anyone running ad-watch?

Started to use ad-watch today but when i alter the host file thru spybot S&D,,,,ad-watch dont warn me...shouldnt ad-watch warn me when the host file is being changed
outpost 3.0 anti-spyware warns me but only after i have disabled and re-enabled the plugin??

please help me here,kind of new with this products

thanks

 

Hi, Probe. Ad-Watch does not monitor changes to the hosts file.

As copied from the AAW Manual, this is what Ad-Watch will do:

Lock Start-up sections: The start up (run) sections of the registry will be locked. No changes will be permitted
Lock Executable File Associations: Blocks (only) the most common associations (used by worms and viruses) so that they cannot stealthily change executable, shortcut, and registry file associations
Block Possible Browser Hijack Attempts: Stops suspicious files from attaching to and taking over the browser
Block Suspicious Processes: Ad-Watch will block all suspicious processes on the system
Block Tracking Cookies: Ad-Watch will block known tracking cookies. If Ad-Watch is turned off and known tracking cookies are installed, when you next activate Ad-Watch these cookies will automatically be detected and deleted (blocked)
Activate Pop-up blocker: The popup blocking capability in Ad-Watch will be turned on

My personal preference with Ad-Watch is to have real time monitoring set to medium. I have all the blocking options on as well as the event log. This way if anything does go wrong, I will have a log of what it was. That leads me to the final setting that I personally use:

Active = on
Automatic off

Now, what does this mean to me? When I install a software program that requires a registry edit, I must manually respond to each Ad-Watch prompt and accept any edits. However, if I am not installing software and I should get a prompt from Ad-Watch, then it would mean to me that something foreign is attempting to edit the registry and I would take a very hard look at what was going on.

This section from the manual explains what I am referring to:

You can lock the startup sections of your registry, block possible and actual browser hijack attempts, block suspicious processes, lock executable file associations, Block malicious cookies, block Pop-ups, and uses the all new CSI technology to protect you from unknown variants as well. Even if Ad-Watch is turned off and something DOES install onto your system, it will recognize it and will kill the process as soon as it has seen it when turned back on.{emphasis added}

What that means is that if you have Ad-Watch unloaded (turned off) but have the automatic setting, you install software that requires registry edits or other features you have Ad-Watch set to block, and then turn Ad-Watch back on, it will automatically undo those settings. This has resulted in people losing file associations for .exe and .lnk.

I hope that helped. If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask. I am not an Ad-Watch pro when it comes to rules & filters, but have found Ad-Watch a very useful piece of my arsenal.

 

use a HOSTS manager
there's a few here to choose from

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm