# AntiVirus and Antispyware **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 18, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108 "2006-02-18T18:38:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108/1 "2006-02-18T18:38:25Z")
Is it advisable to have just one form of antivirus and one form of antispyware in your computer? (So, for example, if you have one antispyware, you should make it a proven product as opposed to a Beta.) ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108/2 "2006-02-18T18:45:10Z")
You can have as many anti-spyware products as you want and it is somewhat advisable to do that. They tend to catch things others miss. Spybot and Spywareblaster are pretty good. Anti-virus software is different. You DO NOT want anti-virus programs installed on the same computer. Anti-virus programs do things at a very low system level and can “fight” with each other about who gets to quarantine a file. They both try to play boss and ultimate protector and that isn’t good. AVG free edition is a very good free spyware program and I actually prefer it over the Norton that I bought and later uninstalled. Norton is still the standard for most things and very common. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108/3 "2006-02-18T21:22:57Z")
Thanks, **Shagnasty**. As usual, your advice is just what I need. I’ll download the freebie AVG antispyware today. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108/4 "2006-02-18T22:02:22Z")
Pretty much what **Shagnasty** said - I use Ad-Aware and Spybot S&D, and like those two products. (Our IT guy also uses some other product I can’t recall the name of right now…). I’m pretty sure **Shagnasty** has a typo there though, 'cause AFAIK AVG is an anti_virus_ program only. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108/5 "2006-02-18T22:04:57Z")
> [@Nanoda](#): > > I’m pretty sure **Shagnasty** has a typo there though, 'cause AFAIK AVG is an anti_virus_ program only. Sorry, you are correct. AVG is anti-virus only. I heard they were going pay and the free version is less obvious to find but is still available. Here it is: [http://www.download.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-Free-Edition/3000-2239\_4-10503939.html?tag=lst-0-2](http://www.download.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-Free-Edition/3000-2239_4-10503939.html?tag=lst-0-2) ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108/6 "2006-02-18T22:05:21Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > …Anti-virus software is different. You DO NOT want anti-virus programs installed on the same computer. Anti-virus programs do things at a very low system level and can “fight” with each other about who gets to quarantine a file. They both try to play boss and ultimate protector and that isn’t good… There’s a big difference between installed and running. I have AVG running, but I also have Avast and BitDefender installed, they only run when I want to be sure my system is really clean. Here’s some sites with reviews and links, [http://www.spywareinfo.com/downloads.php](http://www.spywareinfo.com/downloads.php) [http://www.freebyte.com/antivirus/](http://www.freebyte.com/antivirus/) [http://www.freebyte.com/anti-spyware/](http://www.freebyte.com/anti-spyware/) CMC ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108/7 "2006-02-18T22:08:59Z")
I highly suggest Microsoft “Giant” ASW. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108/8 "2006-02-18T22:27:14Z")
I keep seeing threads like this “I got a virus/trojan what do I do”, and I’ve been trying to work up a list of good anti-badstuff freeware to recommend. My list so far, AVG Avast BitDefender A-Squared A-Squared hi-jack free Ad-Aware Ewido Microsoft AntiSpyware Spybot S&D SpywareBlaster WinPatrol and this UnPlug n’ Pray DCOMbobulator Shoot The Messenger from [http://grc.com/default.htm](http://grc.com/default.htm) any suggestions to make this a more complete list? ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108/9 "2006-02-18T23:06:15Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I highly suggest Microsoft “Giant” ASW. But be aware that the Microsoft Marketing department controls what it defines as spyware. When MicroSoft began considering buying the Claria/Gator spyware firm, the MS ASW product suddenly declassified it from a spyware (to be removed) to something less dangerous, with a default of leaving it on your machine. Caused a lot of people to reconsider placing their trust in MicroSoft anti-spyware. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108/10 "2006-02-18T23:33:18Z")
Netscape just updated and has quite a few improved security measures including a fairly intensive virus scan. In addition to all the previously mentioned tools, it can’t hurt to add this to your armory. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108/11 "2006-02-18T23:56:27Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > But be aware that the Microsoft Marketing department controls what it defines as spyware. > > When MicroSoft began considering buying the Claria/Gator spyware firm, the MS ASW product suddenly declassified it from a spyware (to be removed) to something less dangerous, with a default of leaving it on your machine. > > Caused a lot of people to reconsider placing their trust in MicroSoft anti-spyware. Many people follow my policy to avoid anything from Microsoft if you possible can! ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108/12 "2006-02-19T00:46:01Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > But be aware that the Microsoft Marketing department controls what it defines as spyware. > > When MicroSoft began considering buying the Claria/Gator spyware firm, the MS ASW product suddenly declassified it from a spyware (to be removed) to something less dangerous, with a default of leaving it on your machine. > > Caused a lot of people to reconsider placing their trust in MicroSoft anti-spyware. For good reason, too … > [@](#): > > An anonymous reader writes “According to a story over at [Washingtonpost.com](http://Washingtonpost.com), the latest definitions file for Microsoft’s Anti-Spyware beta [flags Symantec’s Norton Antivirus products](http://blog.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2006/02/microsoft_antispyware_deleting_1.html) as a password-stealing trojan and prompts users to delete portions of the program. Users who follow the instructions hose their installation of Norton, requiring delicate Windows registry edits and a complete removal/reinstall of Norton. Microsoft’s [support forum](http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.aspx?dg=microsoft.private.security.spyware.announcementsuser) is quickly filling up with complaints about this problem, many from businesses that have been pretty hard hit. This should be a cautionary tale about deploying beta products in production environments.” Source: [http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/02/11/2259232](http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/02/11/2259232) ---
