Immunizations Increased?

[jonathanbean]

It has been a year or more since I used Spybot and now I'm back after flirting with other antispyware programs.

The last time I installed it, Spybot claimed 2,000 or so immunizations and Spywareblaster another 1700 (I'm working from memory). When I installed Spybot this past week, the number of immunizations was up to 15,000!

Question 1: Do other anti-spyware programs include immunizations in their "shields?"

Question 2: Do I really need spywareblaster now? How many more does it add? Any other passive programs to pile on for protection?

[Zenobia]

Any other passive programs to pile on for protection?
Yes,some are mentioned here:
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=279

[jonathanbean]

First, thanks! I'll check these all out.

On Spyware Guard:

The last program date I found was 8/03.

It mentions Internet Explorer but not Firefox on the main page.

Does Spybot do the same thing (or will it in 1.5?).

IE-SpyAD has moved and seems IE oriented.

I have downloaded spywareblaster and will check the rest.

[jonathanbean]

According to another site:

"1st, as far as Spybot's Immunizations go, Spybot has the capability of immunizing your computer against a number of infestations that frequent the internet. Once you have all the latest Spybot updates, look over to the left for a button labelled Immunize. Clicking that button will tell you how many immunizations are enabled and how many remain. Click OK, then click the green + sign (Immunize). Your computer should now be protected against 15,528 (currently) bad products from getting on your computer. FYI, SpywareBlaster adds another 7.092 items to that database. Nothing runs in the background as a result of these immunizations."

Can't vouch for the accuracy but nothing to lose with spywareblaster.

FYI: I read up and HOSTs file protection won't work with my LAN ISP in effect (DSL). Oh, well.

[Zenobia]

You're welcome. :)
No,SpywareGuard hasn't been updated in awhile,but it's still considered to be useful.Please see:
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?p=905248#post905248

Please see here regarding SpywareGuard and Firefox.
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=56389

Yes,IE-Spyad is IE oriented,it will have no effect on Firefox,Opera,etc.Scroll down a little here for compatibility:
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/uiuc/resource.htm#IESPYAD

[Zenobia]

There has been mention of there maybe being a bad download blocker for Firefox in the next Spybot version.Please see here:
http://forums.spybot.info/showpost.php?p=47143&postcount=4

[md usa spybot fan]

jonathanbean:

Spybot's immunization routine adds entries to the system registry that are used by Internet Explorer. This:
Blocks the execution of selected ActiveX scripts.
Blocks the storing of cookies from some sites.
Places sites in the restricted zone.
By domain (name).
By range (IP Address)

Enabling protection SpywareBlaster adds entries to the system registry that are used by Internet Explorer. This:
Blocks the execution of selected ActiveX scripts.
Blocks the storing of cookies from some sites.
Places sites in the restricted zone by domain (name).
Spybot's immunization counts can be deceiving because many of the same protective registry entries are placed in multiple registry hives. SpywareBlaster also adds cooking blocking entries to two registry hives which gives the appearance that the number of items protected against is higher. (but to a lesser degree than with Spybot).

The actual number of items protected against:

Spybot as of 2007-01-26 updates.
SpywareBlaster as of 2007-01-20 updates (does not include today's update).

.................. Restricted .. Restricted
........................ zone ........ zone .... ActiveX ..... Cookies
................... by domain .... by range .... blocked ..... blocked

Spybot ................. 2778 .......... 70 ........ 970 ......... 139
SpywareBlaster ......... 3050 ........... 0 ....... 3701 ......... 209
Both together .......... 4828 .......... 70 ....... 3883 ......... 306


Question 2: Do I really need spywareblaster now? How many more does it add?
The answer is using both together adds quite a bit more protection.

Using SpywareBlaster in addition to Spybot adds the following (as of yesterday):

.................. Restricted .. Restricted
........................ zone ........ zone .... ActiveX ..... Cookies
................... by domain .... by range .... blocked ..... blocked

........................ 2050 ........... 0 ....... 2913 ......... 167

[jonathanbean]

Alas, I am among the masses who have not only switched to Firefox but deactivated IE! So, if Spybot immunizations are for IE only, I will add them (probably not too many MB?) but they won't do me much good. Then again, I'm not complaining that Firefox is safer but how safe?

Spywareguard is NOT browser-dependent, right? So, it should catch anything coming across the Internet, even if I use Firefox??

FYI: I ask these questions because I'm sick of MS's junk and I am going back to Spybot, in part because I can see all the "must be free" IT professionals at schools going to WD (they also insist on IE for some reason, I don't know why but I ignore them).

[md usa spybot fan]

Alas, I am among the masses who have not only switched to Firefox but deactivated IE!
Are you on Windows XP? If so, how do you handle Windows updates?

[jonathanbean]

I have a link on the desktop to Windows Update (manual).

[bitman]

Jonathan,

So now you effectively have the vulnerabilities of both Internet Explorer and Firefox, without any of the abilities that IE makes available, such as ActiveX. I say this because it is virtually impossible to truly 'deactivate' IE, since some portions are integrated into the OS itself.

By not using Internet Explorer you avoid the potential risks of ActiveX and some other risks from using the browser directly, but a very similar effect will occur if you simply move the IE Security level for the Internet Zone to High. Installing Firefox is simply another way to accomplish this since it has few of these features, thus less risk or more accurately 'attack surface'.

Unfortunately, you must now keep both browsers up to date, since some vulnerabilities can be exploited whether you are using the browser or not. And if you are using IE 6, you are still at risk from vulnerabilities that IE 7 has removed or at least greatly reduced, simply by having the newer browser installed.

Always remember that vulnerabilities are additive. Whenever you install another piece of software you are also adding any vulnerabilities it contains, known or unknown, to those that already exist. So unless you truly gain some ability by adding software you are simply adding risk without return. Even major name security programs can have vulnerabilities which might be exploited, so adding lots of them really increases the potential risk rather than improving protection as most believe.

Bitman

[jonathanbean]

I reactivated IE 7 but simply don't use it. You can't really get rid of IE but in the Disk Cleanup you can uncheck it (don't know what that means in practice, if it is still on your computer!).

Actually, there is now a work around extension to use Windows Update within Firefox. Now that is cool: windizupdate. I just started using and don't know how well it will work in the long run.