AVG, Windows Defender, AdAware?

[Amanda]

Hi, I have a general question about spyware sorts of infections.
I have AVG Internet Security full version, and I also run a scan frequently
with Windows defender. Both say they are looking for spyware, although the
AVG website doesn't seem to have any specific instructions for what to do if
you get one. Recently I somehow got a hijacking sort of infection, which
kept re-directing my homepage somewhre else. AVG & defender both said I was
clean. I downloaded a free version of AdAware, and after running that scan it
cleaned 2 of what it called major threats, and 30 or so not so major, and
after that the hijacking thing was gone.
So, do I need to have all 3 of these scans to keep safer?
Are these likely to conflict with each other?
Is AdAware a good choice? I asume it is safe, as I have seen it on this
forum sometimes as a recommendation, but had no need of it before now.
Any thoughts appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Big D]

So, do I need to have all 3 of these scans to keep safer?

Obviously - since it took all 3 to fix your system - yes. It's always
good to use a few, rather than one or two.

You can add Malwarebytes to the list. Also Spybot Search and Destroy.

Personally, I've lost faith in AdAware. It finds a lot of benevolent
"tracking cookies", and I find that annoying.

 

[Ken Blake]

Hi, I have a general question about spyware sorts of infections.
I have AVG Internet Security full version, and I also run a scan
frequently
with Windows defender. Both say they are looking for spyware, although the
AVG website doesn't seem to have any specific instructions for what to do
if
you get one. Recently I somehow got a hijacking sort of infection, which
kept re-directing my homepage somewhre else. AVG & defender both said I
was
clean. I downloaded a free version of AdAware, and after running that scan
it
cleaned 2 of what it called major threats, and 30 or so not so major, and
after that the hijacking thing was gone.
So, do I need to have all 3 of these scans to keep safer?
Are these likely to conflict with each other?
Is AdAware a good choice? I asume it is safe, as I have seen it on this
forum sometimes as a recommendation, but had no need of it before now.
Any thoughts appreciated.

No anti-spyware program is anywhere near 100% effective, and using two or
more is exactly what you should do.

Yes, AdAware is a good choice, as long as you don't rely on it alone.

 

[FromTheRafters]

Yes, it is a good addition to your stated (commendable) setup.

Many people will probably recommend others as well, and it
is generally only "on-access" detectors and "personal firewall"
applications that create conflict - so only one of each of these
applications is recommended to run at any given time. There
are other methods of "active" detection which don't create any
conflicts, so some types of active anti-malware scanners can be
used alongside the active "on-access" type for additional safety.

Some will call it only semantics, but I believe it is helpful to know
that these scanners (despite the wording they use) can never really
determine that your system is clean. They can only indicate that they
didn't find anything - which is hardly the same thing.

 

[Amanda]

OK, well 3 opinions now that pretty much told me what I had thought. I
realize now that there are plenty of posts here already about this, I could
have searched further to find them, and I should have. Thanks for answering!

 

[Kayman]

Some will call it only semantics, but I believe it is helpful to know
that these scanners (despite the wording they use) can never really
determine that your system is clean. They can only indicate that they
didn't find anything - which is hardly the same thing.

Quite right! No scanning application can indicate/confirm "system is
clean".
"The only way to clean a compromised system is to flatten and rebuild."
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/secmgmt/sm0504.mspx

 

[Neil Jones]

Hi, I have a general question about spyware sorts of infections.
I have AVG Internet Security full version, and I also run a scan frequently
with Windows defender. Both say they are looking for spyware, although the
AVG website doesn't seem to have any specific instructions for what to do if
you get one. Recently I somehow got a hijacking sort of infection, which
kept re-directing my homepage somewhre else. AVG & defender both said I was
clean. I downloaded a free version of AdAware, and after running that scan it
cleaned 2 of what it called major threats, and 30 or so not so major, and
after that the hijacking thing was gone.
So, do I need to have all 3 of these scans to keep safer?
Are these likely to conflict with each other?
Is AdAware a good choice? I asume it is safe, as I have seen it on this
forum sometimes as a recommendation, but had no need of it before now.
Any thoughts appreciated.
Thanks

I use the following:

Spybot Search & Destroy
ThreatFire
Super Anti-Spyware
Glary Utilities
Malwarebytes

All the above work with the Avast AV and Windows Defender.

You would think that my system must be super secure. Once in a while my
system will download a new spyware (from a website) which all the above
scanners (with all updates being always current) are still not aware
about the new strain of spyware. That is when I do complete restore
from the backup. It is happening a little bit more frequently than I
would like. So far this year I had to rebuild the laptop 3 times. In a
nutshell, use a good set of anti spyware programs but also maintain a
good backup of your entire computer.

HTH. Good luck.

NJ

 

[Hank Arnold (MVP)]

I use the following:

Spybot Search & Destroy
ThreatFire
Super Anti-Spyware
Glary Utilities
Malwarebytes

All the above work with the Avast AV and Windows Defender.

You would think that my system must be super secure. Once in a while my
system will download a new spyware (from a website) which all the above
scanners (with all updates being always current) are still not aware
about the new strain of spyware. That is when I do complete restore
from the backup. It is happening a little bit more frequently than I
would like. So far this year I had to rebuild the laptop 3 times. In a
nutshell, use a good set of anti spyware programs but also maintain a
good backup of your entire computer.

HTH. Good luck.

NJ

What are you using as a firewall?? Sounds like it's not doing it's job....

--

Regards,
Hank Arnold
Microsoft MVP
Windows Server - Directory Services