spyware question

If I have spyware on my system and don't faithfully run cleaners like
Adaware etc how do they send info back to the mother site? Shouldn't an
application-based firewall like Sygate detect they are trying to call home?

Thanks
Billh

billh

billh wrote:
> If I have spyware on my system and don't faithfully run cleaners like
> Adaware etc how do they send info back to the mother site? Shouldn't an
> application-based firewall like Sygate detect they are trying to call home?
>
> Thanks
> Billh
>
>
Just out of curiousity, why wouldn't you faithfully scan your system?
All the junk just slows your system down. Not scanning your system as a
part of routine cleaning, in my opinion, is just being lazy. No offense
intended. Firewalls should detect if something is calling home. I know
ZoneAlarm notifies you (if you have to set to tell you). Advanced
Administration Tools from G-Lock Software is quite handy as well. It'll
tell you what processes are currently running (I found a few hidden
goodies that the scanners didn't pick up on). Best bet Bill, be safe. Be
careful what you download. I have found some freeware that what full of
spyware and installed without permission. Real headache to remove it
later.(Needless to say, I don't download freeware anymore). Scan your
system weekly, more often if you download and install stuff all the time.
Glenn

Hi. The previous responder told you to scan your system regularly. I
absolutely agree you must, but would like to go a little further.
You also need SpyBot Search and Destroy (google for it) which is also free
and regularly updated. These two programs find slightly different things. I
think SpyBot is the more agressive of the two. It has the advantage of an
"Immunize" function that will help keep stuff out of your machine in the
background. You STILL need to log in and get updates to both of these
regularly.



"billh" <> wrote in message
news03Ob.24546$. ..
> If I have spyware on my system and don't faithfully run cleaners like
> Adaware etc how do they send info back to the mother site? Shouldn't an
> application-based firewall like Sygate detect they are trying to call
home?
>
> Thanks
> Billh
>
>

Michael Hobbs wrote:

> Hi. The previous responder told you to scan your system regularly. I
> absolutely agree you must, but would like to go a little further.
> You also need SpyBot Search and Destroy (google for it) which is also free
> and regularly updated. These two programs find slightly different things. I
> think SpyBot is the more agressive of the two. It has the advantage of an
> "Immunize" function that will help keep stuff out of your machine in the
> background. You STILL need to log in and get updates to both of these
> regularly.
>
Hi Michael,
I also use SpyBot and AdAware. However, a screensaver I downloaded
last week has a real sneeky way of installing malware without your
permission or your knowledge. Neither SpyBot or AdAware could remove it.
(Yep, I already told the folks at SpyBot about it). The only way I could
find the junk and remove it was with the tools from GLock ,which showed
the process running. Even Immunize didn't help in this situation. These
malware setups are getting more intelligent... now, where's my
flamethrower?

On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 22:39:08 -0500, billh wrote:

> If I have spyware on my system and don't faithfully run cleaners like
> Adaware etc how do they send info back to the mother site? Shouldn't an
> application-based firewall like Sygate detect they are trying to call home?
>
> Thanks
> Billh

Even with aggressive Firewalling and AV, you need to run your malware
search. Why? Because many of the spyware apps and cookies are monitoring
your online activities. Your firewall may stop them from dialing home to
mama, but what about when you've opened your browser - once you allow it
online, then the cookies and any other attached process may be available.

I run spybot after every browsing session, and it almost invariably finds
things, some innocent, some not.

As to the responder just below who runs Spybot after every session with a
browser and finds things... Doesn't the immunize function in Spybot prevent
these problems? I keep Spybot updated, turn on Immunize and have had very
little trouble nor has Spybot found much since....

Michael Hobbs

remove X's to reply

"Alfred E. Neuman" <> wrote in message
news...
> On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 22:39:08 -0500, billh wrote:
>
> > If I have spyware on my system and don't faithfully run cleaners like
> > Adaware etc how do they send info back to the mother site? Shouldn't an
> > application-based firewall like Sygate detect they are trying to call
home?
> >
> > Thanks
> > Billh
>
> Even with aggressive Firewalling and AV, you need to run your malware
> search. Why? Because many of the spyware apps and cookies are monitoring
> your online activities. Your firewall may stop them from dialing home to
> mama, but what about when you've opened your browser - once you allow it
> online, then the cookies and any other attached process may be available.
>
> I run spybot after every browsing session, and it almost invariably finds
> things, some innocent, some not.

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Michael Hobbs wrote:
>As to the responder just below who runs Spybot after every session with a
>browser and finds things... Doesn't the immunize function in Spybot
>prevent these problems? I keep Spybot updated, turn on Immunize and have
>had very
>little trouble nor has Spybot found much since....

You ought to grab spywareblaster as well. It's a specialized immunizer.
Covers a lot more than what spybot does, but it doesn't scan, just
immunizes to prevent infection to begin with.

http://www.wilderssecurity.net/


- --
Frode


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"Michael Hobbs" <> wrote in message news:<byoPb.96$>...
> As to the responder just below who runs Spybot after every session with a
> browser and finds things... Doesn't the immunize function in Spybot prevent
> these problems? I keep Spybot updated, turn on Immunize and have had very
> little trouble nor has Spybot found much since....
>
> Michael Hobbs
>
> remove X's to reply

SpyBot's immunize is pretty good, and SpywareBlaster nails some things
SpyBot does (and vice versa). And, of course, Ad-Aware and CWShredder
may also be necessary to identify all known threats or to remove some
of the more stubborn ones. the moral of the story is, you need to use
several tools, and follow up one scan or disinfection by another with
anohter program.

A lot of the warnings you are probably seeing in SpyBot are actually
tracking cookies, which are set by sites you visit in your browser.
You can prevent these by either using cookie-filtering software like
Proxomitron, or, better yet, use a modern browser like Mozilla or
Opera. These let you automatically delete cookies at the end of each
browsing section when you exit your browser, with a simple adjustment
to the settings. Then the cookies will not be saved to disk, and
SpyBot will not flag them.

Sponge
Sponge's Security Service
www.geocities.com/yosponge
My new email is yosponge two at yahoo dot com Replace the two and
space with the number.