Anti-Spyware Software

If you enter "anti spyware software" at Google you will get around 1.5 mio results. Too much to find out which programs are really good and which ones are not worth downloading.

These are the most reliable tools to get rid of Spyware:

• Ad-aware
  
  Lavasoft's tool Ad-aware was one of the first tool specialized in finding Spyware and Adware. The software detects Spyware files, tracking cookies and registry keys of Spyware programs. The freeware version of Ad-aware doesn't contain the background protection. The professional version costs US$ 39.95. The tool has been created in Sweden.
  
  More Information at Lavasoft.
  



• SpyBot - Search & Destroy
  
  The German programmer Patrick M. Kolla created the Spyware scanner Spybot - Search & Destroy. Equal to Ad-aware it detects all kinds of Spyware using a disk and registry scan. In addition it is also able to clean usage tracks, an interesting function if you share your computer with other users and don't want them to see what you worked on. The tool is completely freeware. But you can make donations to the author.
  
  More Information at the SpyBot website.
  



• a-squared (a²)
  
  a-squared is a brand new program created in Austria which is specialized in finding Spyware, Trojans, Dialers and Internet-Worms (Worm-Viruses). The a² free version doesn't include a background protection and is freeware. a² personal comes with an advanced background guard containing an intrusion detection system (IDS). The IDS is able to detect Spyware by its behaviour, not by signatures like all other scanners. So it is able to block also new Spyware without the need of daily online updates.
  
  Learn more about this Spyware protection system at Emsisoft.