Is running all these programs overkill?

[joe_schmoe]

Hello,

Can someone here tell me if running Spybots tea timer, Microsoft antispyware's realtime protection, Winpatrol and PrevX together is overkill?

I realize there is probably some overlap in protection but should any of the above programs be entirely eliminated? Which programs realtime protection should I remove? Or should I continue to use them all together?

(note: I'm not removing PrevX)

Thanx for your opinions.

[Stephanos G.]

I've been tried this combination before. Now i prefer lighter scheme. 8)

[joe_schmoe]

Hi Stephanos G.

Could you elaborate on what your "lighter scheme" is? Thanx. :)

[Stephanos G.]

One antivirus: NOD32 (available free beta version)
One Firewall: Zonealarm (available free version)
One spyware: Spysweeper CounterSpy (is similar to MS antispyware but the database is better).

Of course u can add another 10 softwares:) I think is not the quantity that counts.

[Blackspear]

-{ Quote: "Could you elaborate on what your "lighter scheme" is? Thanx. :)" }-It really depends on your surfing habits, you may want to take a look HERE (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=62972). As well there are discussions HERE (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=45284&page=1&pp=25) and even more HERE (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=43117).

Hope this helps...

Let us know how you go.

Cheers ;D

[Span235]

-{ Quote: "It really depends on your surfing habits,

" }-

It depends I think far more then that, though obviously surfing habits is one of them Offhand I can think of more

1) User skill level.

No point using some rule based firewall if you can;t figure out how to use it. "Advanced users" might be protected by experience and less likely to be taken in by phishing , worms etc.

2) Importance of computer/pc data

If you use your computer purely for hobby rather than for work, you might find it less important to maintain a tight security.

3) Computer resources available.

Can you really run heavy duty "IDS" apps like PG,SSM etc on top of firewall, AV whatnot if you are running on less than a top of a line PC? And even if you had good hardware, you might want to run as light as possible for gaming purposes, CAD work etc.

4) Paranoia level versus ease of use.

Even if you are capable of running the most complicated apps, your computer is up to it and you have fairly important data on your computer, you might prefer to use apps that were less instrutive and/or didn't popup warning for every action you took.

Not to mention there is room for reasonable and knowledgable people to disagree about security philiosophy, eg the importance of stopping leak tests.


5)Others

Surfing habits already mentioned

I really wish there can be more discussion about such matters, rather than merely pointing to a thread where someone arbitary decides that setup x is needed for 'basic' security, setup y is for 'tight' .

[Primrose]

Running multiple antispyware programs from all these different vendors out there is coming to be a problem..not only how they interact with each other..but also if you ever want help. >:(

These are just a few of the examples we are running into lately.


Disable your Anti Spyware Programs!, Please read before you run hijackthis

By Mosaic1

Many of you are running Anti-Spyware Programs in the background to try and prevent Spyware from being installed on your systems. However, when you run more than one of these programs at a time, it can have negative consequences. The programs can end up preventing each other from removing negative changes. So instead of preventing an infection you can become infected.

And then when we try to advise you on the Forums, these same programs prevent you from making the changes which actually do clean up your systems.

see this link for more information

http://forum.gladiator-antivirus.com/index.php?act=ST&f=147&t=25513

[Rmus]

-{ Quote: "
5)Others

Surfing habits already mentioned

I really wish there can be more discussion about such matters, rather than merely pointing to a thread where someone arbitary decides that setup x is needed for 'basic' security, setup y is for 'tight' ." }-
It's been pointed out in other threads that most people would rather discuss products and tinker with their systems - which is fine, since these forums are geared to provide support and advice on these matters. But I agree with you, that it would be helpful to discuss security in a broader context. I did start a similar discussion a while back, but there wasn't much followup.

---
Rmus

[Blackspear]

-{ Quote: "It depends I think far more then that, though obviously surfing habits is one of them " }-If they look at basically email and do the odd surfing looking for Monasteries, then surfing habits pretty much covers it ;) ;D


-{ Quote: "1) User skill level." }-Agreed.


-{ Quote: "2) Importance of computer/pc data

If you use your computer purely for hobby rather than for work, you might find it less important to maintain a tight security." }-Sure, I know a customer that runs no firewall, no anti-virus, no security whatsoever. He simply has no data on a very powerful gaming machine and hence doesn’t care, he just formats regularly. Even in this situation I would suggest running with a Firewall, Nod32 (light on resources, good on protection anti-virus) and Imaging software.


-{ Quote: "3) Computer resources available.

