SpyFBI (tm)

SpyFBI Configuration

Note: The default configuration will work very well in most environments. If you have modified the windows default locations for your temp files, temporary Internet files or cookies, then you will need to make similar changes to SpyFBI's Folder List. If you don't know if you have made these changes, you probably haven't.

SpyFBI configuration is accomplished through settings that are accessed the Setup and the Admin Options drop-down menus. These settings and how they affect the operation of SpyFBI are described below. When switch type options are "turned on" they will have a check mark displayed next to them on the menu. The check mark will be missing when the option is "turned off".

Setup Menu

Run In Test Mode (Switch - default is "off")
Turning on this option causes SpyFBI to perform all it's normal functions EXCEPT the actual deletion of files. This is good to use when testing changes to the configuration. This is especially useful when changes have been made in the Folder Lists and wildcards have been used. SpyFBI will automatically default to this mode after the demo period is completed. When this option is turned off, SpyFBI will delete all files in the folders specified in the Folders List.

Do not show this menu (Switch - default is "off")
Turning on this option will cause SpyFBI to run without user intervention. The menu screen will not be displayed. The only windows that will be visible are the progress windows and the summary window. Once this is turned on, you will not be able to access the menu with the normal icon. You will need to add the "admin" parameter at the end of the run command to access the menu. (Example: "C:\Program Files\SpyFBI\SpyFBI.exe" admin) This is nice when running SpyFBI at every boot-up (as intended) so the computer will finish the boot-up process without the user having to do anything. This is should be turned on after all other configuration options have been set.

Turn on Summary Log (Switch - default is "on")
This turns on a logging function with summary information on each SpyFBI run. It logs one record per run and logs in a .CSV file format that is compatible with most current spreadsheet programs like Excel, Quattro Pro, etc. This is highly recommended for the network environment to help identify problem machines and track SpyFBI's performance.

Turn on Detail Log (Switch - default is "on")
This turns on a logging function with detail information on each SpyFBI run. It logs 2 or more pages of information per SpyFBI run, depending on the Folder List and the computer's configuration. This logs to a plain text file with the file name matching the current IP number of the host machine, or the machine name if the IP number is not available. This file can be a continuous log (appending each run's information to the end of the file) or a new log with each run (deleting the previous log in the process). The continuous / appended log feature is controlled in the Admin Options menu (see `Continuous Detail Log' option below)

Delete IE History Files. (Switch - Default is "on")
This turns on the deletion of Internet Explorer's URL history files. Sometimes you may want to return to a site that you previously visited. These history files provide a list of sites visited with their URL's. If this is the case, turn this switch off. If you would like to keep these files cleaned up with each restart, then leave this switch on.

Add Site Blocks to Host File. (Switch - Default is "off")
This is a temporary switch. When it is turned on, it will work for one SpyFBI run, and then turn itself off. This switch loads a list of 1500 to 1600 known pop-up/ spyware sites onto the Host file with the assigned IP number equal to the local host (127.0.0.1). What this does is block the access to these sites so when a web page tries to call up a pop-up advertisement from on of these sites, the call is re-directed back to your own computer. This way the pop-up / spyware page is never found and cannot be display - effectively blocking the pop-up or spyware. This only needs to be loaded once. If you add URLs to the file, or download an updated file, then you will need to turn this switch on again to update your Host file entries.
NOTE: When running SpyFBI in multi-user mode, this switch will not turn itself off. This is because the configuration file may be shared with other computers running SpyFBI. You will need to leave it turned on long enough to ensure that all systems have been updated, and then manually turn it off from this menu. See Administrative options below for more information.

Edit Folder List (Windows Ver.)
This option allows you to edit the Folder List. The Folder List is a list of folders that SpyFBI will delete files from. All files in these folders will be deleted including with all files in sub-folders beneath this folder. Wildcard characters (*) may be used within a Folder List entry but have special rules attached to their use. (See appendix A for details on editing the Folder List and use of the wildcard character.)

Warning! This is not a place for trial and error. SpyFBI will delete all files from ANY folder that you specify here, including system, hidden, application and other types of folders. If this Folder List is used improperly is could be disastrous to your Windows system, installed applications or data files. We do not recommend changes to this list unless you are sure of what you are doing. On the other hand, if used properly, this can be powerful tool particularly in a network environment. If you do decide to edit the Folder List, we recommend that you turn on the "Run in Test Mode" switch and then check the detail log for your desired results. This is of particular importance if you utilize the wildcard character. If the folder locations within the detail log file are acceptable, turn off the "Run in Test Mode" and proceed with a live run.

