Does prevx overlap with Spyware Blaster & Guard?

[q1aqza]

I currently use these two apps but I have taken an interest in trying Prevx. From what I've read about it, it seems to me that amongst many things it will also protect against the same things as Spywareblaster and Spywareguard. Is this correct?

I know this is Javacool forum but to save another thread, does Prevx also overlap with Spybot's Tea Timer?

From my understanding, it looks to me that I could replace two apps (SB & SG) and two memory resident programs (SG & Tea Timer) by using Prevx. Am I right?

I think SB and SG are great little programs (as is Tea Timer) but with the amount security programs we need to run these days, any way I can streamline the number of apps and memory resident programs running on my PC the better.

[q1aqza]

Sorry for bumping but at times you just have to :o

Anyone?

[dvk01]

Prevx Warns about and prevents the INSTALLATION of almost anything that is unknown to the computer provided it installs or tries to install itself in certain directories

Spwyare Guard and Spyware blaster prevent the download of certain parasites so by relying on prevx there is the possibility of something bad still being downloaded and stored on the computer nad waiting to hit you when you disablew prevx top fdo windows updates or whatever

There is no danger in having an overlapping defense on the computer and both are recommended

Prevx only works though on NT based computers that is W2K, XP or 2003 and NOT 95/98/ME

I don't use teatimer from Spybot though as I think SG/SB do the same job as that one

[TopperID]

SpywareGuard & SpywareBlaster are certainly NOT doing the same job as Tea Timer! There will be overlap, though no one seems to know how much because the precise functioning of TT has never been set out in any link I'm aware of. But TT does do some Registry 'polling' that the others don't - warning you of both deletions and additions of certain keys. This is a useful function in its own right; even though the keys monitored are not as comprehensive as a dedicated monitor might achieve.

I have all three working on my system and plenty of duplication with WinPatrol and, more recently, a trial of Giant! I just wish I knew what to leave off! Though in my case Prevx is one I certainly will be leaving off.

To answer the question, no Prevx does not entirely overlap with Tea Timer and SG, but it does monitor certain browser settings that are covered by SG. Spyware browser monitoring is only part of Prevx's job.

[ghodgson]

I run the same programmes as TOPPER ID and I wholeheartedly agree with him. TT is useful as it alerts you when there are registry changes.
Gordon

[richrf]

My experiences with these programs are that they are designed to protect and operate using system design logic that can step on each other - especially when some nasty is being detected.

I believe hojtsy has done a terrific job of analyzing these programs and it sees like they can easily conflict with each other if any one of them are not able to complete a logical unit of work. This is not theoretical. It happened to me a couple of times, which is why I finally went out and bought the appropriate hardware and software to perform image copies. Sometimes the protection programs can do more harm than the viruses they are protecting against.

Because they are not designed to coordinate with each others actions, the operations of these programs can potentially lead to a logically inconsistent or corrupted registry. For this reason, I only run one of these protection programs - the protection that is built into Giant AS. It does not seem to conflict with the protection logic in my other security programs: ZoneAlarm Pro, KAV 4.5.104, Ewido, ProcessGuard 3.

This is an interesting topic and I would be interested in any other thoughts of those who looked at the underlying architectures of these programs.

Rich

[TopperID]

Hi richrf, conflicts will depend on the combination of things you are running. By coincidence my line-up is identical to yours, namely:- ZAP, KAV, Ewido, GAS and PG; but I'm running these in combination with the above mentioned ones which I have had on my system for some time without problem. If for example a new autorun starts I will be flagged first by Tea Timer (which is quick!), then by GAS and finally WinPatrol. I accept/deny the change with each of these in turn and it doesn't seem to cause difficulty.

Where you do get problems is between your FW, Prevx, SSM and PG. So you really have to be careful about these. I think you were running Prevx at the time of your difficulty and this may be the cause of it. Others have had problems with Prevx as well (though not everyone!) so this is another reason I would be cautious of it.

I'm not aware of Registry 'pollers' tripping up over each other and degrading the Registry, though if this happens I would have to drop some progs.

What I can say is that for many months I have been running SpywareBlaster, SpywareGuard, Tea Timer and WinPatrol all together very successfully without conflict. They all do a different job, despite overlap, and I would not know which to leave off!

As a PS I would like to add that I only have Giant AS as a trial, but if I was considering dropping SG, SB, TT and WinPatrol it would be because I have Giant, I wouldn't drop them in favour of Prevx - which is what the original question was all about!