Agnitum Tauscan Vs BOClean

[crashandburn]

Having uninstalled TTT 'cos its too difficult to use, I'm now looking at these 2 programmes. *My main criteria for some AT protection is that it should be effective, easy to use (I don't want to spend the rest of my life configuring it) and always on. *

Tauscan gets 3.5 / 5 on the site ratings, whilst BOClean cops for 5 / 5. *Unfortunately I don't appear to be able to evaluate BOClean without buying it, so I'm looking for peoples opinions.

Does BOClean identify more Trojans?
Does it have features Tauscan doesn't?
Basically, why should I buy that (without evaluating it), when I could buy Tauscan (after evaluating it)?

Thanks.

[john2g]

I think BOClean is an excellent product: well worth the money. Also you can set it and forget it. Updates are very regular. The service from Kevin and Nancy is excellent.
If you buy it and don't like it, you can get your money back

[Blacksheep]

{QUOTE-> I think BOClean is an excellent product: well worth the money. Also you can set it and forget it. Updates are very regular. The service from Kevin and Nancy is excellent.
If you buy it and don't like it, you can get your money back <-QUOTE}
Ditto!

[crashandburn]

OK, I get the picture! *You're members of the fan club. *;) *I'll try a specific question. *

From this http://www.wilders.org/anti_trojans.htm sites review "BOClean has a quite different approach from all other programs to deal with trojans. *Any (covered) trojan horse will be automaticly detected and deleted within 10 seconds of its execution (using standard manufacturer's configuration)."

Does anyone know if Tauscan monitor operates in the same way?

BOClean database approx. 1,160+ *trojans (plus approx. 8,900 variants).

Tauscan database approx. 3,200 trojans.

Is the Tauscan number inflated by including variants?

I'll say up front that I find BOCleans mechanism intriguing. *It sounds like its reactive, in that it allows the problem to happen and then cures it. *This should be easier for an IT-incompetent like me to handle than the proactive systems offered by Tiny and TDS. *If it is a unique mechanism (or at least not offered by the Agnitum product) then I could forgive it some gaps in the database.

:)

[Tinribs]

I have also eyed BOclean with an intriguing eye but without being able to evaluate it then I shall not purchase it,I dont buy anything without seeing it in action or trying it out first.

[Nancy_McAleavey]

We do a money-back guarantee instead of a trial. *And we *actually* do it. *I'm sure there's someone around here who could attest to that. *No questions, no hassles.

:)

[Paul Wilders]

Some general remarks ar in place:

{QUOTE-> Tauscan is capable of detecting and removing more about 1000 Trojan Horses including modifications and variants from your system. That is more than any other application currently available. <-QUOTE}

disregard the latest remark; it's marketing and not true.

{QUOTE-> The program scans your system's memory when it boots and will remove any Trojan viruses it finds there. <-QUOTE}

This feature is not pro-active either.

{QUOTE-> The Tau Monitor feature checks all running processes for the presence of a Trojan virus and even allows you to kill any process with just two mouse clicks. <-QUOTE}

A description how this feature works.

Finally:

1) IMO database updates are delivered far too less, therefore making ones system vulnerable for the latest malware.

2) Tauscan is unable to cope with polymorpic trojans, as stated by the CEO from Agnitum.

3) Providing new malware to Agnitum is a problem. Doing so using email often bounces because of server limitations on Agnitums' side; same goes for providing new malware using their web based feature to do so. We have contacted Agnitum several times about this - no change so far. Probably one of the reasons why the database is not updated as often as it should.

Hence, our rating as referred to in a post above.

note: quoted text comes from the Agnitum/Tauscan website.

regards.

paul

[FanJ]

{QUOTE-> We do a money-back guarantee instead of a trial. *And we *actually* do it. *I'm sure there's someone around here who could attest to that. *No questions, no hassles.

