Online spyware removal

If you are interested in choosing between different types of antispyware products
you can also read these antivirus software reviews.

Here is a list of free online anti-spyware tools that will help you to clean up a PC from spyware trojans and viruses. Compared with the standard anti virus software they have:

• Advantages:
  - no need of application installation on your computer.
  - online scanners use latest antivirus definitions.
  
  
• Disadvantages:
  - some online scanners like Kaspersky online scanner:
  

  http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner

  and
  Panda Active Scan
  

  http://www.pandasecurity.com/activescan/index/

  
  list only viruses they find without cleaning them. (Panda Active scan actually only finds viruses but cleans up spyware).  They could be used for a system check only.
  
  The following compact anti-spyware tools are of a small size that will not affect your system's performance. They wont slow down your applications loading time. So give them a try and don't forget to update their definitions first!
  
  eTrust PestPatrol Anti-Spyware from ComputerAssociates:
  

  http://www.pestpatrol.com/ http://cainternetsecurity.net/entscanner/

  
  McAffee freescan:
  

  http://home.mcafee.com/downloads/free-virus-scan

  
  A-squared Web Malware Scanner:
  

  http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/ax/

  
  Webroot SpySweeper:
  

  http://www.webroot.com/land/installation_instructions.php

  SuperAntiSpyware makes a sophisticated spyware analysis on your system

http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html

• Anti-Spyware for the web from TrendMicro HouseCall
  

  http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

  
  
• Windows Security Essentials
  

  http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/products/security-essentials

  
  
• Norton's Symantec on-line security scan and virus detection
  

  http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/home.asp

  
  
• BitDefender's on-line scanner:
  

  http://quickscan.bitdefender.com/

  
  
• F-Secure Online Virus Scanner:
  

  http://www.f-secure.com/en_EMEA-Labs/security-threats/tools/online-scanner

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• ArcaMicroScan
  

  http://www.arcabit.com/online_scanner

  (first you need to download and install the supporting libraries)
  
  
  
  
• ESET / NOD32 Online Scanner -
  

  http://www.eset.com/home/products/online-scanner/
  
  

Before you scan your PC
Some of the on line scanners require specific access to run. Under Windows XP if you notice at the upper part of the screen the Information Bar click on it and select Enable, Install or Run file from the context menu.



Some online scanners work in Internet Explorer browser only and require ActiveX controls to be turned on. You can enable ActiveX by switching to menu Tools on Internet Explorer:


1. Go to Internet Options.
2. Then on the Security tab, click on Default Level.

Other way of enabling ActiveX is to add the antivirus program's website to your Trusted sites:
1. Go to Internet Options -> Security Tab -> Trusted sites.
2. For the Security Level for this zone click on the button Custom level...
3. Fill in the full address of the website you want to have access to in the input field Add this website into this zone & uncheck the mark on Require server verification(https:) for all sites in this zone.
4. Check the availibility of ActiveX scripting in Internet Explorer. In the field Security level for this zone click on Custom level button and under ActiveX controls and pluggins enable:

Automatic Prompting for ActiveX controls
Download Signed ActiveX controls
Download Unsigned ActiveX controls
Initialize and run ActiveX controls that are not marked as safe
Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins
Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting


Virus removal tools
They need to be downloaded and run as standalone applications:
Avira:

http://www.avira.com/en/downloads

BitDefender:

http://www.bitdefender.com/site/Download/browseFreeRemovalTool/

AVG:

http://free.avg.com/us-en/virus-removal

Symantec:

http://www.symantec.com/business/security_response/removaltools.jsp

AVAST:

http://www.avast.com/eng/avast-virus-cleaner.html

Kaspersky:

http://www.kaspersky.com/virus-removal-tools

McAffee:

http://www.mcafee.com/us/downloads/free-tools/stinger.aspx

Norman:

http://www.norman.com/support/support_tools/malware_cleaner/

And if you think that you have a possibly infected file you can always send it for a check to:

http://virusscan.jotti.org/

Protection tool:
SpywareBlaster - prevents the installation of spyware, adware, dialers, browser hijackers, and other potentially unwanted programs. It will also protect your Internet browser.
Usage:

1. Under “Quick Tasks” click “Download Latest Protection Updates”.
2. Click the “Check for Updates” button.
3. After updating, click “Protection” near the top.
4. Under “Quick Tasks” click “Enable All Protection”.

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html


How to save time?
Instead of testing all the on-line scanners you can first run a quick check & clean procedure with Dr.web's CureIt from:

ftp://ftp.drweb.com/pub/drweb/cureit/launch.exe

Run the application and go to Options > Change settings. Choose the "Scan tab" and Uncheck "Heuristic analysis". Then click on the Start Scanning button.

Last but not least you must definitely try the great free Anti-malware scanner/cleaner offered from MalwareBytes:

http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

Happy cleaning!

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