win98 spyware control

[HipHoper]

Iv'e removed lot of spyware and stuff with adaware and spybot for one of my client with win98 two monthes ago.
Need to do it again yesterday, even in safe mode, but seems that his computer is infected today too with lot of spyware.
He didn't surfed the net from yesterday, and cleaning was tough.....
His computer connected to broadband via samsung adsl modem which i turned into router and a hub with other win98 computer.
Can someone recommend my a software (firewall maybe) that can prevent these re-infections ? freeware preffered...
Thanks

[craigmodius]

to prevent I use 3 things...

1) common sense, explain to the guy to say no to these prompts to install stuff. If he's even getting a prompt

2) spywareblaster it's free, it prevents spyware from being installed. also it works hand in hand with spybot s&d

3) the immunize function of spybot s&d

[Platypus]

I second craigmodius' suggestions, and certainly advise a firewall as essential.

I like to use Outpost Free on Win98, easy on resources, other people like ones such as ZoneAlarm Free, Sygate Personal.

[HipHoper]

Thank you all.
I sent the spywareblaster to all of my clients....looks stable and neat.....
I will install by myself the zonealarm to the clients with win98, for the safety and for the money.....
Hagi :O)

[confus-ed]

..I will install by myself the zonealarm to the clients with win98, for the safety and for the money.....

Indeed as said earlier a software firewall is 'essential' as it can do 'whitelisting' (controls what apps can dial out & connect etc) .. but .. just a cautionary note really as there ain't so much you can do - to get 'everything' controlled perfectly with these you've got to be pretty expert in lots of things to configure the damn things if your clients aren't capable of deciding themselves, as ZA like other software firewalls is only really effective against Trojan Activity etc in 'learn mode' (where you seem to spend your life looking up ports & working out why stupid windows services need to apparently phone home etc & constantly writing rules) as the 'simple settings' (how za wants to configure itself unless you tell it otherwise) will let lots of stuff in & out that perhaps a more paranoid mind might not allow more 'correctly' imho & this just ain't suitable for novices .. catch 22

[ilovetheusers]

www.ccleaner.com

Wipes out all the cr@p where it lays and works a ton faster than the other spyware removal tools. Included a registry scrubber too.

[HipHoper]

Indeed as said earlier a software firewall is 'essential' as it can do 'whitelisting' (controls what apps can dial out & connect etc) .. but .. just a cautionary note really as there ain't so much you can do - to get 'everything' controlled perfectly with these you've got to be pretty expert in lots of things to configure the damn things if your clients aren't capable of deciding themselves, as ZA like other software firewalls is only really effective against Trojan Activity etc in 'learn mode' (where you seem to spend your life looking up ports & working out why stupid windows services need to apparently phone home etc & constantly writing rules) as the 'simple settings' (how za wants to configure itself unless you tell it otherwise) will let lots of stuff in & out that perhaps a more paranoid mind might not allow more 'correctly' imho & this just ain't suitable for novices .. catch 22

I liked your answer......You are funny.....:O)

[confus-ed]

www.ccleaner.com

This is very good for 'after' (I like it very much, very fast !) but no block type thingees, so stuff can still get in with this , but very good for cleaning up..

[confus-ed]

I liked your answer......You are funny.....:O)

Ooo ta ! very nice of you to say .. I aim to inform with some humour attached (doesn't always come off .. but I try, or before anyone else says am trying ! )

[arch0nmyc0n]

www.ccleaner.com

Wipes out all the cr@p where it lays and works a ton faster than the other spyware removal tools. Included a registry scrubber too.

That's a spyware tool? I thought it was just a junk file cleaner....

[confus-ed]

That's a spyware tool? I thought it was just a junk file cleaner....

It describes itself as a 'system optimisation tool' but as it zaps cookies & usage info (as well as a whole load of other stuff & can identify activex controls & remove them), so I suppose if you were so minded you could equally describe it as anti-spyware, its on my 'anti-disk' & I use it now lots in any 'fix it up' sessions to clean up spyware/trojan infection, use it with other stuff too methinks

[HipHoper]

to prevent I use 3 things...

1) common sense, explain to the guy to say no to these prompts to install stuff. If he's even getting a prompt

2) spywareblaster it's free, it prevents spyware from being installed. also it works hand in hand with spybot s&d

3) the immunize function of spybot s&d

The Client system was real bad.....needed to reload GHOST image....installed the spywareblaster.....Hope it'll help.....I am a bit skeptic of this software cause it does not have a tray icon or some realtime indicator it works......

[shamus]

I am a bit skeptic of this software cause it does not have a tray icon or some realtime indicator it works......

Spysweeper is a great, although not free, piece of software that may be more up your alley. Check it out here: http://www.webroot.com/

[VesaLB]

I haven't tried this in 98 but I don't see why it wouldn't work. After I get a PC cleaned I load two things on it, the first adds blocking for known "bad" activeX controls to help prevent re-infection and so far the only negative I've seen is if you load on a PC that wasn't completely clean they'll get activeX errors out the butt when spyware tries to kick off different popups and what-have-u.

http://www.spywareguide.com/blockfile.php

The second one, IE-SpyAd adds a huge list to the IE restrictive sites list so even if a bad web page gets pulled up downloads are prevented from happening.
The defaults include blocking a lot of porn sites...which is fine for a PC used for work but could be an issue for a home user.

https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www...ce.htm#IESPYAD

My wife's co-workers always end up paying me to clean up their home computers. Since I started loading these after cleaning them I haven't had any repeat customers. Guess that's bad for business eh?

[kpataska]

Iv'e removed lot of spyware and stuff with adaware and spybot for one of my client with win98 two monthes ago.
Need to do it again yesterday, even in safe mode, but seems that his computer is infected today too with lot of spyware.
He didn't surfed the net from yesterday, and cleaning was tough.....
His computer connected to broadband via samsung adsl modem which i turned into router and a hub with other win98 computer.
Can someone recommend my a software (firewall maybe) that can prevent these re-infections ? freeware preffered...
Thanks

A firewall will do nothing to combat Mal/Spyware. We ALL get spyware. It's how we deal with it that is important.

1 - Restart daily. People who leave their PCs on all of the time do nothing more than beg for infection. Not using it? TURN IT OFF!!!

2 - Monthly maintenance should include checking/installation of AV sigs, updating and scanning for Spyware (which while AV is running also performs a complete AV scan), Scandisk & Defrag.

3 - Add this to your autoexec.bat and watch your problems disappear. It does lengthen the boot process (especially in older machines), but it's price is right. AND IT WORKS FLAWLESSLY!!!

deltree /y c:\windows\cookies\.
deltree /y c:\windows\temp\.
deltree /y c:\windows\tempor~1\content.ie5\.

This purges the cooties where they live - sometimes before they get a chance to install even, you're wiping out their temp location before WinInit begins.

I have used this on a Win98 machine for over 4 years and I have had no problems. For 2k & XP, I have shutdown scripts that essentially do the same thing.

If nothing else - it keeps the IE cache cleared, allowing IE (and therefore Win98) to operate at top speed.

Hope this helps!!!

Kenny P.
Visualize Whirled P.'s