UPDATED: September 28, 2004

Okay, I can see that there are a lot of people who don't know what their computer is doing behind their backs. So let me tell you what the deal is and what programs are a must:

Disclaimer: Never install anything or run something unless you know what you're doing / what it is.

First off: Ad Aware of course, http://www.lavasoftusa.com

This will scan and protect your computer from malascious spyware by safely removing it. This program is free, and it is a must. Make sure that you constantly check for updates as new spyware is created daily and the fine people at LavasoftUSA release updates.

Also: Spybot Search & Destroy, http://www.safer-networking.org/

This program does essentially what AdAware does, but is a bit more advanced and includes different features.

Potential question: Which should I download, AdAware or Spybot S&D?
Answer: Ultimately, the choice is yours. I personally feel that both programs compliment each other. AdAware will find items that Spybot wont, and vice versa. They both are powerful tools and can help, and there really isn't much harm in having both.

If you're still having problems...: Check out HijackThis (http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html) (alternatively, you can Google (http://www.google.com) it if that link is down.) It's a system editor, from the creator of CWShredder. In essence, it's like MSConfig or RegEdit, but it's more adept to search for browser parasites and spyware. It gives you a list of everything from your browser that is either good or bad and let's you choose what you want to keep or get rid of. It also makes backups of everything it changes, and can create a text logfile for analysis by others.

Someone in another forum said it best: "In the hands of an expert, it's an amazing tool. In the hands of a novice, it's less than useful, it's dangerous. So unless you're very, very sure of yourself, never make any changes in HijackThis without consulting others first." Heed that advice.

Sometimes if you have problems, you can run HijackThis and post your log into the post so that people can analyze it and tell you what is good and what is bad if you can't figure it out.


Second: Zone Alarm, http://www.zonelabs.com or Kerio Personal Firewall, http://www.kerio.com/us/kpf_home.html

This program protects your computer from unwanted access. For instance, let's say you have zone alarm running, and the gator program you did not know was installed on your computer wants to send information while you are on the internet. What happens is, Zone Alarm will alert you that the program is trying access the internet and you can stop it.

Essentially, Zone Alarm let's you choose what programs can / cannot have access to the internet, thereby stopping spyware from fulfilling its purpose. I reccommend Zone Alarm Pro if you wish to purchase it - It's well worth every penny, and the Pro version let's you block third party cookies, blocks pop-up ads, skyscraper ads, and more.

Zone Alarm is free, while Zone Alarm Pro has a free 30 day trial. This program is a must.

If you are running Windows XP, install Service Pack 2 and enable the built-in firewall. This is a very functional firewall and should do most of the things that ZoneAlarm does (with a few exceptions).

Third: Mail Washer, http://www.mailwasher.net/

What this program does is it connects to your mailbox (even hotmail) and it lets you mark the mail that is spam. It then sends out a message to each of the spammers telling them that they have reached an invalid mail box. This will usually have the spammers remove you from their list and thus save you the issue of having spam mail (or at least reduce that problem.) It's a bit of work at first marking each spam mail, but it can reduce your spam by as much as 80% (I'm saying that from experience). This program is free.

Fourth: Window Washer, http://www.webroot.com/wb/products/windowwasher/index.php

This program will clean your computer of any and all files you have downloaded while browsing the net. Let's say you went to a whole lot of sites where you get hundreds of cookies put on your system. (Cookies are also a form of spyware in many cases.) Well let's say you don't want to keep those cookies, but you do want to keep certain others. Window Washer will let you choose what cookies you want to keep, and it will delete the rest of the cookies from then on. So you can browse the net, log into the New York Times online without any problems after deleting all the other cookies, and feel safe. Window Washer will also clean out your Temporary Internet Files and History, as well as the index.dat file. Now you might be thinking that you can clean out these files manually through IE alone. What you might not know is that the index.dat file in IE cannot be deleted, wiped, or edited under a windows environment. (Index.dat file stores codes of every website you visit.) Window Washer bypasses this lock and safely cleans the file restoring it to the original status that it was. A great part of this program is that it will clean up lots of disk space, and do more than I even mentioned above. This program has a free 30 day trial. (Worth it just for the trial.)

