The latest version of spyware doctor has been released. I am not sure what fixes were made to the spyware removal software. I will update the post once I have more information.

NOTE(6/22/09): I did get a response from PC Tools and there are just bug fixes.

Fixes in Spyware Doctor version 6.0.1.445 include:

• GUI Enhancements
• Minor driver updates
• Internal bug fixes

Get the latest version of Spyware Doctor: Click the following link to download Spyware Doctor

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Download PC Tools Internet Security 6.0.1.441

 

Fixes in PC Tools Internet Security 6.0.1.441 include:

• Behavior Guard has been updated to ThreatFire v4.0 engine
• Fixes for screen resolution changes
• Fixes issues with extended desktop (dual monitors)
• Internal bug fixes

Here is a quick PC Tools Internet Security  6.0.1.441 bulleted summary of features:

• Sliding signatures /b>are a PC Tools technology with the ability to detect threats known to frequently modify or morph. They are designed to find the common patterns within these types of deceptive morphing threats and promptly alert PC Tools Internet Security.
• Password Protection offers advanced customization to allow you to safeguard against unauthorized parties (users or malware) attempting to change key security settings, exposing your computer and leaving it vulnerable to attack.
• Full Screen Detection mode feature is designed for avid gamers and movie/TV viewers to provide an uninterrupted user experience.
• Anti-Spyware & Anti-Virus
• Advanced Rootkit detection
• Anti-Spam
• Firewall
• Much More!

Download PC Tools Internet Security 6.0.1.441

 

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Download The latest version (6.0.1.444) here: Spyware Doctor Download

What is in the latest release:

• Password Protection – You can secure your settings, the Immunizer and the IntelliGuard now using a password.To modify some or all of the settings, users will be required to enter a password when this feature is active(the user will determine the range of protection).
    A Password hint is provided to assist in recovering lost passwords.
  
• Full Screen Mode – Should the computer user want to watch movies, play games or display a full-screen presentation, Spyware Doctor can be configured to detect this mode and silently prevent threats without interruption to your session. Popups are blocked and the History will record all events processed during this time.
• Right Click Scan – Just right click on a  file, folder or drive and then your can perform a scan with Spyware Doctor.
• New Scan Engine – The new scan engine has been integrated with file detection which will improve detection capabilities, improve scan speed and reduce memory usage. Memory  usage is key in todays environment especially with the widespread adoption of netbooks.
• Network driver (TDI) enhancements – The update divides network TDI monitoring into the following components:
  1. TDI generic driver – Receive network events and pass them to plugins that are registered to receive those events
  2. Product specific Network Plugins – Site Guard Plugin will register with TDI to receive and handle Site Guard TDI events. This will allow an easy way to update drivers specific to the plugin without having to update all TDI driver components.

FYI: What is TDI? From Wikipedia:

The Transport Driver Interface or TDI is the protocol understood by the upper edge of the Transport layer of the Microsoft Windows kernel network stack.

Transport Providers are implementations of network protocols such as TCP/IP, NetBIOS, and AppleTalk.

When user-mode binaries are created by compiling and linking, an entity called a TDI client is linked into the binary. TDI clients are provided with the compiler. The user-mode binary uses the user-mode API of whatever network protocol is being used, which in turn causes the TDI client to emit TDI commands into the Transport Provider.

Typical TDI commands are TDI_SEND, TDI_CONNECT, TDI_RECEIVE.

The purpose of the Transport Driver Interface is to provide an abstraction layer, permitting simplification of the TDI clients.

Fixes in Spyware Doctor v6.0.1.444 include

:

• GUI Enhancements
• Minor driver updates
• Internal bug fixes

 

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Spyware Known_Bad_Sites points to a recognized bad site may have hijacked. Adware, Spyware and Phishing websites might use the Windows hosts file to send your web browser to a malicious website when you try to access a legitimate website such as your webmail for example.

These messages displayed by Spyware Doctor occur because you might have some bad websites added to your favorites websites in your browser…

Spyware Doctor will spot those websites and signal them as Spyware.Known_Bad_Sites. Remember every time you put in some bad websites like certain free software, free audio, free video ,and some other bad websites spyware doctor will continue to flag them with  Spyware.Known_Bad_Sites.

These sites can be websites you visited as well. They will leave a cookie on your computer.  Clean out your temporay internet files and cookies. Then run Spyware Doctor to verify that you have rid your computer of the infecting websites info.

