Glad to hear that.  Spyware/browser hijackers/CWS and more.....they are the
pains in the butt these days.  No one should be without AdAware or Spybot
Search & Destroy......but Spybot is a bit less user-friendly (I hate
buzzwords.....grin).

I must have at least 6 anti-spyware proggies on my desktop as a *just in
case*.....have had to take it off my friends' computers.  If you are using a
firewall, none of it can phone home tho.

Another one to download is SpywareBlaster.....it is not an anti-spyware
program as such, but it prevents spyware from downloading.  I was amazed at
how much it stopped.  I usually had 2-4 spyware cookies per day......rarely
get them now.

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

Heather

Hi David......

ZAPro can be very confusing and there is a forum where you can ask
questions, and I have done so at times.  I just checked to see which ones I
allow to access the internet, because I know there should be two.  ICQ and
WinMX (music downloading program).  Yes, they both have server rights, and I
am relatively comfortable with that.  However ICQ is rarely used and is as
tight (as in security) as I can make it.

I am using ZAPro Version 4.5.538 and was using a Version 2.xxx.....so there
are big changes that I see in this version.  I never use the latest version
of ZAPro because there are always bugs that need to be ironed out with them.
I really believe they 'beta test' them on the public, grin.

That said, I was reading the Help Index and am copying over what they say
about granting server rights.....

(start of copy)
Relatively few programs on your computer will require server permission.
Some common types of programs that do are:

Chat
Internet Call Waiting
Music file sharing (such as Napster)
Streaming Media (such as RealPlayer)
Voice-over-Internet
Web meeting

Exercise caution when granting permission for programs to act as a server,
as Trojan horses and other types of malware often need server rights in
order to do mischief. Permission to act as a server should be reserved for
programs you know and trust, and that need server permission to operate
properly.
(end of copy)

As you can see, I have one Chat and one Music Sharing, and these two have
always had server rights because they won't operate properly without them.
I have never (touch wood) had any problems with them in 3 or 4 years.

If you are not using any of the above, then deny rights.  However, the mere
fact that something (or more than one) is asking for server rights means to
me that they might fall into the above categories.

I hope I answered your question......but ZA leans toward paranoia at times
and you have to be the best judge of what you allow to access the internet.
The 'Purists' would disagree with me, but I have to find that fine line
between 'safe computing' and paranoia.....grin.  I do that with all of my
security programs.....and I have quite a few.

Cheers.....Heather

PS......for anyone using EZ Trust antivirus, there is a new version out and
it is excellent.  Ditto for Spybot S & D.

David,

I recommend that you always say No to that question.  Then,
if the program doesn't work, try again and say yes.

I think I have only encountered one program that attempted
to be a server and the Help file explained why.  I have never
ever seen a program that attempted to be a server tell the
user that it was going to do that.

I have also never seen a case where a program acting as
a server on a PC was doing something useful for the user,
as opposed to useful to the people that distributed the
program.

   Alan

Heather,

You make a good point. You definitely need to be careful what you are trying
to remove spyware. Remember, review twice, click once for this program.

Sidebar:
I noticed sometimes spyware likes to install in your c:\Program Files
directory. Sometimes you can uninstall them, but the more nastier ones don't
have this ability. A lot of times you try to delete the directory (+
subdirectory), and you find out you can't delete it. Usually these types are
already running in the background. Occasionally you can pull up the Windows
Task Manager and click on the Processes tab. There you might find the
culprit program running. Thru the Task Manager you can "kill" it (end task).
Then try again to delete the directory (make sure you also empty the Recycle
Bin too).

In more severe cases I've had to resort to running msconfig command (from
the Start | Run menu => type in msconfig ). Then click on the Startup tab.
Sometimes the culprit program is getting loaded at Startup. De-select the
culprit program(s) and reboot. You will get a warning at the next reboot,
since you changed the Startup configuration. Now if needed you can delete
the directory.

It's amazing how much time you can spend fighting this problem.

Rgr

Heather:
    Last night I installed Ad Aware and a couple of their "free"
add-in programs, Registry Mechanic and File Specs.   I think it was
the Registry Mechanic that found over 125 different problems on my
computer, but it would not remove all of them with the free version.
I had to buy the package in order to enable it and get it to clean
everything off that it found.   Is it worth it do you think?  Is there
a different program that I can run free to clean this stuff off my
computer?  
    Thank you.
David S.