AdAware

[mjc]

It is offical, the AdAware 5.xx series has been abadonned by Lavasoft and will no longer be updated at all. That means it will not be able to correctly remove some of the latest spyware threats (specifically CommonName) which can have serious impact on one's internet connection (like it will not work).

Version 6 is now almost a month overdue, so....

[papertech]

Thanks for the update, mjc.

This info is very important to me as I regularly talk clients thru adaware and pccillin online scans. Guess I'd better make the switch to spybot, right?

You are much appreciated.

Peace be with you all in the New Year.

[mjc]

Yes, Spybot is frequently updated and Patrick (developer) is very involved in end-user support.

[Jericho]

That's bad news. I always thought AD-AWARE was one of the alltime best free programs. Doh!

[mjc]

It was, but since the new version is so late there is no knowing if it will continue to be a good program. Since they have stated there will be no updates for the 5.xx versions it is now worthless.

[mjc]

Here is the official Lavasoft staement....

http://www.lavasoftsupport.com/index.php?act=ST&f=1&t=1868

[Steve]

It's bad news that Ad-Aware 5.83 is being dropped. But it is GOOD NEWS that Ad-Aware 6.0 will be out in a matter of weeks! :)

Out with the old. In with the new. That's what New Years is all about...no? ;)

[mjc]

Yes, but a major sticking point for many is the fact that 6 was supposed to have been out at the latest Dec 1.

In the mean time it is just downright dangerous to use on some of the newest badboys out there......

[papertech]

mjc:

please explain further, not sure I understand.........

"In the mean time it is just downright dangerous to use on some of the newest badboys out there......"

again, thanks for your insight

[Budfred]

I believe what he means is that AdAware has been missing some of the latest dreck for a while and some of it is getting really nasty. There are more hijackers and trojan type spyware programs out there than ever before and they seem to be increasing at a rapid rate. I had used AdAware for a long time and started using Spybot on recommendation of people here. I was very impressed with how much more it picked up than AdAware had. This has gotten worse as AdAware was not updated, but Spybot has been regularly.

Budfred

[papertech]

Thanks Budfred and please excuse me for being somewhat dense at times!

[Budfred]

No problem papertech, we all seem a little dense when it is an area we aren't familiar with. ;)

You should have seen my sisters struggling with the whole idea of spyware and trojans and other malware this week. Basically they just eventually shut down and wouldn't really accept that they were putting themselves in danger to surf unprotected. :eek: You are quite sophisticated next to them and most others.

Budfred

[mjc]

Plus there are a couple of items, that if improperly removed (like AdAware currently does) will damage your internet connection, specifically the winsock stack.

[Flick]

I have used Ad-aware and Spybot for awhile now. I have noticed that when I run Ad-aware it removes a lot of stuff but then when I run Spybot, a few more nasty files are found. When I reverse the process and run Spybot first it removes a lot of stuff but then when I run Ad-aware, it finds a few more. Is there anyway I can load the Ad-aware parameters into Spybot so that one program can do the entire job?

[Vic 970]

Hi mjc

I have just d/l & run spybot.

it tells me no 'spyware' but several 'problems' these seem to be in the nature of 'history' items which are of no harm and things such as 'adobe'

I am using spider, zonealarm, easycleaner, reg clean, cleanup etc. & remove history items on a frequent basis, so do I need to 'exclude' these items from the search or is there another way.?

also:

I used to have ad aware run at startup, should I do the same with spybot?

do you suggest un installing ad aware or wait for the new version?

[YODA74]

I am using spider, zonealarm, easycleaner, reg clean, cleanup etc.

He HE HE Hey Vic any more room on your HDD :D ahh just kidding... had a lady the other day come in and she wanted to get some room on her HDD (lap top) and she said she couldn't get rid of any programs she must of had 20 security programs loaded on there...asked her when she was going to start putting things on her D drive?? didn't even know she had one.. still can't talk her into getting rid of some of these so called security programs..

any way as far as your Ad-aware not going to hurt to leave it until the new one comes out. Running them at start up?? don't see any need to only thing I personally run at start up is the firewall, Norton AV,and my CD program becouse of XP I see no need in running the others at start just slows your boot down.. just run a scan as soon as your up and running.I think people go a little overboard with the paranoia you can have good security with out all the free program hoopla. enough ranting ;)

[mjc]

The history ones that you are seein in Spybot are items that the other cleaners you are using don't target.

Actually you could use Spybot to replace one or more other cleaners, or you can set Spybot to ignore the duplicate targets....

No, you don't need to let it run at startup, but you can set it up as a sceduled task if you like.

[Vic 970]

thanks yoda,

all the security bit is exactly what I was thinking, but having had a few viruses & spyware in the past it makes one get a little serious.

trouble is that every prog you run finds something, which apparently others have missed, and no matter which order that you run them in (I think the point was made earlier)

I usually delete internet files by clicking on options in ie6 as its quicker than using spider and more successful than the 'option' in internet options.

but with all this checking, deleting, updating & backing up its hard to find time to do any computing.

Can't somebody come up with a way to combine all these utilities with a nice interface like AVG? where it starts up on boot, and when you feel like it you can open, update & scan quite easily. of course the problem is that each have their own preferences, but a program that could include & run any of these type of programs !!!!!!!

BTW my start up is AVG, zone alarm & (? ad aware ?) currently.

[Flick]

Bump, good questions!