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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: carioca on August 06, 2008, 03:42:48 PM

Title: avast and free extra protection
Post by: carioca on August 06, 2008, 03:42:48 PM
 :D
hi, avast community,

 I have heard good comments about three security companions (freewares) to use together with avast home edition.one I read that matousec rated the firewall dynamic secure agent (dsa) as 100% in the firewall tests and you may download at http://www.privacyware.com/dynamic_security_agent.html
the second one everyone knows, It is the theatfire from pctools and the third one is the drivesentry (drives firewall). I woud like to know if I can use together with comodo firewall memory and comodo personal
firewall ? perhaps cfp conflicts with drivesentry and you may choose one of them ? If you have some suggestions about extra protection in order to enhance the avast home, It would be great. but I appreciate only freewares. I think I'm a little paranoid with malwares and invasions nowadays.best regards.

 ???
 8)
Title: Re: avast and free extra protection
Post by: Lisandro on August 06, 2008, 03:55:00 PM
My configuration: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=28395.msg231962#msg231962
Title: Re: avast and free extra protection
Post by: DavidR on August 06, 2008, 07:53:08 PM
I don't know where you get that "I read that matousec rated the firewall dynamic secure agent (dsa) as 100% in the firewall tests" from as this 'firewall' doesn't even feature in the top half of the test results where Outpost Pro 2009 came top with 99% ???

www.matousec.com/projects/firewall-challenge/results.php (http://www.matousec.com/projects/firewall-challenge/results.php)

In fact it does rather poorly, see image 1, image 2 shows latest version number from their site and they are virtually identical, so there would be no change in the test results with such a minor update 0.0.0.1 addition to the tested version.
Title: Re: avast and free extra protection
Post by: fblais on August 06, 2008, 09:00:45 PM
In fact it does rather poorly, see image 1, image 2 shows latest version number from their site and they are virtually identical, so there would be no change in the test results with such a minor update 0.0.0.1 addition to the tested version.
The 23 must be a typo as I've downloaded the file and it shows 22 when you look in the "About.." window once running...
Title: Re: avast and free extra protection
Post by: DavidR on August 06, 2008, 10:10:14 PM
It confirms the Tested version and makes the results look very poor, no way would I use this as my firewall. A 62% success rate is much less than the 100% mentioned by carioca.

@ carioca
So it is a moot point as if it is a firewall then the same general rule applies to firewalls as anti-virus applications, only one resident application, so it wouldn't be recommended together with comodo.
Title: Re: avast and free extra protection
Post by: fblais on August 06, 2008, 11:01:23 PM
DSA is a HIPS, not a Firewall.
Title: Re: avast and free extra protection
Post by: DavidR on August 07, 2008, 12:19:07 AM
Then you would have to consider comodo as it too has HIPS and the same principle would apply only one or there could be conflict.

http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/benefits.html (http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/benefits.html)
Title: Re: avast and free extra protection
Post by: carioca on August 07, 2008, 02:40:51 AM
 :)
hi, davidr, tech and all budiies,
thanks for the reply and instructions. perhaps I misunderstood about dsa because it's a hips and not a firewall in fact. I have two more questions:1) what about the drivesentry? because it has been too much praised nowadays. Is it a good combination with avast or just redunct? t2) what about threatfire because everyones recommends that security software It's considered as a good antivirus auxilar . Is that right? thanks for the hints.I'd really appreciate it because It was very helpful. best regards.

 8)
Title: Re: avast and free extra protection
Post by: wyrmrider on August 07, 2008, 05:11:38 AM
a lot depends on how much horsepower and ram you have
quadcore and 4 gig and a DSL gets different advice than a pentium with 256 mb on dial up
what OS?
Title: Re: avast and free extra protection
Post by: Sesame on August 07, 2008, 06:14:32 AM
Modern firewalls often come with HIPS and the term HIPS itself is rather loosely applied, which seems to be the source of the confusion.  :P  For the definition of HIPS, please read this (http://wiki.castlecops.com/HIPS_FAQ).  You may find classifications here (http://wiki.castlecops.com/Different_classes_of_security_software) useful as well.  The same site also has a table comparing HIPS apps (http://wiki.castlecops.com/Host_Intrusion_Protection_System_-_Comparison) and , on which you can see DriveSentry (http://www.drivesentry.com/), ThreatFire (http://www.threatfire.com/) and DSA (http://www.privacyware.com/dynamic_security_agent.html).  Some information seem to be old and you may like to check boards such as Wilders Security Forums (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/), for updates.