From PCHell(dot)com:

Generally there might not be any reason to worry about all these files in your computer, but what if you sell your computer and all that information is left for someone else to see. Maybe friends and relatives visit and use your computer and you dont want everyone to know what files you are running on your computer. Then you are going to want to know how to delete these files.
Even if you are not worried about privacy on your computer, you may be surprised to realize how much hard drive space all this information takes up. If you are running out of drive space, you may want to delete these files.

How can I delete these files?
For Internet Explorer 5 and above, you can follow these directions to clear out temporary files and delete cookies.
1) Open Internet Explorer and click on Tools
2) Click on Internet Options
3) On the General Tab, in the middle of the screen, click on Delete Files
4) You may also want to check the box "Delete all offline content"
5) Click on OK and wait for the hourglass icon to stop after it deletes the temporary internet files
6) You can now click on Delete Cookies and click OK to delete cookies that websites have placed on your hard drive.

To clear the Internet History in IE:
1) Open Internet Explorer and click on Tools
2) Click on Internet Options
3) On the General Tab, in the middle of the screen, click on Clear History
4) Click OK
To clean up other temporary files on your computer in Windows 98 or higher:
1) Click Start,  Programs (or All Programs), Accessories,  System Tools, Disk Cleanup
2) Choose the correct drive usually C:\
3) Check the boxes in the list and delete the files

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Here another interesting yet dangerous infection: Exploit AdobeReader. Exploit.AdobeReader includes malicious code that permits remote execution of random code on the target computer system. The executed commands will run using the privileges of the host computer’s logged in user.

Here were a few things I noticed about this remote exploit.

First, it creates a new process called CbEvtSvc.exe. This process has a 92% exploit identification rate. So for the most part this process is definitely an infection on your computer.

Second, it starts itself as a service under the COM+ Event System and its looks to run as a non-svcshost process.

Two steps need to be taken: First remove the exploit using Spyware Doctor so that the process and its registry entries are removed. Second read the following bulletin snippet from Adobe:
A critical vulnerability has been identified in Adobe Reader 9 and Acrobat 9 and earlier versions. This vulnerability would cause the application to crash and could potentially allow an attacker to take control of the affected system. There are reports that this issue is being exploited.

Adobe has released the Adobe Reader 9.1 and Acrobat 9.1 product updates to resolve this security issue. Adobe recommends users of Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9 update to Adobe Reader 9.1 and Acrobat 9.1. Adobe recommends users of Acrobat 8 update to Acrobat 8.1.4, and users of Acrobat 7 update to Acrobat 7.1.1. For Adobe Reader users who can’t update to Adobe Reader 9.1, Adobe has provided the Adobe Reader 8.1.4 and Adobe Reader 7.1.1 updates.
 

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 Trojan Agent ASMU is a malicious trojan horse or Bot that may signify protection risk for the compromised computer and/or its network environment.

 

The above statement troubles me in a couple of ways. First Trojan Agent ASMU could be a Trojan Horse or it could be a bot.  Second, it could infect other computers in the network.

 

I have discussed Trojans before but let us look at what they are again. Trojans are a type of malware that appears to perform a sought-after purpose but in fact carries out secret malicious tasks. These tasks let unauthorized admission to the host computer, giving them the capacity to save their files on the user's computer or even observe the user's screen and be in command of the user’s computer.

 

What is even more concerning is that it does not have to be a Trojan but it could be a Bot.  A Bot typically runs hidden and uses a covert channel to communicate with its command center. Bots are not preprogrammed threats. The can be controlled one they have installed themselves on your computer!

 

Newer bots can automatically scan and propagate their environment themselves using vulnerabilities and weak passwords. Generally, the more vulnerabilities a bot can scan and propagate through, the more valuable it becomes to a botnet controller community. The process of stealing computing resources as a result of a system being joined to a "botnet" is sometimes referred to as "scrumping."

 

We are constantly faced with threats such as these that put our computers in a compromised state. For this threat in particular, it can be removed using the Spyware Doctor with Antivirus download.  This spyware removal software is created by PC Tools. It is a very popular removal tool for infections. If you have been plagued with the Trojan Agent ASMU infection then Spyware Doctor with Antivirus should be able to help rid it from your computer.

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RogueAntiSpyware VirusMelt is a scam and it is malicious as well. It basically display false messages about infections of spyware or adware that do not exist on your computer. Additionally, because it carries additional payload it can continue to create more havoc on your computer if you do not remove it as soon as it is detected on your computer.

RogueAntiSpyware VirusMelt is a computer exploit with payload. What this means is that the exploit can and does bring additional executable code to your computer to run. At the highest level or the pop-up messages about the fake infections that are on your computer. At the next level is the identification of harmless files on your computer that it declares are malicious. Descending one more level is the freezing of the mouse and keyboard that comes with this infection as it processes its payload over time.

