My computer is a year old a month from now. The subscription to Norton Internet Security 2005 and eTrust Pest Patrol will be expiring on/about May 7. I am tending to think there are better utilities out there that will do a better job of stopping spyware and adware (and trojans) than the aforementioned two. I just ran a free webroot.com spyware scan as offered on the Kim Komando Radio Show. It found half a dozen spywares and two adwares.

So now I'm thinking I want something better. I tried a free shot with Zone Alarm, but got nowhere with it. What do you guys use? I want to avoid having to spend $30 on each of umpteen different utilities. I want my email address book protected, I want my webtracks erased, I want all cookies and any other crumbs sent into the ether and I want any/all URLs obliterated-- I don't want anybody to know where I've been or who I spoke to when I was there. I want so much protection I can't remember myself where I've been or who I am.

Thanks.

So you're saying I can get Zone Alarm Pro and throw away everything else that claims to protect against this threat but not that threat? My machine takes almost three minutes to boot. I suspect there are a dozen, two dozen-- maybe more,  processes running in the background. I want to get rid of all the clutter, but don't know what I need and don't need.

You probably have more stuff running in the background than you could imagine.

Hijack This! is a clever little program and there is plenty of support forums to analyse the logfile for you.

http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html

I log about 6 lines, you may be in the hundreds....

Do you mean the Hijack This! link ?

Would I assume you downloaded and ran it and found the log?

If so, google Hijack This! log help or similar and you'll get into a forum somewhere where it can be analysed and recommendations can be made.

Depending on your knowledge you could scan it yourself.

If you delete items for the sake of it, some software may not function correctly.

Personally, If the software requires automation and pre-run routines, I won't use it unless absolutely vital, there are usually alternatives.

You could email me the log if you want, and I'll go thru it and send it back with my recommendations based on my limited PC software knowledge and a view to some severe culling....... up to you.

Scroll down to Hijack This! and a download link.

Well, that would explain your long loading times.

I'll edit this with my log here and you'll see that I have few open processes and few startup plugins.

I can't see why it needs to be cluttered with 100 or so items, it's just insane. My PC works fine without it all.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 5:06:58 PM, on 10/04/2006
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
S:\000_Program Bin\Hijack This\HijackThis_1.99.1.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Zone Labs Client] C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{A00C8D57-C3E4-4810-95BC-57F3E43B11E5}: NameServer = two  IP's here
O23 - Service: TrueVector Internet Monitor (vsmon) - Zone Labs, LLC - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe


The first items in this lower section set my browser to a blank homepage I think.
Then we see my Zonealarm, TCPIP, a nameserver line and then a related zonealarm line.

congo...

What I saw looked just like what you show. Mine is a factor of 10 or 20X longer, though. I also didn't take the time to to read many of them. I am not sure I can get it back; maybe I'll just have to do it again and save it somehow at that time.


Fozz...

Everybody gets spams. I get about a dozen a day, but my ISP sends them straight to my Bulk folder, where they sit until I come along and blow them away. I don't even bother to read them. I see the subject is usually a few words that are unrelated and that's the Kiss of Death for that one. I'll see "dog fin yacht" and it's sent by someone I've never heard of. It's "Bye bye" for that one!!

Quote:


Congo....
...let us in on your little secret for not getting E-Mail Spam... ...!

My E-Mail is handled by my ISP, Freeserve, via my Firefox browser, who filter the Spam and throw it into my Junk Folder ready for me to delete..!
I don't use E-Mail for sending anything out,  so how come I get so much Spam in my In-Box...
My "proper"incoming E-Mail is just info from a few "Trusted Sites" which I register and sign up to...eg: The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, KRON4 news, BBC news,.....and similar "sensible" Sites...LOL... ...!

One thing I take great care not to do is publish my Internet Address in any "Profiles" etc, on any of the Sites which I use... ...!
...(That's where "Phishers" get our details from)......!

So, why do we, (apart from you!), get all this annoying Spam in our Mail Box... ... ...!

Your secret is eagerly awaited, Congo...LOL...!

Paul...I hate Phishermen... ...!
LOL... ...!


....root...
..If you are getting E-Mail Spam in the depths of the Nevada Desert then there's not much hope for the rest of us... ...!
LOL... ...!

Quote:


So...
...Eno...
..my trusty SimV filter of all things un-acceptable to upright members of the Forum......?
Would you recommend that we all delete all our existing E-Mail accounts, and register to "Hotmail" instead, to avoid all this annoying bleedin' incoming Spam Mail...  ...!
LOL...!

Cheers, Andy......!

Paul...The Despicable, Non-Conformimst, Member of the Forum... ...!

Quote:


..."Should have gone to Specsavers"..... ...!

LOL...!

Paul... ...!