[DISCUSSION] Antivirus and antimalware solutions for Windows

Discussion in 'Application Software' started by apoorvasheth, Nov 22, 2008.

  1. Mobocratic Asylum

    Mobocratic Asylum MDL Member

    Mar 22, 2010
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    Never run two AV at once or it will keep on quarantine that very virus the other AV just quarantined and vice versa in a endless loop. Like a ping pong ball.
     
  2. RanCorX2

    RanCorX2 MDL Expert

    Jul 19, 2009
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    with a decent ad blocker on a decent browser, you will rarely get a virus, you don't even need to use a hosts file if you are using ublock.
    99% of not getting a virus is common sense though. 1% is a sneaky something being embedded in a installer from a source that seems ok.
    firewall is more important than a av imo.
     
  3. ThomasMann

    ThomasMann MDL Expert

    Dec 31, 2015
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    It may not be logical, but at least it is not stupid.

    If "You install an AV because you believe it will keep you safe", then you are ignorant. Most people are aware of this, and so they look for a way to circumvent the existing problem. Seeking the advice of an Av-Software company about this would indeed be illogical, as telling you the truth would be detrimental to their basic purpose of making money.
    Eliminating software offers of that kind, it helps to avoid companies that show that they consider you a moron anyway, by offering "Free Downloads" on their website, and in the middle of installing tell you the price to actually make it work!

    #1 No malware will install itself on your computer unless YOU help it !
    #2 NO Av-Software can help against Zero Day Exploits.
    #3 Windows Essential is enough, if you do not open every garbage you are offered, and use any of about a dozen of so called Emergency Tools, about which you will soon learn that all they find are basically false positivs
     
  4. Mr.X

    Mr.X MDL Guru

    Jul 14, 2013
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  5. Dark Knight

    Dark Knight MDL Senior Member

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  6. Mr.X

    Mr.X MDL Guru

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    Human interaction is NOT the same thing as HELPING !!!

    How about drive-by infections huh?
     
  7. Dark Knight

    Dark Knight MDL Senior Member

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    #788 Dark Knight, Dec 27, 2017
    Last edited: Dec 27, 2017
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  8. Mr.X

    Mr.X MDL Guru

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    #789 Mr.X, Dec 27, 2017
    Last edited: Dec 27, 2017
    Wow! What a long post! :D

    All just to justify and defend this:
    Regardless your long post, you're still wrong and correct in many points LOL

    Btw and just to be emphatic and clear I do not use any A/V program or defending any position other than criticizing @ThomasMann point 1
     
  9. Dark Knight

    Dark Knight MDL Senior Member

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    Point taken LOL
     
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  10. UmbraEmsi

    UmbraEmsi Emsisoft Community Manager

    Sep 26, 2017
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    You can't thwart all threats just by "common sense"; some malware are way to shady even for expert eyes.
    For example, weaponized webpage using XSS attack can't be stopped without some sort of security measures, it is why FF and Chrome use sandboxes trying to prevent them.
    Sadly, Red Teams find new vulnerabilities all the time.

    On the actual cyber-landscape, having a security solution is must needed by home users, because:

    - any website can be compromised, happened to Ccleaner and to Linux Mint, both hacked and the legit installer replaced by weaponized version (for linux Mint it was a rootkit-ed installer, worst thing that can happens). so you need something to protect you.
    - security solution with prevention system (HIPS/Behavior Blocker/anti-exe/SRP) can block most zero-days. If an executable can't run, it can't infect you. Prevention is the key.
    - even if a zero-day manage to execute, it usually behave in some ways that it can be caught later. Malware aren't one-time effect, they proceeds as what is called "attack chain" , depending the security solution, it can catch the malicious behavior in some point in the chain, sooner the better, but later is better than never.

    Your common sense obviously can't do that. Common sense just tells you "don't run this, it seems shady" , but it can't tell you if an legit executable or a webpage was weaponized or not, you need tools.

    Now security solutions aren't perfect, they can be bypassed.
    - For example in a network if the malware manage to get SYSTEM rights, (aka kernel privileges) , you are done like with the EternalBlue/Doublepulsar attack using SMBv1 and exploiting a legit crucial Windows' process.
    - Or If a system is specifically targeted, the attacker can tailor its attack against it, then you can't do much; luckily you as home users aren't much affected unless you manage to really upset the wrong guy that appeared to be a skilled hacker.

    There is a lot of FUD, but i think it is somewhat necessary until 100% of the cyberpopulation decide to have safe habits and run their system with some basic protection whatever the method is (security product, OS tweaks, etc...) , but i doubt it will ever happen...

    Microsoft finally took the right path with Win10's Windows Defender and all its built-in security features, but they still have some cons, it is why we (security vendors) are still here; we add extras, and most people like extras.

    You can buy a car without any options, but it is nicer with them.
     
  11. nodnar

    nodnar MDL Expert

    Oct 15, 2011
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    vipre.. never heard of it..thank you. a pity that it is not free..downloaded the off-line tool, ran it, though not in safe mode, i could not be bothered, looked just like good old dos.. and bloody slow..waited patient like cat for detections.. that is the best solution imho, use it just once, if no detections move on to another one; it will not find anything if first scan failed to find anything. .i tend to think they are a bunch of scammers selling paid software.. i tried umpteen of them, only free ones of course, most were duds..;)
     
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  12. Katzenfreund

    Katzenfreund MDL Expert

    Jul 15, 2016
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    They’re not duds nodnar, but an experienced surfer like you using a secure system like Windows 10, can’t expect to collect much malware.

    Actually, the only malware alarm I got after a very long time, was not thru scanning but directly after downloading an update to freeware “Free File Sync”. And I’ve stopped bothering with ad hoc scans, as Avira automatically does a quick occasional scan, not that it ever finds anything.

    This comes in contrast to when I was a beginner with my XP, when I was collecting the stuff by the bucketful.
     
  13. JarrahBenida

    JarrahBenida MDL Novice

    Jan 31, 2018
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    Windows 8.1 is much more better
     
  14. dhruvenjoy

    dhruvenjoy MDL Member

    Nov 27, 2010
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    Surprising that mcafee got full marks. Other two - vipre and kaspersky are one of the best
     
  15. nodnar

    nodnar MDL Expert

    Oct 15, 2011
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    :g: guess what,when i tried that it was under w7. and now that i am on w 10.[ not voluntarly, my w7 desktop is stored], i would not call it secure at all.uncontrollable, for the average user, yes. but secure?? hardly.
     
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  16. dhjohns

    dhjohns MDL Guru

    Sep 5, 2013
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  17. sid_16

    sid_16 MDL Giveaway Organiser

    Oct 15, 2011
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    Has MS recently started bribing the independent AV test organisation to outnumber other established AV software companies?:thinking:
     
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