Last Updated: April 14, 2005
There are several spyware removal utilities, such as Ad-Aware, SpyBot S&D and others. These both utilities are excellent. However, you need to prevent the spyware from being installed, first.
This utility blocks all the malware ActiveX controls by setting "Kill bit". Whenever a website tries to install the component into your PC, Internet Explorer checks the registry key if the component [CLSID] is blacklisted in the registry. If yes, the ActiveX is blocked on-the-spot.
Here is the description of SpywareBlaster [from www.webattack.com]
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 webpage. 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.
SpywareBlaster blocks the ActiveX controls by blacklisting the malware CLSIDs in the following registry key:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ActiveX Compatibility]
Compatibility Flags value of 400 means Kill-bit
|
As for the Cookies, Spyware Blaster configures
the system such that the malware [big-list] cookies are blocked. This is where
you block the cookies:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet
Settings\P3P\History
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet
Settings\P3P\History
This just implies that you don't need to have SpywareBlaster running in the
background nor required to run at the startup. Once the configuration is set
using SpywareBlaster, you may close the program and the browser does the job.
Run this program frequently and check for updated definitions, just like what
you do for your anti-virus package.
Further more, SpywareBlaster alerts you if any of the following Security settings for the Internet Zone are configured incorrectly.
|
Security options |
Recommended setting |
| Download signed ActiveX controls | Prompt |
| Download unsigned ActiveX controls | Disable |
| Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe | Disable |
If any of the above three options are configured incorrectly (i.e.. set to Allow), SpywareBlaster notifies you at startup with an alert box at the lower right-side of the window. Refer Fig 1 & 2
Click the link titled Click here to learn more and fix it
How to Stop an ActiveX Control from Running in Internet Explorer?
How Does Internet Component Download Work?
Use HOSTS file & block unwanted sites/pop-ups
Finding, Removing & Protecting Yourself From Scumware