McAfee 8.0 Vs Ad-Aware = No contest

[mizzy]

I have found that Mcafee 8.0 is not very good at detecting Spyware/Malware/Trackers

When I run a Mcafee scan with everything enabled in Unwanted programs, it finds nothing.
I then run Ad-Aware and it finds loads of unwanted programs.

McAfee have told me to manually add the definitions of unwanted programs! That sounds like alot of work to me.

What have you guys found? Are you having to install Ad-Aware or something similiar to find spyware etc?

Regards,

 

[VictorySabre]

While it is true that McAfee's spyware/adware list isn't as comprehensive as Ad-Adware, I find that not all adware removers are entirely complete either.

I've used Spybot to remove a bunch of files. Then use Ad-Aware to remove a bunch Spybot missed, then I use VirusScan to remove a bunch of files Spybot and Ad-Aware both missed.

Yeah, fighting spyware/adware sucks!

 

[mizzy]

Thats crazy! I've got 100 workstations in this office and 400 other workstations scattered around 12 sites.

Trying to keep that virus clean is a task. Having to add additional clients for unwanted programs....thats an extra person required.

Thanks for your comments,

 

[JimmyZ1]

All you have to do is add them once on the EPO server and they should all trickle down...

It's a hassle I know, but it's better than most...or nothing



Doh!!

 

[bfralia]

I'm having great luck getting rid of adware/spyware using 8.0i. There was a real problem in our company. Since upgrading to 8.0i, the only thing I'm finding with Ad-aware is tracking cookies. All the adware/spyware programs are gone. I'm not worried about the tracking cookies.

8.0i is made to block moreso than clean. There are some programs that it detects that have to be removed manually or with Ad-Aware but once gone they don't come back.

 

[dfedders]

If your users aren't local administrators on their PCs, 99% of the spyware is eliminated because they don't have permission to install that crap. Also make sure that you have all of the Windows security patches installed.

None of the spyware utilities are any good, I usually have to use about 3 of them to catch everything when someone gets hosed bad.

 

[mizzy]

Ah if only I could get all my applications to work when the user is not a local administrator!
It looks like stopping users being local admins is getting more important.

Thanks very much for taking the time out to respond.

Have a good day.

 

[dfedders]

I've used regmon and filemon from

http://www.sysinternals.com/

to help find what files or registry entries old, poorly written applications are trying to write to. Usually you just need to give access to write to a specific registry key, or a folder and the application will then work fine.

I've used Group Policy with Active Directory to help roll out those changes to all of our PCs.

 

[mrashburn]

Mizzy

One of the main reasons I want to switch our company to M$2k3 is because it allows you to run separate processes (on users workstations) at different run levels. I.E., our old-decrepit fax software forces user to be in local admin group to work properly. 2K3 will let me set the fax to run as admin but everything else to run normal. It's a GPO that can be set.

Mark

 

[mizzy]

Cheers Mark,

I'll bare in mind when I get round to introducing policies

Regards and have a good week,