Can you really run heavy duty "IDS" apps like PG,SSM etc on top of firewall, AV whatnot if you are running on less than a top of a line PC? And even if you had good hardware, you might want to run as light as possible for gaming purposes, CAD work etc." }-Sure, though in general I am not seeing much of a slowdown at all (only very very slight which is not an issue for me), though I do have a 3.0GHz CPU and 512 of RAM. From running what I do to having only windows installed, speed difference is negligible.


-{ Quote: "4) Paranoia level versus ease of use.

Even if you are capable of running the most complicated apps, your computer is up to it and you have fairly important data on your computer, you might prefer to use apps that were less instrutive and/or didn't popup warning for every action you took." }-I don’t like popup warnings, so the setup that I use is set to such a way, it is very rare for such an occasion to happen. I have lowered Prevx from monitoring the registry to accommodate such a preference.


-{ Quote: "Not to mention there is room for reasonable and knowledgable people to disagree about security philiosophy, eg the importance of stopping leak tests." }-I don’t have an issue with this at all, discussion is good. When I started out at Wilders I wish there was such a thread as this (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=62972), it wouild have given me a guide, a starting point, and this is why I set up that thread. It is there to show peoples setups, a guide to new and not so new ;) ;D


-{ Quote: "I really wish there can be more discussion about such matters, rather than merely pointing to a thread where someone arbitary decides that setup x is needed for 'basic' security, setup y is for 'tight' ." }-I gave 2 other links for discussions HERE (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=45284&page=1&pp=25) and even more HERE (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=43117), I really don’t see your point. You can have a stripped down car with breaks and a steering wheel, or you can have a Mercedes with airbags, ABS breaking, Radar sensing cruise control, reverse sensing, etc etc, or anything in between, I choose the Mercedes ;) ;D

Cheers ;D

[Notok]

To be a little more direct, for the programs that were listed you could definitely stop using TeaTimer, IMO. With Prevx and WinPatrol you could probably even stop the realtime monitoring of MSAS. If you decide to keep MSAS active, I would go through and turn off the agents that Prevx already covers. It all kinda depends on your habits and what you want, as discussed above.

[span235]

-{ Quote: "

Sure, though in general I am not seeing much of a slowdown at all (only very very slight which is not an issue for me), though I do have a 3.0GHz CPU and 512 of RAM. From running what I do to having only windows installed, speed difference is negligible. " }-

You don't get it. It's not about YOU. Not everyone runs 3.0 GHZ CPU.


-{ Quote: "
I don’t have an issue with this at all, discussion is good. When I started out at Wilders I wish there was such a thread as this (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=62972),
" }-

If you didn't say so yourself :))


-{ Quote: "
I gave 2 other links for discussions HERE (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=45284&page=1&pp=25) and even more HERE (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=43117), I really don’t see your point.
" }-

I know you are very proud of some of the threads you begin, but clearly as you mention you are missing the point. Everyone of these threads are merely someone listing all the security software he uses with little or no mention of the factors above. How that is going to be useful to someone who is likely to be in a completely different situation is beyond me.

The answer to "Do I have enough protection" is not a list of software the person answering uses! The correct answer is "it depends". The 3 threads that you love to link, unfortunately tends to the former rather than the latter.

-{ Quote: "It's been pointed out in other threads that most people would rather discuss products and tinker with their systems - which is fine, since these forums are geared to provide support and advice on these matters. But I agree with you, that it would be helpful to discuss security in a broader context. I did start a similar discussion a while back, but there wasn't much followup.
" }-

I suppose you are right. It's a futile task.

[Diver]

My answer to the initial question is, in a word, yes.

[Blackspear]

-{ Quote: "You don't get it. It's not about YOU. Not everyone runs 3.0 GHZ CPU." }-I never said it was about me, you are the one with some sort of agender, and who knows what that is, I’m simply advising that there are threads about.


-{ Quote: "If you didn't say so yourself :)" }-And your point is? ? ?


-{ Quote: "I know you are very proud of some of the threads you begin," }-Hmmm you obviously haven't clicked on the 2 links that you have just quoted, I did not start either of them… ::)


-{ Quote: "Everyone of these threads are merely someone listing all the security software he uses with little or no mention of the factors above." }-Again click on them and you will see security software discussed.


-{ Quote: "How that is going to be useful to someone who is likely to be in a completely different situation is beyond me." }-Different situation, how? I mentioned that the first link I gave has multiple setups as a guide, my post has a setup from lean (basic) to what I consider “tight”. I also gave an analogy that you just walked past about a striped down car with breaks to a fully safety built Mercedes.

If you want to argue for the sake of arguing, go right ahead, it is pretty pointless, if I must say so myself ;) ;D

Cheers ;D