How to stop 'common' spyware?

Curry_Queen

I've followed the advice above and installed HijackThis and SpywareBlaster and I wondered if anyone could help me determine whether the following are spyware programmes and safe to get rid of

These were picked up by HijackThis and I'm highly suspicious of their function (all other files looked ok and were ones I recognised) ...


O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - !!06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll

O2 - BHO: (no name) - !!53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll

O2 - BHO: PCTools Site Guard - !!5C8B2A36-3DB1-42A4-A3CB-D426709BBFEB} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYWAR~1\tools\iesdsg.dll

O2 - BHO: PCTools Browser Monitor - {B56A7D7D-6927-48C8-A975-17DF180C71AC} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYWAR~1\tools\iesdpb.dll


Can I get rid of the following two as I don't need or use Freeserve products anymore

O3 - Toolbar: Freeserve - !!8B68564D-53FD-4293-B80C-993A9F3988EE} - C:\PROGRA~1\FREESE~1\FSBar\FSBar.dll (file missing)

O8 - Extra context menu item: Search with Freeserve - res://C:\PROGRA~1\FREESE~1\FSBar\FSBar.dll/VSearch.htm


Cheers :beer:

Fran

Curry_Queen,

Adobe acrobat you probably downloaded to read .pdf files -so ok, and the others are Spybot & Spywareblaster by the looks of it.

If you don't use the Freeserve yes you could get rid of it.

Curry_Queen

Thanks Fran

I'll keep the top 4 then as I've also read since posting that not all BHO's are actually harmful, and as you say, they appear to be part of programmes that I use. The other 2 can go tho

backflip

I've mentioned Sandboxie on a few occasions and as far as I know only one other person has installed it and he reported it as being 'fantastic.' Personally I think it is better than that. The plethora of programmes that are usually mentioned in relation to spyware leave many installing several different solutions to prevent systems becoming infested. NOTHING gets past Sandboxie, all and I mean ALL spyware intent on invading your system while you browse isn't allowed to, instead it is directed to a 'sandbox,' a temp file where it is COMPLETELY CONTAINED and unable to cause any harm, infestation or penetration to your system whatsoever. Once you finish browsing you 'delete the contents of sandboxie' and everything that potentially would have harmed your pc is deleted. I've had the programme 'sandbox' a virus in the past. The incursion was immediately flagged by AVG, but when I checked the location of the virus I found it safely in the sandbox. I deleted that along with the virus. I believe Sandboxie to be the definitive solution, it is for me, and it's small, free and comes with an uninstaller.
https://www.sandboxie.com.
:D

Paul_Varjak

Some Spyware can lurk in SYSTEM RESTORE POINTS so, even if you delete it from elsewhere on your machine, it may re-install itself!

So, before running your anti-spyware program, you must disable SYSTEM RESTORE; this gives your anti-spyware software access to the RESTORE POINTS and can delete the spyware they contain. After running all anti-spyware software you have and deleting any spyware you don’t want, you should then re-enable SYSTEM RESTORE.

Then switch off your computer, re-boot and then re-scan with all available scanning software. Hopefully, all should be OK.