First Spybot-S&D and Ad-Aware were enough to deal with spyware and bad cookies. Now sometimes you need more than two AntiSpyware programs to delete malicious software resident in your PC.

So I thought about writing a list of good AntiSpyware tools and scanners.

• Arovax Antispyware
• ewido anti-malware
• SpyWare Nuker
• SpywareBlaster
• Spy Sweeper
• Spyware Doctor
• PestPatrol Anti-Spyware
• Trend Micro™ Anti-Spyware for the Web

I'm currently using the listed programs and they're useful and stable (but beware of false positive sometimes detected by PestPatrol). Please add yours (and please avoid phrases like "I use Firefox" etc.).

• Windows AntiSpyware (free)
• McAfee AntiSpyware
• CounterSpy
• SpyCatcher

Plust the ones you mentioned but didn't gave links:

• Ad-Aware (free)
• Spybot Search & Destroy (free)

I don't mention the ones designed for enterprise solutions, and the ones with integrated antivirus and/or firewall.
How about merging this topic with Essential Software?

Small typo, it's Arovax, it also has some false positives when reading blocked sites in the HOSTS file.

The following anti-spyware app's listed in this thread are on the Spyware Warrior Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products & Websites list and are best left alone:
* SpyWare Nuker
* Spy Sweeper = a known adware distributor
* Spyware Doctor

You have to be very careful with phony anti-spyware products you use nowadays since some will intentially infect your system, and then of course detect what it infected you with it during the scan, however here's the catch it won't offer to remove the detections without you purchasing their product. Check out the Sysinternals.com article The Antispyware Conpiracy.

Actually, Spy Sweeper and Spyware Doctor are listed as "trustworthy." I suggest that you correct your post.

I prefer a software-firewall that especially checks outgoing connections. If it detects a malicious program (hardly ever happened), I'll ask google how to remove it from my machine...

Spyware programs rely too much on lists of known badware. A correctly configured firewall will catch whatever tries to contact home.

Like mdefranc said, Spy Sweeper are Spyware Doctor are listed as trustworthy. And don't rely too much on that list.



A firewall (very often) isn't enough to block an adware from hijacking your browser.

Nope, if the info is wrong then people will scroll down and see your post. I still won't trust any antispyware apps listed on SpywareWarrior even if they are only guilty of having false positive detections, it's your choice to use them.


Right. There's so much a software-based/hardware-based firewall won't protect against that antispyware is now required, just as antivirus is. You don't even have to visit any site whatsoever to have your browser hijacked.

Yeah, I think you're right. Still, something like Sygate Personal Firewall does a fairly good job - it tells you when dll's have changed, when other programs are calling your browser to do something, and more such things. This requires setting it to the most "manual" settings, so expect a lot of daily user interaction with your firewall