What's the best anti-malware paired with AirVPN?

[Christine2 0]

I'm looking for the best anti-malware protection on my windows 10 computer, HP. What would you all recommend?

 

I'm doing a general setup for tightening security.

 

I'm bought the VPN through AirVPN,

Email through StartMail

Search engine through Startpage (utilizes Google search but sends anonymous queries through their server, under Dutch Law)

 

Thanks.

[me.moo@posteo.me 80]

There are plenty of good anti malware reviews all over the net. Pick the ones you like the look of and try them; I use several products, all of them free, from Spywareblaster to Malwarebytes, Spybot to on-line av scan sites. The key is not to rely on one product or supplier for any one task. There are paid upgrades for most, I just don't find the need - may be Malwarebytes would be an idea.

[OpenSourcerer 1441]

I you are serious about security, never use free anti-virus software Here are some links for you:

 

AV-Comparatives (Austria)

Indiereview (linked by Wikipedia)

[me.moo@posteo.me 80]

I you are serious about security, never use free anti-virus software

 

May I ask what makes the free version of Malwarebytes not serious against the paid version of it, or any other free product verses its paid conterpart?

[OpenSourcerer 1441]

May I ask what makes the free version of Malwarebytes not serious against the paid version of it, or any other free product verses its paid conterpart?

• I'm mostly referring to the free versions of Avira, AVG, Avast and maybe some other company offering free AV just for advertising its paid product. Malwarebytes is not a full antivirus because it does not support automatization (in its free version) - no on-demand scans, no scheduled scans, no automatic updates. Also, it is not able to disinfect viruses, it just flags infected files as trojan and deletes them. Bad practice. Then there's the comparatively small siganture database, more suitable for detecting PUPs. For a full AV it lacks too many features. The advantage maybe is that its footprint is comparatively small.
• A double-edged sword is ClamAV. It's free and open source and can help, but its health, especially how up-to-date it is, is questionable.
• But, let's be fair. Every full antivirus, at least on Windows, hooks itself deep into the system, with drivers for example. You maybe want to additionally consider the security of the product from attacks against it. Because if someone discovers a vulnerability in such a product and he is able to execute arbitrary commands through it... it's like having a root shell, the wet dream of a cracker.

[zhang888 1066]

The best anti malware is common sense, but it takes some time to master.

When you torrent, check the file you download before thinking to open it, check if it has

valid extensions. Never double click it, open it with the menu of your media player for example.

Never download software that "clean your PC" or "make your PC run faster" because they do

the opposite. When you surf, use Chrome with uBlock/Adblock enabled, and many more examples,

which with time serve you better than a piece of software with out of date signatures and bugs.

[me.moo@posteo.me 80]

I guess I'll stay not serious.

 

After using free stuff for over 20 years since Norton tried to get their fingers inside everything, I have no intention of buying any anti malware software ever. I am not convinced in the slightest that there is a need. And I certainly ain't arguing about it.

[bluesjunior 43]

Well I for one have been using Comodo CIS for years, I also use Spywareblaster and Superantispyware on a weekly scan basis, all entirely free and never had anything other than tracking cookies to delete in nigh on 15yrs. I also once read an article that stated that the vast majority of home PC users should not need the paid for versions of security ware as the free versions were more than good enough and I concur.

[ofiris 15]

The best security is to ditch Windows software all-together and go for linux. Windows 10 is a privacy nightmare. 

[OpenSourcerer 1441]

vast majority of home PC users should not need the paid for versions of security ware as the free versions were more than good enough

 

Link me a resource claiming the bold thing. This contradicts my experiences with the vast majority of home PC users. I've been asked to take a glimpse on many computers in the past; they told me it's just slow and they don't know why. What did I find? Malware farms. And they used free products.

 

The best anti malware is common sense, but it takes some time to master.

 

Most of the home PC users are average people who need advice on how to protect themselves from threats. You need to tell them how to detect a phishing mail. You need to tell them where to look to tell the right and the wrong website apart. You need to guide them because they've got more important things than developing common sense for detecting such details. Not everyone lives on the internet.

