[Woody.]

Security Recommendations
Protect yourself against hackers, crackers and everything in between.

Spyware Protection / Prevention:

SpywareBlaster
An excellent freeware program, which works quiet in the background not presenting with you with annoying pop-ups or questions. A great plug-in and play program. Updates aren't automatic but aren't regular either, so make sure that you try and at least update once a month. Whilst the program may not appear to be blocking much with announcements it is! The program works well in conjunction with SpywareGuard

Spybot - Search & Destroy
Spybot - Search & Destroy can detect and remove spyware of different kinds from your computer. Spyware is a relatively new kind of threat that common anti-virus applications do not yet cover. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you didn't intentionally install, if your browser crashes, or if you browser start page has changed without your knowing, you most probably have spyware. But even if you don't see anything, you may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging that is silently tracking your surfing behaviour to create a marketing profile of you that will be sold to advertisement companies. Spybot-S&D is free, so there's no harm in trying to see if something snooped into your computer, too

HijackThis
HijackThis is a tool, that lists all installed browser add-on, buttons, startup items and allows you to inspect, and optionally remove selected items. The program can create a backup of your original settings and also ignore selected items. Additional features include a simple list of all startup items, default start page, online updates and more. Intended for advanced

Ad-Aware
Ad-Aware is designed to provide advanced protection from known Data-mining, aggressive advertising, Parasites, Scumware, selected traditional Trojans, Dialers, Malware, Browser hijackers, and tracking components. With the release of Ad-Aware SE Personal edition, Lavasoft takes the fight against Spyware to the next level. With it simple interface and excellent detection rate it makes this program a must have for users, whether you are light browser or a fully fledged forum user.

Webroot Spysweeper
An excellent program with amazing real time protection, preventing malicious programs adding themselves to your registry and startup. Also have a strict browser protection settings placed in order. Although this program has no automatic updating the program receives updates almost daily, and is advisable to update before scanning as often the newest threats are the worst! This program can become quite a CPU hog since it offers such a wide variety of tools.

Online Scans / Tests:

Housecall online virus scan
Simple online scanner, does what it says on the tin. It is recommended to online scan your computer as well as using your own residential AV scanner, since most viruses and Trojan's will attempt to fool your AV program into thinking that the program isn't a virus, or just break your AV program, either way your better to have a backup plan, which is where online scanning comes in!

Bitdefender online virus scan
Similar to the scanner above, best to try out both scanners though, unlike residential AV scanners, where it is advisable to use just one AV scanner you can have as many as you like. Nothing to much to say about this!

Audit My PC
Excellent site offering some unique tests in order for you to fully understand your computers security you need to test it, and this site has a wide collection of tests varying from port scans to firewall tests. If you PC doesn't pass any of the tests then make sure to read the recommendations posted, and follow their instructions immediately.

Test Your Firewall
Pretty basic site in comparison to Audit PC, offers a couple of Port Scans, hackers and more often script kiddies find weaknesses in ports to send you unwanted Trojan's and viruses, therefore by performing these port scans you can make sure that no unwanted action is taking place. Note that some programs like MSN and AIM need to use Port access in order to communicate with the internet.

Specific Protection:

Peperfix
The peper Trojan downloads other programs to your machine which can cause pop ups. With the Peperfix intact and installed the programs and Trojan will be safely removed, allowing you to browse the net in your usual normality.

CWShredder
A small utility for removing CoolWebSearch (aka CoolWwwSearch, YouFindAll, White-Pages.ws and a dozen other names). Spybot S&D and Ad-aware tend to forget essential parts of the hijack, so until they update, you can use this to completely remove the hijack. This program is updated to remove the new variants once they come out.

KillBox tool
Pocket KillBox is a program that can be used to get rid of files that stubbornly refuse to allow you to delete them. New features and easier to use. Powerful tool, so use only when being told and required.

IE-Spyads
IE-SPYAD adds a long list of sites and domains associated with known advertisers, marketers, and crapware pushers to the Restricted sites zone of Internet Explorer. Once you merge this list of sites and domains into the Registry, the web sites for these companies will not be able to use cookies, ActiveX controls, Java applets, or scripting to compromise your privacy or your PC while you surf the Net. Nor will they be able to use your browser to push unwanted pop-ups, cookies, or auto-installing programs on your PC.

Trojan Protection / Prevention:
Trojan Hunter (trial)
The Cleaner (trial)
TDS=3
Ewido (trial)

Anti-Virus Protection / Prevention: (Trials)
NOD32
AVG antivirus (Free)
F-Secure
Kaspersky 5.0
McAfee

Free / Trial Firewalls:
Kerio firewall
Sygate firewall
ZoneAlarm firewall
Tiny Personal Firewall