Freeby norton security suite?

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Weiser_Cain

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 3, 2005
Messages
131
Finally moved to win7 but now my anti-virus doesn't work. Apparently comcast gives a freeby version of norton security suite. I never used that before and I wondered if there was anything wrong with it, and if it'd be enough protection for me and more importantly the downstairs computer, some people in this house will click on just about any shady link.
 
If people in your house will click on just about anything, you're going to need more than just MSE. I'd suggest a combination of MSE or Avast 5, Threatfire, SpywareBlaster, an MVPS HOSTS file (all these so far are free), and a subscription to SuperAntiSpyware, which is $20 for a lifetime sub, per computer. I'd also look into changing your DNS hosting to OpenDNS, which will block most malicious sites from even touching your computer.

HOWEVER, the best security is talking to them about NOT CLICKING.
 
entropism said:
If people in your house will click on just about anything, you're going to need more than just MSE. I'd suggest a combination of MSE or Avast 5, Threatfire, SpywareBlaster, an MVPS HOSTS file (all these so far are free), and a subscription to SuperAntiSpyware, which is $20 for a lifetime sub, per computer. I'd also look into changing your DNS hosting to OpenDNS, which will block most malicious sites from even touching your computer.

HOWEVER, the best security is talking to them about NOT CLICKING.
Click to expand...

Some good suggestions. Don't forget Malwarebytes anti-malware. AND even though you'd think talking about not clicking is the answer...........it takes someone who will listen, and understand - and that's not always the case.

On a side note, I hadn't noticed comcast switched from mcafee to norton - I still have mcafee running....I suppose the program updates will cease. I'll have to try norton on a rig.
 
as far as i know comcast still using free mc affee. i see the free norton security scan now when i download programs. i always choose not to use it. that might be whats happening i dont know.
 
knothead34 said:
as far as i know comcast still using free mc affee. i see the free norton security scan now when i download programs. i always choose not to use it. that might be whats happening i dont know.
Click to expand...

No, it's all Norton now..........Comcast Security.

I can assume the definition updates will continue, but there probably wont be any program updates.....and if you need to re-install, all there is is Norton now. Eh....six of one - half dozen of the other.
 
My personal experience with McAfee is that it is terrible and not very effective. I'd rather use just about anything other than AVG over it.
 
mattjw916 said:
Try this instead: http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/?mkt=en-us
Click to expand...

Bingo.
FREE
Relatively light on your system
Nag free
Great detection rates
Nag free
Great cleaning/removal rates
Nag free
Simple interface...

Did VERY well in av-comparatives.org tests since it's come out...amazing that it's up in the top handful in only a few months after its release this past October.
On yeah.and it's nag free.
 
Yes, the nagging of Avira is bad... if you're using XP home. Easy to disable avnotify.exe's execute permissions otherwise.

The detection rates in the latest AV-C test put MSE nowhere near Avira.
 
dandragonrage said:
Y
The detection rates in the latest AV-C test put MSE nowhere near Avira.
Click to expand...

You tried saying that in the last thread that got locked...you had something like "Didn't anyone read av-comparatives?" Uhm..yeah...I have the downloaded PDFs of all the tests last year.

So lets see...when one actually reads them and interprets the data properly.
2009 Summary awards....Microsoft won TOP award for Pro-Active On Demand Detection...beating Symantec, Eset, Kaspersky, Antivir, blah blah blah. Pro-Active is dang important...especially for those antivirus products that sometimes have issues with their automatic updates...(pssst...AntiVir is classic for slow update servers for the freebie)

False Positive winners...MSE wins again, beating out all the others. AntiVir..BTW...close to the opposite end of that test..it's always been known for high FPs.

Malware Removal...this means CLEANING...and this part is IMPORTANT. MSE gets 3rd place, behind Symantec and eScan. Which means yes it beat out Antivir.

Now...lets go over to another very important..and relevant test, done by AV-C just this past December..."Dynamic 2009 Test"...a new type of test they do in a more real world environment, with more relevant malware thrown at the AV programs. (websites with drive-bys, exploits, scripts, trojans, etc) This is the test of all tests of the year that actually mean something to the end users, and to us in IT, as we see how they're performing not under a lab environment against canned threats, but in real world situations with current threats. Now...you quote that ...and I quote..."The detection rates in the latest AV-C test put MSE nowhere near Avira."

Lemme peek over at the PDF of the AV-C Dynamic 2009 test.
Hmmm....first place..tie between Symantec and Kaspersky...with a score of 99/100
Second place...Avira...97/100...so its 2x behind the leaders.
Third place...MSE...96/100...just 1x behind Avira.

96 vs 97..a difference of 1...and you claim "put MSE nowhere near Avira?"

Now...this whole Dynamic 2009 test is merel threats blocked.
When I factor in "cleaning/removing"....which to me in the IT world is danged important....and that MSE beat out Antivir in that one (by more than 1 BTW)...I'll take the average.

The Antivir program updates overwrite the disallowrun settings for avnotify, no? So gotta redo them each time you get a program version update?

