What do internet professionals think of this?

[Brynn]

Hey Everyone  :)
I was just running a search for hardware firewalls, which is now showing up as a basic internet security necessity on many support sites.  Anyway, I stumbled across this website:

http://www.hijackthis.de/

and wonder what knowledgable internet professionals think of it?  Is it something that typical, non-professional internet users can safely use?  Or is it actually malware, in disguise?  I don't know that I would actually "Fix" anything which this analyzer might recommend, without consulting you all or other support forums.  But I wonder if it might offer other helpful info about what it finds.  I guess it's a little frustrating to look at the 'Info' or 'Info on selected items...' buttons in the HijackThis results window, because those descriptions really don't mean much to me.  So I'm just wondering if it's safe to use; I'd like to have a log analyzed, just to see what happens.  Thanks for your opinions  :)

[Die Hard]

Brynn  :P

My own opinion about this tool could be seen here:
http://www.landzdown.com/index.php/topic,438.msg3086/topicseen.html#msg3086   :D

regards

Die Hard :)

[P3-450]

My view is pretty much the same as Die Hards

These automated tools may tell you what is bad, but that is it.

These days fixing bad entries in HJT is not enough.

Many infections need specific instructions and tools to completley get shot of them.

Just my pennies worth 8)

[Corrine]

Hi, Brynn.  In addition to the above comments, many times such tools miss objects or show false/positives. 

[Brynn]

  :oops:  Oh dear!
I'm sorry to have posted this duplicate request.
But thank you Everyone for your comments.  I guess I will give it a try, just to find out if helps me understand HijackThis any better.  But I will not rely on the results, and certainly won't act on any recommendations.

You all are The Best :thumbsup: !

[Die Hard]

Brynn :)

Don´t be sorry, there was no chance you could know it had been posted before.  :P
Some subjects could be discussed again . Besides,it would be very inconvenient if one has to make a search before one´s every post to see if the subject has been posted previously.

Regards

Die Hard :)

[Corrine]

Right on, Die Hard!

Brynn, LzD is a small "family-friendly" site.  Our goal is to assist our members with computer issues, security and privacy in particular, yet have some fun while doing so.  :)

[normmork]

I think it is an interesting tool.

I would agree what others have posted about the limitations and problems such a tool can cause. I would also add that if whatever database that is using for identiifcation is not updated then the tool will not recignize the latest infections.

The site itself is very sparse and IMO should post the limitations of the tool and warnings about removing registry entries inccorrectly.

HJT itself although a very powerful and required tool in the removal of some types of infections has limitations itself. At tiems you need to use other removal tools in addition to JT