Admin Options

Only Admin Can Edit Config (Switch - default is "off")
Turning this option on causes SpyFBI to require the Admin Password to be entered before allowing access to menu options. This option is only available after SpyFBI is registered, and only if it is registered Multi-user with 4 or more users. It is intended to keep unauthorized network users from editing the SpyFBI configuration. This option has no effect on how SpyFBI runs or what it does. The password associated with this option is set by using the "Admin Password" option (at the bottom of this menu). Once this option is turned on, the password will be required to turn it off.

Time to Display Summary (Numeric Setting - default is "1")
This option sets the length of time (in seconds) that the summary window is displayed after SpyFBI runs. Values from 1 to 30 will be translated directly into seconds. When the value of 31 is entered, then Summary display will display until the user interacts with SpyFBI by pressing the <ENTER> or <ESC> keys or by clicking the OK button. Numbers less that 1 or greater that 31 are invalid and will not be accepted.

Continuous Detail Log / New Detail Log w/Each Run (Switch - default is "New Log")
These options work together (or maybe better said - oppositely). When "Continuous Detail Log" is selected (turned on), the "New Detail Log w/Each Run" automatically turns off. The reverse is also true. These options affect the output to the detail log file (See the file names section in appendix B).
With `Continuous Detail Log' selected, each SpyFBI run will append information to this file. File size will continue to grow until this option is changed. This was intended to be turned on for short periods of time only, as in a testing phase.
With `New Detail Log w/Each Run' selected, each run SpyFBI run will delete the previous detail log file and write information to a new detail log file.

Config File Path (Text - default is "C:\Program Files\SpyFBI\")
This option contains the location on your hard drive where SpyFBI will look for it's configuration and registration files. If you are not on a network, you should leave this at it's default setting. If you are using SpyFBI in a network environment, this path should be set to a network location where users have read-only rights and SpyFBI administrators have read-write privileges. This allows SpyFBI to run on many users' workstations using a common configuration while preventing unauthorized users to modify that configuration. See appendix B for more information on files, their purposes and locations. Also see appendix C for information about the SpyFBI multi-user utility.

Log File Path (Text - default is "C:\Program Files\SpyFBI\")
This option contains the location on your hard drive where SpyFBI will write it's log files. If you are not on a network, you may leave this setting at it's default setting or you may want SpyFBI to write it's log files to a more convenient location. If you are using SpyFBI in a network environment, this path can be set to a network location where all users have read, write, create & delete privileges. This allows SpyFBI to write all of your user's log files to a single location for easy monitoring. See appendix B for more information on files and their purposes and locations. Also see appendix C for information about the SpyFBI multi-user utility.

Summary File Path (Text - default is "C:\Program Files\SpyFBI\")
This option contains the location on your hard drive where SpyFBI will write it's summary files. If you are not on a network, you may leave this setting at it's default setting or you may want SpyFBI to write it's log files to a more convenient location. If you are using SpyFBI in a network environment, this path can be set to a network location where all users have read, write & create privileges. This allows SpyFBI to write all of your user's summaries to a single file, which you may open with a spreadsheet program for easy sorting, monitoring & analysis. See appendix B for more information on files and their purposes and locations. Also see appendix C for information about the SpyFBI multi-user utility.

Edit Folder List
This option allows you to edit the Folder List for each version of windows. It is exactly the same as the `Edit Folder List' in the Setup menu except you are able to choose for which windows version you want to edit. This is moot for a single user environment since the only list used by SpyFBI is the one that matches the windows version your computer is running. However in a network environment, where you may have several versions of windows running, you may edit the folder list for all windows versions. This can be done from a single computer regardless of the windows version is running on it.

The Folder List is a list of folders that SpyFBI will delete files from. All files in these folders will be deleted including with all files in sub-folders beneath this folder. SpyFBI will also attempt to delete the sub-folders themselves if empty (if the window's write-behind cache allows it). Wildcard characters (*) may be used within a Folder List entry but have special rules attached to their use. (See appendix A for details on editing the Folder List and use of the wildcard character.)