Soon as Amtrak goes through the upcoming dead zone...I'll go find the other malware cleaning test I have downloaded and post those.
 
check the latest main test. Avira: 74%, MS: 56%. Big difference. Reading the other tests you mentioned, Avira doesn't look like a loser to me. Yes, MSE did seem to remove the registry entries for a couple more things than Avira. Big difference? No. If MS can improve the results in the main tests then I will absolutely switch.

No, it does not overwrite the permissions. It's a set it and forget it thing. At least it is with XP and Secpol.msc, and with Vista/7, I remove the permissions to change the permissions. Never tried doing it without that. Maybe it would change them back without doing so.
 
Staying away from shady sites is a lot more important than a few extra points on some antiv benchmark.
 
Stonecat, you and I both know it's about education, not software, when it comes to a clickhappy family. You could be running Windows in a LUA environment with any AV you want, and you're still risking your ass out there.

Monkey34: The reason I didn't mention MBAM is because I prefer to run SuperAntiSpyware as realtime protection. MBAM's realtime is a bit lacking, though their on demand scans are excellent.

Actually... WeiserCain, have you thought about setting up LUAs for your family members? That would help you out a LOT.
 
Please do not use Norton or symantec products, at least the ones that come with a firewall.

I have seen far too many systems get fucked up because of these, they do not have any network connectivity, even after removing the suite, repairing the tcpi/ip stack, and all the other little tricks.

I got one now, everything works, BUT file sharing. Tried all the usual tricks.

Again, I'd avoid those symantec security suites.
 
dandragonrage said:
check the latest main test. Avira: 74%, MS: 56%. Big difference. Reading the other tests you mentioned, Avira doesn't look like a loser to me. Yes, MSE did seem to remove the registry entries for a couple more things than Avira. Big difference? No. If MS can improve the results in the main tests then I will absolutely switch.
Click to expand...

The test you're referring to is not a "main test"....the test which has the numbers you show is actually the "Proactive/Restrospective Test"...which is a test where they run the antivirus with outdated definitions against threats which came out after those definitions. Example...install and run an antivirus with Feb 1st definitions, and run threats they've accumulated from Feb 10th through Feb 15th on. This shows the heuristics ability of an antivirus product...the ability to detect threats based on behavior, not definitions. It's no surprise that antivirus products that base a lot of their detection ability on "cloud based" smarts would not do as well. MSE utilizes a bit of cloud based...hence why its manual scans do take a long period of time.

Which is why I lean more on the "Dynamic Test"...that shows the programs ability with actual current threats, picked up with the type of computer usage that our clients/end users are doing....surfing. Not lab test environments which includes legacy viruses we don't see anymore. Look at the Dynamic2009.PDF.

I used AntiVir for the past couple of years for the freebie jobs I'd do for friends/family/neighbors/etc. I don't make my money cleaning malware and doing those jobs, I make my money with networks and servers and SMB stuff, so malware rigs are a pain in my ass, take up valuable time for me, and I if it's not free...I still don't/can't charge my full hourly rate of 125 for cleaning those rigs. And with free antivirus programs..I'm not making my commish in selling anything. So I'm not loyal to any brand, and I will use what will give me the least amount of call-backs to clean a rig again. Some guys..this is all they do, clean home PCs..and they charge for that. So having clients call back in 3 months when the PC is infected again is probably good for those guys, they make more money. Not me, I don't want a call back, so I use what works for me and shuts them up. MSE has the "newbie" interface...so they can figure it out, plus it's a bit more automatic..so they don't have to call me with "what do I do?" Since switching people from AntiVir to MSE, I'm doing less of those time consuming favors, and keeping my phone quiet from those "Help me I have this thing on my screen" calls is what's important to me. ;)

entropism said:
Stonecat, you and I both know it's about education, not software, when it comes to a clickhappy family. You could be running Windows in a LUA environment with any AV you want, and you're still risking your ass out there..
Click to expand...

I agree with your about 50%...but see prior paragraph....I can still reduce phone calls by selecting one product over another.
 
I think heuristic capability is important. Extremely important. I don't see why you make light of it.
 
dandragonrage said:
I think heuristic capability is important. Extremely important. I don't see why you make light of it.
Click to expand...

I'm not making light of it, hence why I'm an Eset gold partner reseller for my business clients, as Eset is pretty strong with heuristics, it was one of the early AV products to put a lot of weight on it.

What I'm illustrating, is the idea of grasping (or failing to) the data presented in various tests. You tried to call that October 2009 test a "main test" and attempted to imply that AntiVir was way above MSE in overall detection rates...presenting that as some overall test. Whereas I made the point that it was an heuristics test, in which you take those results and roll them in with other tests in order for overall evaluate a product.

Other factors to consider in an overall score for an AV product are
*On demand scan detection rates with current defs
*Removal/cleaning rates
*Ability to remain effective with todays wave of threats, and web based protection.
*Minimal false positives

All of those above factors are why AV-Comparatives came up with "year end summary" reports, and recently introduced their "Dynamics" tests.
 
I think the other tests are all close, whereas Avira wipes the floor with MSE in this specific test (though I am admittedly ignoring the false positive issue because it's not much of an issue in my experience - YMMV). The test is listed under their "main tests" section so I call it a main test.
 
oh, and if you want to run questionable software be sure to download virtual box and create a virtual install of xp. Everything I don't that I'm unsure about, I run through there first. I also have a linux vm to do all my online banking.
 
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