Ad-Aware vs. MS AntiSpyware (paging likwid?)

[Schmear]

Three scans on three separate days yielded the following:

Ad-Aware: 14 files found
MS AntiSpyware: 0 files found

Ad-Aware: 21
MS AntiSpyware: 0

Ad-Aware: 19
MS AntiSpyware: 0


I use Windows XP SP2 with all the latest security updates. I download the latest spyware definition files (for both programs) as soon as they are available.

I heard that the MS application was the best to use for XP, but the results seem to dictate otherwise. Anyone else get similar results?

[EPSkis]

I believe your Ad-Aware is detecting MRU lists & Cookies/History. (not trojans or malware.) which is a feature that can be enabled / disabled in both of those programs.

I just recently started using the MS Beta, and it seems to do a pretty good job - it's actually one of the FEW programs that picks up the new "WinFixer", though it looks like WinFixer (malware) leaves a registry entry that I haven't found yet - focker keeps coming back...

On a related note - anyone have experience with Norton identifying a "trojan.vundo" virus that can NOT be deleted? (Searched all of symantec & read the threads, but it hasn't solved the problem.)

[Free Range Lobster]

List what its detecting.
Not how many items.

[bagtagley]

On a related note - anyone have experience with Norton identifying a "trojan.vundo" virus that can NOT be deleted? (Searched all of symantec & read the threads, but it hasn't solved the problem.)

Have you tried booting up in Safe Mode and deleting it?

[snow_slider]

On a related note - anyone have experience with Norton identifying a "trojan.vundo" virus that can NOT be deleted? (Searched all of symantec & read the threads, but it hasn't solved the problem.)

Try running a trojan.vundo removal tool like this one:
http://tinyurl.com/bu3xz

just to be sure it isn't hiding somewhere in your system.

[Schmear]

Gotcha. Just scanned with Ad-Aware again and the 4 "critical objects" it detected are tracking cookies (data miners). Are these the same kinds of cookies that I can delete via Internet Explorer (> tools > options)?

I always thought these tracking cookies were a form of malware/spyware. Is AntiSpyware not concerned with these kinds of files? Does it only look for worse stuff?

[Free Range Lobster]

tracking cookies don't actually "do" anything like spyware does.
when you go to a site that uses that certain cookie it reads it to see where you came from

ie: you went to shitty site with banner A. banner A sets a cookie.
you go to shitty site B
site B looks for cookie, says you've been to shitty site with banner A
records that

s'bout it.

[EPSkis]

Gotcha. Just scanned with Ad-Aware again and the 4 "critical objects" it detected are tracking cookies (data miners). Are these the same kinds of cookies that I can delete via Internet Explorer (> tools > options)?

I always thought these tracking cookies were a form of malware/spyware. Is AntiSpyware not concerned with these kinds of files? Does it only look for worse stuff?

Yes ~ Deleting Cookies / temp Internet Files accomplishes the same task.

Bags ~ I'm trying again, but my comp was hanging when I TRIED to bring it up in Safe Mode.

SS ~ Yeah, I downloaded both the vundoA & vundoB variant removal tools directly from Symantec - according to their user database, the Safe Mode removal was what worked for a bunch of people. Gonna try to bring it up in Safe again tonight & see what happens - those Norton notifications are driving me INSANE.

[ljm]

Gotcha. Just scanned with Ad-Aware again and the 4 "critical objects" it detected are tracking cookies (data miners). Are these the same kinds of cookies that I can delete via Internet Explorer (> tools > options)?

I always thought these tracking cookies were a form of malware/spyware. Is AntiSpyware not concerned with these kinds of files? Does it only look for worse stuff?

It makes me sad that there is the perception that all cookies are bad.

I do web advertising in stand-up ways (paid search ads via google mostly) and the only way I get paid is by a cookie tracking my traffic. I don't blame the people that delete cookies thinking they are bad, but I think there was a big push in spyware/adware removal programs to *find* the largest # of things they could remove.

[xsaucerboy]

Here's a problem I'm having -

I've got some "porn tracers" on internet explorer it seems - explorer will autocomplete certain porn sites, even after I clear the history, delete cookies, etc etc etc. I can even turn off the autocomplete, and when I close explorer and re-open it, it has reverted back (ie, I type www.g in the explorer bar and it will complete it with www.girlsgonewild, etc).

Any idea how to get rid of this? I've tried everything.

[xsaucerboy]

Also, when I tried the option of "erasing all tracks" using Microsoft Antispyware - it doesn't work

[Spats]

I don't know how to fix IE in that case, but using Firefox will fix 80-90% of your spyware problems. (The others are usually through Outlook Express, because it uses IE to render your email and you can't turn that off.)

[Free Range Lobster]

Here's a problem I'm having -

I've got some "porn tracers" on internet explorer it seems - explorer will autocomplete certain porn sites, even after I clear the history, delete cookies, etc etc etc. I can even turn off the autocomplete, and when I close explorer and re-open it, it has reverted back (ie, I type www.g in the explorer bar and it will complete it with www.girlsgonewild, etc).

Any idea how to get rid of this? I've tried everything.

ccleaner will fix that.

[xsaucerboy]

Damn, I downloaded CCleaner and really thought that looked like it should take care of the problem.

Nope. Whatever software this porn company uses to infiltrate my system, it sure does work. Fuckers.

[xsaucerboy]

Scratch that last post - I restarted, and everything is gravy.

Thanks mang!

[divegirl]

Fucking Winfixer!!!!! Every time I boot up my computer, fucking Winfixer comes up on my screen as a text box and when I hit the X to close it, all the pages I was viewing close up and this Windows Winfixer shit comes up on my screen. Is this what you guys were talking about? How exactly do I get rid of it???

[Free Range Lobster]

MS Antispyware should remove it, if not, post here again.

[Free Range Lobster]

(The others are usually through Outlook Express, because it uses IE to render your email and you can't turn that off.)

Outlook Express actually relies on parts of IE to function, its part of IE.

[divegirl]

I installed the beta version of MS Antispyware, and when I went through the entire process, scanned for files, it came up with one that I removed - it started with a "V". So then my computer rebooted to take care of this change, and when I went to this website (TGR), that fucking Winfixer dialog box pops up again. Piece of SHIT!! What the fuck? Likwid, I'm sorry, but you're wrong, bitch!

[Blurred]

i run both all the time. They both pick up different things.

wow, i just ran ccleaner and it took off 626mb of shit!!

[EPSkis]

SCORE!

The newest version of trojan.vundo virus removal tool by Symantec (Make SURE it's 1.4) gets that F&^*()(G WinFixer / Vundo virus OUT. Yay!

Get it HERE: http://securityresponse.symantec.com...oval.tool.html

ps: Divegirl - that should take care of it!

[Schmear]

Ccleaner=510 MB removed. Nice.

[Sensisnow]

There's no one antispyware/adware/virus program out there that will get rid of everything. In order to get your PC as clean as possible you need to run multiple programs. In addition to MS you should run AdAware, Spybot S&D, Pest Patrol, CCleaner, and AVG Anti-Virus. These are all free programs available for download (although Pest Patrol will scan, but not delete anything, PM me for the info on the full version if you'd like) and will keep your system 99% spyware/adware/virus free. Also, if you're using internet explorer you should set up the cookies to never accept 3rd party cookies and have it prompt you for the rest of them. Then you can decide which cookies to accept and which to reject.