Why SpywareBlaster?

November 14th, 2008

Spyware, adware, browser hijackers, and dialers are some of the most annoying and pervasive threats on the Internet today. By simply browsing a web page, you could find your computer to be the brand-new host of one of these unwanted fiends!

The most important step you can take is to secure your system.
And SpywareBlaster is the most powerful protection program available.

Multi-Angle Protection
 
Prevent the installation of ActiveX-based spyware and other potentially unwanted programs.
Block spying / tracking via cookies.
Restrict the actions of potentially unwanted or dangerous web sites.

No-Nonsense Security
 SpywareBlaster can help keep your system secure, without interfering with the “good side” of the web. And unlike other programs, SpywareBlaster does not have to remain running in the background. It works alongside the programs you have to help secure your system.

Best Spyware Protection

November 14th, 2008

Spyware Doctor has been downloaded over 125 million times with millions more downloads every week. People worldwide use and trust Spyware Doctor to protect their PCs from spyware, adware and other online threats.

Spyware Doctor has consistently been awarded Editors’ Choice, by leading PC magazines and testing laboratories around the world, including United States, United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany and Australia. In addition, after leading the market in 2005, Spyware Doctor was awarded the prestigious Best of the Year at the end of 2005 and again in 2006.

Spyware Doctor continues to be awarded the highest honors by many of the world’s leading PC publications such as PC World, PC Magazine, PC Pro, PC Plus, PC Authority, PC Utilities, PC Advisor, PC Choice, Microdatorn, Computer Bild and PC Answers Magazine.

Note: If you are choosing Anti-Spyware make sure you choose one that is proven and has genuine awards from one or more world leading research labs such a PC Magazine, PC World, CNET, PC Pro Magazine, PC Authority, PC Answers and other trusted labs. More importantly do not use ratings from unknown review websites, as often these are designed to mislead you into purchase of affiliated, inferior or rogue product.

Quick Facts

November 14th, 2008

Spyware is software installed on your computer without your consent to monitor or control your computer use. Clues that spyware is on a computer may include a barrage of pop-ups, a browser that takes you to sites you don’t want, unexpected toolbars or icons on your computer screen, keys that don’t work, random error messages, and sluggish performance when opening programs or saving files. In some cases, there may be no symptoms at all.
To lower your risk of spyware infections:
Update your operating system and Web browser software, and set your browser security high enough to detect unauthorized downloads.
Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software, as well as a firewall, and update them all regularly.
Download free software only from sites you know and trust. Enticing free software downloads frequently bundle other software, including spyware.
Don’t click on links inside pop-ups.
Don’t click on links in spam or pop-ups that claim to offer anti-spyware software; you may unintentionally be installing spyware.

Spyware

November 14th, 2008

Spyware is computer software that is installed surreptitiously on a personal computer to intercept or take partial control over the user’s interaction with the computer, without the user’s informed consent.

While the term spyware suggests software that secretly monitors the user’s behavior, the functions of spyware extend well beyond simple monitoring. Spyware programs can collect various types of personal information, such as Internet surfing habit, sites that have been visited, but can also interfere with user control of the computer in other ways, such as installing additional software, redirecting Web browser activity, accessing websites blindly that will cause more harmful viruses, or diverting advertising revenue to a third party. Spyware can even change computer settings, resulting in slow connection speeds, different home pages, and loss of Internet or other programs. In an attempt to increase the understanding of spyware, a more formal classification of its included software types is captured under the term privacy-invasive software.

In response to the emergence of spyware, a small industry has sprung up dealing in anti-spyware software. Running anti-spyware software has become a widely recognized element of computer security best practices for Microsoft Windows desktop computers. A number of jurisdictions have passed anti-spyware laws, which usually target any software that is surreptitiously installed to control a user’s computer.

What is spyware?

November 14th, 2008

Any software that covertly gathers user information through the user’s Internet connection without his or her knowledge, usually for advertising purposes. Spyware applications are typically bundled as a hidden component of freeware or shareware programs that can be downloaded from the Internet; however, it should be noted that the majority of shareware and freeware applications do not come with spyware. Once installed, the spyware monitors user activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to someone else. Spyware can also gather information about e-mail addresses and even passwords and credit card numbers.
Spyware is similar to a Trojan horse in that users unwittingly install the product when they install something else. A common way to become a victim of spyware is to download certain peer-to-peer file swapping products that are available today.

Aside from the questions of ethics and privacy, spyware steals from the user by using the computer’s memory resources and also by eating bandwidth as it sends information back to the spyware’s home base via the user’s Internet connection. Because spyware is using memory and system resources, the applications running in the background can lead to system crashes or general system instability.

Because spyware exists as independent executable programs, they have the ability to monitor keystrokes, scan files on the hard drive, snoop other applications, such as chat programs or word processors, install other spyware programs, read cookies, change the default home page on the Web browser, consistently relaying this information back to the spyware author who will either use it for advertising/marketing purposes or sell the information to another party.

Licensing agreements that accompany software downloads sometimes warn the user that a spyware program will be installed along with the requested software, but the licensing agreements may not always be read completely because the notice of a spyware installation is often couched in obtuse, hard-to-read legal disclaimers.

Got Spyware?

November 14th, 2008

On demand Fast Scan - scans only critical areas of your system, allowing you to quickly assess your computer’s health.

On demand Full Scan - scans all areas of your system, thoroughly scanning every file on your hard drive and encompassing everything performed during a fast scan.

On demand Virus and Spyware Scan - using the optional ClamAV component, this scan offers everything performed during a Full Scan plus checks all files against the ClamAV database of threats.

On demand Customized Scan - gives the user the ability to customize how a spyware scan is performed, including the ability to store up to five different custom scan profiles.

Scheduled Scan - provides the user with the ability to schedule spyware scans on a daily or weekly basis.

System Report - When the scan is finished, detailed scan information is reported about the state of system. This information can be copied into a text editor or posted to any of your preferred security forums on the internet.

Context menu scan option - The integrated entry in the right-click context menu allows for scanning of any file or folder you are currently viewing in Windows Explorer. Just right-click the file or folder and click “Scan with Spyware Terminator”.