You can get rid of this threat with Spyware Doctor With Antivirus. Just download the software and install it on your computer. Run a full scan to remove the infection. You may have to reboot to complete the removal.  In severe cases where the mouse and keyboard are locking and freezing, you may have to boot your computer in safe mode with networking to actually get the download and install it.

If you suspect or you have verified that your have the RogueAntispyware VirusMelt infection, download a copy of Spyware Doctor with Antivirus and remove this menace as soon as possible. The payload of this malware can freeze your computer’s input devices. Don’t procrastinate. Take care of this infection today.
 

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Because Trojan Pakes MNO is a malicious Trojan it is important to obtain an effective tool or method by which to remove this infection. Neglecting to clean your computer of this infection could prove to be the vehicle by which malicious software applications create problems that cannot be repaired.

Trojan Pakes MNO is a malicious threat that will with high probability create a security risk for your computer and the network with which it is attached. A Trojan horse can sneak into your computer and execute itself completely undetected. Trojans can do a lot of things due to the way they have been programmed. In the old days, Trojans used to take control of the modems during idle times and make long distance calls from the computers they infested. Today, they use the Internet to move there payload. Trojans like Pakes MNO do not replicate themselves but they do host other attackers and perform the role of the “open doorway” to your computer.

To remove this infection from your computer you can use Spyware Doctor with Antivirus from PC Tools. It is very effective at ridding computers of this wicked application. Just download the software and install it. Next run the full scan. Depending on the severity of the Trojan Pakes MNO infection, you may have to reboot your computer after the scan is complete to totally remove the files and processes.

If you have determined that your computer is infected with this Trojan, download Spyware Doctor with Antivirus today and remove this nasty infection immediately.
 

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Worm Conficker C is a dangerous infection that propagates through wired and wireless networks, flash or removable external drives, or by exploiting the breach in the Server Service (MS08-067).

The Server service supports file, print, and named-pipe sharing over the wired or wireless network for a PC. If this service is stopped, these functions will be unavailable. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start. Offering shared access judiciously and with sufficient password protection can provide a way of exchanging data in relative secure manner, for any purpose.

This infection can be removed by Spyware Doctor antispyware. Dangerous infections of this type will not be blocked by PC Tools IntelliGuard (Real Time) Protection. They will however be detected during a spyware doctor scan where the user will be given the option to leave them on the computer system. The user may also select not to have these threats detected in the scan by changing the general settings. I cannot see a reason why you would want to turn off this detection mechanism but the option is available.

Worms of this nature such as Worm Conficker C often go undetected by the spyware prevention mechanisms because they act so closely to any normal installed program. In other words, they masquerade as legitimate computer programs quite well.

You get an immediate spyware doctor download in which you can forego some of the product information available with a more direct install.

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As a Kansas City computer repair specialist, I have the privilege of seeing a vast array of computers, configurations and setups across the city. It continues to be surprising how many computer owners still leave there computers unprotected. The world is changing fast and the foreign computer attackers are growing at a swift pace. Some of the foreign attackers make the average domestic attacker seem relatively harmless. I say relatively because the domestic malware creator can still produce threats that will render your computer unusable.

 

The most recent threat types such as the “bot” bring a whole new paradigm of intrusion to the computer landscape. “A bot typically runs hidden and complies with the RFC 1459 (IRC) standard. Generally, the perpetrator of the botnet has compromised a series of systems using various tools (exploits, buffer overflows, as well as others; see also RPC). Newer bots can automatically scan their environment and propagate themselves using vulnerabilities and weak passwords. Generally, the more vulnerabilities a bot can scan and propagate through, the more valuable it becomes to a botnet controller community. The process of stealing computing resources as a result of a system being joined to a "botnet" is sometimes referred to as ‘scrumping.’” – Wikipedia.
 

Overlooking the technical terminology above, you can see that bots are very sophisticated in their approach and very dangerous to the well-being to all who are involved.
 

In the malware removal category, software like pc tools spyware doctor is a solid tool to help combat some of these bots such as the VBBot. PC Tools Spyware Doctor can even remove Conficker which is a worm that is really part of a botnet that is extremely hard to counter.
 

If you wish to have specific botnet protection, take a look at Norton Antibot as a viable solution.
 

Norton Antibot is software licensed from Sana Security(update: purchased by AVG in Jan 2009- Norton Antibot discontinued) that detects bots, spyware, adware and other malware based on their behavior. It does not need a signature database to operate because it detects suspect behaviors.
 

Post brought to you courtesy of Computer Tips By Olan