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Spyware / Malware Detection
There are numerous spyware and malware detection and removal programs. With so many choices, how do you decide which product to use to protect your privacy?
Many adware, spyware, malware detection and removal products offer a free download and scan of your computer to detect spyware but you must purchase the software to remove privacy threats. Some products offer a limited free trial before you must purchase the software to continue using it. The average cost is $30.
These are the most popular FREE detection and removal products.
SpyBot - Search & Destroy
Spybot
- Search & Destroy detects and removes spyware which silently tracks
your surfing behavior to create a marketing profile about you that is transmitted
without your knowledge to the compilers and sold to advertising companies. If
you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you haven't intentionally
installed, if your browser crashes inexplicably, or if your home page has been
"hijacked" (or changed without your knowledge), your computer is most probably
infected with spyware. Even if you don't see the symptoms, your computer may be
infected, because more and more spyware is emerging. Spybot is free, so there's
no harm giving it a try to see if something has invaded your computer.
--Quote from Spybot
Free (donation appreciated but not required).
15.6 MB
download
Lavasoft Ad-Aware Free - Anniversary Edition
Ad-Aware
Free - Real-time protection against spyware, trojans, rootkits, hijackers,
keyloggers, and more! With the ability to scan your RAM, registry, hard drives,
and external storage devices for known data-mining, advertising, and tracking
components, Ad-Aware can clean your system easily, allowing you to maintain a
higher degree of privacy while you surf the Web. Includes an improved threat detection,
enhanced rootkit removal system, faster updates, Lavasoft ThreatWork to submit
suspicious files for analysis, and is now compatible with 32-bit and 64-bit Windows
Vista. The latest version may include unspecified updates, enhancements, or bug
fixes.
--Quote from Lavasoft
Free for noncommercial use only.
Huge 32.9 MB download
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
Malwarebytes'
Anti-Malware can detect and remove malware that even the most well known
anti-virus and anti-malware applications fail to detect. Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
monitors every process and stops malicious processes before they even start. The
Realtime Protection Module uses our advanced heuristic scanning technology which
monitors your system to keep it safe and secure. In addition, we have implemented
a threats center which will allow you to keep up to date with the latest malware
threats.
--Quote from Malwarebytes.org
2.74 MB download
TrendMicro™ HijackThis™
TrendMicro™ HijackThis™
is a free utility which quickly scans your Windows computer to find settings that
may have been changed by spyware, malware or other unwanted programs. HijackThis
creates a report, or log file, with the results of the scan.
IMPORTANT:
HijackThis does not determine what is good or bad. Do not make any changes to
your computer settings unless you are an expert computer user. Advanced users
can use HijackThis to remove unwanted settings or files. Not an expert? Just save
the HijackThis report and let a friend with more troubleshooting experience take
a look. A large community of users participates in online forums, where experts
help interpret HijackThis scan results to clean up infected computers.
Trend Micro provides HijackThis as a free utility, without technical support.
--Quote
from Trend Micro
Small 793.3 KB download