>It turns out that the advice shared on UT recommending Ad-aware (Lava Soft) and Spybot Search and Destroy as to combat expoits has been the right advice.
>
>It also confirms [at least] my suspicions that many of these pretenders are really intruders themselves.
>
>http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm#ss_note

They kind of poo-poo the top ten review list I referenced in the other spy-ware thread.

http://www.anti-spyware-review.toptenreviews.com/index.html

They also showed "GIANT AS" to remove the most spyware in the tests they conducted. However, if you read the article "Microsoft Anti-Spyware Ineffective" from the link on the UT home page, there seems to be a conflict of findings.

The moral of this story: research several different places on anti-spyware. Test out free trials and see what works best for you. Also, get recommendations from "real" people who have used these products.

FWIW, I tried several and settled on, and $ubscribe to, Spy Sweeper.