[MrConducter 11]

 

vast majority of home PC users should not need the paid for versions of security ware as the free versions were more than good enough

 

Link me a resource claiming the bold thing. This contradicts my experiences with the vast majority of home PC users. I've been asked to take a glimpse on many computers in the past; they told me it's just slow and they don't know why. What did I find? Malware farms. And they used free products.

 

>The best anti malware is common sense, but it takes some time to master.

 

Most of the home PC users are average people who need advice on how to protect themselves from threats. You need to tell them how to detect a phishing mail. You need to tell them where to look to tell the right and the wrong website apart. You need to guide them because they've got more important things than developing common sense for detecting such details. Not everyone lives on the internet.

 

I've seen plenty of malware infected computers with paid anti-virus software. 

[OpenSourcerer 1441]

I've seen plenty of malware infected computers with paid anti-virus software.

 

Yes because not all of them are as effective as they claim, that's why there are independent tests and winners and losers.

[CultureVulture 30]

"Most of the home PC users are average people who need advice on how to protect themselves from threats. You need to tell them how to detect a phishing mail. You need to tell them where to look to tell the right and the wrong website apart. You need to guide them because they've got more important things than developing common sense for detecting such details. Not everyone lives on the internet"

 

Exactly.

[bluesjunior 43]

 

 

vast majority of home PC users should not need the paid for versions of security ware as the free versions were more than good enough

 

Link me a resource claiming the bold thing. This contradicts my experiences with the vast majority of home PC users. I've been asked to take a glimpse on many computers in the past; they told me it's just slow and they don't know why. What did I find? Malware farms. And they used free products.

 

>The best anti malware is common sense, but it takes some time to m

aster.

 

Most of the home PC users are average people who need advice on how to protect themselves from threats. You need to tell them how to detect a phishing mail. You need to tell them where to look to tell the right and the wrong website apart. You need to guide them because they've got more important things than developing common sense for detecting such details. Not everyone lives on the internet.

I've seen plenty of malware infected computers with paid anti-virus software. 

 

Here you go. This was after a two minute search on startpage, if you want more you can look yourself.

http://www.gcflearnfree.org/internetsafety/3/print

 

http://www.techradar.com/news/software/applications/best-free-antivirus-9-reviewed-and-rated-1057786

[OpenSourcerer 1441]

A two minute search, huh? The first link contains no relevant info about the bold thing. The second link is a comparison of free AVs.

 

Here, I did a search, too:

 

http://www.pcworld.com/article/210589/free_versus_fee_free_and_paid_antivirus_programs_compared.html

 

Good point-based comparison, claiming that free AVs can be as good as the paid ones, but to maximize your options paid is better.

 

By the way, the TechRadar link should be this one:

 

http://www.techradar.com/news/software/applications/best-antivirus-10-programs-on-test-924608

 

(Sent via Tapatalk - this generally means I'm not sitting in front of my PC)

[CriticalRabbit 6]

​I think another thing to consider is how much you trust the AV company; you are, after all, allowing them almost full access to your computer.

​

Though I use Linux about 80% of the time now, I also have a Windows 7 machine for work related programs, and gaming. I'm very cautious with AV companies, especially free ones, though there are some that appear to respect users' privacy (e.g., malwarebytes). I personally like F-Secure, and have used them in the past. They're a Finnish company, appear to respect privacy, and their lead researcher is often very vocal in support of internet freedoms, etc. I also read that they implemented code to identify Western malware that other AVs suppressed.

 

Totally free AVs must make money somehow and my guess would be through selling your information in some way. Best to stay away from them.

[OpenSourcerer 1441]

I also read that they implemented code to identify Western malware that other AVs suppressed.

 

To identify western malware? How exactly does one identify a certain type of malware as western? Is there a label in the code saying "oh btw, I'm a western malware"? Rubbish.

Link us the article/blog post.

[amair 6]

@Christine2

On top of that , you can wipe clean your HDD monthly and reload the OS for added security.

I reinstall the O.S monthly basis ( second week of Tuesday , just after Microsoft release the monthly security patch ).

And I'm still using old Mobo without UEFI.

 

Just my 2 cent.

 

ref:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patch_Tuesday

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2948092/security/hacking-teams-malware-uses-uefi-rootkit-to-survive-os-reinstalls.html

https://bgr.com/2015/07/31/windows-10-upgrade-spying-how-to-opt-out/

 

 

[iwih2gk 94]

The best security is to ditch Windows software all-together and go for linux. Windows 10 is a privacy nightmare. 