Others have suggested: Tracks Eraser Pro (http://www.acesoft.net/). I have not personally tried this software, but it appears to do the same thing as Window Washer (possibly different, better, or worse).

Now regarding the Kazaa issue. NOTE: Kazaa is no good. Don't install it. Unless you can get your hands on a version of Kazaa Lite from the past (which is being quickly phased out), then use that. Otherwise, find other P2P networks for your legal file sharing purposes. Disregard the following text regarding Kazaa: Kazaa does require the ads and spyware to run. That's why you should never install Kazaa to begin with. Only install Kazaa Lite, or WinMX. WinMX has no spyware and works fine. Kazaa Lite is the exact same thing as Kazaa - it uses the same servers and everything. The only difference is, it doesn't have any of the spyware. You can find Kazaa Lite at http://www.kazaalite.nl/ or at http://doa2.host.sk/ .

Seeing that those links are now dead, and that Kazaa Lite has been killed by those who run Kazaa, it is now difficult to find this program on the internet. However if you search thoroughly you may find the install file. Luckily for you folks out there, hbdragon88 has posted a link for everyone that has all the old versions: Kazaa Lite (All Versions) (http://oldversion.com/program.php?n=kazaalite)

For Windows XP SP2 Users
If you are running Windows XP and have SP2 installed:
Right click My Computer and go to Properties.
On the Advanced tab click on the Settings button in the Preformance area.
You should have a new third tab: Data Execution Prevention.

I recommend choosing the "Turn on DEP for all programs and services except thos I select:" option.

What is DEP you ask?

Hardware DEP
The hardware version, is only available on a small number of systems. The idea is that hardware and software work together to protect critical parts of the kernel memory space (stack, heap, etc) so that when a buffer overrun occurs (this does not prevent overruns) the portion of memory that could otherwise be executed is non-executable (this is way over simplified). The idea is to minimize the impact of malicious code.
All the "Palladium" stuff people have been railing about....this is the first part of it.

Software DEP
Third party tools have been around do to this on Windows Systems for some time (StackDefender, Overflow Guard, etc). The idea is that you add software items to the kernel that have various ways of monitoring the memory space to try to prevent overrun execution. This is weaker than hardware DEP but does offer some good protections.

So that is the basics, by default the software DEP in SP2 is on for Windows and its services. You can optionaly turn on DEP for all software (which I recommend), and then exempt any programs you need that happen to fail due to it. The cool thing is when an app fails you will get information about the app and the vendor may already have a fix. The error looks a lot like a dr watson error that you have all probably seen but has a DEP title bar.

This isn't really a trick - it's more of a must-do option if you care about security.


Question: What exactly is spyware, how do I get it, and why do I need to worry?

Answer: Spyware is exactly what the name sounds like. It's software that helps companies spy on you. You see, companies like the Gator Corporation and Doubleclick.net are trying to find out what trends you have on the internet, and what your personal information is. Why would they want that? Well they don't want it - companies want it. So they gather this information through (unfortunately) legal means and then they sell it to companies who then send out advertisements to your email accounts. If they gather enough information they will mail it to you, call your house (telemarketing), and so on. Spyware can cause your computer to go slower, as well as mess with the settings and cause you to have many problems.

Spyware is capable of much more than I have just listed above, so don't take my word on that alone. Be safe when you browse the internet. Here's a few safety tips I think might help some out (they have been listed by a few users in the forum, thanks :))

1. Have a spammail account. I have one, it works perfect. I have a hotmail account that I use to register for any website I want to join, ie: New York Times, CNN, etc.

Only give out your real email to friends, business partners, etc.

2. Before you install anything, read the fine print. There are normally (by law) user agreements for any program you install on your computer. When installing the Divx 5.0 Pro player and codec, you might notice how it tells you that it is going to install the GAIN Network's software (Gator Corporation.) Always know what your'e putting on your computer before you install anything.

3. Browse the net safely. When you visit websites, don't be fooled by silly advertisements. Don't look at porn - those sites are the worst sites when it comes to pop ups and sending unwanted cookies.

____________
How do I know all this stuff? Am I pulling things out of my butt? Am I some sort of certified spyware / internet safety guy?

