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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: xeper38 on August 30, 2007, 12:22:06 PM

Title: Security Overkill ?
Post by: xeper38 on August 30, 2007, 12:22:06 PM

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Title: Re: Security Overkill ?
Post by: DavidR on August 30, 2007, 01:31:40 PM

What you have is most certainly NOT overkill (all should remain on), if anything you need to consider a third party firewall.

The Windows XP's firewall is better than no firewall but, it lulls you into a false sense of protection, it doesn't provide outbound protection. Whilst the windows XP firewall is usually good at keeping your ports stealthed (hidden) it provides no outbound protection and you should consider a third party firewall.

Any malware that manages to get past your defences will have free reign to connect to the internet to either download more of the same, pass your personal data (sensitive or otherwise, user names, passwords, keylogger retrieved data, etc.) or open a backdoor to your computer, so outbound protection is essential.

- There are many freeware firewalls such as, Comodo, PCTools Firewall Plus, Jetico, etc. - Zone Alarm free works fine with avast and has a reasonably friendly user interface, however, the free version is becoming bloated with trial ware and is also crippled as far as outbound protection goes.
See http://www.matousec.com/projects/windows-personal-firewall-analysis/leak-tests-results.php (http://www.matousec.com/projects/windows-personal-firewall-analysis/leak-tests-results.php) later set of results

Title: Re: Security Overkill ?
Post by: FreewheelinFrank on August 30, 2007, 01:36:34 PM

Hi xeper38,

Windows Defender: if spyware is not a problem for you, you can remove this program.

Windows Firewall: Only disable Windows firewall if you install a third-party firewall like ZA, Comodo etc.

Spybot S & D: no resident scanners, so no demand on system resources: keep it and run a scan from time to time. If you detect spyware, then it would probably be a good idea to run a resident scanner like Windows Defender.

avast!: an AV program is something you should not do without.

Title: Re: Security Overkill ?
Post by: Spiritsongs on August 30, 2007, 08:08:24 PM

 :)  Hi Xeper :

      Without knowing IF your Operating System is either Win XP or one of the
      Vista's, the best Advice should NOT be given . IF your OS is Win XP,
      the Recommendations made are OK, except Spybot has NOT been a top
       antispyware program for quite some time .

Title: Re: Security Overkill ?
Post by: Lisandro on August 30, 2007, 09:26:25 PM

My suggestions...
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=28395.msg231962#msg231962