 

 

Alot of people that "live on the internet" would easily agree with you.  As mentioned in other posts above, the question is to help with a solution for those wide open and new to all this.  Linux is easy for "us" but lets remember back.  Here are some Windows baby steps:

 

Maybe a really easy solution to start with for a Windows user would be a great Sandbox within which ALL internet browsing is mandated to occur.  That surely is an easy thing and they can learn  by tweaking the Sandbox over time.  The default sandboxie config for Win is a pretty serious piece of protection for a computer.  Not end all, just a resonably easy place to start the journey.

 

Maybe the next step would be to setup a Win virtual machine on the current Windows host.  Another fairly simple extension of learning, and then any workspace activity happens completely in the virtual machine.  The user could apply their Sandbox config to the browser in the virtual machine and now they have a darn nice firewall keeping "junk" off and out of the physical computer itself.  If they snapshot the virtual machine it can be made perfectly clean as created with a simple button click any time they want it restored.  VERY simple stuff and leaves the user comfortable in their windows world.

 

Any seasoned user that has worked with windows would assure this OP that a sandbox inside a VM is rock solid compared to a great AV sitting out on a physical OS with actual access to the computer itself.  Also, you can then "play" with AV within the VM and as I already mentioned just snapshot it back to virgin should your testing go awry.

[me.moo@posteo.me 80]

And that is easy for everyone is it? Aye, right.

[CriticalRabbit 6]

​

​

​

 

I also read that they implemented code to identify Western malware that other AVs suppressed.

 

To identify western malware? How exactly does one identify a certain type of malware as western? Is there a label in the code saying "oh btw, I'm a western malware"? Rubbish.

Link us the article/blog post.

​

 

Western as in NSA/GCHQ. I believe it was said in one of Mikko Hypponen's (the researcher from F-Secure) TED talks, I also remember a discussion on Twitter that he was involved in. I'll try and find a credible link.

 

 

If my memory servers me right it was in relation to “Regin,” a piece of malware that was discovered but only a minority of AVs included the identifier in their database, even before it was officially exposed. Mikko, and others, suggested that it was suppressed.

[zhang888 1066]

F-Secure underscores in almost every test, how can you even recommend it?

A troll researcher that likes to blog doesn't make a product better in terms of detection.

 

You should rely on real life examples and tests, for example follow top malware trends,

throw the sample or hash on VirusTotal and see the usual top 10 that are somewhat

post-effective. F-Secure is not even in top 20, recommending it as a standalone AV

would be irresponsible. Might fit in an multi engine scanner like VT but not more.

[CriticalRabbit 6]

The last time I checked their detection rates were up there with the best but they lacked other features, hence lower ratings overall. I'm sure if anyone is interested that they can do a search for this themselves. In any case, I don't want this to turn into a debate about one particular company because I'm starting to look like an F-Secure fanboy, I'm not. My point was that for an AV, you need trust, and trusting a corporate entity is difficult, especially when they have full access to your machine.

 

I personally would only “trust” malwarebytes as a free AV (though it doesn't actually detect viruses) because I researched them somewhat and found them to be fairly open. But I wouldn't necessarily trust paid AVs either; the owner of Kaspersky, for example, has said on multiple occasions that privacy doesn't and shouldn't exist for individuals. Noway would I trust them.

[OpenSourcerer 1441]

It's a necessity to have full access to a computer in order to properly oversee what is going on. Windows lacks a permission system like Android or iOS, therefore, every program run on it will have full access to the system, even F-Secure or Malwarebytes. The only thing standing in the way is UAC but tell me - when you start Malwarebytes, what does it ask you for? Ever clicked Decline and Malwarebytes still started? Guess not.

I trust antivirus software to protect me from being infected with something nasty when my common sense fails me. I don't trust any of them to respect privacy, and that's not the goal.

Last point: OP asked for tightening security, not privacy.

 

(Sent via Tapatalk - this generally means I'm not sitting in front of my PC)

[CriticalRabbit 6]

 

A fair point but privacy and security are intimately related, and I'd rather use a company that does the same job that I trust over one that I don't trust.