Page 1: Intro, How It Was Done
<B>Intro</B>:
In the <a href="/articles.php?id=124">previous article about safer computing</a>, I explained what spyware was and what programs there are to remove it. Unlike virus scanners, spyware removal tools are better when used in conjunction with each other - one can find spyware that the other doesn't. I always suggest using them both, but there are some that are curious as to which is the better program. I wrote this article to determine which program, on it's own, removes more spyware.
<B>How?</B>:
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I contemplated different ways to create a test system for spyware. I settled on using a virtual machine created by the excellent Microsoft Virtual PC. This way, I could create a test PC and load it up with spyware, then copy the machine and run both removal tools on separate, yet totally identical systems. How I actually infected the machine with spyware was simple: I acted like a first time computer user and carelessly browsed the internet for two hours. I clicked 'yes' to everything I saw. I downloaded everything that was 'free'. I downloaded and agreed to install every piece of junk offered to me. When the two hours was up, I was left with a machine that looked like the following two pictures.
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I also made sure to load lots of superfluous toolbars for IE that happen to come with KaZaA and other "helpful" things that you randomly see links for. In the end, I had a bunch of toolbars and sidebars, all fighting for control of the browser. What a mess.
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Now that the test PC is setup, two copies of the system were made: one for testing Adaware, and one for Spybot. Let's get on with the individual programs.
In the <a href="/articles.php?id=124">previous article about safer computing</a>, I explained what spyware was and what programs there are to remove it. Unlike virus scanners, spyware removal tools are better when used in conjunction with each other - one can find spyware that the other doesn't. I always suggest using them both, but there are some that are curious as to which is the better program. I wrote this article to determine which program, on it's own, removes more spyware.
<B>How?</B>:
<center>
</center>I contemplated different ways to create a test system for spyware. I settled on using a virtual machine created by the excellent Microsoft Virtual PC. This way, I could create a test PC and load it up with spyware, then copy the machine and run both removal tools on separate, yet totally identical systems. How I actually infected the machine with spyware was simple: I acted like a first time computer user and carelessly browsed the internet for two hours. I clicked 'yes' to everything I saw. I downloaded everything that was 'free'. I downloaded and agreed to install every piece of junk offered to me. When the two hours was up, I was left with a machine that looked like the following two pictures.
<center>
</center>I also made sure to load lots of superfluous toolbars for IE that happen to come with KaZaA and other "helpful" things that you randomly see links for. In the end, I had a bunch of toolbars and sidebars, all fighting for control of the browser. What a mess.
<center>
</center>Now that the test PC is setup, two copies of the system were made: one for testing Adaware, and one for Spybot. Let's get on with the individual programs.