No. I'm no expert at this. I have done a few papers on hacking and internet privacy and spyware and so I have researched this topic quite thoroughly. There is much more to be said about cookies and spyware, but I think the basics should suffice.

Feel free to post some questions. I don't guarantee I'll know the answer to it, but I will try and help my best.

Jeratain:

Excellent post. Lots of useful information. :goodjob:

I installed AdAware last night and found 26 dodgy cookies, mostly from doubleclick. And I only surf to a few different sites, and virtually never install any new programs.

Its worth doing! :)

Nice post, I must say.

But Jeratain, are you totally positive that Kazaa Lite comes without all the sh*tty spyware? Just installed it, some functions have been removed, and you're able to tick what you wanna have installed, opposite Kazaa where, if you untick all other additional programs, the application won't install.

It's strange, though, that this site can just manipulate its own versions of Kazaa, obviously without Sharman Networks' (?) consent. Anyway, it's great for us spyware victims, we actually don't know how rudely they've been abusing own computer, untill we could finally have a look at the mess when Ad Aware came.

Additionally, this Kazaa Lite thingy is just as functional as the regular one; the bandwith/transfer rate doesn't seem to be lowered, and search results are just as good as the old one.

Again, thanks for your advice, thanks to you, you actually made be more conscious about all this and to be vigilant.

I knew about adaware and Kazaa lite, but not the other programs mentioned.

Thank you for posting about this.

Originally posted by nixon
But Jeratain, are you totally positive that Kazaa Lite comes without all the sh*tty spyware?

As far as I have seen / can tell, yes it has no spyware. (kazaa lite version 2.02 is the version I use.)

And for those of you, who have just removed their original kazaa after reading those posts.

CLEAN YOUR REGISTRY!!! It's still full of kazaa entries.
A nice program for this is regcleaner which is free as well.

Also, Spybot Search & Destroy is very good.
It finds more things than Ad-aware sometimes, and it's free.

A few minor updates.

1. Ad-Aware has released Ad-Aware 6 which is a huge step up from the previous version 5 platform. It has many new capabilities and is much more thorough than its predecessor. I highly reccommend that everyone download and install this new version. It is still a small download and does not require a high end-system to run.

2. Uninstalling regular Kazaa - First open up your control panel (assuming you are running Windows.) Now go to "Add/Remove Programs." Uninstall Kazaa from your computer. Once this completes, you will need to go to your hard drive directory and find the directory where you had previously installed Kazaa. (Usually it's located in C:\Program Files\Kazaa or something on those lines.) Delete this folder and it's contents. Note: Before deleting the contents of this folder be sure to save any files or media that you wish to keep which is in the "My Shared Folder" folder, which is normally located in the Kazaa folder. Once you have saved your shared files elsewhere you are safe to delete the contents of the Kazaa folder.

After you have finished deleting this folder, run Ad-Aware, or as Zelig suggested, you may also run Spybot Search & Destroy. This will find and remove any remaining spyware which Kazaa left behind.

When this task is complete, you can go ahead and install Kazaa Lite. As of February 19 the latest version is 2.1.

3. Also, make sure to periodicallly check for any software updates. Ad-Aware 6 comes with a built-in updater that will allow you to check for any reference file updates and will keep it up to date by the click of a button. Zone Alarm Pro is now up to version 3.5 and has many additional features than it's previous versions.

Also for those of you who are interested in downloading the DiVX Pro codec but are worried about the potential spyware that comes with it, you can also download K-Lite Codec Pack which is brought to you by the makers of Kazaa Lite. This pack comes with many different Codecs, including DiVX Pro 5.03. You can find this pack at: http://doa2.host.sk/

OK, Ad-aware is muuch more efficient now! Now, it takes about the same time as NAV uses on a full system scan. Gee. Always nice with improvements, though - and the design is a lot more sexy! :D ;)

I downloaded Zone alarm, but it is blocking access to a Computer that i know is "clean". It is my brother's computer, and zone alarm keeps telling me it's blocking his computer (i can tell by the IP adress it gives me.) Any way to open his IP so Zone Alarm doesn't block it?

