I would also suggest www.pestpatrol.com as an excellent Spyware removal engine. It actually stops spyware from getting onto your computer thru a very good memory checker.

"Something definitely has to be done about this crap."

Yup. The article "Follow the bouncing malware" should help raise the level of concern:
http://isc.sans.org/diary.php?date=2004-07-23
http://isc.sans.org/diary.php?date=2004-08-23

Not scared yet? Then consider reading the recently updated and newly discovered threats at McAfee for a couple of weeks:
http://vil.nai.com/vil/recently-updated-viruses.asp
http://vil.nai.com/vil/newly-discovered-viruses.asp

Or this article on a recent "proof of concept" worm (http://www.securityfocus.com/news/9503):
"Bundling a network sniffer with an auto-propagating worm makes it easier for hackers to harvest usernames and passwords than would otherwise be the case. "

There is a lot going on in malware DETECTION AdAware and Spybot S&D. Google search on
- winpatrol
- hijackthis
for broad background or
http://www.winpatrol.com/
http://www.tomcoyote.org/hjt/
for the exact products. If you poke around the internet with Google you should be able to find a number of lists of anti-malware tools.

For unknown process names and unknown .EXE/.DLL files, google should be the first place to visit:
Have a unknown process running on the tasks list? Drop the name into google - there are a number of web sites that catalog processes.
Have an unknown file on your PC somewhere? Google search it.

But this is malware detection.

Is there anything available on malware prevention that non-IT business people can understand and implement?

Try JavaCool's SpywareBlaster as a prevention app. The latest builds of SpyBot has a link. Also, depending on the user's PC licteracy, I use ZoneLabs' firewall app, ZoneAlarm. And, yes, WinPatrol as well.

When malware can't write to the c: or the registry using IE, it's "game over".

http://weblogs.asp.net/aaron_margosis/archive/2004/09/10/227727.aspx

RunAs with "Protect my computer" appears to use a SID which does just that.

Spybot is a passive tool. Try using Webroot' Spy Sweeper.

Spyware has become a bane on the computer industry. Especially when they use sneaky mechanisms to install themselves on the user's system. I too have spent many hours sitting in front of friends computers simply removing spyware and adware programs.