Winfixer 2005 - Anyone caught this virus?

[Crash Override]

Is this the program Myway search assistant?

Is the XoftSpy program any good that's mentioned in the removal instructions link in Blatmans post?

What is the best Antispy/adware program you can get which is free?

Thanks for the help.

Malc.

[Stuart]

AdAware and Spybot always get good reviews and are said to complement each other.  I use both.

But I recently found one called Spyware Blaster which claims to actually stop spyware being downloaded.  And it seems to be relatively true - since I installed it neither AdAware nor Spybot has found much at all; just a couple in about 3 months.

[hilux]

Xsoft spy is superb, Grisoft AVG Free edition for windows and Sunbelt Kerio Personal Firewall mean nothing gets to my PC

All highly recommended and free.

I also run Ad-Aware and spybot search and destroy also free as precaution but Xsoft spy is the dogs danglies IMHO

I`m sure all the IT bods will shoot me down in flames now    

[Crash Override]

Cheers for those tips guys.  

But what about this MywaySA program is this a risk and should it be removed. I don't remember installing it  

[ACW]

most sophisticated spyware and viruses now set themselves up to run in such a way as they cannot easily be removed without booting the machine in safe mode command prompt or using a recovery console. This means a lot of published utilities including MS defender cant remove them.

Trick is to discover how the ap is being started. This is normally in the Run/Run Once Regsitry keys, or setting up as a ShellExtension or an inprocess server.

Someone I know just had 8K removed from their bank account courtesy of installing spyware laden software which then proceeded to download addtional viruses laden / spyware packages.

[Crash Override]

Not sure what your trying to put across here Adrian?

Should I remove the file MywaySearchAssistant or not? (incedently my friend has a similar thing on there machine called Myweb search assistant).

How do I get XP into safe mode.

Should I use any of the above adware/spyware removal programs?

I'm not brilliant with computers so some of the jargon goes ove rmy head.

[Neil Purdie]

Dell (and other companies) are pre-installing browser hijacking software, to redirect search requests to web sites sponsored or owned by them.

Whilst Myway and Myweb search asistants are not in themselves any trouble, the links they redirect to could be   this could leave you open to infections.

Myway removal

Good idea to download 'Spyware blaster' and 'Spybot-search and destroy' if you havent already got them.  They are both free aplications ( donations accepted   )

Spyware blaster currently has 6557 entries listed in the file of restricted websites.  If you then set your security level to 'high' for restricted sites in internet options, this prevents those sites from causing unwanted damage.

Spybot SD is a run on demand ( ie - NOT always on ) malware detector and removal program.  Run it once a week ( depending on your usage and paranoia )

[Crash Override]

I've been looking at spybot search and destroy, but their certificate is out of date, is this a problem?

Since changing my web browser settings going to the lavasoft adwareSE download page it comes up with being a blocked site, why would this be?

Looked at Mozilla firefox as suggested by scruffythefirst, but this comes up with unknown publisher, is this going to be a problem?

Anyone got any up to date links for free anti spy/adware programs.

Incedentley I've deleted the MywaySA program through the control panel, doesn't seem to have affected anything that I use.

Malc.

[Crash Override]

Cheers Neil.

You must have written that as I was writting mine.

I've deleted MywaySA, and mine's a Dell laptop.

Have you got any links to down load those programs please?

Malc

[Neil Purdie]

Anyone got any up to date links for free anti spy/adware programs.

Use a link from one of the pinned posts on the forum below

SWI forum

[Neil Purdie]

Not saying that you are infected but prevention is better....

Have a read

[Blatman]

Another option is to set up a new account on your local machine, then restrict the access and righrs on the acount so that programes won't download or install unless prompted, or are simply denied. It may even be an option in the parental controls options on your machine. If you have XP or WIN2000 (and maybe even Win98) it shouldn't be too hard to set up a restricted "internet" account.

And if you *want* to install a programme it's a simple matter to switch from the "safe" account to teh owner/administrators account.