Did you set your LAN as a trusted zone? If not, try that, it should fix your problem - that is assuming that you are both on the same LAN.

how do i do that?

Originally posted by Civanator
how do i do that? See the two sliders in your Zone Alarm settings panel? One says: "Internet Zone Security" and the other says "Trusted Zone Security" ?

Just go ahead and slide down the slider to "low" on the "Trusted Zone Security." Leave the Internet one alone however.

If you still don't know what to do, or if it still doesn't work, you can post your question and I'll try to answer, or you can just search for it yourself in the manual: http://download.zonelabs.com/bin/media/pdf/za31_help.pdf

This manual is in PDF format, so make sure you have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it.

ok. I think i fixed it now. Thanks for your help :)

No problemo, glad I could help you out :)

I now use both Spybot Search and Destroy as well as Adaware 6.0. One often finds something the other missed, no matter which I run first.

http://www.petitiononline.com/webads/petition.html

GIDustin

I think that it's barely legal to have that because it's embedded in the user agreement. By clicking "yes" you say that yeah, you can install spyware. But whichever, I'm still against such intrusion. Luckily for me I don't download much and Ad-aware turned up nothing.

I heard that you could just install kazaa, run adware to get rid of the spyware, and then use some sort of dummy files to replace the ones needed to start kazaa. I have no idea how it is done though. Maybe a search on the Internet could clear some of this. I just use WinMX these days. It's pretty nice IMHO.

Originally posted by goododa
I heard that you could just install kazaa, run adware to get rid of the spyware, and then use some sort of dummy files to replace the ones needed to start kazaa. I have no idea how it is done though. Maybe a search on the Internet could clear some of this. I just use WinMX these days. It's pretty nice IMHO. You can do that, but installing Kazaa Lite is just easier to do really.

With the latest updates, I am now getting spyware alerts from Adaware and Spybot S&D that Kazaa Lite is now leaving spyware. I only use it occasionally (Kazaa Lite) since I don't d/l much from the web (and I have yet to d/l anything from Kazaa Lite) and I just got an alert when I ran both programs on both machines. Topsearch with Kazaa Lite in the information listed. This is the first time that either program has found something left by Kazaa Lite. In both cases, I hadn't d/l ed anything from Kazaa Lite on either machine, just used the Kazaa Lite search feature.

File : c:\program files\kazaa lite\topsearch.dll

I don't know if this is something (spyware) that I need to be concerned about, but it hadn't showed when I ran either adaware or Spybot S&D before now.

Did you have regular Kazaa installed before you installed kazaa lite?

The famous "topsearch.dll" needed by "Kazaa.exe" is a spyware, that's why KaZaA Lite does not contain it.

My Kazaa folder never contained this file, nor does it currently have it. Kazaa Lite does not have that file in its list of files either, so I don't see why you are getting this unless you had regular Kazaa installed prior to installation of Kazaa Lite.

No, I never had regular Kazaa installed on either computer. I read too much about it to even consider installing it, between the almost impossible to uninstall to the virus problems on many of its downloads.

Yesterday was the first time that either program (adaware or Spybot) picked up that file on either program. I always review what each program finds before I decide on deleting it or not, that way I know what is being found and whether or not to delete it. I had just gotten the newest update from both programs when it find the file.

Mailwasher says to have support for web-based email accounts (so I've read) but I've had serious difficulties in using it for my Yahoo account. Every time Mailwasher opens up and gets access it promptly gets shut down automatically - is it Yahoo safeguards?

Originally posted by hbdragon88
Mailwasher says to have support for web-based email accounts (so I've read) but I've had serious difficulties in using it for my Yahoo account. Every time Mailwasher opens up and gets access it promptly gets shut down automatically - is it Yahoo safeguards?

I have the same problem; here is a link from the mailwasher FAQ:

Mailwasher FAQ (http://www.mailwasher.net/faq.php#_Q._Which_email) , between a 1/3 and 1/2 the way down the page, which leads to this:

Yahoo Link (http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/mail/pop/)

From what I recall, and what I gleaned from Yahoo, POP access is only available for Premium Yahoo users.

