Do they still differentiate btwn. Network anti-virus vs. regular anti-virus s/w?

[Happy Hopping]

So back in the late 1990's, Cheyenne software said their anti-virus is designed to scan network drive, and their s/w is called network anti-virus, and that it's different than regular anti-virus, suggesting regular anti virus s/w can't scan network drive. Norton, also did a very similar software that claims it's scan network drive.

The regular $70 anti-virus s/w out there, say the better ones today, can they scan network drive?

 

[GotNoRice]

Yes, any file that your computer can access should be able to be scanned by your anti-virus software. It doesn't matter if it's on a network drive or not.

A lot has changed since the 1990's. Windows now comes with "Windows Defender" built-in. It does a pretty good job handling Anti-Virus/Anti-Malware. Meanwhile, most 3rd party Anti-Virus/Anti-Malware software has turned into junk, more focused on scaring their less-informed users into paying for subscriptions and upgrades that they simply don't need. In many ways 3rd party Anti-Virus/Anti-Malware software has adopted many qualities of the Malware that it was once intended to defeat.

 

[philb2]

Yes, any file that your computer can access should be able to be scanned by your anti-virus software. It doesn't matter if it's on a network drive or not.

A lot has changed since the 1990's. Windows now comes with "Windows Defender" built-in. It does a pretty good job handling Anti-Virus/Anti-Malware. Meanwhile, most 3rd party Anti-Virus/Anti-Malware software has turned into junk, more focused on scaring their less-informed users into paying for subscriptions and upgrades that they simply don't need. In many ways 3rd party Anti-Virus/Anti-Malware software has adopted many qualities of the Malware that it was once intended to defeat.

Uh. Check out this website. Note that Microsoft Defender is not all "6" ratings, but some other AV products are. https://www.av-test.org/en/antivirus/home-windows/

I'd rather pay a reasonable amount for a commercial product that does a better job or is more comprensive than Defender, because of the costs of a security breach. Of course, I'm not anyone's rich uncle, so I do keep an eye out for the future evolution of Defender.

 

[GotNoRice]

Uh. Check out this website. Note that Microsoft Defender is not all "6" ratings, but some other AV products are. https://www.av-test.org/en/antivirus/home-windows/

From what I'm seeing on that website, the only category where Defender doesn't get a "6" is "performance", meaning that it supposedly slows things down. So they are giving it a max rating in every category that actually has to do with stopping viruses/malware. And as far as performance goes, I have Windows 11 installed on some very old computers and it really doesn't seem to make much difference. Microsoft also installs the latest "Malicious Software Removal tool" on a regular basis via Windows Update which is a 2nd layer of protection separate from Defender.

Microsoft has actually taken security very seriously in recent years. Even though the strict requirements in Windows 11 (assuming that you don't bypass them) are not very popular, they were all done to increase baseline security. That's the reason why even some relatively modern CPUs were not included, because they had built-in vulnerabilities.

What is nice about Defender is that it's free, just sits in the background and does it's job, it doesn't pester you, and updates are automatic / rolled into Windows Update. Not like most other AV products where you are constantly getting spammed with crap like "YOUR COMPUTER MIGHT BE VULNERABLE UNLESS YOU SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PREMIUM TIER!!! ONLY $29.99/MONTH!!! AND INSTALL OUR FIREWALL TOO!!! AND OUR BROWSER PLUGIN!!! ONLY $9.99 PER MONTH!!! INSTALL OUR VPN ALSO!!! ONLY $19.99 PER MONTH!!! DO IT OR YOU WILL BE VULNERABLE!!! YOUR FILES ARE AT RISK!!!

 

[philb2]

From what I'm seeing on that website, the only category where Defender doesn't get a "6" is "performance", meaning that it supposedly slows things down. So they are giving it a max rating in every category that actually has to do with stopping viruses/malware. And as far as performance goes, I have Windows 11 installed on some very old computers and it really doesn't seem to make much difference. Microsoft also installs the latest "Malicious Software Removal tool" on a regular basis via Windows Update which is a 2nd layer of protection separate from Defender.

Microsoft has actually taken security very seriously in recent years. Even though the strict requirements in Windows 11 (assuming that you don't bypass them) are not very popular, they were all done to increase baseline security. That's the reason why even some relatively modern CPUs were not included, because they had built-in vulnerabilities.

What is nice about Defender is that it's free, just sits in the background and does it's job, it doesn't pester you, and updates are automatic / rolled into Windows Update. Not like most other AV products where you are constantly getting spammed with crap like "YOUR COMPUTER MIGHT BE VULNERABLE UNLESS YOU SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PREMIUM TIER!!! ONLY $29.99/MONTH!!! AND INSTALL OUR FIREWALL TOO!!! AND OUR BROWSER PLUGIN!!! ONLY $9.99 PER MONTH!!! INSTALL OUR VPN ALSO!!! ONLY $19.99 PER MONTH!!! DO IT OR YOU WILL BE VULNERABLE!!! YOUR FILES ARE AT RISK!!!

I agree with you about how Norton is always pestering me with "upgrade" messages. I just ignore them but they sometimes freak out my wife, which is "poor manners."

 

[SamirD]

Uh. Check out this website. Note that Microsoft Defender is not all "6" ratings, but some other AV products are. https://www.av-test.org/en/antivirus/home-windows/

I'd rather pay a reasonable amount for a commercial product that does a better job or is more comprensive than Defender, because of the costs of a security breach. Of course, I'm not anyone's rich uncle, so I do keep an eye out for the future evolution of Defender.

If you're seriously worried about a breech, then it is time to go the way of the kiosk or a vm that's not persistent--then nothing bad stays since it all goes with a reboot.

 

[uOpt]

It makes little sense to scan network drives from the client side.

The server holding the files should do it. Except of course that this increases the attack surface. But that is true for any antivirus.

 

[Happy Hopping]

Yes, any file that your computer can access should be able to be scanned by your anti-virus software. It doesn't matter if it's on a network drive or not.

A lot has changed since the 1990's. Windows now comes with "Windows Defender" built-in. It does a pretty good job handling Anti-Virus/Anti-Malware. Meanwhile, most 3rd party Anti-Virus/Anti-Malware software has turned into junk, more focused on scaring their less-informed users into paying for subscriptions and upgrades that they simply don't need. In many ways 3rd party Anti-Virus/Anti-Malware software has adopted many qualities of the Malware that it was once intended to defeat.

I don't agree neither. A friend of mine who's a gamer was using the windows defender that c/w his PC. No virus there. Once I install Eset, found a LOT of virus

 

[Starfalcon]

I don't agree neither. A friend of mine who's a gamer was using the windows defender that c/w his PC. No virus there. Once I install Eset, found a LOT of virus

There are very few viruses nowdays, most of the time it is now malware or ransomware. Most of the people doing this stuff nowdays want to get paid, something that doing destructive viruses doesnt do. They would rather steal all your logins and bank info, or force you to pay them to unlock their ransomware, then write a virus that damages your windows install.

Any antivirus software that mysteriously finds a ton of viruses that defender doesnt is likely either wrong or likely malware itself. I havent seen any viruses in a long time, but my email trash is full of all sorts of scam emails with all sorts of malware attached to them.

 

[GotNoRice]

A friend of mine who's a gamer was using the windows defender that c/w his PC. No virus there. Once I install Eset, found a LOT of virus

Yes, I bet that it found a lot of "stuff". That's another hallmark of 3rd party Anti-Virus/Anti-Malware - finding a lot of irrelevant "stuff", and making you think that it saved you, so you keep paying that subscription fee.