Spyware/Adware Prevention In Large Deployments?

foQ writes "I work in the IS department for a ~2000 networked computer environment across 10 locations. As with most people, we have experienced serious problems with spyware/adware. We have SpyBot and Ad-Aware installed on most computers, but this doesn't prevent the computers from getting these programs and only sometimes properly removes all of them. Is there a tool that we could push out to all the PCs to basically do what anti-virus programs do and block these programs from running and clean them from the computer?"

Comments

It's so EASY!

[Anonymous Coward]

First post muthafuckas!

Had to be said...

[stevens]

Debian

This is going to make you freak

[Anonymous Coward]

NOTEXT: hummer

[Anonymous Coward]

Re:Windows XP and Serice Pack 2

[CmdrTaco on]

Freeware is a great concept. Advertiser supported software that doesn't cost you anything, but is it really free? All you have to do is give your name, address, phone, e-mail, and some other general information. Not a bad trade-off, right? But, what if your personal information was also stored elsewhere on your hard drive, and transmitted your personal data via the Internet back to advertisers in exchange for more advertising? Ah, now is it free or is it spyware aka adware.
Spyware is Internet jargon for Advertising Supported software (Adware). It is a way for shareware authors to make money from a product, other than by selling it to the users. There are several large media companies Web3000, EverAd, and Aureate, just to name a few, that offer to place banner ads in their products in exchange for a portion of the revenue from banner sales. This way, you don't have to pay for the software and the developers are still getting paid. If you find the banners annoying, there is usually an option to remove them, by paying the regular licensing fee.
The problem with Adware is the concept of reporting your Internet surfing habits back home for data collection purposes. If this bothers you, then removing the spyware from your system might be a consideration.
Go Hip and Bonzi Buddy don't necessarily tranmit data back home but they are hard to remove Internet programs that seem to find their way onto your hard drive as well, that's why I've included them here.