Solutions for the End User

A number of solutions are intended for end-user spyware mitigation, ranging from freeware scanners and pop-up blockers to toolbars and keystroke detectors. This chapter highlights some of the more popular freeware packages and toolbars as well as a select number of pay-to-play software packages. In the field of spyware protection one can take multiple routes to ensure the integrity of computer and its data. Commercial products include easy-to-use interfaces, user manuals, and free 24/7 technical support for users in trouble. Unlike in many other software markets, purchasing the “cream of the crop” in spyware-protection software does not require a credit-card swipe. The chapter discusses the most popular free spyware scanners and highlights their usage. The chapter further discusses the use of Spybot: Search & Destroy, one of the first spyware scanners made. Available in dozens of languages for worldwide use, Spybot is one of the few free spyware scanners that include tools to continually monitor for the signs of spyware before such items can infest a computer system. Although it features a slightly more difficult user interface than its competitors, it remains a very powerful antispyware application.