Spyware/Malware ?

[kg4heb]

My wife and I both have seemed to have contracted Spyware / Malware on our PC's. We seemed to have contracted this from "Limewire" file sharing for music. I was looking at the different software out there to see what's best for removal. Now, my questions are, is Spyware and Malware the same? Is there one program that can remove both then prevent it in the future? Can I buy one program that I can use on both PC's or do I have to buy 2 software/program's to cover both PC's? Can I use the Dell Dimension C521's system restore disks to erase the system and then reinstall to factory settings instead of purchasing the removal software? If so which is the best way to go and why would it be better to use the software rather than erase the system and do a reinstall or vise-a-versa?

[N6WK]

I use McAfee Virus scan which will remove many spywares and malwares as well as virus.
It works great for me.
Xoft also has a great product for removing spyware and malwares.

73,
Gordon

[k3wrv]

I use McAfee Virus scan which will remove many spywares and malwares as well as virus.
It works great for me.
Xoft also has a great product for removing spyware and malwares.

73,
Gordon

I'm writing this what may be the most malwarez infected computer on the planet. It's located in a motel lobby and seems to be running WinSux, and has m popups and suden appearances from MySpace than any machine I've ever used.

For Windows, I like Adaware, which is free for personal use. Alt = Spybot search an destroy also has a good reputation. I'd use both of them - one may catch something the other missed. I avoid Norton and McAfee like the plague.

At home, I just run Linux, and te future, I think I'll bring along a Linux disk on road trips - also a free dn load, and it's imune to viruses beaus there's no wy they can be written to a CD that' already burned!

many file sharing and social networking sites are loaded with malwarez.

[KC7UP]

You might want to get a real time virus checker (avast its free) and a better firewall (Comodo -its free-) they also have a free malware remover.
Curt

[kd8dey]

Dittos on lavasofts Ad-Aware free for personal use spyware tools. I also use Avast Anti-Virus (also free for personal use. I first started out with nortons anti-virus but quickly got tired of lost harddrive content when nortons crashed or became corrupted, Update on top of update, fighting the software to try to get it to reinstall etc.......

[PA5COR]

With an good anti-virus protection, use Spybot Search and Destroy wich will kill spyware and the like, it's free too.

Just look with Google for Spybot Search and Destroy, update when you dowloaded and installed it, immunise your computer and do an scan.
You might be surprised what is lurking into your computer...

[kf6rdn]

My wife and I both have seemed to have contracted Spyware / Malware on our PC's. We seemed to have contracted this from "Limewire" file sharing for music. I was looking at the different software out there to see what's best for removal. Now, my questions are, is Spyware and Malware the same? Is there one program that can remove both then prevent it in the future? Can I buy one program that I can use on both PC's or do I have to buy 2 software/program's to cover both PC's? Can I use the Dell Dimension C521's system restore disks to erase the system and then reinstall to factory settings instead of purchasing the removal software? If so which is the best way to go and why would it be better to use the software rather than erase the system and do a reinstall or vise-a-versa?

Limewire? I've only used the Linux version lately but it didnt have any of that. In fact I overheard a guy at work that is very computer literate (it's actually his job) was installing it.

How do you know you've got it? I've had good luck with adaware & spybot in the past.

Also if it's real bad, using your system restore idea is not bad, if you are comfortable knowing how to back up your actual data, which would include personal stuff, photos, documents etc, as well as any programs you may have aquired install disks or download packages.

[kf6rdn]

I dug around a little, this may be of interest:

http://www.benedelman.org/spyware/p2p/#limewire

Basically someone did an analysis of p2p software, and found Limewire is the ONLY one that doesnt install such.

I have no knowledge of the credentials of the fellow.

[kg4heb]

[QUOTE=kf6rdn;1131231]Limewire? I've only used the Linux version lately but it didnt have any of that. In fact I overheard a guy at work that is very computer literate (it's actually his job) was installing it.

How do you know you've got it? I've had good luck with adaware & spybot in the past.

Yep it was Limewire. She downloaded a song and with in minutes I downloaded the same one and WAMO! Here comes the pop-ups and like you wouldn't beleive. Some settings where changed like the homepage and even when you change it back it instantly changes it again. Also, every time I click on a link at any website I have to erase pop-ups then try the link again. I have to do that 3 times before It lets me go to the link. It also installed about 4 or 5 different programs that I had to go in and remove. I can't remember what those where I already erased them. But after erasing what didn't belong on the list of programs I still have all the problems on both PC's. Nothing of these was happening until that one song was downloaded. So, I read about spyware and malware on the web and all these things fit the systoms it seems.

[WA9SVD]

System Restore doesn't always work... especially if some important system files are corrupted, not just changed. I just worked on a system that had about 10 restore points, and none were successful... Message was that restore couldn't complete. (True, the user is the "Poster Child" for "I-D-10-T" users everywhere, but still... just did a reformat and clean reinstall of XP, and the first thing he did was muck it up by not following directions in installing his screen saver program. (God bless the I-D-10-T's. They keep bread on the table!)

LavaSoft's Ad-Aware is very good at finding and removing most mal-ware; so is a good A-V program, and there are many good ones. (I've never had problems or data loss with any S'Norton products and use the A-V and Utilities since DOS days.)
But all the "Spyware Detection," Anti-virus, and Firewalls in the world are no substitute for safe computing, and being careful about unknown links, spam offers, and e-mail attachments from strangers, or counterfeit e-mails.

At least give Ad Aware a try. It's free for personal use; if you find it useful, the commercial product is not expensive and offers some advantages over the free version.

[kf6rdn]

System Restore doesn't always work... especially if some important system files are corrupted, not just changed. I just worked on a system that had about 10 restore points, and none were successful... Message was that restore couldn't complete. (True, the user is the "oste\r Child" for "I-D-10-T" users everywhere, but still... just did a reformat and clean reinstall of XP, and the first thing he did was muck it up by not following directions in installing his screen saver program. (God bless the I-D-10-T's. They keep bread on the table!)

LavaSoft's Ad-Aware is very good at finding and removing most mal-ware; so is a good A-V program, and there are many good ones. (I've never had problems or data loss with any S'Norton products and use the A-V and Utilities since DOS days.)
But all the "Spyware Detection," Anti-virus, and Firewalls in the world are no substitute for safe computing, and being careful about unknown links, spam offers, and e-mail attachments from strangers, or counterfeit e-mails.

At least give Ad Aware a try. It's free for personal use; if you find it useful, the commercial product is not expensive and offers some advantages over the free version.

This is true... However we were refering to the system restore that restores the system to factory default. Usually it is a ghost image that will wipe whatever is on the disk.

[kg4heb]

Ok, I downloaded and ran the Ad-Aware and Spybot Search & Destroy. It looks like all the problems are gone. Things are running good and there are no more pop-ups. The Ad-Aware got rid of a virus, malware, adware and other things that It said was a threat. Then I used Spybot. It got rid of the pop-ups and several other things that it said was a threat and what Ad-Aware didn't get. Now the system appears to be cleaned out. Thanks guys for your help! 73, Sam

[WA9SVD]

This is true... However we were refering to the system restore that restores the system to factory default. Usually it is a ghost image that will wipe whatever is on the disk.

Yes, but that's pretty drastic. Along with losing whatever data may not have been backed up, you also have to contend with months or years worth of "updates" for various pieces of software that have accumulated. That can take hours (even days,) especially with dial-up.