Admin Password (Text - default is "password")
This option allows you to change the Admin Password which is used to secure SpyFBI's configuration information. You must know the current password in order to change make this change. Passwords are case sensitive and can be comprised only of letters and numbers (no special characters. This password is only used in registered, multi-user mode with 4 or more user licenses. The menu option `Only Admin Can Edit Config' must be turned on for this password to provide any security.

Appendix A
Editing the Folder List(s)

Folder List entries should include the path to each folder that needs to be emptied of files. Do not include the name(s) of any files themselves, as they will be interpreted as folders. A trailing back-slash is optional. SpyFBI will attempt to delete all files at the end of each path specified. Files that are currently open or locked by another program may be skipped until the next time that SpyFBI runs.

The asterisk or `star' character (*) can be used as a wildcard for unknown or changing folder names within the path. No other special characters are recognized. It must be used by itself with a back-slash before and after it ("\*user\" is not valid). Up to two (2) asterisks may be used in any single line entry.

The default paths created by SpyFBI use this character and can provide examples of how to use it.

When the asterisk is used, SpyFBI will look for all folders within the path specified (to the left of the asterisk). It will create new path entries for each folder found and add these folder paths to the Folder List before it starts the deletion process. This Modified Folder List is created in memory only and is recreated from saved Folder List each time SpyFBI runs. It is not saved to the hard drive like the Folder List. You may view this Modified Folder List within the Detail Log file (if you have the "Turn on Detail Log" option turned on).

You may use up to two (2) wildcards in a single path entry and the rules apply the same to each one.
This is an example of how the using 2 wildcards would work:

Assume that this is a portion of the folder tree of a hard drive and the (~) denotes folders that you would like emptied to be emptied.
C:\
C:\Docs
C:\Docs\Admin
C:\Docs\Admin\MyDocs
C:\Docs\Admin\LocalSettings
C:\Docs\Admin\LocalSettings\MyPics
C:\Docs\Admin\LocalSettings\Profiles\af238d287\Temp (~)
C:\Docs\Admin\LocalSettings\Profiles\af238d287\Temp\Cookies (~)
C:\Docs\AllUsers
C:\Docs\AllUsers\MyDocs
C:\Docs\AllUsers\LocalSettings
C:\Docs\AllUsers\LocalSettings\MyPics
C:\Docs\AllUsers\LocalSettings\Profiles\bj09903dy\Temp (~)
C:\Docs\AllUsers\LocalSettings\Profiles\bj09903dy\Temp\Cookies (~)

The correct Folder List entry would be:

C:\Docs\*\LocalSettings\Profiles\*\Temp

The first asterisk would find the \Admin and \AllUsers Folders. The second asterisk would find the randomly named folders \af238d287 and \bj09903dy. The Modified Folder List entries created from the above line would be:

C:\Docs\Admin\LocalSettings\Profiles\af238d287\Temp
C:\Docs\Admin\LocalSettings\Profiles\af238d287\Temp\Cookies
C:\Docs\AllUsers\LocalSettings\Profiles\bj09903dy\Temp
C:\Docs\AllUsers\LocalSettings\Profiles\bj09903dy\Temp\Cookies

Below is a listing of the default Folder list for each windows version.
Many paths are constructed using windows variables. A list of those variables and their default locations are listed here:
%Temp% - The location assigned to the `Temp' environment variable
%Tmp% - The location assigned to the `Tmp' environment variable
%Windir% - The location of the windows installation, usually (c:\windows) or (c:\winnt).

Windows 95:
%temp%
%tmp%
%Windir%\cookies
%Windir%\temporary internet files
%Windir%\temporary internet files\content.ie5
%Windir%\application data\mozilla\firefox\profiles\*\cache
%Windir%\application data\microsoft\internet explorer\userdata
%Windir%\application data\mozilla\profiles\default\*\cache
%Windir%\recent
%Windir%\history
c:\recycled

Windows 98:
%temp%
%tmp%
%Windir%\cookies
%Windir%\temporary internet files
%Windir%\temporary internet files\content.ie5
%Windir%\application data\mozilla\firefox\profiles\*\cache
%Windir%\application data\microsoft\internet explorer\userdata
%Windir%\application data\mozilla\profiles\default\*\cache
%Windir%\recent
%Windir%\history
c:\recycled

