WARNING: Online spyware scanners

[aaron_burr]

I had a wicked spyware problem, so I used about three different spyware screeners. I can't remember which three, but I use multiple free versions because they each seem to catch different things.

Well, one of them apparently considers .ini files spyware, because all of my units' .ini files got wiped! It was not a biggie re-installing Civ and Conquests, but my personal mod was demolished. I had dozens of units, and I had renamed them, so the process of the finding them all is too daunting to even think about. No other programs seemed to be affected.

Just a warning to my fellow Civ nuts.

 

[ainwood]

Are you sure that it wasn't a virus the wiped your INI files? INI files are historically program information files, and there is no way that any self-respecting spyware screeners should wipe them!

Are you saying that it targetted only the ini files in you civ directory & subdirectories?

 

[Elgalad]

I used to have a lot of trouble with spyware crappage too but I've had no problems at all since I stopped using Internet Explorer. I use Mozilla's Firefox now, it has none of those backdoors or exploits that I.E. does. It was a free download from the Mozilla main site. Works a lot like a clone of Netscape Navigator. I understand there is another browser similar to I.E. if you really prefer that, but I cant remember the name offhand.


-Elgalad

 

[Paradigne]

Mozilla ROCKS!!! It has all kinds of add-ons you can download. Definitely better than ie

 

[Wolfwood]

Always keep a backup of your important files. My Civ backup is over 250 Mbs, but I consider it important enough to keep around (I copy the latest version now and then to our other computer).

Oh yes: Use Mozilla, discard Outlook and use only webmail. That will help some...

 

[MSTK]

People actually use Outlook?

 

[Wolfwood]

People actually use Outlook?

Yes, I've seen it happen. Quite scary...

 

[Dreadnought]

Gave me nightmares once...

 

[Turner]

Moderator Action: As this is moving from a civ3 discussion to general computer talk, I'm moving it there.

 

[alamo]

I highly recommend stompsoft's spy x-terminator.

It is a blocker, so no need for cleanup. There is a crippled version for trial, which blocks fine (cleanup disabled).

I would actually pay for this one.

 

[hbdragon88]

Use Opera's M2 for mail. I used it once for Yahoo Mail, but I don't think mail clients are for me, so I abandoned it But lots of other people love it. In an Opera article, the author raved:

Opera's Mail (aka M2) client makes me want to drag it off into a back corner and make out with it, it's so dang sleek and sexy. It lets me manage 7 different accounts with ease and style. Finding messages is instantaneous. Helping me manage my email better is a major feature, and Opera does it best. It automatically sorts mailing list messages, which is important for someone who is currently on some 20 mailing lists. Instead of making me create filters for each list, Opera does it for me, so I can get back to more important things. Once again: Opera makes it easier for me to do what I want to do (read/sort a large amount of email).

M2 is built into the browser (a 3.4MB download).

 

[Jeratain]

People actually use Outlook?

Outlook is actually a great program. It's Outlook Express people should be wary of.

On top of that, I don't normally recommend anyone uses spyware scanners other than AdAware or Spybot S&D. I have heard of certain companies claiming to be spyware scanners and sounding oh-so-great, only to install spyware on the computer.

 

[Silverflame]

Most spyware scanners have a "recovery" or "quarantine" feature that allows you to recover accidentaly deleted files. So long as you didn't purge them before realizing the INI files were gone, you should be able to find them there. Assuming, of course, that it was not a virus that deleted those files.

The three online scanners I trust are Spybot, Adaware, and SpywareBlaster. Throw in Norton Antivirus and Firefox, and that computer will most likely be spyware-free for a while.

 

[MarineCorps]

Most spyware scanners have a "recovery" or "quarantine" feature that allows you to recover accidentaly deleted files. So long as you didn't purge them before realizing the INI files were gone, you should be able to find them there. Assuming, of course, that it was not a virus that deleted those files.

The three online scanners I trust are Spybot, Adaware, and SpywareBlaster. Throw in Norton Antivirus and Firefox, and that computer will most likely be spyware-free for a while.

SpywareBlaster is a scanner?

 

[Roke]

The three online scanners I trust are Spybot, Adaware, and SpywareBlaster. Throw in Norton Antivirus and Firefox, and that computer will most likely be spyware-free for a while.

I just saw an "interesting" pop-up add telling me to use whatever malicious program it's advertising to scan for spyware because Adaware and Spybot S &D are versions of spyware

 

[Silverflame]

SpywareBlaster is a scanner?

That was improper wording by me, sorry. I meant anti-spyware stuff.