Too Many Spyware Programs?

[Tarq57]

SpywareBlaster is not a scanner, will not interfere with your other security (except to maybe reduce its' workload), is not resident as such, and consumes no resources after it is installed, except for the occasional update. Which takes all of a minute to update and enable protection, 20 seconds if you're a keyboard whizz.

CeeCee has it right.

[Anthony A]

I have no real time AS running. I have AVG AV running resident and am behind a hardware firewall in my router plus I turn on the Windows Firewall in XP just because. I have several AS scanners I run on demand, AVG AS, SAS, Spybot, Ad-Aware, Windows Defender, and A-squared. I have two anti root-kit programs, Panda and Blacklight. No infections for me in years.

 

I don't use Spyware Blaster or the similar immunize feature in Spybot. I see no need to load up my machine with all the restricted sites and things they add. Set your browser settings properly, especially IE, and use common sense and those are not necessary IMO.

[JDPower]

Well, the thing is, I don't want to run 2 spyware programs together at the same time for protection.

Spyware Blaster doesn't run in the background, it just adds restricted sites so uses no resource. Spybots immunise function is very similar so even if you don't want to install Spyware Blaster you could turn on Spybots immunise function (as with Spyware Blaster it doesn't run in the background or use resources either). I actually use both with no problem and would suggest you use one or the other, you can't really argue with zero resource protection

[Tom AZ]

I have Adaware 2007, Spybot S&D, SUPERAntiSpyware Pro, and SpywareBlaster.

 

It's better to be safe than sorry.

What do you feel that Spybot S&D does that the others don't do? Do you feel it's really a worthwhile addition to your spyware arsenal?

[runawayhorses]

Spyware Blaster doesn't run in the background, it just adds restricted sites so uses no resource. Spybots immunise function is very similar so even if you don't want to install Spyware Blaster you could turn on Spybots immunise function (as with Spyware Blaster it doesn't run in the background or use resources either). I actually use both with no problem and would suggest you use one or the other, you can't really argue with zero resource protection

How do you turn on Spybots immunize function? I looked in the settings section but couldn't find which feature to activate. What I did when I first installed it was unchecked the protect IE box. So now if I decide I want the protection how do I turn it on, short of reinstalling it?

[hazelnut]

This page gives lots of info and shows about spybots immunize function

 

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/...3.html#immunize

[runawayhorses]

This page gives lots of info and shows about spybots immunize function

 

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/...3.html#immunize

Thanks Hazelnut, I just educated myself this morning about the immunizing feature. I don't know how I missed it, the feature is right there on the front page.lol I really just wanted to know how to activate it in case someday I decide to use it. I don't intend on using right now though, as I've been doing pretty good with just AVG. I don't like to do too much to IE since it's working better than ever right now. As the saying goes, 'the more you rearrange the pluming, the easier it is to stop up the drain! What's the other one? oh, "If it ain't broke don't fix it.

[JDPower]

As the saying goes, 'the more you rearrange the pluming, the easier it is to stop up the drain! What's the other one? oh, "If it ain't broke don't fix it.

The way I'd look at it is - 'The more you ignore the plumbing the sooner it'll block up' or 'If it ain't broke, it'll break soon'

 

But then I am (clearly) a bit of a pessimist

[Jake the Snake]

Not to be a downer (I only read the first two posts on this topic, so I don't know what's been said throughout the post). But Spybot Search & Destroy and Spyware Blaster are relatively incompatible with each other. Not saying that they are bad programs, I LOVE them both, but I work in a computer service/DELL representative shop and throughout our first year of using the two programs together there were odd problems when cleaning and using other programs on the computers. -and their bad-stuff blocking conflicted on occasion, a VERY RARE occurrence- The problem could possibly be fixed with Spybot's BETA 1.5 release, but I don't know that as a fact. But I just want to tell you that to get the best out of the program, have one or the other installed on your computer- not both.

 

(Just to let you guys know)

 

But at our store, we have AVG-AS, AVG-AV, Spybot, Ad-Aware, Winpatrol, CCleaner (yes I know the last two aren't AV or AS) on every techs' computer; and we download and browse with Firefox (best browser EVER); and we have our operating system, program files, and critical files on a separate Hard Drive or a separate partition than backups and personal files.

[LUSHER]

Spyware Blaster doesn't run in the background, it just adds restricted sites so uses no resource. Spybots immunise function is very similar so even if you don't want to install Spyware Blaster you could turn on Spybots immunise function (as with Spyware Blaster it doesn't run in the background or use resources either). I actually use both with no problem and would suggest you use one or the other, you can't really argue with zero resource protection

 

Well spywareblaster might use zero resources, but the (limited) protection it offers is not exactly zero resource. It is carried by the browser due to the increased size of the restricted zone , the system - due to thousands of extra entries in the registry that is held in memory etc..

[Anthony A]

Well spywareblaster might use zero resources, but the (limited) protection it offers is not exactly zero resource. It is carried by the browser due to the increased size of the restricted zone , the system - due to thousands of extra entries in the registry that is held in memory etc..

 

Thats why I don't use it.

[CeeCee]

...due to thousands of extra entries in the registry...

Yes, SpywareBlaster does fill up your registry with those zone entries. But something's got to give, since it doesn't run in the background and that way take resources.

 

I basicly use just Ad-Aware SE for scanning now a days. I scan with it about once or maybe twice a month. Why so rarely? Because i know that my system stays clean, as long as i don't install any crappy/suspicious software (which i don't do). There really is not any meaning to scan every week or even every day!, just to found out that my system is clean. If you really HAVE TO SCAN very often (you get crapware all the time), then you have do something; change your actions, change your browser, set your OS more secure, or something... First thing is: DON'T GET INFECTED.

 

I also use some other spyware/virus scanners every now and then, just to be sure that my system is clean.

[Humpty]

Blacklist blockers/scanners aren't used here.

 

Whitelists are ok but I don't use them either.

 

Blacklists/heuristics are fallible and can produce false positives.

 

If it ain't on the list or detected it get's through.

 

So where does that leave me?

 

Sandboxie, Returnil and Ghost images of course!

 

As if ya'll didn't know.

[hotdoge3]

spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm is the fist check get a good one. I like www.siteadvisor.com [ McAfee ] min is XP sp2 a list of siteadvisor at spywarrior.com SpywareTerminator is verygood new Ad-Aware2007 no good for me try to fit 4 times and used 187 MB of ram ? by the way some spyware not work to good with some need to set only on protect shield on as not work so good.