Spyware and Adware viruses have rapidly become the number one threat to your computer with over 90% of computers already infected. These include “Popup Ads”, “Trojans”, “Worms”, Web Bugs, Monitoring Software and more.

The problem with these spywares, adwares, malwares is they will slow your computer down, make changes to your desktop, homepage, search page, load programs into your taskbar tray and otherwise get in the way. In the worst cases, they will even transmit information from your computer to servers on the Internet.

So the question becomes : How to Preventing the Installation of Adware and Spyware?
How to Eliminate Adware, Spyware, and Malware?
How to Remove Spyware, Adware, and Malware?
What’s the Best Way to Eliminate Spyware, Adware and Malware?
What are the Best Tools for Removing Spyware, Adware, and Malware?
How to Delete Undeleteable Files?

Fortunately there are good Spyware and Adware removal tools available. Sorting through them all to find the right one is a challenging task and an important decision to make. We’ve gone through dozens and come up with a short list of the best. Listed below you will find the best freeware programs available on the Internet for removing spyware, adware, and malware:

Preventing the Installation of Adware and Spyware

SpywareBlaster 4
SpywareBlaster prevents the installation of ActiveX-based spyware, adware, dialers, browser hijackers, and other potentially unwanted programs

Spyware Terminator v2.3.0.507
Spyware Terminator has included Clam AntiVirus (ClamAV) the popular award winning open-source antivirus, for optional integration to achieve a higher level of security. ClamAV can be integrated into spyware scans, updates and the real-time protection.

SpywareGuard 2.2
This program watches several components of Internet Explorer to make sure no one hijacks your browser or tries to slip spyware into it

List of Adware and Spyware Removal

Lavasoft Ad-Aware 2007 7.0.2.7
Spybot Search and Destroy 1.5.2
Microsoft Windows Defender

Google Pack — Includes Symantec’s Norton Security Scan for viruses & worms and PC Tools Spyware Doctor (lite) for spyware, adware, Trojans & keyloggers. Norton is a PC Magazine editor’s choice and Spyware Doctor is a PC World best buy.

SuperAntiSpyware
A great program for removing those pesty Zlob trojan infections

Ewido Anti-Malware
a² (a-squared) Scanner

Specialized Removal Programs

About:Buster - Removal of CWS HomeSearch Hijacker or res:// hijacker
CWShredder 2.19 - CoolWebSearch Removal Tool from Trend Micro
Elite Toolbar Remover
I-Lookup Toolbar Uninstallers - Version 1 and Version 2
Incredifind and PerfectNav Uninstaller
Kill2Me - Removal of Look2Me infections
Lop.com Uninstaller
OmegaKiller for removing hijackers like
Omegasearch.com Prosearching.com. Search200.com. Mysearchnow.com. Searchexe.com
SmitRem for removing Spyaxe, SpySheriff, Winhound and others
VX2.BetterInternet for XP/2000 for Removing Look2Me
VX2.BetterInternet for Windows 9X for Removing Look2Me
WildTangent Remover

Programs to Delete Undeletable Files

Pocket Killbox
Remove on Reboot Shell Extension
Unlocker

How to Eliminate Spyware and Adware?

Download, and install the following two products:
- Lavasoft Ad-Aware 2007 7.0.2.7 (from Lavasoft)
- Spybot Search and Destroy 1.5.2 (PepiMK Software)

Run one program at a time. Make sure to use the update feature in each program before scanning. Note that Spybot’s update can be a little slow. Use the default setting when scanning. Once scanning is complete, look at all the items that were found. I have had no problems so far selecting remove/fix for all the items found, but when you run the scan, deselect items if you are unsure if removing them will cause harm to your system.

Other resource:
Spyware Guide

• Magoo’s Guide to Eliminating Spyware — information on how to get rid of spyware and keep it from returning.
• The Spyware Warrior Guide to Anti-Spyware Programs at Spyware Warrior
• Anti-spyware Guides — a page listing a lot of spyware guides.
• PuterTuner.com — a step by step guide, with downloads, on what tools to use and how to use them for removing spyware and adware.

Adware, Spyware and Malware Removal

• Spyware and Malware removal tools — parasites encyclopaedia and instructions how to remove spyware and malware programs.
• Spyware & Malware Removal Self-Help Guides — self-help guides on preventing and removing different types of spyware and malware.
• Self Help Fixes for Spyware / Malware - Spyware removal guides

Malware Prevention

How Spyware And The Weapons Against It Are Evolving
article discussing causes and possible remedies of the spyware problem.

Securing Your Web Browser
document that describes how to securely configure your web browser.