Spybot

Spybot – Search & Destroy can detect and remove spyware of different kinds from your computer. Spyware is a relatively new kind of threat that common anti-virus applications do not yet cover. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you didn't intentionally install, if your browser crashes, or if you browser start page has changed without your knowing, you most probably have spyware. But even if you don't see anything, you may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging that is silently tracking your surfing behaviour to create a marketing profile of you that will be sold to advertisement companies. Spybot-S&D is free, so there's no harm in trying to see if something snooped into your computer, too.

To see a list of threats that Spybot-S&D can remove, click on Support in the navigation bar at the left, and there on Threats. If you want an introduction how Spybot-S&D works, please read the tutorial. If you fear incompatibility with other software you are using, we can assure you that will not be the case. Still, we have created a compatibility overview listing some software that compatibility has been asked for before.

Spybot-S&D can also clean usage tracks, an interesting function if you share your computer with other users and don't want them to see what you worked on. And for professional users, it allows to fix some registry inconsistencies and extended reports. A list of features is available if you click on features.

Some of the features of Spyboy are:

• Removal of adware and spyware
• Removal of dialers
• Removal of keyloggers
• Removal of trojans and other baddies
• Removal of usage tracks
• User-extendable database
• Save removal of threats by shredding them
• Backups of every removed problem
• Exclude option to ignore specific problems
• Permanent blocking of threatening ActiveX downloads
• Permanent blocking of known tracking cookies for IE
• Permanent blocking of threating downloads in IE
• Command line parameters to automate tasks
• Number of targets > 600
• Number of detection files and entries > 10000
• Detailed information about problems found
• Strict criteria to define targets
• Integrated update function
• Weekly updates
• Update notification by mail
• Free email & forum suppor
• Settings to automate scan, removal and update
• System reports to locate even unknown threats 
• Skins to adjust interface to the users liking