Products to block adware downloads

[Stro Asquith]

My question is: How can I stop adware from downloading
itself on my PC? FYI, I run Norton Anti-Virus 2004,
Spyware S&D and Ad-aware 6.0 on my machine.

In Zone Alarm Pro 4 I have turned on the Mobile Control
Code to block VBScript, Java & ActiveX from running on my
PC. Unfortunately, I learned about this after the six
adwares installed themselves on my machine.

I do have a few specific questions...

1) What's the difference between SpywareBlaster 3.1 and
SpywareGuard 2.2? I understand that Blaster blocks adware
downloads. If that's right, what does Guard do?

2) I currently use the free Ad-aware 6.0. I saw on one
website, however, a comparison of the free Ad-aware and Ad-
aware Plus which sells for about $27. The Plus version
found adware the free version didn't find. In addition,
Lavasoft claims Ad-aware Plus will run in the background
and block adware before it's downloaded to the PC.
So I'm wondering if I should continue using the free Ad-
aware and compliment it with free SpywareBlaster &
SpywareGuard, or pay to upgrade to Ad-aware Plus.
(Lavasoft bundles Ad-aware Plus with their RegHance
registry editor for about $40.)

3) I'm going to check in my Microsoft Internet Explorer
browser the Tools / Internet Options / Security path to
see what I can block. My ISP is AOL and I'm running AOL
9.0. My question here is.when I make changes in Internet
Options while in IE, do these changes also apply to the
AOL browser? Or do I need to make the Internet Options
changes independently in both browsers?

A long message, I know. Thanks for any advice you can
offer.

Regards,
Stro Asquith

 

[guyf]

All I can say is that I am running adaware 6, Spywareblaster (both free
and trend micro's pc-cillin 2003 (paid but not a lot). now I get n
problems touch wood.
Since installing spywareblaster and updating it regularly ad-aware
also regularly updated, finds nothing and the regular updates fro
pc-cillin keep me clean
-
guy
Computers only work with the info you give them. If you don't feed the
and protect them they die

 

[shmthaus]

There is a website spywareguide.com that has a reg hack
blocklist that blocks the active x compatability for about
144 spywares/adwares that use active x for downloads. I
have experimented with it and it seems to work.

Also, when you get a popup, don't click anywhere on the
window to close. A lot of the ads do what is called a
drive by download. Go to the taskbar and right click and
close.

Spywareguide.com has an extensive list of spywares/adwares
and how to remove them.