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Using Spybot - Search & Destroy
Table of Contents
What is Spybot - Search & Destroy?
Downloading and Installing Spybot-S&D
Running Spybot-S&D
Removing Spyware and Malware
Updating Spybot-S&D
Help and Tutorials
What is Spybot - Search & Destroy?
Spybot - Search & Destroy (Spybot-S&D) is a freeware program that can detect and remove spyware, adware and other malicious software (malware) from your computer. Spybot-S&D can also establish settings on your computer to prevent spyware from infecting your computer.
Spyware, is any software that covertly collects user information through the user's Internet connection without his or her knowledge. Typically, the information is used for advertising purposes. Spyware programs are usually bundled as a hidden component of freeware or shareware programs that users downloaded from the Internet. Once installed, the spyware monitors user activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to someone else. Spyware can also collect information like e-mail addresses, passwords and credit card numbers.
Adware is a form of spyware that collects information about the user in order to display advertisements in the Web browser based on the information it collects from the user's browsing patterns.
Malware can attack your computer through the Web browser; specifically, Internet Explorer. Examples of malware are spyware installers and browser hijackers. A browser hijacker is a small program or registry setting that adversely affects the behavior of the Web browser. The type of behavior includes, a change in the Internet Explorer start page and search pages.
If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you didn't intentionally install, if your browser crashes, or if your browser start page has changed without your knowing, you most probably have spyware or malware on your computer. But, even if you don't see obvious symptoms, it is possible to be infected, because more and more spyware and malware are emerging that are silently tracking your Web surfing behavior and affecting your ability to communicate over the network.
For some of the things that you should look for if your computer has been infested with spyware, see the document, 11 Signs of Spyware.
Downloading and Installing Spybot-S&D
To install Spybot-S&D, you should download the Spybot-S&D installation application file. The application file is used to scan for, and remove spyware, adware, hijackers and other malicious software. Spybot-S&D is available for you to download from the following Website:
Select the Download link to go to the Downloads Web page. Locate and click on the Download here button next to the Spybot - Search & Destroy entry. Spybot-S&D is also available from other Websites, including Major Geeks.com and Download.com.
Other tools associated with Spybot-S&D that are available, but are recommended for advanced users:
- FileAlyzer - a tool that enables you to do a basic analysis of files, and
- RegAlyzer - a tool to browse and change the registry.
Installing Spybot-S&D
- Initiate the Spybot-S&D installation process by double-clicking on the installation file,
- Click the OK button on the Select Setup Language dialogue box.
- At the Welcome to Spybot-S&D Setup Wizard window, click the
button.
- Please read the License Agreement. Click in the I accept the agreement radial button. This is required for you to continue the installation process. Then, click the
- At the Select Destination Location window, keep the default location and click the
- At the Select Components window, click in the check-box to deselect the Additional languages component, in order to install the English language only. It is not necessary to install all of the languages, unless of course, you prefer a language other than English. Then, click the
- At the Select Start Menu Folder window, click the
- At the Select Additional Tasks window, you may select or deselect any of the Additional icons or Permanent protection components. The icons option that you select are your personal preference. If you prefer to have Spybot-S&D icons on your desktop or in the Quick Launch area, you may choose that option.
Ensure that the Use Internet Explorer protection (SDHelper) setting is checked. It provides protection for the Web browser, Internet Explorer. Malicious software (malware) can attack your computer through that Web browser. This setting will block the downloading of malware, like spyware installers. It will also provide protection against browser hijackers. A browser hijacker is a small program or registry setting that adversely affects the behavior of the Web browser. The type of behavior includes a change in the Internet Explorer start page and search pages.
Do not select the Use system settings protection (TeaTimer) setting. This feature should be used by advanced users only. This setting will alert you to changes to the overall computer system. The user is alerted to changes to the programs that are currently installed or alerted to attempts to install a new program.
Click the
- At the Ready to Install window, click the
button.
- At the Completing the Spybot - Search & Destroy Setup Wizard window, you may choose to automatically run Spybot-S&D by retaining the setting, Run SpybotSD.exe. Click the
button.
