Let's first lay down a few facts on antispyware programs.

* FACT: Unlike antivirus programs, you can have multiple Spyware detection / prevention programs running on your computer at a time.

No single anti-spyware scanner removes everything. Even the best-performing anti-spyware scanners miss fully one quarter of the "critical" files and Registry entries placed by spyware. It is better to use two or more anti-spyware scanners in combination, as one will often detect and remove things that the other does not.

Most spyware nowadays add startup entries (commands in the registry that tell Windows to "turn on" the spyware when the computer boots up) and have several subroutines that detect attempts to remove them from the system. when they do detect an antispyware program trying to kill them, they usually turn on the antispyware program and kill that instead. Worse, some spyware programs were written to STAY on a computer, altering the Operating system in a way that makes it reliant on the spyware to function.

* FACT: A spyware program is rarely alone on a computer (and will not stay alone): an affected machine can rapidly be infected by many other components.

Since spyware programs "phone home" to servers, sending back data on user activities, there is always the tendency that affiliates of the spyware manufacturers "piggyback" onto the spyware-infested computer, adding their own spies to the mix.

Now, what can we do about this pest?

Free antispyware programs:

Here's a list of quality free antispyware programs:

Spybot Search & Destroy http://www.safer-networking.org Spybot S&D is reputably one of the best free antispyware programs out in the market. It has a reputation as a quality product, and its ability to solve problems with tracking cookies, system internals (Registry, Winsock LSPs, ActiveX objects, browser hijackers and BHO)s, and capability to protect a user's privacy by deleting usage tracks have made it a community favorite. Spybot also has an "Immunize" feature to block the installation of spyware, and (unusually for a free product) it adds a real-time monitor by means of the Tea-Timer module, preventing the installation of spyware in the first place.

Lavasoft Ad-Aware 2007 Free Edition http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/ad_aware_free.php Capable of scaning your RAM, Registry, hard drives, and external storage devices for known data-mining, advertising, and tracking components, Ad-Aware 2007 easily can clean your system, allowing you to maintain a higher degree of privacy and peace of mind while you surf the Web. It also has regular updates, allowing it to detect and respond to the latest threats.

AVG Anti-Spyware Free Edition (formerly Ewido Antispyware) http://free.grisoft.com/ A free scanner for antispyware, AVG Anti-Spyware is easy on your system and never slows it down, not even during a scan. Robust definitions and a good scanning engine enables it to detect even most well-hidden spyware strains.

Comodo BOClean http://www.comodo.com/boclean/boclean.html Preventative software, Comodo BOClean resides in memory, actively scanning and silently stopping all spyware and Trojans even before they run. Updates are free, and the program is robust. It lacks an on-demand scanner, though, and it is basically designed to prevent spyware infections rather than treating them. A plus, however, is that it also detects and prevents Trojans from installing.

Superantispyware Free http://www.superantispyware.com/ This program is VERY effective at detecting spyware. The interface is easy enough to use, and has way above average performance. The free edition does not include real-time protection, though, and it is best used in conjunction with BOClean or any other antispyware program with a real-time scanner.

A word of Caution: Fake anti-spyware programs

There are a few miscreants who release fake antispyware programs. They run the gamut from doing nothing at all, up to actually INSTALLING spyware themselves. Some of these are: * AntiVirus Gold * AV System Care * ContraVirus * Disk Knight * errorsafe/system doctor * MagicAntiSpy * PAL Spyware Remover * MalwareAlarm * Malware * PCSecuresystem * PSGuard * Pest Trap * SecurePCcleaner * SpywareStrike * SpyAxe * Spyware Quake * Spylocked * Spydawn * SpyShredder * SysProtect * Spy Ranger * Spy Wiper * Registrycleanerxp.com * Spy Sheriff * WinFixer * UltimateCleaner * Virus Protect Pro (3.1 and other number.number) * WinAntiVirus Pro 2006 * WorldAntiSpy * Your Privacy Guard

Good Security practices To deter spyware, try these suggestions.

Install a web browser other than Internet Explorer, such as Opera or Mozilla Firefox. Although no browser is perfectly safe, Internet Explorer is at a greater risk for spyware infection due to its large user base as well as vulnerabilities such as ActiveX, a common target of spyware makers. Spyware may get installed through shareware programs offered for download. Download programs only from sources you trust. Websites such as bleepingcomputer.com and spywareguide.com are a great help in checking whether a program you are downloading/installing is spyware or not. Above all, constant vigilance! It won't hurt to do some research on a program that you feel is unsafe. It may take you a few minutes of reading, but that is a small price to pay, compared to the hours you will spend reinstalling Windows after an infestation.

I hope that the above information gets you on your way to a fun, fast, and spyware-free web experience.