Stop Spyware?


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Hello All,

I am assuming this is the correct place to post this.

I am relatively new to the world of Windows XP Operating System, and since I have been using a Mac I was not aware of "Spyware" until very recently (although I am now certain it also does exist on my Mac it was just never an issue which was mentioned).

I have downloaded myself Spybot, and of course when I did search and destroy it found a ton of Spywarein which I proceeded to delete.

However about every three days or so if I run Spybot it finds new Spyware everytime, for example there are always ones from Gator and Advertising.com, etc.

My question is a simple one, although it may require a complex answer...

What settings, if any, can I use in my Internet Properties to avoid getting Spyware completely? And or what else do I have to do to avoid this?

The 1st time I ran Spybot I did go to my Internet Properties and changed the settings in Security, Privacy, and Content to what I thought would be suffice levels, but it appears as if it were to no avail as like I said I do keep finding Spyware everytime I run Spybot.

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated...

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Do what I do. Set the Privacy cookie level to High. Then, if you have a site that requires cookies, put the URL of the website into an exception list (cookies for that URL would be allowed then)

Still some cookies get placed, but at least it's drastically reduced ;)

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Optiplex is right you're probably just seeing alot of cookies.

Cookies are harmless, but if you want to stop getting tracking cookies then set all cookies to prompt. Then when you go to a site it'll ask you for permission to save a cookie. Take neowin for example. The first time you go here with all cookies prompt IE will ask you for permission to set a cookie for neowin.net so say yes. Then each of neowin's advertisors will ask to set a cookie, and deny all of those.

As long as you choose the box that remembers your decision for each request IE will never ask you again after the first time.

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Hey DL - blocking all/some cookies will work if that is what your seeing - but you STATED that your seeing gator. I am guessing that the first time you installed it - you check always except from them?? Of the top of my head, I do not remember how to undo that - if you feel you did do that - PM me, and I'll look it up for you.

I would suggest you bump up the security level of your internet connection, in Ie tools security to atleast Medium - if not high. A simple way to block some of this junk is to block the domain its coming from. Ie place a bogus entry in your host file for where its coming from, ie something.gator.com - this will keep your machine from talking to their servers. Its a bit nicer if you run your own dns, and can just make a bogus master zone for their whole domain.

And remember - NEVER click on anything that pops up - unless you FULLY understand what it is going to do!!

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Everytime one of those popups has a yes and no question, read the question. It might ask something and you say "no". It'll pop again asking are you sure? Read what it says because it might say something like "By saying 'no' you agree blah blah blah..." so you have to click yes. My suggestion is get a spyware remover and run it every once in a while (I do it every day).

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With windows I recommend either Opera or Firebird. Then you will neeed ad-aware, and run a complete scan every few days with the new definitions. Its hard to completely avoid spyware with windows, best thing is to know how to get rid of it.

And also stay away from programs like kazaa (and all P2P), weather bug, comet curser, real player, the list goes on.

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If I'm using IE, I will install Norton antivirus and Norton firewall. Both will help screen most(98%) of Spyware/Adware from getting into my system. But since I switch to Firebird for a while, I don't have any problem with those Adware and Spyware anymore. It's your choice. :)

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