:) <-QUOTE}

Just for others to read: yes, Nancy is right! I can attest that. To tell the story:
I was using their very nice program IEClean 5.5 for some years, I bought then version 6.0. Then it turned out that I had some problems with it due to some strange settings on my system. I overreacted (for which I would like to apologize!) and asked for refund. Without any problems and within a few hours Nancy gave my money back.
Well, to end this little story: I like IEClean so much, I'm going to order it again *:)

[crashandburn]

OK, thanks for the replies. *I'll buy it and try it - I do like the sound of it. *

;D


.... and having now done so, I can say it is a real doddle. *Dead easy. *:) , that includes updating (03/22/2002 is the latest, right?)

I do still have one main question though. *Easy as it was to install, configure and update, it didn't perform a full system scan upon installation and it doesn't appear as though I can force it to do one. *By full system scan I mean something akin to an AV system scan (or a full Tauscan), systematically going through every file.

Although I'm pretty confident my machine is clean, how does BOClean know it is? Or is it not meant to identify Trojans that were present prior to the installation?

[Nancy_McAleavey]

First of all, thanks! *:)

BOClean will detect trojans *when* they become a genuine threat...when they go to execute. *Otherwise, they're not much more than another file occupying space on your system. *If you have anything presently on your machine, BOClean will get it once it goes to execute. All trojans boil down to an executable server program, which is what BOClean is designed to detect. *This technique eliminates concerns over compression and wrappers, since any trojan will have to decompress and unwrap before executing, the point where BOClean will "biff it". *;D

[crashandburn]

Thanks for clearing that up.

I like it, I'll keep it.

Cheers.

8)

[Blacksheep]

BOClean just quietly sits in the systray, using very little system resources, and does it's job very well.

I've tried running BOClean and TrojanHunter Guard at the same time - BOClean always alerts on my test trojans first.

IMO, one needs always on resident AT instead of only using on demand scanner ocassionally.

If an AT is a resource hog, one might not use it as resident always on, which will not provide the best protection.

[Dave]

reading w/ interest here, since I, too, have contemplated switching to BoClean. *

My question (and apologies if I've missed any previous posts on this): *Moosoft's The Cleaner also has a resident monitor (I think ?) waiting in the tray to scan for possible trouble... any thoughts on BoClean v. The Cleaner?

Thanks...

[Paul Wilders]

Hi Dave,

Basically, the techniques used by Tauscan and The Cleaner are one and the same.

regards.

paul

[TonyKlein]

Another BoClean fan here:

Great program, great support, and frequent updates, even as much as twice a day, should the need arise.

This in stark contrast to the Cleaner, which I used to run as well. *Updates were sometimes few and far between, which is not what you're after, given the ever increasing number of new and dangerous trojans.

If I'm not mistaken, the Cleaner is also relatively defenseless against the latest generation of trojans that are capable of tampering with or shutting down your antivirus/antitrojan/firewall.

[borago]

How does ANTS compare to BOClean. *I realise that ANTS is at present freeware and that v3 will become split into a pro and lite version and that maybe the comparison should be made with that version and BOClean but as this isn't possible how do the two present versions compare ? *Any thoughts ?

Best regards,
Steve

[wizard]

{QUOTE-> ...how do the two present versions compare ? *Any thoughts ? <-QUOTE}

Difficult question because you can not really compare both because they work in different ways. BOClean only targets trojans in memory and the current Ants version only in files.

wizard

[borago]

wizard,
Thanks for your comments. *So that seems to suggest that ANTS Guard is only checking files as they are opened ?

Having read another post in this forum and following the links to the test results I am testing out Trojan Hunter and will checkout BOClean when the money is not so tight :D *Any

Steve

[Liquid_Fish]

whats the upgrade policy on boClean? *Is it a yearly subscription?

thanks in advance.

