How to tackle spyware problem?

please help

[Arisia]

How to tackle spyware problem permanently? I installed firewall but that makes my internet conexion slow. What to do? please suggest.

Thank you.

[Noisehag]

I use a combination of "Ad-Aware" and "SpyBot Search and Destroy". Between those two programs I rarely have any problems. They both have either free or share versions and you can find them by searching through Google. Another program that looked good to me was SpySweeper, but I've never tried it.

[Str0ud]

I also use "ad-aware" and "spybot search and destroy" as a team. I have fixed 50 or 60 pc's with this combination and have never had a problem. For particularly troublesome crapware, I will run google searches on every unidentifiable process to determine its function. One more handy thing that I do is to make HKLM\Software¦Microsoft¦Windows¦CurrentVersion¦Run
read only.

[encyclo]

I installed firewall but that makes my internet conexion slow

If you're on a broadbad connection, then a firewall is an absolute must (along with a properly-updated antivirus, but you knew that already).

You are right in saying that software firewall programs slow down things, so it is best to go for a hardware device such as a NAT router - even the most basic model will give excellent protection. A router with an integrated firewall is even better, and still incredibly cheap - and it allows you to easily share a connection too.

[kalos]

I agree that you'll want some form of hardware firewall since they put less stress (none actually) on your system. Linksys and others make great products but the cheapest route is to set up an older system with a flavor of *nix and have at it. Coyote Linux is a well known firewall/NAT version as well as floppyfw. While you have to be careful some hardware incompatibility issues as not all cards will be supported it is free and a learning experience.

Another nice thing about the *nix setup is that you can run your own DNS servers and, with the right HOSTS file, block a great deal of ad servers on the Internet.

[UDaMan]

Or just goto Linux on your desktop :)

[Raymond]

O not again with the Linux and MS debate =)