Running Spybot-S&D
- At the completion of the installation, you may select to automatically run Spybot-S&D. Alternatively, you may startup Spybot-S&D by double-clicking on the application icon,
. When it starts up, the Legal stuff window will appear. Read the content and click the
button.
- If you have another anti-spyware software installed (e.g., Ad-Aware or PestPatrol), the
window will open, indicating that the combination of Spybot-S&D and some other anti-spyware software may detect some false positive spyware when a scan of the hard disk is performed. Read the content and click the
- The first time that you run Spybot-S&D, the Spybot-S&D Wizard will startup and guide you through the beginning of the operation process. The Spybot-S&D Wizard will be skipped on subsequent runs of the program.
- The first screen of the Spybot-S&D Wizard will prompt you to Create registry backup. The registry is a database repository for information about a computer’s configuration. It includes information such as the operating system's settings and the programs currently installed on the computer. If you choose to execute this task, it will take a few minutes to complete. I recommend that you not create the backup. Click the
- Click the
button to instruct the Spybot-S&D program to search for Detection Updates, which are rules to identify the latest spyware, adware, hijackers and other malicious programs.
- Click the
button. The downloaded files will be listed in the Spybot-S&D Update window, in the main Spybot-S&D application window just behind the Spybot-S&D Wizard window. Click the
- Click the
button. The Immunize feature allows you to tweak some internal Internet Explorer settings to block the installation of known spyware (and similar threats) installers. When this process is complete, the alert, Immunization has finished; 1944 bad products are now blocked will be displayed. Click the
- Click the
button. The Spybot-S&D Wizard window will disappear, leaving the main Spybot-S&D application window.
Removing Spyware and Malware
- Click the Search & Destroy button to display the Search & Destroy screen of the Spybot - Search & Destroy window.
- Click the Check for problems button. The scan will begin and you will see Running bot-check on the Status bar of the Spybot-S&D window. The scan will take several minutes.
- Once the scan is complete and if spyware or other malicious software is resident on your computer, you will see the problem items listed in the Scan for problems and remove them window. Each identified problem will have a check in the check-box preceding it.
- Click the Fix selected problems button. The alert Creating System Restore Point will be displayed.
- Click Yes, in response to the Confirmation dialogue box that will display the alert, You are about to remove the checked entries. Do you want to continue?
- Click OK, in response to the Confirmation dialogue box that will that will display the alert, problems fixed. You will see a large green check next to all of the listed fixed problems.
- Close the Spybot - Search & Destroy window.
Updating Spybot-S&D
Spybot-S&D contains an integrated update function. So, you do not have to manually download the Detection Updates, which are rules to identify the latest spyware, adware, hijackers and other malicious programs. The update function will search for and download include files, newer help files, new languages, updated descriptions etc. Of course to use this update function, you need an open Internet connection. To update Spybot-S&D, you may do the following:
- You may startup Spybot-S&D by double-clicking on the application icon,
- If you have another anti-spyware software installed (e.g., Ad-Aware or PestPatrol), the
- Click the Search for updates button. That will download a list of available updates from the Spybot-S&D Web site and compare them to the files already installed on your system. When the search has completed, new files will be shown in the list.
- Click in the check-box next to the file(s) that you want to update.
- Click the Download Updates button. During download, every finished file will get a green check-mark.
After updating Spybot-S&D, you may scan for and remove spyware and other malicious software.
Help Information and Tutorials
A basic tutorial on how to install Spybot-S&D, perform a scan for spyware, interpret the results, and remove the threats that are found, is available on the download sites also. Print the tutorial and follow the procedure it recommends for installing and using Spybot-S&D.
A more detailed guide for setting up and using Spybot-S&D is available on the net-integration.net Website.
The previously mentioned tutorial and guide refer to earlier versions of Spybot-S&D. This document refers to version 1.4, the most recent Spybot-S&D. It provides some recommendations that the user should consider when installing and using Spybot-S&D.
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Last Modified: 12 Oct 2004
doit@sfsu.edu