[wizard]

{QUOTE-> whats the upgrade policy on boClean? *Is it a yearly subscription? <-QUOTE}

Just a quote from BOClean website:

"All support is by Privacy Software Corporation (via email) at no charge. There's also no subscriptions or other "gimmick" charges to pay later. FREE weekly trojan database updates are available from our web site."

wizard

[Nancy_McAleavey]

{QUOTE-> whats the upgrade policy on boClean? *Is it a yearly subscription?

thanks in advance. <-QUOTE}

Hi LF,

No, at this time it's a one-time charge. *There are two upgrade paths, first is the critical upgrades, which are free of charge. *The second is the feature based (which is in the works, BTW) and will be half-price to all BOClean users, given that the database compatibility will be maintained.

[Mr.Blaze]

its a speed demon chow wah wah amped on meth or *some other super drug i took the little guy out for a walk.

he might not be as fat as tds walking *bay tobin doggy who eats and drewls all over the place and takes for ever to get out the dor for a complet walk around the block.

but he dosent eat much

hes always up and about

hes there by my side

he dosent take up much space.

hes content just sitting there.

and hes fast if some one steps in that he dosent know.

Sure he might not be as perty as tds or even as talkitive or even as big but im likeing him.

ill stick with BOCLEAN

Its real newby frindly.=)

[FanJ]

;D

It's one of those programs that I have always on (OK except for defrag and things like that)!


Off topic: congrats MrBlaze, I just saw that you're now senior member *:)

[crashandburn]

FanJ - do you find you're having to defrag more often? *I've been running it a couple of weeks now and my Norton SystemDoc is asking me to defrag practically every day! *Prior to installation I'd have <10% fragmented 1 month after a defrag. *Now I'm getting >10% fragged after <8h. * :o

The files its fragging seem to be system restore files set up by Roxio go-back 3.1. *My OS is XP home, and I did have BOClean set to scan every 10 seconds, although I've just lengthened the interval (which kind of negates the purpose of the program...)

Anyone any ideas?

[FanJ]

{QUOTE-> FanJ - do you find you're having to defrag more often? *I've been running it a couple of weeks now and my Norton SystemDoc is asking me to defrag practically every day! *Prior to installation I'd have <10% fragmented 1 month after a defrag. *Now I'm getting >10% fragged after <8h. * :o

The files its fragging seem to be system restore files set up by Roxio go-back 3.1. *My OS is XP home, and I did have BOClean set to scan every 10 seconds, although I've just lengthened the interval (which kind of negates the purpose of the program...)

Anyone any ideas? <-QUOTE}

Hi crashandburn,

As far as I know BOClean doesn't have anything to do with a more fragmented disk.
My comment about defrag should only be read in this way: when I do a defrag I make sure that only Explorer and Systray are running, and nothing else (so at that moment no AV, no AT, no CookieWall, no firewall, no internet-connection, etc.).
At least once in a week I run defrag. I run W98SE. I don't have Norton Doc nor Go-back, so I'm afraid I cannot answer on that; I'm sorry!
My defrag utility is the one that can be downloaded from the Wilders-site; but since you have XP, you don't need that one.

I too have set BOClean to scan every ten seconds.
I have BOClean since October 2000, and have no problems with it.

[Mr.Blaze]

that is strange i have all the programs you have and that dosent happend to me all i ever get is anoying scan disk from inproper shut dowen.

if i remember corectly the gate way guy told me that haveing system restore and go back enabled takes up like 20% of your hard drive or more.

honestly if you have go back you dont need system restore goback does way more for you.

gatway guy said i could disable system restore i think even remove it.

saves alot on resources.

you just have to familiarize you self with go back.

[crashandburn]

Thanks for the answers. *I've plenty of space to spare so the excesses of Go Back don't worry me, and I also do a defrag, monthly, if not weekly, with everything shut down. *(Having said that it seems to cope with everything running, but some old habits are good habits).

I'll take a look at what else is running, trim it down and search elsewhere for the cause of my fragged disc. *I'm glad to know its not BOClean. *:)

[FanJ]

Hi Crashandburn,

On second thought, may I kindly suggest you to write an email to support@nsclean.com about your experiences?
Thanks!

[crashandburn]

Ahh.. thats the address! *;D

I've turned off XP's system restore, so I'll see whats happening to my disc, but if its still misbehaving I'll do as you suggest.