For my current security setup, will I need A-Squared Free ?

[Happy-Dude]

Heya guys again !! For my current security setup, (which consists of Avast! Home, Comodo Firewall, Winpatrol, Cyberhawk, Spyware Terminator w/ ClamAV intergration, Spybot S&D, SpywareBlaster, Windows Defender, AVG Anti-Spyware, and XP-Antispy, along with various browser plugins for MSIE7 and MFF2), do I need A-Squared Free for an added layer of on-demand protection ?

I understand that it can produce false positives, but I think  I can deal with them. So I don't really need to worry about it. What do you guys think ? What should I do ?

[DavidR]

Personally I think you have too much and way more than I have and I don't feel insecure.

Spyware Terminator provides resident anti-spyware (AS) protection (thought I wouldn't recommend the integration of ClamAV anoter resident AV), AVG-AS outside of the trial period is an on-demand AS scanner. So I would say a-squared is surplus to your needs add to that cyberhawk which to a degree protects against spyware, I would say there is a case for getting rid of spybot S&D.

The more programs you have the more signatures you have to keep up to date and obviously scans to run.

Having two resident scanners (of the same type (anti-virus, anti-spyware) installed is not recommended as rather than provide twice the protection it can cause conflicts that could leave you more vulnerable.

[Happy-Dude]

Well, I should've corrected that I'm using ClamAV intergration only for on-demand Spyware Terminator scans (so possibly little conflicts with Avast!), and for Spyware resident, is it really a hazard to run Windows Defender with Spyware Terminator (so far, no problems seen ...) ?

As for getting rid of Spybot ... I'm probably not ready for that (if I'll ever be). Spybot is one of my all time favorite software (its a classic). Unlike Ad-Aware (which has gone horrible with its 2007 versions), I'm sticking to Spybot. It is friendly, too !! I'm just gonna keep it. It doesn't hurt me, personally, and I just can't wait for 1.5.x comes out (right now in RC1) !! I'm sticking with it (it's just me).

[Lisandro]

It won't harm.
a-squared has a good detection rate, from time to time false positives. If any infection is detected, better and safer is send the file to Quarantine than to simple delete than.
Here is my configuration, if it helps you: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=28395.msg23196

[DavidR]

I don't know if it clamAV is on-demand as the spiel seems to say that there is a process running or something to provide protection, to me integration means just work alongside.

The multiple resident applications is by type AV is different to AS, so 1 AV not more or 1 resident AS not more. The adage so far there has been no problem is great until there is a problem because that problem is likely to be a conflict which could lock your system. I honestly don't think it is worth the risk when you choose the best resident for you and any on-demand as a back-up. The fact that you are also running cyberhawk provides another level of protection for whichever resident AS that you choose.

S&D is a classic I had it for years, unfortunately it doesn't seem to have moved forward. I still use adaware 6 and will continue to do so as long as it is supported or until adaware 7 becomes a stable product.

It is your system, but you most certainly can have too much of a good thing and you end up in the land of diminishing returns,

[Happy-Dude]

a-squared has a good detection rate, from time to time false positives. If any infection is detected, better and safer is send the file to Quarantine than to simple delete than.

What I'm wondering now, is how comparable is it to my other scanners (or any others). If it does include a bunch of detections no other program currently has, I'll probably install it once again on my system (right now, my sig is out of date ...).

On the resident AS note, which one should I enable ? I'm striding toward Spyware Terminator (less resources and more options), but Windows Defender still has an effect on me (my first resident AS). What will happen if I turn one off (will it bother me, notify me, etc. etc.) ?

Thanks again guys !! !!

[Lisandro]

I still use adaware 6 and will continue to do so as long as it is supported or until adaware 7 becomes a stable product.

I won't call Lavasoft 7 a non-stable program... on contrary.
But it does not have, imho, a better detection rate than others (AVGas, a-squared, SpywareDoctor).

What I'm wondering now, is how comparable is it to my other scanners (or any others).

Test it... but take care about false positives...

On the resident AS note, which one should I enable ? I'm striding toward Spyware Terminator (less resources and more options), but Windows Defender still has an effect on me (my first resident AS). What will happen if I turn one off (will it bother me, notify me, etc. etc.) ? Thanks again guys !! !!

I suggest SpywareDoctor (Started Edition).