Window ME:
%temp%
%tmp%
%Windir%\cookies
%Windir%\temporary internet files
%Windir%\temporary internet files\content.ie5
%Windir%\application data\mozilla\firefox\profiles\*\cache
%Windir%\application data\microsoft\internet explorer\userdata
%Windir%\application data\mozilla\profiles\default\*\cache
%Windir%\recent
%Windir%\history
c:\recycled

Windows NT3:
%temp%
%tmp%
%Windir%\profiles\*\cookies
%Windir%\profiles\*\recent
%Windir%\profiles\*\local settings\history
%Windir%\profiles\*\local settings\temporary internet files
%Windir%\profiles\*\local settings\temporary internet files\content.ie5
%Windir%\profiles\*\application data\mozilla\profiles\default\*\cache
%Windir%\profiles\*\application data\mozilla\firefox\default\*\cache
%Windir%\temporary internet files
%Windir%\temporary internet files\content.ie5
%Windir%\application data\mozilla\firefox\profiles\*\cache
%Windir%\application data\mozilla\profiles\default\*\cache
c:\recycled

Windows NT4:
%temp%
%tmp%
%Windir%\profiles\*\cookies
%Windir%\profiles\*\recent
%Windir%\profiles\*\local settings\history
%Windir%\profiles\*\local settings\temporary internet files
%Windir%\profiles\*\local settings\temporary internet files\content.ie5
%Windir%\profiles\*\application data\mozilla\profiles\default\*\cache
%Windir%\profiles\*\application data\mozilla\firefox\default\*\cache
%Windir%\temporary internet files
%Windir%\temporary internet files\content.ie5
%Windir%\application data\mozilla\firefox\profiles\*\cache
%Windir%\application data\mozilla\profiles\default\*\cache
c:\recycled

Windows 2000:
%temp%
%tmp%
C:\Docume~1\*\cookies
C:\Docume~1\*\recent
C:\Docume~1\*\local settings\history
C:\Docume~1\*\local settings\temporary internet files
C:\Docume~1\*\local settings\temporary internet files\content.ie5
C:\Docume~1\*\temporary internet files
C:\Docume~1\*\temporary internet files\content.ie5
C:\Docume~1\*\application data\mozilla\firefox\profiles\*\cache
C:\Docume~1\*\application data\mozilla\profiles\default\*\cache

Windows XP:
%temp%
%tmp%
C:\Docume~1\*\cookies
C:\Docume~1\*\recent
C:\Docume~1\*\local settings\history
C:\Docume~1\*\local settings\temporary internet files
C:\Docume~1\*\local settings\temporary internet files\content.ie5
C:\Docume~1\*\temporary internet files
C:\Docume~1\*\temporary internet files\content.ie5
C:\Docume~1\*\application data\mozilla\firefox\profiles\*\cache
C:\Docume~1\*\application data\mozilla\profiles\default\*\cache
%Windir%\system32\config\system~1\cookies
%Windir%\system32\config\system~1\locals~1\history\history.ie5
%Windir%\system32\config\system~1\locals~1\tempor~1\content.ie5
C:\recycled

Appendix B
File names, purposes and locations

Spy_95.txt Config Folder Folder list for Windows 95
Spy_98.txt Config Folder Folder list for Windows 98
Spy_ME.txt Config Folder Folder list for Windows ME
Spy_NT3.txt Config Folder Folder list for Windows NT3
Spy_NT4.txt Config Folder Folder list for Windows NT4
Spy_2K.txt Config Folder Folder list for Windows 2000
Spy_XP.txt Config Folder Folder list for Windows XP
SpyFBI.rgg Config Folder Registration File
SpyFBI.cfg Config Folder Configuration file
GoodHost.txt Config Folder List of anti-virus and anti-spyware update sites that
viruses and spyware try to block
BadHost.txt Config Folder List of URLs known to download pop-ups &
spyware
xx_xx_xx_xx.log Log Folder Detail log file
(xx_xx_xx_xx = current workstation IP number)
!SpyFBI.csv Summary Folder Summary file
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SpyFBI.exe C:\Program Files\SpyFBI Program file
Ct_pro.dll C:\Program Files\SpyFBI Program support file

Appendix C
Multi-User options & utility

To SpyFBI, it is considered a "Multi-user" product when it accesses a single registered serial number / activation code combination for 4 or more users. When this happens, SpyFBI will activate it's multi-user options. Some of the network options are available to single users with the correct licensing. Below is a list of options that are available for use with networks and multi-users. All network options are available for multi-user licensed installations.

