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Browser Add-ons

Browser Add-ons extend the functionality of Internet Explorer and include Browser Helper Objects (BHO's), ActiveX controls, Browser Extensions, and Toolbars - they can be found by opening your Internet Explorer 7 and going to 'Tools' -> 'Manage Add-ons' -> click 'Enable or Disable Add-ons'. Utilize the 'Show' drop down menu to display categories of add-ons.

An add-on is typically installed by a computer user as a direct offering from a website or as part of a software installation. Add-ons can provide useful functionality and there are many legitimate uses for them. They may, however, also be exploited so to install malicious function, especially adware or spyware.

Get Add-ons:

Add-ons from Windows Marketplace - large collection of useful Add-ons at this Microsoft site, includes many free offerings, categorized by Security, Time Savers, Entertainment, Browsers (including offline browsers)

McAfee Site Advisor - watches over the sites you visit while surfing the internet, McAfee Site Advisor bar appears unobtrusively on Internet Explorer and turns green if the site is OK, red if there's a problem. Excellent tool for anyone interested in downloading freeware - McAfee has explored the downloads available from a site and provides analysis as to any adware or spyware issues found. It's a nifty free tool and a keeper, also available in a paid version with upgraded features for email, IM and more. McAfee Site Advisor Video/Demo

McAfee Site Advisor Plug-in for Firefox - see also test searches from McAfee to demonstrate how Site Advisor protects you when searching in a search engine


Security Regarding Add-ons:

Browser Sentinel (Free Trial) - provides info on installed BHO's plus options to disable or for a clean BHO removal (removes the registry entry, the file, and unregisters the DLL module). Also addresses LSP's, ActiveX, Pages, Search Strings, Prefixes, Toolbars, Loaded Modules, Startup and Running Programs, Hosts file, common misconfigurations, NT Drivers, and more.

BHODemon - identifies and reports on all installed Browser Helper Objects and alerts to new BHO installations

BHO Scanner - color coded identification of the BHO's installed on a local or remote system - green for safe, yellow for unknown, red for harmful. Handy right-click and select "Get Info" - typically takes you to the site that originated the BHO

Anti-Hook - intrusion protection operates on the Windows Kernel level. Protects against rootkits, keyloggers, spyware, trojans, and viruses based on code behavior, hence definition updates are not required. Complements existing firewall and anti-virus software. Guards against suspicious DLL's, BHO's, ActiveX, COM Objects, Kernel Device Drivers (Kernal Rootkits), Code Injection, System-wide Windows Hooks, and more.

ToolbarCop - selectively disable or remove BHO's, Toolbars, Standard Toolbar Buttons, Contect Menu Items, Side-search bars, Protocol Handlers and more.

Spyware Blaster - recommended for use with Spybot, blocks specific ActiveX, spyware cookies

Spysweeper (Free Trial) - time honored and polished performer, high spy detection rate, detects rootkits. Select from 16 spy shields to provide real-time protection; including IE Favorites shield, IE Security Shield, IE Tracking Cookies shield, IE Hijack shield, IE Home Page shield, IE Search Page shield, Common Ad Sites shield, Hosts File shield, Memory shield, Spy Installation shield, ActiveX shield, Alternate Data Stream Execution (ADS) shield, Windows Messenger Service shield, Spy Communication shield, Startup shield, Browser Helper Object (BHO) shield.