Spyware consists of files, folders, and mostly registry entries that are designed to change network settings, homepages, and Internet settings.
The majority of spyware is more of a nuisance then anything; most of it is harmless, however, there is some designed to provide hackers with backdoors into your computer.

The Help Desk recommends these Spyware removal programs:

• Spybot


• Ad-aware

Note:You must have administrative access to your computer in order to install software. Most students have administrative access to their computers and can add and remove software. Most employee computer users do not have administrative access to install programs on their computer. If you suspect you are having a spyware problem contact the Computing Help Desk so a support specialist can help you with your problem.

Installing and Using Spybot Search & Destroy

Begin by downloading SpyBot Search & Destroy

SpyBot works very similar to a Virus Program, where it has definitions of identified spyware, and it will search your computer for it allowing you to delete it.

Once you have downloaded it, install it on your computer. During the install it will prompt you with an "Additional Language" option, you do not need to install this.

Once it's done installing, load the program from your Start Menu.
Make sure that you click the "Search for Updates" button to make sure that your version is up to date.

Download the updates and allow them to install, the program may restart, and once it does you are ready to search your computer for spyware.

Select "Search & Destroy" on the upper left and click the "Check for problems" to begin the search.

Once the search is complete, click the "Fix selected problems" button on the top of the window. This will remove the spyware form your computer.
Depending on the type of spyware on your computer, and whether it is running in the background or not, SpyBot may prompt you to do a search on your next restart. If this is the case, close the program and restart your computer, SpyBot will do another search for spyware before it loads back into Windows after you restart, then you can merely "Fix the selected problems" again.

Select "Immunize" on the left and hit the "Immunize" button to immunize your computer.
The Immunize feature uses the list of identified spyware, and prevents any previously detected spyware to be reinstalled on your computer. However, this does not prevent any new forms of spyware to be installed on your computer.
Run the immunize option several times just to be sure that it found everything.

Within that same window, there is an option to "Perminently Block Bad Downloads". Enable this option to deny any identified Spyware to automatically enter your computer while you are browsing the Internet.

The spyware has been removed from your computer. If you do a lot of work on the internet, we recommend running this program at about once every other week. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Help Desk.

Using Ad-aware

Begin by downloading Ad-aware

Once Downloaded, double click the file "aawsepersonal.exe" to install Ad-aware.

When it has finished installing, the program will open automatically, the first thing that needs to be done is to update the "reference file", which is the spyware definition list. This is down by clicking the "Check for updates now" option.

This will bring you into the update protion of the program, click the "Connect" button to perform the update to Ad-aware.

When the update has competed you will be notified when the update is complete.
click the "Ok" and "Finish" buttons to return to the main panel.

Select the "Start" button to begin the scan for spyware.
The default option for the scan is the "Smart system-scan" which is more then effective for the average user.
The custom settings should only be used by advanced users.
Also make sure that the "In-depth scan" is active, this will scan deep into the sub-directories of your computer.

When the scan has completed, you will be shown a summary of the number of files scanned, the amount of spyware found, and the places it was found in.
Proceed by clicking the "Next" button to delete the spyware.

Right click in the "obj" column and "Select All Objects" which is the 6th option down, click the "Next" button.
A conformation box will apear informing you that "x" number of items will be removed, click "Ok" to proceed.
The items will be "Quarentined" and then "Deleted" from your system. When this has completed, you will be returned to the main/status panel.
You have completed the spyware removal scan. If you have any questions or concerns that you have not completed this correctly, please contact the Help Desk at x2755.

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