ARGGH!:mad: It's gone too far! I registered as a Yahoo user and saw the transitions take place: charges, fees, redeisgned layout (no more frames - :) ) and the free quota from 6MB to 4MB. JUST to access mail through a POP3 must be premium.

This May Be a Work around (http://yahoopops.sourceforge.net/)

yahoopops.sourceforge.net is the link in case it does not work the first time.

http://yahoopops.sourceforge.net/downloads.html is the download page for it. Sometimes, the links don't always get it the first time.

Nice link Kring. I still don't know what to tell you about that spyware you found in Kazaa Lite, it really has me baffled.

About the Mailwasher deal. Yahoo mail is a pita when it comes to the pop mail deal. You can check Kring's link, and maybe it will work, I haven't tried it myself. I do know that Hotmail works with mailwasher however.

The links are great, Jeratain.

Ad-aware is an amazing tool, even if I haven't needed to use it much. I never download anything from Kazaa and most of my downloading has come on another computer. Then I switched to my current one which I download very little.

Window Washer has been really awesome. I thought before that Norton Systemworks did a good job of cleaning, but this incredibly streamlined and really fast. I've reclaimed 1.6GB so far.

Hmmm...I checked out Kazaa and they claimed that they were very worried about spyware and that they checked with the companies about spyware. Lies.

I suspect that the free version of Eudora also installs data mining stuff. I cleaned my sytem with AdAware but now I have more mining stuff. So I paid $40. Anyhow, I don't expect the Eudora guys to work for free.

Now I'll see if I keep getting the Gator stuff etc.

Spystopper (http://www.webattack.com/php/download.php?id=103256&app=spystopper&r=l) is a very small "firewall" that actually focuses on blocking cleverly cookies and other ip scan. That will prevent you from being flooded by spam emails just after browsing a website.

I've just found this thread.
Are you familiar with the shareware "Spybot Search and Destroy"-program? I think it's awesome! You can find it at http://security.kolla.de

Originally posted by Nahuixtelotzin
Are you familiar with the shareware "Spybot Search and Destroy"-program? I think it's awesome! Yeah, it's pretty good. Someone posted about it on page 1 of this thread as well.

An example of the importance of checking for spyware... As you can see, I have noty checked my computer for spyware in a long time...

Eek! :eek: If I ever got that many I'd reformat just because I'd feel so dirty!

Double :eek: !! Thankfully, the first time I ran adaware on both my computers I didn't get anywhere near that many.

I reckon that most of the spyware was from WildTangent. There are some lessons in this.

1) Check your computer regularly (at least once a week) with a spyware checker, and download the latest spyware definitions at least once every two weeks.

2) DON'T install anything by WildTangent, or that uses WildTangent programs to run.

I run an adaware and spybot scan several times a week, and check for updates every time before I run them. I also don't auotinstall anything, and am careful on what I do install.

Speaking of WildTangent, I go to the same sites on both my computers, but only one winds up with WildTangent stuff on it when I do the spyware scans. I have unchecked all the WildTangent related stuff in the Startup menu on the computer that gets it, but I still get some on that computer, but none on the other computer. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Eek!

I was a classmate's house (I would say friend's, but she isn't my friend) once and installed Ad-Aware. There was some a hundred objects on her computer. :eek: When I came back the next day (it was a video project) the program had been uninstalled.

:mad: My Window Washer trial just expired...what should I do now? It was a great program to clean my hard drive.

I installed Ad-Aware a little while ago, it detected a program called Bonzi-Buddy, and tons of doubleclick cookies, even a Tetris Game, called SkinTris! :confused:

Just goes to show the Trojans you may have but don't know about!!!

hhdragon, unfortunately, you now have to register!! I don't like shareware progs. I never download them, so I don't have to get so 'attached' to them. Sorry if that word is inappropriate.

Originally posted by hbdragon88
:mad: My Window Washer trial just expired...what should I do now? It was a great program to clean my hard drive. Fully uninstall the program, then re-install it. That should reset the timer so you can use it again.. assuming that the uninstall feature removes all registry keys left by the program.

I have uninstalled it, but I know some programs leave traces so you can't get away with reinstalling. Now I have a name, registery keys...

Is there anyone that could tell me what registery key Window Washer creates? I could delete it, but I'd have to know which one it is.

