Best Spyware detection and removal programs 2008!

SUPERAntiSpyware is the most thorough antispyware scanner on the market. The multi-dimensional Scanning and Process Interrogation Technology will detect spyware that other products miss! SUPERAntiSpyware will remove ALL the Spyware, NOT just the easy ones! I highly recommend this one I use it and it seems to work very very well.

Easily remove over 1 million pests and threat components such as VirusRay, AntiVirGear, VirusProtectPro, DriveCleaner, SmitFraud, Vundo, WinFixer, SpyAxe, SpyFalcon, WinAntiVirus, AntiVermins, AntiSpyGolden and thousands more!

Homepage:

http://www.superantispyware.com/

Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware (for Windows 2000, XP, Vista ONLY) - Download Free Version (freeware) - Homepage
MBAM has been very effective at helping remove some of the more difficult infections.

• Double-click mbam-setup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
• At the end, be sure a checkmark is placed next to the following:
  • Update Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware
  • Launch Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware

  
  

• Then click Finish.
• If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.
• Once the program has loaded, select Perform quick scan, then click Scan.
• When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
• Be sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
• When completed, a log will open in Notepad. The rogue application should now be gone.

Note: No single program removes every threat. A multi-prog approach is best.

SpybotSearchandDestroy

SPYWARE GUIDE AND DATABASE

Self-help removal guides for many common infections can be found here: (including these):

How to remove Outerinfo
How to remove Trojan.Zlob-X.a - IEDefender
How to remove trojan.w32.looksky
How-to remove Winfixer, Virtumonde, Msevents, Trojan.vundo (ATLDistrib object)
How-to remove SpyAxe, SpywareStrike, SpySheriff, Winhound, Smitfraud

Even the best antispyware programs are only able to remove about 70% of infections. Also, the line between spyware and trojans is getting blurred. To getting a deeper look at what is hiding on your system run the following online virus scan and post the results in your topic.

Online - Panda Activescan.

1. Once you are on the Panda site click the Scan your PC button
2. A new window will open…click the Check Now button
3. Enter your Country
4. Enter your State/Province
5. Enter your e-mail address and click send
6. Select either Home User or Company
7. Click the big Scan Now button
8. If it wants to install an ActiveX component allow it
9. It will start downloading the files it requires for the scan (Note: It may take a couple of minutes)
10. When download is complete, click on My Computer to start the scan
11. When the scan completes, if anything malicious is detected, click the See Report button, then Save Report and save it to a convenient location. Post the contents of the ActiveScan report if you start a topic for assistance.

Trend Micro’s FREE online virus scanner

Trend Micro™ HouseCall is an application for checking whether your computer has been infected by viruses, spyware, or other malware. HouseCall performs additional security checks to identify and fix vulnerabilities to prevent reinfection.

Scan Now. It’s Free!

Windows Update - Download SP3
An unprotected, unpatched Windows XP installation will get infected within minutes of connecting to the Internet.

SP3 NOTE: Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) 5512 has terrific security features, and we highly recommend everyone install it, however it should not be installed until your system is free from malware. Installing SP3 with malware present can cause many compatibility problems, or even prevent your computer from restarting.

Reboot - Test
The tools above will completely clear malware from the majority of systems. Test your system to see how it’s working.

Hijack This - Download .

Merijn, the creator of HijackThis™ recently sold the popular application used to remove malware to Trend Micro™. In addition to improvements like support for Windows Vista™, they’ve added a deceptively titled “AnalyzeThis” button. While the average user likely thinks the AnalyzeThis button provides helpful information for diagnosing their log, it’s main purpose is to send the HJT log data to Trend Micro. Unfortunately, unless you carefully read the Trend Micro End User License Agreement, you would probably never know that the AnalyzeThis button submits the data from your HijackThis log to Trend Micro for use by them and their partners… (read more) Dont HIT the AnalyzeThis” button! Or FIND OLD VERSION HERE!

Automated tools are not always successful at removing malware from your system. Some infections may generate random files names, are too new, or use other tricks to avoid detection.

HijackThis examines certain key areas of the Registry and Hard Drive and lists their contents. These are areas which are used by both legitimate programmers and hijackers. Some items are perfectly fine. You should not remove them. Never remove everything. Doing that could leave you with missing items needed to run legitimate programs and add-ins.

online HijackThis Log reader:

http://www.help2go.com/component/detective/

It is also a good idea to run the Winsock Fix to repair your TCP/IP stack. (you will have to redo any tweaks for your connection if this is used)

Good FREE Spyware and Virus prevention:

http://www.returnilvirtualsystem.com/index_files/rvspersonal.htm

http://www.sandboxie.com/

http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/beta/forcefield/index.html

http://www.snoopfree.com/PrivacyShield.htm

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareguard.html

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

http://www.antirootkit.com/software/IceSword.htm

http://www.norman.com/microsites/nsic/

GREAT SECURITY INFO HERE:

http://www.dyingsun.net/apps.htm#tools

http://wiki.castlecops.com/Malware_Removal_and_Prevention:_Overview

If you’re still having problems, check out this article on how to prevent future Spyware/Hijack attacks.