Spyware Immunization... is it safe?

[kevinmanphp]

Hey guys... I just wanted to ask if it was safe to do the "IMMUNIZE" thing with these spyware programs. I don't know if it sounds like a good idea to let some "spyware detection" program start adding stuff to my computer. Wanted to get you'alls take first. Thanks.

[DirectPixel]

Hey guys... I just wanted to ask if it was safe to do the "IMMUNIZE" thing with these spyware programs. I don't know if it sounds like a good idea to let some "spyware detection" program start adding stuff to my computer. Wanted to get you'alls take first. Thanks.

For the most part, it's safe. There's not really much downside to it at all, and it's totally reversible. What immunizing essentially does is add/remove entries to your computer's hosts file, effectively blocking known malicious sites and IPs.

[Vile]

Hey guys... I just wanted to ask if it was safe to do the "IMMUNIZE" thing with these spyware programs. I don't know if it sounds like a good idea to let some "spyware detection" program start adding stuff to my computer. Wanted to get you'alls take first. Thanks.

Yes it's safe.
The biggest thing you should make certain of is that you are using legitimate programs to do the removal. There are a number of programs out there bundled with spyware that will supposedly "remove" it, which is bogus.

IMO, the best ones to use are:

HiackThis
SpySweeper
Ad-Aware
MS AntiSpyware

...And I intentionally left out SpyBot SD

[jamesyfx]

Spy Sweeper was great, but the last time I used it it was a massive resource hog. Don't know why an antispyware app would do such a thing.

[DirectPixel]

Also, don't forget Spyware Doctor! Believe it or not, out of all those programs listed above (and more), Spyware Doctor has repeatedly and consistently detected and cleaned more infections.

[MRGTB]

Hey guys... I just wanted to ask if it was safe to do the "IMMUNIZE" thing with these spyware programs. I don't know if it sounds like a good idea to let some "spyware detection" program start adding stuff to my computer. Wanted to get you'alls take first. Thanks.

Search and Destroy

[Scott MacVicar]

Dont use IE and dont install software from untrusted organisations. You'll never get a problem.

[MGM]

Dont use IE and dont install software from untrusted organisations. You'll never get a problem.

Basically what I do and have not had much of a problem with spyware or virsues...

MGM out

[Scott MacVicar]

My parents who aren't that technical were switched to Firefox and Thunderbird, I setup every bit of software they needed at the time and there has not been one bit of spyware on the machine since then and that was almost 2 years ago.

[jamesyfx]

Most of the things that spyware apps find are just tracking cookies anyway. Not *really* a problem.

I'd just scan whenever you get an unexpected popup. The rest of the time, it'll probably just be tracking cookies.