Broadband Security Power Kit

Malware detection

Adware is known by many names - spyware, trackware or even Big Brotherware. While producers of adware claim its purpose is to collect information about Internet habits to deliver ads tailored to a surfer's interests, privacy advocates are concerned about the potential misuse of this data. Ad-aware identifies and removes these surreptitiously installed applications. Using updateable "reflists", which are similar to antivirus DAT files, Ad-aware scours your system (including registry and temporary Internet files) and looks for traces of recognised adware modules.

Licence: Free for individual use only. Profit business entities, governmental entities or educational institutions must purchase a valid end user licence in order to use the software.
Online: http://www.lavasoft.de/
Operating system: Windows 98/Me, Windows NT4/2000, Windows XP.
Requires: N/A

Install instructions: N/A

		Windows

PestPatrol is a powerful security and personal privacy tool that detects and eliminates destructive pests such as Trojans, spyware, adware and hacker tools. PestPatrol defeats the threat by detecting and removing spyware and adware that uploads information about you, your computer and your surfing habits. It also acts against remote access Trojans (RATs) that allow an attacker to remotely control your computer. Please note that this trial version only detects threats and does not remove them.

Licence: Shareware.
Online: http://www.pestpatrol.com
Operating system: Windows 95/98/Me, Windows NT4/2000, Windows XP.
Requires: N/A

Install instructions: N/A

		Windows

The program searches your hard drive for so-called "spybots" or "adbots". These are the programs responsible for displaying advertising in some freeware and may transmit information, including your Internet surfing behaviour, to another server. You can choose which ones you want to remove. In most cases the host still runs after removing the spyware/adware, however, some programs may cease to operate without these components. Spybot can also remove your usage tracks, making it more complicated for unknown spyware to transmit useful data. It also contains some routines to find and correct invalid registry entries.

Licence: Freeware. Donations welcome.
Online: http://www.safer-networking.org/
Operating system: Windows 95/98/Me, Windows NT4/2000, Windows XP.
Requires: 64MB RAM, full functionality on admin account only for Windows NT/2000/XP.

Install instructions: N/A

		Windows

SpywareBlaster doesn`t scan and clean for so-called spyware, but prevents it from being installed in the first place. It achieves this by disabling the CLSIDs of popular spyware ActiveX controls, and also prevents the installation of any of them via a Web page. This allows you to run Internet Explorer with Active-X enabled, but it will never download or even prompt you for any of the known ActiveX controls. All other Active-X controls or plug-ins will work fine.

Licence: Freeware.
Online: http://www.javacoolsoftware.com
Operating system: Windows 98/Me, Windows NT4/2000, Windows XP.
Requires: N/A

Install instructions: N/A

		Windows