What is Spyware?

[Jack_Dawson]

And why is it bad? And...what is good (and free) anti-spyware software?

I downloaded Mozilla Firebird - is that a good program?

[ProudGerman]

1. Firebird is good

But it won't do anything for spyware, but your days of suffering from pop ups are over....well, website launched pop ups.

Spyware actually monitors you, and the websites you visit, and reports that back to probably ad companies. They watch what you look at and how long you look at it. This is bad stuff.

Adware doesn't monitor you to my knowledge. But its the source of pop ups when you aren't visiting a website, or even online. It just opens an explorer window with an ad. This type of filth usually infects your computer when you download something, and most of the time, you are not informed that this tiny bit of code is included in the download. Most reputable companies will at one point during download, or installation will notify you that adware is included. Damn near all will not allow you to use the software without the included adware.

Adaware from Lavasoft is a good program to use, many other users of DU know of others, but their names escape me at the moment. You can find a free version of Adaware here: http://www.lavasoftusa.com/

On Edit: visiting www.download.com and searching for the program you are interested in downloading will usually notify you if their is adware included with the download. Their are also user reviews for the programs, and if their is adware included, you'll usually find someone bitching about that there, heh.

[GR]

2. Spybot Works Well....On Spyware....It's Free....

http://download.com.com/3120-20-0.html?qt=spybot&tg=dl-2001&search=+Go%2521+

[KTM]

3. Ad-Aware works well

Must be most recent build (6.181, I think) with most recent definitions (run the "update now.")

http://www.lavasoft.de

Here's some good info:

http://www.cexx.org

http://www.spywareinfo.com

[asteroid2003QQ47]

4. AdAware AND Spy Bot

Run BOTH AdAware and Spybot. One often will find what the other has missed. At least that's been my experience.
Both programs are worth their weight in gold.

[trof]

5. It's kind of like TupperWare,

but more "see-through".

[Liberal Veteran]

6. Firebird is the best, but spyware is different.

Browsers usually won't protect you from spyware. Spyware usually comes bundled into "free" programs like Kazaa and Comet Cursor and Gator and a host of other programs (including windows media player and realplayer).

Use ad-Aware or spybot to scan your system for spyware.

[ConcernedCanuk]

7. It's a bit of a chase, here's the link for Lavasoft's freeware download

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[Don_G]

8. Use All Three

Mozilla blocks a lot of the pop-up Ads and Spybot will catch things that AdAware dosen't.