Preventing, Detecting, and Removing Spyware

• Prevention
• Detection and Removal Tools
  • Ad-Aware
  • Spybot Search and Destroy
  • Yahoo! Toolbar with Anti-Spy

Prevention

We recommend you take the following steps to prevent spyware and adware from being installed on your computer:

• Uninstall all file sharing software. Refer to How to Uninstall BearShare, KaZaa Media Desktop, LimeWire, or Morpheus in Windows XP/Vista.
• Make sure your computer has the latest operating system patches and security updates.
• Do not install unknown software.
• Do not click suspicious links.
• Check for updates to your spyware detection and removal programs often.

Detection and Removal Tools

You can locate and remove spyware using the following spyware detection and removal tools. Each product is updated regularly when new spyware exploits appear. These programs are provided for free by outside entities and are not affiliated with Virginia Tech.

Important: Before removing spyware and adware, please be aware that:

• Removal programs will not prevent your computer from getting spyware or adware, nor are they guaranteed to find all malicious programs.
• If your computer is badly infected, removing spyware and adware can cause some programs to stop working. In that case you must reformat your computer and reinstall the operating system and program.
• After you remove spyware from your computer, some programs may not run because their advertisment component has been removed. This usually affects peer-to-peer, media, or file sharing programs, but can sometimes interfere with other applications such as Eudora in sponsored mode.
• Spyware detection and removal programs typically have update capabilities, but they do not alert you when there are new software updates available. You will need to manually check for updates to your software.
• It is important to install Symantec AntiVirus software for virus protection. Spyware and adware are not the same as viruses, but both can make your computer unusable.

Removal Tools

Ad-Aware

Ad-aware is a free utility that scans your memory, registry, and hard drives for known spyware components. In addition, it lets you remove these components without harming your computer. Ad-aware has a built-in update utility that will alert you when new reference files are available.

• For more information, refer to the Lavasoft Web site.
• For information about downloading and installing Ad-aware, refer to Downloading and Installing Ad-Aware 2007 for Windows 2000/XP.
• For information about scanning your computer using Ad-aware, refer to Scanning Your Computer Using Ad-Aware 2007 for Windows 2000/XP.

Spybot Search and Destroy

Spybot Search and Destroy is a free utility that scans your memory, registry, and hard drives for known spyware components. In addition, it lets you remove these components without harming your computer. Spybot Search and Destroy has a built-in update utility that will alert you when new reference files are available.

• For more information, refer to the Spybot Search & Destroy Web site.
• For information about downloading and installing Spybot Search & Destroy, refer to Downloading and Installing Spybot Search & Destroy 1.5 for Windows 2000/XP.
• For information about scanning your computer using Spybot Search & Destroy, refer to Scanning My Computer Using Spybot Search & Destroy 1.5 for Windows 2000/XP.

Yahoo! Toolbar with Anti-Spy

Important: Please be aware that 4Help cannot provide support for this product.

Yahoo offers a tool bar that comes with a spyware removal tool, "Anti-Spy". In addition, you can stop pop-up ads, use the Yahoo! search engine, and customize your bookmarks and buttons. For more information and to download Yahoo! Toolbar with Anti-Spy, go to the Yahoo! Toolbar site.