Site of the Day for Friday, October 29, 2004 SpywareBlaster - Software of the Month In the ongoing skirmishes between web surfers and less than forthright entities which seek to exploit browser vulnerabilities for their own ends, there are a number of programs designed to weigh in on behalf of the ordinary person. Some of these applications are useful for cleaning up a hard drive beset by malware but some programs aim to deflect these invasions of privacy in the first place. One of the most highly recommended of these is "SpywareBlaster 3.2" from Javacool Software. This freeware application for the Windows platform sets up preventative measures to make the individual's computer less susceptible to attacks from "spyware, adware, browser hijackers, and dialers". Its well designed interface is simple to use and it is configured to work with both Internet Explorer and Mozilla/Firefox. One of the requirements of programs of this type is that to maintain effectiveness, they must be frequently updated and SpywareBlaster is no exception. In fact, the latest version, 3.2, should be checked for updates immediately after it has been installed and before configuring its protection capabilities. The updates are easily done manually through the appropriate side menu or for those who are comfortable with such procedures, it can be set to check for updates automatically. One of the features of the program is that it does not need to run in the background. Instead it uses a database of over 3000 entries to limit acceptance of tracking cookies, malicious ActiveX spyware installations and browser hijackers, among other unsavory items. Specific "protection" items can be disabled at the user's discretion. One of its highlights is the application's ability to create a "snapshot" of a user's clean system. Should the computer be compromised by spyware, the program can restore a number of system and browser settings to a previous uninfected state. In the battle against privacy intrusions and malicious software, SpywareBlaster deserves a spot in the defense arsenal of every computer user. Drop over to the site for the 2.2 MB download link and additional information at: http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html A.M. Holm <admin-sotd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Manage your subscription and view the List archives on the web at: <//www.freelists.org/cgi-bin/webpage?webpage_id=sotd> and <//www.freelists.org/archives/sotd> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSUBSCRIBE by sending a blank email to sotd-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with unsubscribe in the Subject field.