**Author:** ![DfrntBreign](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@DfrntBreign](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DfrntBreign)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108/13 "2006-02-19T00:59:28Z")
I’ve used the free AVG program for a while on my and several friends computers. Also Spybot and Ad-Aware. So far the only problems have come from “user error”. (“How many times do I have to tell you? Don’t open attachments you don’t recognise!!!”) Anyway, a lot of resources mention HijackThis as a first step in solving problems. Has anyone used this? What can you tell me about it? ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108/14 "2006-02-19T04:07:38Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > the latest definitions file for Microsoft’s Anti-Spyware beta flags Symantec’s Norton Antivirus products as a password-stealing trojan and prompts users to delete portions of the program. Users who follow the instructions hose their installation of Norton Microsoft doing something that messes up one of their competitors? What a surprise! ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108/15 "2006-02-19T12:58:05Z")
> [@DfrntBreign](#): > > I’ve used the free AVG program for a while on my and several friends computers. Also Spybot and Ad-Aware. So far the only problems have come from “user error”. (“How many times do I have to tell you? Don’t open attachments you don’t recognise!!!”) > > Anyway, a lot of resources mention HijackThis as a first step in solving problems. Has anyone used this? What can you tell me about it? I don’t know about HijackThis, and I have 2 questions about AVG and opening malicious attachments or getting hurt at infectious websites. I’m using GMAIL mostly these days, but I still have Outlook 2003 and AVG 7.1 Pro. If I do get a bad-ass attachment in Outlook does AVG sanitize it? Even with AVG, am I still at risk at malevolent websites (if there are such things)? This shows, I guess, how computer-illiterate I am. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108/16 "2006-02-19T13:36:31Z")
> [@BarnOwl](#): > > I’m using GMAIL mostly these days, but I still have Outlook 2003 and AVG 7.1 Pro. If I do get a bad-ass attachment in Outlook does AVG sanitize it? Yes, AVG will quaratine infected attachments so you cannot open them. > [@](#): > > Even with AVG, am I still at risk at malevolent websites (if there are such things)? Yes, because AVG only protects against virus infection, and the threat from “malevolent” websites is rarely viral and almost always spyware. You need a separate resident antispyware program like Microsoft Antispyware (now called [Windows Defender](http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx)) to guard against infection from these websites. Other good programs to use include [SpywareBlaster](http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html), which is a blacklist of websites and programs that will be automatically blocked from access by your computer. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108/17 "2006-02-19T14:25:11Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > Yes, AVG will quaratine infected attachments so you cannot open them. > > Yes, because AVG only protects against virus infection, and the threat from “malevolent” websites is rarely viral and almost always spyware. You need a separate resident antispyware program like Microsoft Antispyware (now called [Windows Defender](http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx)) to guard against infection from these websites. Other good programs to use include [SpywareBlaster](http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html), which is a blacklist of websites and programs that will be automatically blocked from access by your computer. Thanks, Fear Itself. I have MS Antispyware and just downloaded and ran Spyware Blaster. When the installation was done and I ran the program, I had to close the program. Although I have the SB Icon on my desktop, it isn’t in my Systray. Is Spyware Blaster running in the background even so? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108/18 "2006-02-19T15:19:09Z")
> [@BarnOwl](#): > > Although I have the SB Icon on my desktop, it isn’t in my Systray. Is Spyware Blaster running in the background even so? SpywareBlaster is not a resident program, it is a database of websites and programs that are added to your browser’s security settings, and the browser does the actual blocking. All you have to do is update SB regularly (once a month is sufficient, they issue update every three weeks or so), and you will be protected whenever you use your browser. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108/19 "2006-02-19T17:32:29Z")
My OP generated a lot more information than I ever expected. Thank you all for your excellent contributions. And now, I will save for future reference. Would you believe that among other things, Version 8.0 of SnagIt, can save files Adobe Acrobat 7.0 PDF files? That’s how it lists them, anyway. LOL! ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108/20 "2006-02-19T17:34:17Z")
\*\*can save files as Adobe Acrobat 7.0 PDFs. \*\* I don’t know if that’s a big deal or not. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/antivirus-and-antispyware/345108.md?page=2)