antivirus and web defense

[Steven Avery]

Generally I have

WinPatrol, Online Armor, and the Malwarebytes scan are three major parts of defense, with a few extra cogs here and there.

Plus an anti-virus and web defense.
For a few years, Avast! free was my Anti-virus and Web Shield of choice (mail is not a problem).  

The new 2015 Avast I found too much of a hassle on CPU and uninstalled it, with Revo helping, after a spot of discussion on Wilders and reading on the Avast forum. I'm not saying I might not have eventually tamed the beast, but CPUs from 25 to 75 when very little is happening is not happy.

Free is not absolutely necessary.  And almost all the companies have had one black mark or another over the years.  Some worse than others.  

Maybe I will check what is active on one of the Brit PC Magazines for a special.

Without getting too convoluted about test results, do you have a comfy, happy, modest cost (ultimately 3-5 puters could be involved) recommendation?  I could go back to an earlier Avast! which was what one fella did.  AVG and Avira (I left when they danced with Uniblue) are always floating around with, like Avast!, free alternatives. Eset and Trend (surprise) and Kaspersky and GData and Panda and BitDefender and maybe Webroot or Emsisoft and some others are possible. Discounts right now look thin.

Real world thoughts?  I know this can get a tad hackneyed, but I appreciate the common sense approach of the DC crew.

Steven

[mwb1100]

I've been happy with the Webroot Secure Anywhere software I've been using since about March.

Not free, but this affiliate link (not mine - just one I found on Google) gives a decent discount.  For $30 you get 1 year for 5 machines:

  - http://www.webroot.com/us/en/home/affiliates/wsc-29

[Joe Hone]

I followed a suggestion in another antivirus thread here on DC and went with Outpost Security Suite Pro in March of this year and I have been very pleased, both with the low CPU useage and with how responsive it has been to malware. Easy to set up, has a learning function to keep false positives to a minimum. And I like the fact that every so often I have to suspend it for 5 minutes to get something to properly download when sites appear suspicious.

[Steven Avery]

Thanks!  Good suggestions.

Went to Webroot, a company i have liked.  Private Firewall, my firewall in this one puter, was I think in some manner built on their firewall engine.

Twice I got a BSOD (no problem in reboot). Checked the Webroot forum.  Loaded "WhoCrashed" free Home edition from Resplendence. My tentative conclusion was that the default firewall of Webroot was on (just turned it off) and the driver crashed in some manner with the other related firewall cousin also loaded. (WhoCrashed showed each of the two .sys files responsible for one crash each). Since that might be a legitimate problem and solution, I turned off the Webroot Firewall (it should have asked me on startup what shields I wanted.).  We shall see. I may dump Private Firewall, which gave me a good run of about 3 years, I don't like the fact that it is late loading on startup, I raised that at Wilders once.

Webroot did one other thing that was tacky. When I started the uninstall (which I cancelled, since I did the troubleshooting) they put up a false message:
"Your computer is currently infected. Are you sure you want to uninstall?"

Anyway, despite those glitches, I think Webroot might be the solution with the $50 or so for a year for multiple puters.

Outpost I have that early free firewall edition, discontinued, on one puter at work, which is ok. They don't have a particularly strong anti-virus reputation, However, if Webroot does not come through, I might give them a try.

Steven Avery

[mwb1100]

Two BSOD's and still considering it?  You're more patient that I am.

Webroot might be the solution with the $50 or so for a year for multiple puters.

If you're still considering Webroot after all that, the link that I put in my previous post should get you the 1 year for $30.

[Steven Avery]

Yes, I got close to uninstall. However, since those are two cousin firewalls clashing when only one should be up, and the reboot was smooth allowing me to browse and read about the problem, I was patient.  So far, so good, now I am posting on the Webroot forum.

[40hz]

I've been very happy (so far) with BitDefender. I've got it deployed as the site standard for several clients as their secondary line of defence. (The first line will always be to use your head.) To date there have been zero infections or complaints about performance. But I could have said the same thing about Avast and Kapersky at one time or another, so take this for what it's worth.

Luck!

[Innuendo]

Outpost I have that early free firewall edition, discontinued, on one puter at work, which is ok. They don't have a particularly strong anti-virus reputation, However, if Webroot does not come through, I might give them a try.

Not having a particularly strong anti-virus reputation is not valid these days. That may have been true some years ago, but they have stepped up their game and earning no less than eight VB100 awards in a row.

[Steven Avery]

Hi,

So I have three major alternatives that I like, moving ahead.

==============

Outpost Security Suite Free
http://www.agnitum.com/outpost-security-suite-free.php

This is totally free and does not seem to be missing functionality in the free version.
And for the Pro they list 2 years, 3-PCs for $60.  I would prefer 1 year at $30 .

==============

Webroot SecureAnywhere Internet Security Complete
(especially with the special above)

==============

Free Antivirus (e.g. Avast! Avira AVG)
combined with free firewall (e.g. Online Armor)

My problem here is not having warm comfy feelings on the AV side.
Generally, I do like layering with more than one company involved in security.

