warm and fuzzy".

on other machines i have fixed for people, i have run defender first and it has found nothing, while the others after it have found spyware traces. thats what is making me feel windows defender is "useless".

since i switched over to NOD32, i haven't seen anything in spyware scans except tracking cookies. i will admit that.

i guess my point is i just want to see if there is something better - and if it costs $$$ (and i did have some change burning a hole in my pocket, but i got a drink with it ) i just want to spend wisely.
--
"The best case you'll find against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter." - Winston Churchill

reply to tmaertin
IMO, all that is fine, even overkill.

I have on all my windows boxes:

•NOD32 - all setting maxed, including "unsafe applications"
•Winpatrol
•Spybot (no teatimer..winpatrol is far better)
•Spywareblaster with added blocking rules.
•8signs SPI/Rules based firewall (just for local control and logging, and as a 2nd layer..lots easier to add a quicky rule there than in Linux)
•Hardware firewall/router

And perhaps most importantly, no IE.
Me, I like Opera, but FF is fine too.

It'll cut way down on those pesky drive-by malwares.

I also don't use client-side email at all, only text/no .JS webmail on my own servers, or other web-based email.

That cuts out that vector.

If it's not on my computer, it can't infect me eh?

I get 'bored' too sometimes because it seems like nothing ever happens..but isn't that the point?

Oh well, back to using the Internet...

-CaFF
--
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." - A. Einstein

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thanks CAFF - i am a fellow Opera user myself.

i will give winpatrol a shot and see whats its like!

reply to tmaertin
I haven't found any as of yet. I might not be looking hard enough.
--
"If it ain't broke don't fix it."

reply to tmaertin
Winpatrol isn't really a registry monitor, not in the free version anyways..but it does watch for changes to startup, services, HOSTS file, etc.

what it does in free version:
»www.winpatrol.com/whyplus.html?version

I don't imagine using it along with Teatimer would hurt, I just found Teatimer to be a pain sometimes.

I forgot to mention..another BIG part of my defences is the use of the MVPS Hosts file and HostsMan to manage it.

Currently blocking over 18,000 tracking/malware/ads/bad places.

Once again, if it doesn't get on my computer in the first place then I don't have to worry about it.

-CaFF
--
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." - A. Einstein

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reply to tmaertin

reply to tmaertin
I love winpatrol, so much so I paid for the full version. I did not pay to receive the extras, but to show support.
--
~ Project Hope ~

reply to tmaertin

reply to tmaertin
you could use the free comodo boclean if you are looking for a "free" anti-trojan program..

»www.comodo.com/boclean/boclean.html

i am not as impressed with "superantispyware" as some others seem to be..

reply to caffeinator
thanks caffeinator,

i really like winpatrol so far...uses on 2-3mb RAM which is very nice. i installed the MVPS hostsfile and Hostsman and am trying those as well.

Do you bother running hostsman resident and in start up, or do you just access it on demand? sorry if thats a dumb question.
--
"The best case you'll find against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter." - Winston Churchill

Not dumb

I'll bet you surf faster now without the ads and crap.

It's browser-agnostic too because it'a at a lower level.

It's a on-demand app unless you wanted to run the server part..some do to show an image locally instead of blank where the ads, etc used to be, I never saw the need myself.

It just simply will help update, manage, and edit your HOSTS file for you.

It can be kept on, and also auto-update if so told in options, but I just launch it, check for updates, and close it.

Yes, Winpatrol will wonder what's going on with the HOSTS when you do that..its supposed to.

I dont auto-update anything except my AV, I figure it takes 5 mins out of my day to update spybot, spywareblaster, and the HOSTS file when I wake up and while I'm making coffee.

If something goes awry, I'm there.

-CaFF
--
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." - A. Einstein

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reply to tmaertin
Try A-Squared Personal Edition (with RT protection). They offer 4 months free subscription through here:

»www.majorgeeks.com/page.php?id=22

BTW, BoClean is quite good and free right now.

reply to caffeinator
thanks for the help everyone...so far winpatrol and mvps hosts are working quite nicely together. leaving windows defender is like going from dads station wagon to a sports car!
--
"The best case you'll find against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter." - Winston Churchill