How many malware programs do I need to run?

[jeffw_00]

Ok - I run McAfee and Adaware scans every day, and feel pretty secure. But as I read advice columns on the net I'm told I need to run SEVERAL Malware programs to stay clean. IS this overkill? Perhaps I need to add just one more (spybot?) to the mix? Perhaps all I need is a hosts file, and a startup monitor (btw - how do startup monitors work? they claim they're not TSRs). (see http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm).I mean - where's the point of diminshing returns? I'm just askin'thanks/j

[ross549]

ONce you run a single spyware scanner, you will eliminate about 96-98% of the spyware on the machine. Now this is not always true, because all the different ones are constantly being updated. I think you are fine with one. It definately is all about the 80/20 rule:20% of the effort will yield 80% of the desired result, and the last 20% of the result will require the other 80% of the effort.In this case, I would call it the 95/5 rule...

[dicknite]

Well, I'm not an expert... But I did see one on TV once!I run a few different things. I run Mike Lin's Startup Monitor and Startup Control Panel on every machine I own - and wouldn't be without them. It is AMAZING how many things try to set themselves to start up automatically without telling you! I really think that this (Startup Monitor) is my most important TSR (It IS listed as running in Task Manager).I also run Spybot S&D and AdAware (neither of which stay resident - as far as I can tell... nothing in Task Manager) - they each find things the other doesn't, and they play well together. I have AVG antivirus running always (recent Norton convert), and I have ZoneAlarm running. Both of these stay resident.These all seem to operate well and don't seem to take a lot of resources. I don't notice a slow-down from them.Every now and then I run Spyware Blaster to "innoculate" the browser and hosts file from bad guys.Don't know that this answered your question, but it is what I use - I haven't been infected, had my home-page hijacked, or anything else in years - so I guess it works!d|:^)Dick

[Jeber]

This is one of those "your milage may vary" issues. It will depend on how much time you spend online, how many sites (and what kind) you visit and what sort of spyware issues you've had in the past.I spend a great deal of the day online, and visit sites for forum purposes and customers at work that I usually wouldn't visit on my own. For that reason, I too use Mike Lin's Startup Monitor and WinPatrol Pro, along with AdAware, Spybot (both only for scans) and Spysweeper (which stays resident and provides protection). Those apps, coupled with AVG anti-virus and Zone Alarm software firewall provide me with what I feel is an adequate level of security. In the last 4 years, I have yet to be infected with anything worse than the occasional spyware.

[redmaledeer]

Spyware Blaster deserves more mention. Free, no CPU usage, complements other anti=spyware by tackling spyware from a different angle, and is quite effective. It's hard to see a reason for not using it.

[-ct-]

i'll add my $.01 tooalways running:AVG Pro www.grisoft.com $33.30USZone Alarm Pro www.zonelabs.com $49USAd-Shield (IE only) www.ad-shield.com $30US (or so)Google toolbar (for IE) http://toolbar.google.com FREErun once a week:Adaware Personal SE www.lavasoftusa.com FREESpybot Search & Destroy (i gotta google this one every time, i can't remember the url lol) FREEHighjackthis (same here) FREEdo what i do (run these) and you'll never have a problemthe most i ever find is 2-3 cookies and that's it, nothing elsei don't suffer with ads or popups or popunders or browser resizing, etcfwiw, any other firewall and anti-virus most of you who read my posts understand my position (they suck compared to the above)any other anti-spy/malware apps you wanna run i say go for it, but be sure to run the ones mentioned above as well and make them your primary

[jeffw_00]

Thanks guys - one question...How does the startup monitor work? I don't get how it can 'catch' things without staying resident. As far as 'startup control panel" I use PcForrest's Startman and yes, this is like the best debug tool I have when something goes wrong.

[Jeber]

Most startup monitors I've looked at do indeed stay resident, but with very little overhead. Most of them notify you should anything try to add itself to your startup group. If you find one that sucks up more resources than you'd like, shop around. There are a few, and some behave better than others.

[nlinecomputers]

Personally I use Ad-Aware and Spybot S & D because both find things the other does not. I also use Firefox as my browser and run AVG as antivirus. I don't have problems this way. Mostly because of Firefox IMHO.

[jeffw_00]

yeah - we're an all-mozilla household.MOZILLA RULES!