Changes in default paths (network option)
Paths to configuration files, log files and summary files can be changed. The program must still launch from the C:\Program Files\SpyFBI\ directory to run correctly, but can access it's files from the alternate paths. It is recommended that mapped driver letters be used within the path variable. Paths beginning with `\\' have worked in most of our testing and may work in your environment, but is has failed to work at some of our beta sites. If you decide to use a `\\' style path, it is up to you to test it and make sure it works. SpyFBI will not provide support for path related issues unless a mapped drive letter is available to the desired path.

Admin Password (Multi-user)
The Admin Password can be set with any SpyFBI installation, but does not apply any security unless SpyFBI is registered as multi-user. SpyFBI will require a password whenever a user tries to access the configuration menu, and the `Only Admin Can Edit Config' switch is turned on. The password is stored in the configuration folder and that folder should be read-only to all users without Admin rights. This password is not intended to be an `Iron Clad' device, but it is encrypted and, with the help of read-only access to the Config folder for unauthorized users, it should provide adequate security.

Nsetup.exe (Multi-user, received upon license purchase)
Multi-user install and update utility. This utility runs from the Config file path on the network. It installs SpyFBI to the local workstations with an admin specified configuration. It can also be used to check the SpyFBI version that exists on the local workstation and update SpyFBI from the network when a newer version exists there. Further information accompanies Nsetup.exe.

Appendix D
Warnings

Cookies are used for several purposes. They can hold a variety of information about you, your system, the website(s) you are visiting, etc. Many times these cookies are helpful in making our web experience enjoyable. But at the same time, unscrupulous individuals and companies use cookies to further their own agendas with little concern for you. They can track your web practices, your purchases and some of more devious ones can download software to track your keystrokes in an attempt to capture login, password and credit card information.

Many cookies issued from upstanding websites are used while you are on their website to improve the way the their website responds to you. This is the original intent of cookies. However after you leave their website, these cookies are no longer needed nor desirable to have on your system. They can contain personal information that can be accessed by the unscrupulous persons previously mentioned. Temporary Internet Files are often cookies or cookie related and can cause much the same types of problems for you. The existence if these files, the lack of clean up built into windows & IE, and the shear volume of problems caused by then are the main reasons that SpyFBI was developed. To get rid of these files before they download spyware, before they clog up your system, and before they give away your private information.

This type of clean-up must be done often to keep a system spy free and running as designed and the normal computer user will not run a utility often enough unless it is fast. Let's face it - no computer user likes waiting. This is why SpyFBI lacks many of the `bells and whistles' that similar software does. SpyFBI is designed to get in, clean it all up, and then get out - as fast as possible. The only `bells' we put into SpyFBI is the progress bar window that lets you know that SpyFBI is working and a summary to let you know it's done. Hopefully it is fast enough that you will allow it to run often enough to accomplish what it was designed to do.

Now for the Warnings!

(1) If you regularly visit sites where a login and password are required, and those sights have a little check box near the login that says something like "Remember your login on this computer?" , that site is creating a cookie to remember that password. When SpyFBI runs, that cookie will be deleted, along with your login and password information. If you would like to have the login and password `remembered', you will need to use Firefox or similar browser that has a remember feature build into it. This way you control your security and not some website through a wide-open cookie.

(2) If you store data in your temporary folders, SpyFBI will delete it. (We are talking about the Windows system temporary folders, ie: not a folder called TEMP that you may have created in My Documents.) If you are not sure about the exact location of the temporary folders, you may want to check the Folder List for your windows version under appendix A.

Temporary folders are intended to hold temporary data, not data you want to save. SpyFBI's viewpoint is: if the temporary data is not currently being used, then whatever application created it must be through with it and it is available for deletion. This shouldn't be a problem for 99.9% of users, but I did see one person using their temp directory for storing documents they were planning on copying to another location. This is why I mention this as a warning. If you happen to be storing information in a system temporary folder that you would like to keep, please move it somewhere else before running SpyFBI.

Use the links below to View other SpyFBI Documentation.

SpyFBI Support & FAQ

For Best Results

SpyFBI Configuration

End User License Agreement

Warnings