Is there a cure for SpyWare?

[its turbo time]

I was just wondering if there was anything I could do to get rid of this spy ware crap. I keep getting emails returned to me from addresses that I have never seen before. Thanks for any help.

 

[granatl]

Aside from switching to a Mac or Linux, no "cure".
If you're like most of the world and insist on staying in Windows, you need to do the following:
1. Re-install XP with service pack 2 and other hot fixes
2. Assuming that you have high-speed Internet, make sure to buy a good router with a good firewall, and lock it down tight. This is even more so true if you run wireless.
3. Weekly, run any anti-spyware that you can get ahold of. Unfortunately, just like a virus, the anti-spyware programs (naturally) lag behind the spyware, so once you get one, you get many.
4. Set a password for the Administrator account in XP. This can only be done via Safe Mode, but it's really important that you set it to some secure password.
5. Minimize the rights on your account to prevent software installs. Only install using Administrator, and never use Administrator for web surfing. Your account should have a password too, instead of direct login.
6. Keep your anti-virus up to date too.
7. AND, make sure only to accept software from known good sites like Microsoft (that's a tongue-in-cheek joke in itself...). It's far too easy to go to a site and just habitually accept the software install. This will burn you.

 

[tommynos]

I was just wondering if there was anything I could do to get rid of this spy ware crap. I keep getting emails returned to me from addresses that I have never seen before. Thanks for any help.

AD-AWARE SE PERSONAL...type that into google search and download it,its free and its what the pros use to remove spyware...along with "spybot search and destroy"which also is free but more agressive and sometimes removes personal stuff...set your computer to clear the cookies everday,and stay off the porn sites

 

[its turbo time]

I downloaded Ad Aware and ran it, it found 6 different instances of spy ware. It deleted four and contained 2. I'll do all the things that granatl said once I get home from work today and let you know how it goes.

7. AND, make sure only to accept software from known good sites like Microsoft (that's a tongue-in-cheek joke in itself...). It's far too easy to go to a site and just habitually accept the software install. This will burn you.

That's what my problem is, for sure.

 

[Pronto]

8. Stay off PORN sites :biggrin:

 

[weester87]

The perfect answer...

www.anonymizer.com


fyi,

The feds use it!

 

[its turbo time]

for the record it wasn't porno it was one of those retarded get rich quick schemes, (like that is any better of a reason) but I figured if I used a different email I would be in like flin but I guess not.

 

[turbojimmy]

Returned e-mail is not because of spyware. When spammers send out junk mail they 'spoof' the e-mail address. They choose the return address at random. Sometimes it's yours. Some servers receiving the spam reject it and send you a message that it failed because your address is in the return address field. If you look at the header you can see that it didn't actually come from you. Just delete them. There's not much else you can do.

Jim

 

[its turbo time]

Here is the part of the emails that makes me believe the emails are originating from "me":


Received: from yahoo.com (d192-24-233-114.try.wideopenwest.com
[24.192.114.233]) by rly-xb04.mx.aol.com (v109.13) with ESMTP id
MAILRELAYINXB41-a144ad7f2e2b1; Thu, 06 Jul 2006 17:22:54 -0400
From: vanillaice782@yahoo.com <--that's me
To: borkerbabe23@aol.com
Subject: GOOD DAY
Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2006 17:22:58 -0400
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/mixed;
boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0007_2D417BB7.8EC4A798"
X-Priority: 3
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-AOL-IP: 24.192.114.233
X-AOL-SCOLL-SCORE: 0:2:325206521:20401094
X-AOL-SCOLL-URL_COUNT: 0
Message-ID: <200607061722.a144ad7f2e2b1@rly-xb04.mx.aol.com>

And I also received an email from myself at one point.

 

[turbojimmy]

Here is the part of the emails that makes me believe the emails are originating from "me":


Received: from yahoo.com (d192-24-233-114.try.wideopenwest.com
[24.192.114.233]) by rly-xb04.mx.aol.com (v109.13) with ESMTP id
MAILRELAYINXB41-a144ad7f2e2b1; Thu, 06 Jul 2006 17:22:54 -0400
From: vanillaice782@yahoo.com <--that's me
To: borkerbabe23@aol.com
Subject: GOOD DAY
Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2006 17:22:58 -0400
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/mixed;
boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0007_2D417BB7.8EC4A798"
X-Priority: 3
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-AOL-IP: 24.192.114.233
X-AOL-SCOLL-SCORE: 0:2:325206521:20401094
X-AOL-SCOLL-URL_COUNT: 0
Message-ID: <200607061722.a144ad7f2e2b1@rly-xb04.mx.aol.com>

And I also received an email from myself at one point.

The "From" is what is spoofed. Even though your address is there, the message probably didn't originate from your PC. They use 'stolen' legitimate account names to mask their identity. You can see that although the header says it came from yahoo.com, the IP address of the server that actually sent the message was wideopenwest.com. Not a Yahoo! mail server and not from you.

Here's a good explanation: http://www.mailsbroadcast.com/email.broadcast.faq/46.email.spoofing.htm

If they were using your PC to send mail, it would be the result of some other type of virus, not spyware. Spyware is a term used to define software that collects personal information, sends you tons of ads or tracks your movement on the web.

If you're really worried about it make sure your anti-virus is up to date. The commercially available packages all protect against trojans which allow others to take control of your PC. For Spyware, Ad-aware is excellent and free. If you have a real problem Spybot Search and Destroy works good too.

Jim