Hello,
I have already written a post on the Comodo forums, but received only an answer and would like more feedback. I'll just copy&paste that post, with some changes.
I have questions about a system (Asus EeePC netbook) with Windows XP Home, Avast Free Antivirus 2015, and Comodo Free Firewall version 8.1.0.4426.
I know that Windows XP is not supported anymore by Microsoft, and thus subject to unpatched vulnerabilities exploits, so I'm trying to make the system a little more secure (while being extra careful when using this netbook, e.g. by not reading e-mails). That's why I have installed the free firewall from Comodo.
I have the impression (not sure) that the Comodo Free Firewall has some features which are normally found in antivirus software. Is this true?
I think I've read that this antivirus-similar functions are used just to protect the firewall itself. Is this true?
I am concerned that this antivirus-similar functions could conflict with an installed antivirus, in my case Avast Free Antivirus 2015. I think that this would be strange/unlikely though, since a firewall should normally be designed to work together with an antivirus (which should be installed on most systems), and the programmers from Comodo probably have thought about this.
I read some posts suggesting to configure mutual exclusions between the two programs (but they were old posts from years ago, I think on the Avast forum).
But is this really required/necessary? Sounds strange/unlikely that Comodo Free Firewall would be designed in such a way that it conflicts with an antivirus by default (since an antivirus is installed most of the times). One thing that seems to supports this thought, is that Comodo's firewall auto-sandbox feature is disabled by default (I think), maybe to avoid conflicts with antivirus software which has a sandbox feature.
Should I just leave both programs as they are, or do you suggest to tweak their options?
I read (in a post from 2012 on the Comodo forums) that Avast has been added as a "trusted vendor" by Comodo (if I understood correctly), so there should be no need to set exclusions in Comodo's Free Firewall, in any case. Do you agree?
What do you think about this conflicts issue?
Thanks.
