The first two options listed below remove spyware by doing the job:

• fast, and
• easy way and, most importantly, both are
• recommended for helping you improve your layered protection security posture.

1. Secureworld, easy to use and it works; and
2. Lavasoft - a well-known product

• Spybot Search & Destroy
• Aluria spyware remover - free for home use

An example was the Sony/BMG rootkit that resulted in more than 2 Mio users having their computers infected . Playing music CDs/DVDs from such artists as: Celine Dion, Ray Charles, Cyndi Lauper and Neil Diamond got their computers infected. However, get info and the free tool here for catching rootkits under stealth mode:

• CyTRAP's Trend - Stealth Mode Malware - Making Windows Lie
  
  
• Getting the free tool to catch spyware running under stealth mode    

Another headache is Look2Me, a new generation of "polymorphic" spyware, which continuously changes its filename and other identifying characteristics each time the user logs on and off the infected PC.

Once it becomes resident on a PC, Look2Me runs inside a critical Windows process (i.e., hooking into Winlogon.exe) and operates in stealth mode, never appearing in the Windows Task Manager's process display.

Look2Me exploits a Microsoft operating system feature that allows programs to be notified when a user logs off.

Because of this problem, most users infected by this spyware do not even know that they are (use the free tool under Tip 3 to find that one).

In such a case you need to have a possibility to logg processes on your machine to see which file it is that is trying to hide or which process you want your anti-spyware program to get rid off. We have help, namely:

• Process Logger helps reveal the culprit that is running on your system while trying to hide

One notable CoolWebSearch spyware variant attempts to prevent users from viewing the Windows Task Manager, so they cannot see the processes that are running on their PC. (e.g., as you do when pushing CTRL-ALT-Del).

This variant of CoolWebSearch spyware also prevents users from running the Windows Regedit program, a tool commonly used by tech-savvy professionals to edit the Windows registry in hopes of manually removing spyware.

Adding insult to injury, some variants of CoolWebSearch spyware provide an uninstaller which, instead of removing the offending software, actually installs more spyware onto the infected PC. This "brotherhood of spyware" opens the door to invite new spyware guests onto your computer.

To remove this and other browser hijacker programs you can get this freeware program:

• CW-Shredder - getting rid of CoolWebSearch and similar types of hijacking programs.   

This spyware reveals whatever one holds private and personal, such as:

• logs instant messaging and other chat activity,
• the web addresses visited by the victim,
• user names and passwords the victim uses to log into various web sites, as well as information filled out on web site forms, AND
• accesses Microsoft's Internet Explorer "Protected Storage", which is where Internet Explorer stores information and passwords entered into web forms.

Once this information has been collected, it is transmitted to a remote web server over the internet. Once transmitted to the server, the information is dumped into an unencrypted file. Anyone who knows the address of this server can view this file. Apparently, the personal information of thousands of victims is being written to this file on a continuing basis. Sunbelt has been monitoring the file and has discovered that the information it contains is being compressed and archived at regular intervals. The file then is reset to blank so that more information can be written to it.

The tools mentioned under Tips 1-3 should help you getting rid of such spyware for sure.

1. anti-virus programs focus on file scanning, while
2. anti-spyware programs focus on system scanning.

Hence, an anti-virus program helps preventing your PC from getting infected, while a anti-spyware program finds these nasty things if they have already infected your PC's hard-drive.

Accordingly, both programs do different jobs and are needed.

• CT210003: CASEScontact.org guide - Making cookies work better for you

explains exactly how you can change your cookie options to better protect yourself against spyware in easy to understand non-technical terms.   

• CT210005: New PC or Hard Drive - Partitioning - Improve Performance and Security in Windows XP 2005-03-15,
• CT210009: Windows XP 101 - PART 2 - Paris Hilton Knows CyTRAP's THREE Rules for Better Securing her PC with Windows Update 2005-10-24,
• CT210013: 10 golden rules for better securing the home PC,
• CT210015: Data Recovery 101 - PART I - 'That's hot!' - Paris Hilton's recommendations from the World Economic Forum Davos - Risk Workshop 2006-01-17

• Layered security - what is it good for and how will it work best for my PC?
• What is spyware?
• What are cookies good for?

What can cause some problems sometimes is if a vendor decides to remove a software from their definition files, without letting users know. Hence, while product A was still removed from your PC yesterday because the program identified as spyware, today this is no longer the case since the firm decided that it is now adware only.

The Sony rootkit nightmare or Sony-BMG case was an example how code may be installed spying on users supposedly to protect a company's rights. And yes, many spyware removal programs did not find the hiding Sony-BMG rootkit and others failed to identify as spyware (it was since it reported back information to Sony without the user's explicit consent).

To better safeguard oneself against such attacks and newly evolving forms of spyware code it is necessary to:

1. follow a strict regiment of layered security, AND
2. use more than one spyware remover, AND
3. run it at least ONCE A WEEK on your machine

If you want to check at the end if you did things right, have a look at this checklist, you'll be glad you did:

• 8 steps for getting rid off and checking one's PC against spyware and stealthware

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