Viruses, malware and other malicious programs can cause data loss and corruption, and is a serious headache for many Windows users. Luckily there are a number of free programs that can be used to keep these threats at bay. In this article, I will list the best utilities available and how to use them.
Spybot Search & Destroy - This powerful program checks your computer for known spyware and malware. It can also immunize your computer against existing threats, and helps to protect Internet Explorer. Download it from here:
Install the program and run through the start wizard. Once you have downloaded the latest updates and immunized the system, run a scan. If any threats are found you can fix them from here.
Aside from spyware detection, Spybot has a number of other useful features. In Spybot, switch to advanced mode by clicking on Mode > Advanced mode in the toolbar. Then click on the Tools tab that has appeared and the "System startup" option. From here, you can view all the programs that startup with Windows, with useful descriptions on what exactly they are, and whether they are necessary or not. This is useful not only for spyware removal but for system optimization.
Lavasoft Ad-Aware 2007 - This spyware program is also highly recommended. Used in tandem with Spybot, you can usually keep your computer spyware free. Simply download it from here:
Install the program and run it. Click on "Update" on the main screen and when this is completed, run either a Smart Scan (scans the most usual places for spyware) or Full Scan (scans the entire computer). A list of the results will be displayed at the end of the scan.
HijackThis - This is a more advanced program but can pick up malware and spyware that other programs don't. Instead of generating a results list it saves a log file. This log file can either be read through manually for suspicious programs or put through an online parser. Firstly, download the program here:
and paste the log file into the box and click "Analyze". You will now be presented with a summary of what HijackThis detected and if any of the results are suspicious.
To delete any of the entries, just tick the checkbox in HijackThis and click on "Fix checked".
Comodo Firewall Pro - One of the most important steps to take in preventing spyware and malware from getting onto your computer is by installing a firewall. The inbuilt Windows firewall just doesn't compare to Comodo's offering. Firewall Pro includes a number of advanced features to prevent virus and malware installation and stop unauthorized access to your computer. Go to the following website to download it:
Simply install it and it will monitor your internet connection and computer for suspicious activities, occasionally prompting you to allow/deny access for certain programs or processes.
For more information about Comodo Firewall Pro, see our recent article covering it:
AVG Anti-Virus - AVG is the best free antivirus program available on the internet. It is relatively lightweight and scores well in detection tests. See our article on AVG for how to install it and more information:
