Ad-Aware SE Version 1.06

[-pops-]

Topic Title: Ad-aware SE

Topic Description: For NOVICE users.

Please make sure you have run Spybot Search and Destroy and Ad-aware as these two programs can get rid of an awful lot of rubbish from your log. (Please reboot your PC after running these programs.)

From the Creator:

Ad-Aware is designed to provide advanced protection from known Data-mining, aggressive advertising, Parasites, Scumware, selected traditional Trojans, Dialers, Malware, Browser hijackers, and tracking components. With the release of Ad-Aware SE Personal edition, Lavasoft takes the fight against Spyware to the next level.

To find out more please click here

What’s new in Ad-Aware SE Personal edition?

Hardened against third party uninstall with encrypted preference files.

Scanning engine improvements

Extended protection against DLL-injection, SE can unload process modules on the fly
Extended Memory scanning
Now scans all modules loaded by a process
Uses our all new CSI (Code Sequence Identification) technology to identify new and unknown variants of known targets

Extended Registry scanning

Now scans registry branches of multiple user accounts
Performs additional smart checks to detect dynamically created references
Scanning speed noticeably faster
Extended Scanning for known and unknown/possible Browser-Hijackers

Extended Disk scanning

Now scans and lists alternate Data-streams on NTFS volumes
Now Ad-Aware supports scanning of Cabinet files, (including spanned archives)
Scanning speed increased
Improved Hosts-file scan
Now Ad-Aware and Ad-Watch use much smaller reference files

Several User Interface improvements

Improved Graphical UI
Ad-Aware now supports custom graphical Skins
More user friendly Plug-in/Extension GUI (Plug-ins and Extensions now shown on separate screens)
New Scan Result view, includes a scan summary and detailed view
Ad-Aware now linked to the online TAC database.

Multiple New Tweak options

Unloading of process modules during a scan
Obtaining command line of scanned processes
Ignoring spanned cab files
Permanent archive caching
Always try to unload modules before deletion
Disable manual quarantine if auto quarantine is selected
Write protect system files after repair
Use gridlines in item lists
Logfile detail section condensed

Several logfile improvements

Includes support for separate removal logfiles
Allows adding a Reference summary/index to logfiles
Logfile contains overall more detailed information

Ad-Aware SE is compatible with Microsoft Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003.

Ad-Aware Personal edition is free for non-commercial use. For use in a commercial/educational/governmental environment or to purchase registered copies of Ad-Aware SE click here

To download this application please click here

Quick Link: download.com

Mirrors:

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http://www.majorgeeks.com/download506.html

http://www.tcmagazine.info/modules.php?op=...ddetails&lid=36

http://www.net-security.org/software.php?id=135

http://download.com/3000-2144-10045910.htm...page&tag=button

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Current Version of Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition: 1.6*

Frequency of updates: Bi-Weekley

How To Stay Updated:

1. Click on 'Check for updates now' on the main window,
2. Click on 'Connect',
3. If an update is available, click 'OK' to download, if not skip to step 5.
5. Click 'Finish' after update is finished.
6. Scan with the updated definitions.

Doing a Scan:

Always update first.

Click the "Scan now" button in the main menu on the left side of the main status screen or use the "Start" button in lower right corner. This will open the Preparing System Scan screen. Please deselect "Search for negligible risk entries", as negligible risk entries (MRU's) are not considered to be a threat. Then select "Use custom scanning options" and click "Customize". This will open the "Scan Settings Page. Make sure all of the following are On with a "green" checkmark:

Scan within archives

Scan active processes

Scan Registry

Deep-scan Registry

Scan my IE Favorites for banned URLs

Scan my Hosts File

Then Click the Advanced Button on the left side to open the Advanced Settings screen. Make sure the following is on with a "green" checkmark:

Others are optional to be checked or unchecked.

Then click on the "Tweak" Button to open up the tweak settings.

Open up the Scanning Engine section and make sure ll of the following are On with a "green" checkmark:

Scan registry for all users instead of current user only

Make sure the following is unchecked with a "red" X:

Unload recognized processes & modules during scan.

Open up the Cleaning Engine section and make sure all of the following are On with a "green" checkmark:

Always try to unload modules before deletion

During Removal, unload Explorer and IE if necessary

Let Windows remove files in use at next reboot.

Click the "Proceed" button to save settings.

Click the "Next" button to start the scan.

When a scan is completed the Performing System Scan screen will change name to "Scan Complete".

Click the "Next" button to get to the Scanning Results screens where more information about the objects detected during the scan is available.

Click the Critical Objects Tab. In general all of the items listed will be bad. Be carefull with the Hosts file entries. Malware uses the hosts file to redirect you websites. However you can use the hosts file as a way to prevent malware. If the object has 127.0.0.1 in it, it should most likely not be deleted as it is protecting against unwanted sites. So in short, you may or may not want to fix the hosts file entries.

Interpreting the results:

To fix all the bad critical objects do the following:

Right click on one of them to open up the selection screen. Click the "Select All" button to select all entries. In general all should be selected with the exception of the good hosts file entries.

When all are selected Click "Next" and then "OK" in the pop-up window to confirm the removal. Then reboot.

Decision on exceptions:

Items in green should be ignored.

Configuration Tips:

Click the "Scan now" button in the main menu on the left side of the main status screen or use the "Start" button in lower right corner. This will open the Preparing System Scan screen. Please deselect "Search for negligible risk entries", as negligible risk entries (MRU's) are not considered to be a threat. Then select "Use custom scanning options" and click "Customize". This will open the "Scan Settings Page. Make sure all of the following are On with a "green" checkmark:

Scan within archives

Scan active processes

Scan Registry

Deep-scan Registry

Scan my IE Favorites for banned URLs

Scan my Hosts File

Then Click the Advanced Button on the left side to open the Advanced Settings screen. Make sure the following is on with a "green" checkmark:

Others are optional to be checked or unchecked.

Then click on the "Tweak" Button to open up the tweak settings.

Open up the Scanning Engine section and make sure ll of the following are On with a "green" checkmark:

Scan registry for all users instead of current user only

Make sure the following is unchecked with a "red" X:

Unload recognized processes & modules during scan.

Open up the Cleaning Engine section and make sure all of the following are On with a "green" checkmark:

Always try to unload modules before deletion

During Removal, unload Explorer and IE if necessary

Let Windows remove files in use at next reboot.

Click the "Proceed" button to save settings.

NeoPlanet says...

Use this program along with Spybot Search & Destroy before posting your HijackThis! log, and you may find it clears up a lot of the problems for you.

* Please note, may NOT be most current version. If a newer version is available, please notify a Moderator.

--Created by -pops-, Edited by Scarecrow Man

Extra Credit to Powerless

[Boris]

Latest updates are in this thread :-

http://forums.windowsforum.org/index.php?showtopic=23715