For a long time now I have been running the beta version of Microsoft Anti-Spyware. I also religiously update my system, run as a non-administrator, and in general try to make sure I am protected from all sorts of malware. I had noticed for a while that I was not getting popups from Microsoft Anti-Spyware about the settings in my hosts file or showing the first web site in my approved cookies list and all the other annoying little messages that used to pop up when I booted up my system. I assumed it was due to an update to the program since I regularly got those or becuase I had checked the "report to spynet" (or whatever it said) message enough times for the software to realize that the "community" thought it was a good idea to allow my particular settings. I have also seen the results of a scan on my home computer many times. I was very surprised when I made an update to my hosts file and didn't get a message asking me to approve the change. When I went to check the program wasn't running. When I tried to run it manually I got a message that my version of Anti-Spyware had expired on July 31. I had never noticed that the icon wasn't on the tray because I have Windows set up to hide inactive icons and I never really clicked on it to make it an active one.

So now I have downloaded a new copy and I will have to run a scan with it and also with AdAware to see if I have picked up something bad in the month and a half that I didn't notice that I was unprotected. I guess I will have to add anti spyware to the list of tasks that I am proactive about instead of just relying on the "automatic" protection.