SpyBlaster Enhancement Suggestion

Hi:

Just started using SpywareBlaster a couple of weeks ago
and like the concept and the product a lot. Two things, one
a question, and one a suggestion on improving the software.

The question is how often should one run the program. Once
an entry gets flagged to be unloaded does one have to keep
selecting all the entries or just the new ones downloaded?

In regards to enhancing SpywareBlaster, it would be nice to
know how many of the spyware entries one actually has.
Adding a summary at the end of how many spyware entries
one has in there registry would be interesting to know.
Should not be that difficult to add this feature. Give it some
thought.

regards and thanks

dan myers

 

Hi Dan,
Spywareblaster is a run once program.So all you have to do is look for the updates now and then.

 

Dan - Interesting question.

Here, whenever there's an update, I usually just "Select All" and then click "Protect Against Checked Items". (It's faster than individually checking off items added).

So, are you asking if doing it that way is adding multiple kill-bits for the same things every time you do that?

I'd like to think that it's not doing so, but only Javacool should answer on that one, because I really don't know where to look to find out.

As far as adding the feature you mentioned to the program, I think it's safe to say that everyone's using SWB as an adjunct to either (or both) SBS&D or AA - which is the way it's intended to be used.

Both of the other two programs do a great job in giving detail on what's found, as well as doing a more complete job in removing it - again by design - SWB's primary mission is to simply keep spyware from communicating out. HTH Pete

 

SpywareBlaster is not setting multiple kill bits when you keep all items checked (but it is recommended, because it will reinstate the kill bit for an item if it was somehow removed).

NOTE: When you start SpywareBlaster, items that are checked already have the kill bit set.

And yes, SpywareBlaster is built as a protection program. There is the possibility of additional protection functionality being added in the future, but I don't see it ever becoming a spyware "cleaning" program - there are already two great choices available for free, and it would be pointless to try to duplicate their efforts.

Best regards,

-Javacool

 

Dan: As Spy1 says, Select All and add to the Protect blah blah button.

Also there already is an entry to tell you how many things are there.

See pic

Cheers, hope this helps, TAS

 

Javacool: you stated>SpywareBlaster is not setting multiple kill bits when you keep all items checked (but it is recommended, because it will reinstate the kill bit for an item if it was somehow removed).
I am new at this, i want to make sure i am reading you right! Are you saying to keep ALL items checked? Thanks Tom

 

Hi Tom,

You got it!! It's extra security to check all every time and the program is so lightning fast it takes almost no extra time.
Although Javacool made me curious about how a killbit could be removed.

Regards,

Pieter

 

Good point, Pieter - Hopefully he was referring to someone having done it temporarily on their own machine, manually, for some reason - but I'd be interested in hearing from jc as to whether there is malware out there that'll re-set the killbits to off again. Pete

 

Hi Pete,

In SpywareBlaster itself you can remove them.
*Pieter quickly checks if thats not the secret version
But I don't hope they haven't developed malware that can do that.
Makes me worry.

Regards,

Pieter

 

'owdy,

I installed and tried this program for about a week. Had a strange problem crop up which as far as I could determine had nothing to do with having installed it. Since I hadn't done anything else anytime just prior to this anomaly, I did however attempt an uninstall using appropriate instructions -- at least those found.

Upon completion and checking my system thorughly, I found it had not removed these two files which were not on the system prior to installation: MSINET.OCX Date: 5/21/2000 11:00 PM, Size: 115,920 bytes or MSSTDFMT.DLL Date: 3/14/2000 10:04 AM, Size: 118,784 bytes

In addition, of the 117 keys and values added during setup (InCtrl5, Copyright © 2000 by Ziff Davis Media, Inc. Written by Neil J. Rubenking First published in PC Magazine, December 5, 2000), I found there were at least 23 "major key address I exported just in case" and which I then had to remove manually from the system registry -- I would have to assume all of the 117 mentioned.

Bill

 

To answer this first question - those files may be required (and in fact are required) by many other programs, including some MS ones, so they are left on the system to prevent serious conflicts from occuring (in most cases, the files are already present).

Did you uncheck all items in the protection list and press the "Remove Protection" button? If not, those values would still be there.

Best regards,

-Javacool

 

1. I understand the process as stated in the program "Help", but nothing addresses an "uninstall process" anywhere I have looked:

#3) But what happens if I ever want to reverse or remove these kill bits?

-SpywareBlaster can do this for you. Simply uncheck every item that you wish to have the kill bit removed for, and press the "Remove Protection for Unchecked Items" button.

2. Using either the Remove option in Add/Remove to uninstall (performed after reinstalling a second time and then uninstalling), or the file "unins000.exe" from the parent folder, cautions a user to ensure the procedures at options #3 above must be performed first so that orphan entries are not left in the system registry.

4. As far as the two files mentioned, I'm aware they are qualifying files and may be on certain computers. I simply added that as information.

5. Please do not feel I'm dissatisfied or have anything against this fine program you've issued. I simply found a supposed issue regarding uninstall that I thought would be worthwhile bring to your attention.

Thank you.

 

And I do thank you for bringing the items above to my attention.

FYI: A new, much more complete help file is being created for the next version.

Best regards,

-Javacool