DriveSentry seems to be anti-virus/spyware as well as being HIPS.  So, I wonder if it is compatible with Avast!
Title: Re: avast and free extra protection
Post by: carioca on August 07, 2008, 12:59:17 PM
 :)
dear buddy,
congratulations for the complete explanation! I appreciated too much.best regards.

 8)

Modern firewalls often come with HIPS and the term HIPS itself is rather loosely applied, which seems to be the source of the confusion.  :P  For the definition of HIPS, please read this (http://wiki.castlecops.com/HIPS_FAQ).  You may find classifications here (http://wiki.castlecops.com/Different_classes_of_security_software) useful as well.  The same site also has a table comparing HIPS apps (http://wiki.castlecops.com/Host_Intrusion_Protection_System_-_Comparison) and , on which you can see DriveSentry (http://www.drivesentry.com/), ThreatFire (http://www.threatfire.com/) and DSA (http://www.privacyware.com/dynamic_security_agent.html).  Some information seem to be old and you may like to check boards such as Wilders Security Forums (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/), for updates.

DriveSentry seems to be anti-virus/spyware as well as being HIPS.  So, I wonder if it is compatible with Avast!
Title: Re: avast and free extra protection
Post by: carioca on August 07, 2008, 07:04:45 PM
My configuration: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=28395.msg231962#msg231962

 8)

hi, tech,

I liked your windows xp configuration like this as follows:  

quotation:

"
* Antivirus: avast! Professional. Smiley
    * Antivirus (on-line scanning): Kaspersky
    * Firewall: Comodo.
    * P2P protection: Peer Guardian.
    * Antispyware (on-access): avast! only.
    * Antispyware (on-demand): SpyBot, SuperAntispyware, Spyware Terminator.
    * Immunization: SpywareBlaster and Windows AdvancedCare.
    * Monitor: WinPatrol (now, disabled).
    * Antirootkit: avast! and TrendMicro antirootkits (both on-demmand).
    * Browser protection: Finjan Secure Browsing. Dr. Web anti-virus link checker add-on.
    * Backup: Acronis True Image for full partition backup/restore. And the best on-line backup service: Mozy."

obs: fyi I stressed "peerguardian" just to enphasize it.

thus, I'dlike to ask you if peerguardian conflicts with comodo firewall 3.0? Is it must and effective or cfp covers the p2p connections? don't you think it's redunct?  It's a pitty we cannot speak into our native languages,but we have forum rules and this thread  might be concerned to newbies and others. I'm now beeing  a little off topic and tell you I'm not using xp too much nowadays because  I'm a linux user mostly. but I cannot leave the windows xp totally yet, because of my children and wife have been preferred it. they don't like gnu linux too much because they don't get it and some games like thesim2 does not work.however,there is another linux game similar. thanks for your hints.best regards.

ps: my configuration is very like to yours.except I'm using threatfire. may I ditch it?
Title: Re: avast and free extra protection
Post by: Lisandro on August 07, 2008, 07:51:49 PM
thus, I'dlike to ask you if peerguardian conflicts with comodo firewall 3.0? Is it must and effective or cfp covers the p2p connections? don't you think it's redunct?
It does not conflict. It blocks that rogue (false) P2P sites connect to your computer and, as far I know, block some software to be downloaded (possibly non-legit ones ???) and use the bandwidth making your downloads slower.

ps: my configuration is very like to yours.except I'm using threatfire. may I ditch it?
It's a HIPS application. You can test it. Some users don't like it (make things slower, could mess some installations, firefox extensions, etc.). Other users say it is a 'must have' application.