Security Software

[VitalVigor1]

I would just want to know what everyone's security softwares are besides Avast! Home/Pro.
Little details about them would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[Lisandro]

XP

• Antivirus: avast! Professional.
• 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.

Vista

• Antivirus: avast! Professional.
• Antivirus (on-line scanning): Kaspersky
• Firewall: Vista Firewall with Advanced outbound configuration.
• P2P protection: Peer Guardian (now, disabled).
• 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.

[XMAS]

antivirus - avast! 
anti-malware - a-squared Anti-Malware (resident)
firewall - Windows SP2 Firewall
anti-rootkit - AVG Anti-Rootkit 

[Vladimyr]

XP Pro SP2 x 3 PCs
All below are freeware.

Avast! Home
Comodo BOClean
PC Tools Firewall Plus  OR  Windows XP SP2 Firewall (both behind Belkin router/firewall)
PC Tools Spyware Doctor 5 Starter Edition - resident [since yesterday - from Google Pack]
SUPERAntispyware - on demand
AVG Anti-Spyware - on demand
AVG Anti-Rootkit

with Firefox:
Finjan Secure Browsing
Dr Web anti-virus link checker add-on

[Snagglegrain]

Little details about them would be appreciated.

I decided to download and run a few anti-rootkit softwares during the last day or two.

I read a pretty good PCMag.com review here... http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2123981,00.asp

I tried  Sophos Anti-Rootkit,  Panda Anti-Rootkit and F-Secure's BlackLight.

(As is my practice when doing things like this, I first made full Acronis True Image backups in case I messed things up and needed to restore.)

All three ARKs ran smoothly and performed "as advertised".  The only one to install anything was Sophos.  None of them found anything, so I can't report on their removal capabilities.

I quote from the Neil J. Rubenking review, "Where Panda and F-Secure's apps are simple, one-file, download-and-run utilities, Sophos Anti-Rootkit installs its dozen-plus files in a temporary folder. It doesn't make any other system changes—nothing in the Registry, no shortcuts or Start menu items—so you can just delete its temporary folder to uninstall it."

Sophos Anti-Rootkit actually has an uninstaller that can be accessed from the program menu.

The other two anti-rootkits consist of executable files that are not installed.  This worked nice and clean for me, since I preferred not to have resident protection, just on-demand.

I really don't know how proficient these specialized ARK programs are.  I suspect that they are niche performers, much like we are told that ATs will focus on malware that AVs tend to overlook.

[drhayden1]

on both my windows laptop 'xp home2' and my quad-core 'vista premium' desktop i have.....(some aren't vista ready yet!)
firewall-comodo pro
realtime spyware protection-full version spyware doctor
scanners-superantispyware and ewido online scanner-will use ad-aware in future if they ever resolve the aawservice.exe background bs
pctools threatfire free version
to clean the garbage-ccleaner and webroot window washer
no registry cleaners-don't mess with the registry anymore
online virus scanners-kaspersky and bitdefender
defrag-auglogics disk defrag free
and the best for last....avast!home edition resident anti-virus of course!!!!
think that is enough and good enough

click on pic to enlarge

[rdmaloyjr]

All are freeware or freeware versions.

Real Time
Antivirus: avast! Home Edition 4.8
Antispyware: avast! Home Edition 4.8, SpywareBlaster, WinPatrol
Firewall: ZoneAlarm free

On-demand
ESET NOD32 online scanner anti-virus
BitDefender Online Scanner anti-virus
SuperAntispyware
AVG Anti-Spyware
avast! ANTIROOTKIT

Cache & registry cleaning is a good security habit.  Malware & viruses can hide in temp files.  I once had a trojan hiding in my recycle bin.  CCleaner is a good safe cache/registry cleaner.

I use Opera browser with referrer logging disabled & fraud protection enabled.

As you can see above I have a layered real time protection against spyware.  avast! uses the same engine for anti-virus & anti-spyware.  SpywareBlaster & WinPatrol block spyware in real time.  I have been criticized for calling them real time protection, if I had to start them up & initiate a scan then they wouldn't be real time.  

WinPatrol is a jack of all trades.  Monitors your system, alerts of new programs wanting to be added to start ups, blocks cookies & spyware, shows what's running on your system, start up delayer & can be used to shut down programs.  Highly recommended!

The only real difference between avast! home & Pro is the Pro Edition has a script blocker.

I have links to most of the programs I use on my website: The Cross

[Snagglegrain]

Antirootkit: AVG and Panda antirootkits (both on-demmand). I don`t know how long F-Secure's BlackLight will stay there for free. Sophos Anti-Rootkit isn`t that much intuitive.

I ran AVG Anti-Rootkit today and got good results.  Now I am curious if anyone knows what happens if I select the "Secure me now!" option?  Does it make AVG ARK run resident, or does it take me to a products page where I am given the option of installing other AVG products, or what?

[drhayden1]

they want you to buy their line of products after trying the avg anti-rootkit scan
http://www.grisoft.com/doc/products-app-art  if you click on secure me now..this is where it takes you
link is safe..scanned by dr.web online scanner

[Snagglegrain]

if you click on secure me now..this is where it takes you

Thanks.  For some reason I was thinking it might be an option to install AVG Anti-Rootkit as memory resident, and I didn't want that.  The "Secure me now" language sounded like an install to me.

[drhayden1]

glad i could help...it's just a marketing way of getting you to buy their line of software which most of it is good
and i have used most or some of it in the past-only AVG i have on here now is the anti-rootkit scanner

[Snagglegrain]

only AVG i have on here now is the anti-rootkit scanner

A few posts up I wondered aloud, "I really don't know how proficient these specialized ARK programs are.  I suspect that they are niche performers, much like we are told that ATs will focus on malware that AVs tend to overlook".

What is your take on this?

And what do you think the likelihood is of a rootkit residing on a machine after successfully running 3 or 4 of these assorted ARKs, namely AVG, Sophos, Panda and F-Secure?  I've heard it said that the only true way to test for the presence of a rootkit is to test from outside the machine, from another computer.

[Lisandro]

I've heard it said that the only true way to test for the presence of a rootkit is to test from outside the machine, from another computer.

I've heard you can run antirootkit completely from another operational system (Linux) in the same computer.
Does anybody knows more about this? Polonus?

[rdmaloyjr]

I've added Dr. Web link checker to Opera.

http://www.freedrweb.com/browser/opera/

1. Go to Start> Search> All files and folders> All or part of file name: standard_menu.ini

2. Add:

 Item, "Scan link with Dr.Web" = "Go to Page, "javascript:document.location='http://online.drweb.com/result?url='+escape('%l')""

at the 3 places specified.

3. Restart Opera.

[Rafel]

Resident:
AVAST! Home Edition
SpywareTerminator
Win Patrol
CBO Clean
Comodo FW

On demand:
AVG AS
Super Antispyware
Spybot (now waiting for 1.5 final version)

Immunization:
Advanced Windows Care V2 Personal
SpywareBlaster