==============

There are other specials, BitDefender runs some, but I found their auto-renewal policy to be a mess.
However, with a special, they may be in the mix, with caution.

==============

All these methods should have some reasonable amount of HIPS involved connected to the AV side. Generally there is some augmentation on HIPS and Web, and the startup like WinPatrol. Some that I am checking now are AppGuard, VoodooShield (don't like the name) and the Policeman add-on for Firefox.  However, then we get into 100 more security products. The first two are not free and afaik do not have super license deals.

Another player who apparently has real deals is Dr. Web.  However there are about a dozen solid players in the Suite biz.

Your thoughts,
Steven Avery

[4wd]

For Outpost Security Suite, if you're lucky they may run another lifetime license deal at the end of the year, (3 PC lifetime license for the cost of a single year) - they've had two that I know of in the last few years.

[Innuendo]

I bought my lifetime license for Outpost Security Suite on January 31, 2009 for version 6.5. The program is now up to version 9.1 and I'm still enjoying free updates. I paid $50 flat for a lifetime 3-PC license. I was second-guessing myself at the time, but looking back now I think it's one of the best software investments I've ever made.

[x16wda]

I'm always interested so I looked at the Outpost link. Is it not concerning that the free version is three and a half years old so far?

Product Profile
Release date: April 4, 2011
Version: 7.1.1 (3431.520.1248)

[Innuendo]

I'm a huge fan of Agnitum's (didn't used to be), but yes....three and half years is a lifetime in the security software market. I'm sure signature updates are frequent, but there's only so much that can be done when the engine is that old. Some new threats can only be thwarted with an engine update.

[Joe Hone]

I have lifetime licenses to WinPatrol, Malwarebytes Pro and Outpost Security suite - all running on 3 PCs because all came with 3 PC licenses. Outpost is the most active in providing protection, routinely stops trojans Malwarebytes doesn't detect, and nearly 100% of the time when WinPatrol gives a warning Outpost has already alerted to the same issue. Because Outpost works so well I just turn on Malwarebytes from time to time to run sweeps as an added security precaution, but if I was going with just one, Outpost is the most complete, especially when considering its excellent firewall. I bought a new PC yesterday, activated my licenses to WinPatrol and Outpost before doing anything else and as I installed software I need Outpost notified me each time a program was communicating with a host for setup purposes, something you don't get with most antivirus programs. I'm pretty confident in it.

[Innuendo]

And for the Pro they list 2 years, 3-PCs for $60.  I would prefer 1 year at $30 .

Steven, opportunity knocks. That same $60 will buy a lifetime license for 3 PCs. Offer expires at the end of the year. Use the software two years and you will have reached your $30/year price point. Everything after that will be gravy.

[Curt]

I too am lucky to have a lifetime key for Outpost Security Suite Pro,
and I think it is the best deal I have ever made.
Be lucky and get a key yourself: http://www.agnitum.com/shop.php





http://www.agnitum.com

[Steven Avery]

Great lead.  It does seem that Outpost has given a great opportunity here. Webroot's deal is very fine, and I like their behaviour, but a year goes quickly. I'll download Outpost, the whole suite, on at least one puter, and make sure I like the interface and actions today.

Malewarebytes still seems to be a great program more for static scanning and cleanup.  Still, I might consider a lifetime Pro liscense when one arises (do I own one? I'll have to check) for my main puter. They are designed in a sense to be auxiliary, I'm not sure if their real-time addition is worth the effort. However, from the theory of layered protection, it does make sense.

WinPatrol I agree should be part of any security setup, inexpensive and strong.  There are other good startup programs, some prettier, and I usually have one more loaded, but WinPatrol has the security angle the strongest.

Thanks for the lead!  Now to decide on the Outpost download.  I always dislike removing or disabling any existing security and Online Armor and Avira and Webroot and various other tools are on some of the five main puters.  (One at work, one laptop, 4 at home, but one is mostly a Linux play-puter with dual boot.)  I am still tempted to keep Webroot on something, the problem is that I would probably end up with the "5" units 1 year, which is an extra $30 that is only for one year.

btw, knowing that I avoid Bitdefender because of how they handle the bait-and-switch with recurring charges, is there anybody else in this super-economy yet very solid defense mode?  ie. 2-3 years 3 puters for $75 or less?  Or, better yet, a lifetime under $100.  (More than Outpost, but still quite affordable.)

See, I knew this was the right place to ask!

Oh, there is still dedicated HIPS to consider.  AppGuard seems to be well liked on Wilders.  A spot of $ though.  Voodooshield is another.  I could see adding a real solid HIPS program. (Allowing that there is some degree in all the good suites.)

btw, rootkit protection I am a little skeptical, as the really good rootkit detectors can themselves put in too many OS hooks at a low-level for my comfort.  It seems that is more a factor if you have not done the basic protection.

Steven Avery

[tn_dang]

Oh, there is still dedicated HIPS to consider.  AppGuard seems to be well liked on Wilders.  A spot of $ though.  Voodooshield is another.  I could see adding a real solid HIPS program. (Allowing that there is some degree in all the good suites.)

FYI, Outpost Firewall PRO includes HIPS.  I don't know how solid it is.