"SpywareBlaster and Other Free Tools"

One of my absolute favorite free security tools is SpywareBlaster (http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html) SpywareBlaster isn't a spyware removal tool. Instead, it is designed to prevent your machine from ever becoming infected in the first place.

The software protects Internet Explorer by locking down a lot of the frequently exploited features such as ActiveX controls. Another nice thing about SpywareBlaster is that it maintains a list of Web sites that are known to be malicious.

It adds any known malicious sites to Internet Explorer�s Restricted Site list. The Restricted Site feature won't prevent you from visiting sites on the list, but rather renders sites on the list harmless if you should happen to visit one of them.


Spyware Removal

There are a lot of good, free spyware removal programs on the Internet. I have yet to see an anti spyware program that is 100% effective though. The only sure way to keep your system clean is to use multiple anti spyware programs. That way, one program can catch what another misses.

When it comes to free spyware removal programs, there are three that I really like.

I recommend Microsoft's AntiSpyware, which is still in beta testing (http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx).

I also like Ad-Aware (http://www.lavasoft.com/) and Spybot- Search and Destroy (http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/)