jajacute29@yehey.com

I have such-and-such program. Isn't that good enough? (List of Fake Anti-Spyware Programs)

Question: I have such-and-such program to stop spyware. Isn't that good enough?

Answer: Probably not. It depends on what you have, but there is a very short list of good anti-spyware programs, and a very long list of bad ones. Norton and McAfee are not anti-spyware programs. They only protect you from viruses, not spyware. Also, there are an overwhelming number of fake anti-spyware programs out there. Many are not only fake, they’re malicious (that is, they'll mess up your computer). The following is the short list of the only programs I recommend for fighting spyware for typical users (for advice on how to use them, click here). There is a whole variety of tools and programs for advanced users (such as HijackThis, AboutBuster, etc) that I won't go into here.

Good Programs

Ad-Aware

Spybot Search and Destroy

CWShredder

SpywareBlaster

Microsoft AntiSpyware

SpywareGuard (note: duplicates functionality. Not really needed if you turn on Spybot's resident tools)

TrojanHunter (You can download a free 30-day trial, and buy it for $49 if you want to keep it. There is no yearly subscription fee, so that's a pretty good value.)

There’s also one or two good paid subscription programs:

Spy Sweeper from Webroot. PC Magazine gave Spy Sweeper their Editors’ Choice award in February 2005. Spy Sweeper costs $29.95 for a one-year subscription.

CounterSpy from Sunbelt. You don't have to give out your e-mail address to use the free demo; just put in a fake one or use junkjunk@vcn.com. Eric Howes, a great spyware fighter (see his homepage), has done consulting work for them. CounterSpy is $19.95 for a one-year subscription.

Ineffective Programs

There are a few other non-malicious paid programs, including Spyware Doctor, Pest Patrol, McAfee AntiSpyware, and Norton AntiSpyware. At least these programs don’t actively destroy your computer, but they are really ineffective compared to the combination of free programs I recommend. Plus, you have to pay money for them. I do not recommend using these programs.

Evil Programs

If you have a program listed below, delete it. Sometimes you will not be able to delete it, in which case you’ll have to download the good programs I recommend above and have them try to clean it out(for help doing this, click here). There are a huge number of programs on the internet posing as anti-spyware programs that are fake, bad, malicious, and destructive. If you downloaded an anti-spyware program from an advertisement or a pop-up, for example, it was a trick. These so-called “anti”-spyware programs are actually spyware itself – a disease masquerading as its own cure. Some even have names deceptively close to the legitimate programs, for example AdwarePro, SpyDoctor, and SpyBlast. The list of these evil programs follows:

1 Click Spy Clean

#1 Spyware Killer

2004 Adware/Spyware Remover & Blocker

about:blank 2005

AdDriller

Ad-Eliminator

AdProtector

Ads Alert

ADS Adware Remover

Adware Agent

Adware Filter

Adware Hitman

AdwareHunter

AdwarePro

AdwareSafe

AdwareSpy

AdWare SpyWare Blocker & Removal

AdwareX

AdwareX Eliminator

Ad-Where 2005

AGuardDog Adware/Spyware Remover

AlertSpy

Anti-Virus&Spyware

ArmorWall

Botsquash

BPS Spyware & Adware Remover

CheckFlow CheckSpy & Anti Spyware 2005

CoffeeCup Spyware Remover

Consumer Identity

eAcceleration/Veloz Stop-Sign

Easy Erase Spyware Remover

Easy Spyware Killer

Emco Malware Bouncer

ETD Security Scanner

Freeze.com AntiSpyware

GoodbyeSpy

GuardBar

IC Spyware Scanner

Intelligent Spyware Cleaner

InternetAntiSpy

iSpyKiller

JC Spyware Remover & Adware Killer

KillAllSpyware

MalWhere

MaxNetShield

MicroAntivirus

MyNetProtector

MySpyFreePC

NetSpyProtector

NoAdware

NoSpyX

PAL Spyware Remover

PC AdWare SpyWare Removal

PCArmor

pcOrion

Privacy Champion

Privacy Defender

Privacy Tools 2004

Protect Your Identity

PurityScan /

PuritySweep

QuickCleaner

Real AdWareRemoverGold

RegFreeze

ScanSpyware

Scumware-Remover

Security iGuard

Spy-Ad Exterminator Pro

SpyAssasin

SpyAssault

SpyBan

SpyBeware

SpyBlast

SpyBlocs/eBlocs.com

SpyBouncer

SpyBurn

SpyClean

SpyCleaner

Spy-Control

SpyDeleter

Spy Detector

SpyDoctor

SpyEliminator

SpyFerret

SpyFighter

SpyFirewall

SpyGuardian Pro

SpyHunter

SpyiKiller

Spyinator

Spy-k*ll

SpyKiller

SpyKiller 2005

SpyKillerPro

SpyLax

SpyRemover

SpySpotter

SpyVest

Spyware Annihilator

SpywareAssasin

SpywareAvenger

SpywareBeGone

SpywareCleaner

Spyware Cleaner & Pop-Up Blocker

Spyware C.O.P.

SpywareCrusher

Spyware Destroyer

SpywareHound

SpywareKilla

SpyWare Killer

SpywareNuker

Spyware & Pop-Up Utility

Spyware & Pest Remover

Spyware Protection Pro

Spyware Remover

SpywareRemover

Spyware Slayer

Spyware Snooper

Spyware Stormer

Spyware

Suite 2005

SpywareTek / Spyware Removal System

SpywareThis

Spyware Vanisher

SpywareZapper

SpyWiper

Spyzooka

StopGuard

Stop-Sign

Super Spyware Remover

System Detective

Terminexor

The Adware Hunter

The Spyware Detective

TheSpywareKiller

The Web Shield

Top10Reviews SpyScan

TrueWatch

TZ Spyware Adware Remover

UControl

Ultimate Cleaner

VBouncer/AdDestroyer

WareOut Spyware Remover

WinFixer

XoftSpy

X-Spyware

ZeroSpyware

This list was taken from Eric L. Howes’ Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spy-ware Products & Web Sites, hosted by Spyware Warrior. For more detail on each individual item, and a more up-to-date list, go there. Eric marks some items (e.g. Stop-sign) as maybe having cleaned up their act, but I would definitely not trust their supposed reform. Stay far away from all these programs. Again, I would recommend deleting any “anti”-spyware programs other than the ones I recommend at the top, even if they’re not on the evil list.

I would also recommend deleting Aluria Spyware Eliminator, because Aluria has entered an alliance with one of the major spyware producers (WhenU).

Update: Well, Microsoft AntiSpyware has now entered into an alliance/agreement with Claria, another major spyware producer. So, I wouldn't totally trust Microsoft AntiSpyware either, but I still think it's overall a good program. For that matter, Ad-Aware also delisted WhenU for a while in early 2005. The only mainstream scanning program whose integrity I'd really trust is Spybot, but there are things it simply doesn't find/remove, so you've got to supplement it with these others

Marami dyan who would do it only for love pero marami din dyan dahil gwapo o masarap kasama ang guy. Pero ang iba, kasi masarap. Yun lang po

YAMASHITA

General of the Japanese Imperial Army

Vanity Kills - ABC