A new version of Spybot-S&D is available. Version 1.3 offers a feature called 'Resident'. This gives extra protection to Internet Explorer users by monitoring activity and blocking anything nasty that attempts to get onto your computer. It comes in addition to the 'Immunise' function that version 1.2 has.

It also has an function called 'Tea Timer' (I've no idea why), which protects the system settings. Any time something tries to change the all-important Registry settings, an alert comes up giving the option to allow or deny changes.

If you were installing a program, or otherwise making alterations to your computer, it would need to make changes to the system and the Registry. I guess under those circumstances you'd allow changes to be made when the alert pops up. An alert for no good reason though, might mean that something sneaky is occurring. Then it would probably be best to choose 'No' to any changes being made. This function seems much like RegProt that was mentioned in this forum a while ago.

Spybot-S&D 1.3 can be downloaded from here. Anyone who already has version 1.2 installed can just click the 'Update' button within the program. The servers are quite busy at present, so if you get any error messages this is likely to be the reason. Either try again later or choose one of the alternative servers in the options.

Thank you for that information TW. I downloaded the new version and I was amazed at the stuff it found and will now block from my PC.
I had no problem getting the download as it wasn't that busy so maybe others will find it quick to.
Thanks again.
PF

I downloaded this, and I use it every day to make sure nothing is there that's not supposed to be there. I almost ALWAYS get several that show up to be deleted EVERY time I run the program:
DSO Exploit, Booked Space (with 5 entries), Advertising.com, Avenue A, Inc., and DoubleClick.

Any idea why?
SSB

I gave this information to my new anti-virus support tech, and was told to download CWShredder, which I did. It found 3 other things. . .don't remember what, but I'm still getting those same lists back regularly. Clues?
SSB

Thanks for the clue. The main question is on my other post in this topic, but that's the general idea. If the same ones always keep coming back, then it would be easier just to permanently block them as you suggest. However, I can't access that right click option you are talking about. I have a shortcut in my tool bar, but right click only gives me the normal menu. I'll check on the actual program to look for it.
SSB

That says to "use this only if you know what you are doing"!!! I'm not so sure I really know what I'm doing in the more advanced area!! Even tho you did tell me what to do. The first one is already checked. . .bad download blocker, but the 2nd one is not. . .protection of over-all system settings.

That one doesn't appear to apply to these same ones coming back scan after scan, and sometimes even when I haven't even been on the internet they will show up in the list. I just did a random scan one day before I had been online to see what would happen.

I'll just keep deleting them as they show up. Should I have to do a scan every day?
SSB

Booked Space, Advertising.com, Avenue A, Inc., and DoubleClick: Look up any of these names on a search engine and you'll find they are related to advertising. Their cookies can be collected from just about any site on the Internet. It is these that Spybot keeps picking up on. These cookies can be used to record the sites you visit and serve up advertisements that might match your interests. It's because they can track your Internet movements that Spybot classes them as spyware. Other than that, they are not a threat. Spybot will delete them but as soon as you start browsing around the Net, they get picked up again. Setting your browser not to accept 3rd party cookies may help to reduce their instances.

The DSO Exploit is a vulnerability that Microsoft has fixed. It is therefore not a problem if your system has been properly patched by Windows Update. Spybot is finding a setting amiss that could have caused a problem before the fix came out. With everything patched and up to date there is nothing to worry about. The thing that Spybot is finding could be fixed by an alteration in the Registry but on balance, if you have all Windows updates, it is easier to just ignore it (or tell Spybot to do so).

That makes good sense the way you explained it. I don't think that I have the update for that patch. I haven't done ANY updating from Microsoft!! As long as I know what is going on with these. . .I'll go ahead and scan and delete after every online use. . .as long as Spybot is catching them, I can delete them!
Thanks,
SSB

Ignoring the DSO exploit picked up by Spybot is only OK if all the critical updates provided by Microsoft are installed. Best go to Windows Update to get them installed a.s.a.p.

OK. It's not too late already? I don't mean to ignore them. I had just planned on scanning and deleting everytime I finished on the internetI'll go take a look for the patch/update. Will it be listed with a DSO Exploit heading?
SSB

I went to the windows update section, and scanned. It showed up with about 27 updates that I never got since back to 1999!! Some were from the critical updates, and some for others as well. I didn't see one specifically for the DSO exploit tho. Should I download every single one of them?
SSB

Yes

That will keep me busy for awhile!! And hopefully out of trouble too!!

One of the downloads is IE 6.0. I don't use IE hardly at all and don't know if having the 6.0 will be beneficial. Any comments on that one? Is it one I could NOT download? Or does it have enough new, good stuff to go ahead with a download?

Also, there was one for Virtual Machine. If that is not going to be in service, will I need that one?

(Edited to add that I completed all my windows updates from back to 1999, and everything appears to be working exactly the way it's supposed to for a change!! Thanks so much for all your help.)
SSB

That's good. Just a note to say that Internet Explorer should be kept up to date even if it isn't used as the default browser. IE is very much part of all Windows operating systems. There is one IE update (can't remember which one) where Microsoft said it should be installed to patch a vulnerability that exists even if IE is not being used. Besides, some sites are written specifically for IE and may not work properly using anything else. Then you have to use IE.

If you are starting to use Firefox, check out an extension called IE view (look under 'Page Display'). When this is installed it adds an option to the right-click menu to view an open page in IE if it isn't displaying properly in Firefox. This saves opening IE separately and finding your way to the site again in order to view it. This is a fairly rare occurence these days. I suppose more site writers are realising that not everyone wants to use IE.

OK. I'm still not sure that I will end up downloading the firefox. I'm ready to just "play" for awhile and not add any new stuff!
SSB