[Guitar Man]

My "must haves" :Sygate Personal Firewall PRO ($39.95) > first line of defense !AVG Free 7.0 > just got it today (thanks to Peachy). It simply replaced my version 6.0 I had for 2 years.Ad-Aware SE Personal (free)SpywareBlaster 3.2 (free)Startup Monitor (free)Spyware Doctor (free)Free Surfer mk II (free popup stopper)No malware, viruses, spyware (other than the odd tracking cookie), popups for over 2 years now. And oddly enough, no spam in my OE client.You could say I'm one happy camper, just pickin' my guitar in the sun...Anything more is just 'overkill' IMHO...---------------------------------------------------

jeffw_00 Posted on Nov 11 2004, 04:22 PM   one question...How does the startup monitor work?

Here it is, straight from the 'source':StartupMonitor

[epp_b]

I run only ZoneAlarm Free 4.5.538 and Norton AntiVirus 2002 and haven't had a single piece of malware in the two years I've had this machine. In fact, I've only ran ZA since the beginning of 2004.If you are a cautious surfer and a take a few security steps and precautions, you can be pretty safe in general.Also, cookies can't harm you. They're nothing but plain, flat text files. The most anyone can do as far as "tracking" goes is track the number of times an IP address has visited a certain site. It's not like they can get any personal information from you -- on cookies alone -- without you explicitly giving it to them.Of course, then there is that GMail cookie exploit... (but that's unrelated)

[zlim]

Guitar Man, what version of Spyware Doctor are you running? The info I was able to find shows that it costs $40.

[jeffw_00]

Ok - I got the startup monitor and control panel (though I think Startman is better as it lets you actually DELETE startups). Ran spyware blaster and installed spybot. I had a less-than-production-code experience with spybot. Adaware runs on my machines unattended every night without incident. I tried to set Spybot up to run attended - got these problems.1) It's not really unattended. It needs you to click on OK if it finds anything. How do I avoid this?2) As it completes, funny things happen. Error boxes with OKs, sometimes my whole wallpaper turns white, or another graphic appears, and once some Malware was ACTIVATED at the end of a scan.My machines are pretty clean (Spybot found little), but clearly I didn't have a production-code experience. Am I doing something wrong or is this as good as the tool gets?thanks/j

[nlinecomputers]

That is good as it gets. Spybot is a one man operation. All volunteer work. The errors are probably fake. Several malware programs generate totally fake messages as Spybot kills them.

[jeffw_00]

ok - thanks!/j

[Guitar Man]

zlim Posted on Nov 12 2004, 11:40 AM   Guitar Man, what version of Spyware Doctor are you running? The info I was able to find shows that it costs $40.

The free version I'm using is 2.1.0.254. It's still in trialware mode.You can get it from this page: http://www.pctools.com/spyware-doctor/

[zlim]

Thanks.IMHO, there is no such thing as too many spyware detectors.

[redmaledeer]

Zlim - I agree. Ross549 mentions a 95/5 rule. But that 5% can be a real nuisance when it happens. Even when protective programs nominally cover the same area, one program will catch things that another doesn't. It's well worth running redundant programs to catch as many as you can.

[JackR]

I think that this topic has to be split into two categories.1. How many programs has to be set to load at Startup and thus Act Live while you are working with the computer.In my experience it is important to curb this type of usage to one program of each kind.Live anti Infestation programs intercept the Network traffic and as a Sum are liable to slow down and destabilized the system.So, One Software Firewall, One Anti Ads, One Cookie manager, One Antivirus.Which one? It is really a personal choice.2. Scanning for infestations by running Programs "at will"? I run as many as necessary.Since the Security program would run like any other application scanning the Registry Hard Drive and Memory, etc. you can run as many as you trust.Two days ago I had a Win2000 computer, after cleaning to total to 1200 infestation units + about:blank, and other Hijackers. Some one ran DSL connection with No Router, and No software Firewall, only live Antivirus.I run Ad-aware, Spybot, Hijack, a2, CSW, and Antivir. Each one removed something but I could not get the Internet to function.After searching I found this: About:Buster 4.0.On run and every thing got back to normal.

[Ed_P]

I agree JackR.

[Guitar Man]

Ditto for me on 'startup' apps vs. tools to run only when needed.I have an anti-virus, firewall, Startup Monitor and a popup stopper run when Windows sets up. That's it! Otherwise it does does have an impact on overall performance.When I feel it's needed, or on a regular basis, I'll update and run Ad-Aware and Spyware Doctor. I check for SpywareBlaster updates at least once a week. I have many other tools at my disposal, but have yet to use them because of this routine I've given myself.I'll take a look at About:buster for my friends, if you say it works. Thanks for the link, even though it came out 4 days ago, but was downloaded over 76,000 times so far...