[S]

Microsoft is offering free antispyware on its microsoft.com website. I tried it and it really did remove a lot of spyware issues I had been suffering from, but it didn't get them all. Still I would recommend it to anyone using IE. I use Mozilla Firefox mostly now but I know a lot of people still use IE.
FWIW...Microsoft is also unveiling an anti-virus program Tuesday that will be free (initially). Supposedly they will offer their own commercial (not free) antivirus software in the near future.

 

[MiamiAG]

Hmm, I'll go check it out. I use Adware and Spybot and they do a good job.

 

[Its me]

Hi,

Lately i been having problems with that spy/trojan stuff; happened that my web browser from time to time it wouldnt open any webpage but i could acess other internet stuff normally.
After trying about 30 programs (literally) found this one from Microsoft and my browser is back to life.

Best Regards

 

[gnatster]

Have a bit of experience with Spyware and the like. I clean PC's for the non-geeks out there for fun and profit. Fearing MS may detroy my business I took a PC, loaded it with all kinds of spyware, malware, trojans, virus' and other nasties and let the new MS program have at it. I don't have a lot to fear at this point. The program did a decent job in clenaing up say 80% of the junk, there was still enough left to mess one's computing experience up. This new tool is not a be all end all, it is merely another arrow in the quiver of defense. Used in conjunction with other tools it will help bring back the as new feeling to a pc.

 

[travis]

This is yet another example of Microsoft's clever (but somewhat spooky) buisiness strategy: identify a market trend (anti-spyware in this case), purchase an up-and-comer in the market rather than develop a product yourself in-house (Giant Software which developed the new MS product), incorporate the new software into your own product and offer it for free to crush the competition. I'm with gnatster on this one. IMHO Spybot S&D still reigns supreme, with a litte judicious application of HijackThis if things remain hosed-up.

It will be interesting to see this MS strategy play out as they begin their inevitable clash with Google in the Search Engine Wars. I sure hope Google has their house in order because I think they're far and away the best search on the market and would hate to see them get sunk by a determined MS campaign against them.