I looked through the logfile I had saved from the 163-spyware list, and I found that about 113 (give or take) were from WildTangent.

Who/Waht/Where is WildTangent??????????

If you go into the run, type REGEDIT then press Ctrl-F. Type in window washer, or the compnay that made them. You should find it now!

I found it, deleted the whole folder, and ran the setup. Worked like a charm :) Thanks everyone.

Thanks for that Adware program. I have 756 infected files or Reg things.

756?!! That's alot!!!! :lol: :lol: D
You must pick up lots of cookies! I only had <100

Most of my adware/spyware is data miners from cookies :p Never any bad stuff. I have Kazaa Lite :)

Btw be careful, I just read a news concerning another security leak in the Kazaa software.. I don't have the URL in memory but search the web.

What about spysweeper? I have it installed on my computer. How would you compare it to adware or the like?

To be honest I haven't personally used the program spysweeper. I'm sure there's no harm in having additional spyware searching software. Use it in conjunction with Ad Aware to see if perhaps one misses something and the other catches it. Maybe some other users have a qualified opinion on that software...

I installed SpySweeper a few weeks ago.

Now I use it in conjunction with adaware and Spybot Search & Destroy. I alternate the order that I start them, and SpySweeper has found stuff even after adaware and Spybot didn't.

http://webroot.com/wb/downloads/index.php

Look under Try it on the right side of the page in the above link, around 2.02 MB in size.


This from the site; note some of the things only work for the paid version.

Spy Sweeper Snapshot

Spy Sweeper automatically detects and can remove all common forms of spyware programs including Trojans, system monitors, keyloggers and adware.
Take back your privacy - prevent spyware from recording your every move.
Protect yourself from identity and credit card theft.
Stop unscrupulous marketers, scam artists and snoops in their tracks - detect and remove spyware already installed on your system.
Prevent dangerous Trojan programs from wreaking havoc on your computer.
Take control of your computer - log files and detailed spyware definitions give you the knowledge you need to determine which programs you'll allow to run on your system.

What's new in Spy Sweeper 2.0

Automatically updates spyware definitions to provide immediate protection from the latest threats as they emerge.
Integrated news service provides essential information for avoiding spyware infection and tips for enhanced Spy Sweeper protection and convenience.
Compatibility with leading anti-virus applications, like Norton and McAfee ensures conflict free operation with your PC.
More comprehensive detection and removal of all Trojan and System logger components.
Expanded definitions detect more than 6,000 known fingerprints of Trojans, adware and system monitors

Features

Powerful Detection, Quarantine and Deletion - Spy Sweeper not only detects over 6,000 known spyware traces, it allows you to quarantine and arms you with the knowledge you need to analyze them more closely. Quarantined programs are disabled and stored in a safe place on your system until you decide whether or not to remove them. Because removing some spyware can break other programs on your system, the ability to quarantine without removal is an essential element that most anti-spyware programs are missing.

Spy Definitions Database - Subscribers will receive the most detailed and updated descriptions available for any spyware Spy Sweeper detects on your system including the category of spyware, its capabilities, methods of infection, risk analysis and recommended action. This information empowers you to determine how your personal information gets used.

Sweeping Options - Run a quick sweep for a fast, convenient analysis of your privacy risks, or choose a full sweep to ensure an in-depth probe to detect all spyware threats on your system.

Frequent Updates - Subscribers have access to Spy Sweeper databases, containing the most up-to-date spyware threats, so that your PC and privacy are fully protected.

Automated Scanning - Schedule automatic scan times to fit your schedule, and ensure that you are protected, no matter how busy you are.

Free Software Upgrades - Subscribers automatically receive free software upgrades for the duration of their subscription, ensuring that they have the most sophisticated spyware protection program available.

Simple and Easy-to-use - One-click starts sweeping for covert spyware on your system, providing powerful protection to novice and power users alike.



Subscriber Benefits

Unscrupulous marketers, hackers and thieves work daily to create new intrusive, harmful and annoying spyware to invade your privacy and steal your personal information. Free anti-spyware programs don't offer full protection, and anti-virus software doesn't protect you from spyware threats.

Don't compromise your privacy - with a full subscription you'll get:

Highest Level Protection - Regular updates to our spy definition database offer subscribers the most comprehensive protection available against all of the latest spyware threats.

Free Software Upgrades - Automatically receive and download upgrades to the software for the duration of your subscription.





System Requirements

Windows 98, 2000, Me, XP or NT4

150 Mhz processor or better

15 MB hard drive space

32 MB RAM

CD-ROM Drive

Supported Browsers: Internet Explorer, Netscape, AOL/CompuServe, MSN, and others


http://webroot.com/wb/products/spysweeper/index.php

****.

Kazza Lite now is starting to cost money. Kazaalite.nl now requires people to pay $1 (through Paypal) to download the program. Luckily if you have friends they can send it to you (they allow it) and you won't have to pay.

As of yet, k-lite.tk hasn't started charging people to download Kazza Lite.

Thanks to the person who wrote this, it is very helpful. And I never knew that porn got you so much spyware, maybe that's why I've had to reformat my computer so many times lol. Too bad there aren't any free, safe sites.

I got 77 New objects :p

So this topic gets revived, eh? It really should be sticked, how many users will actually search for old spyware/adware discussion topics?

Anyway, lots have changed since my last posting a year ago. I've ditched Window Washer and I'm now using Tracks Eraser Pro (http://www.acesoft.net/) to clean my tracks. Since I bought a premium Yahoo Mail Plus subscription, I now use Mailwasher on a frequent basis to delete and bounce spam instead of just deleting it. I also use Kazaa Lite - but unfortunantely, it got shut down. But fortunantely OldVersion.com (http://oldversion.com/program.php?n=kazaalite) hosts the latest version, 2.43, on its servers. Download as you please. :)

It's in the index.

Thanks for the links hbdragon. I went ahead and updated the information and links a bit.

I've got a question about Zone Alarm Pro, I've heard some bad things about the v5 line, so I'm worried that it might screw up my computer. So should I upgrade, or should I stay put until the kinks have been worked out?

I've got a question about Zone Alarm Pro, I've heard some bad things about the v5 line, so I'm worried that it might screw up my computer. So should I upgrade, or should I stay put until the kinks have been worked out?
If you're fine with what you have right now, wait. If you feel you need an upgrade, go for it.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Read some user opinions on their forums and see what people are saying about improvements and whatnot and base your opinion off of that. I personally don't know.

Are you talking about an upgrade to zonealarm pro? If so just get the free trial version, if that works then you should be safe to buy it. If not you can disable the free trial without much effort. I'm not too familiar with the problems surrounding it so you're probably safer searching the web for a more qualified opinion.

There have been some issues regarding v5 of ZoneAlarm.

I believe some of the issues are addressed on the Zone Labs website.

Look for more information by doing a Google search. There are a number of forums that have threads about the situation.

Latest v5.1 release on Downloads.com is only pulling a 59% approval rating. I read the negative reviews, and apparently, ZA is still having problems.

Also...dammit. That OldVersion link that I posted is no longer valid. They removed the files at the request of Sharman Networks. :mad: I guess the only sure way to get it now is to send it to each other through email. Does anyone need Kazaa Lite 2.43 that has Yahoo or Gmail?

If you don't want to use ZA but are using XP, upgrade to SP2 and use the built in firewall - the functionality has greatly improved.

I read in a PC Gamer magazine about two other free programs.

One is Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=321CD7A2-6A57-4C57-A8BD-DBF62EDA9671&displaylang=en)

And the other is AVG Antivirus free (http://free.grisoft.com/doc/2/lng/us/tpl/v5)

I haven't used them much (as well as the Spybot, spysweeper, and norton) but they are both fine and the Windows one allows a quick search (like spybot) or an intensive search (like spysweeper or norton). :goodjob:


Also, has anyone heard of Ares for file sharing?

*slides into topic on forehead*

Old topic, dudes.

Haha...August 17, 2004? Complaining about K-LIte? :lol: I now use Limewire - super reliable compared to Kazaa. On Kazaa I couldn't get a good version of Van Morrison's Moondance or Robbie William's De-Lovely. On Limewire I scored both songs first thing.