Should I ditch MSAS?

[funkymonkeyboy]

Hi guys, I use KAV extended databases (kaspersky personal) and MSAS (Microsoft Antispyware) and PG (Process Guard) all together. Do you think I need all three or would I be better off ditching MSAS?

[AnthonyG]

you definitely need an antispyware program of some sort. Kaspersky and Process Guard are not designed to protect against spyware themselves.

[funkymonkeyboy]

Ok, I'll keep it. My system runs well with all three running, just wondered if it was really worth having?

[BlueZannetti]

I would probably disable the real time agents within MSAS and just run it on-demand on an infrequent basis. That's how I have my copy of Giant AS configured. Works fine this way. Even if your AV is not particularly strong in the spyware domain (KAV can be), the downloaders needed to drive everything should be readily flagged. If not, MSAS is there for cleanup.

My basic approach: Drive real estate is cheap, don't worry about duplication at the install level. I like responsive systems, be very thrifty in spending realtime resources
Cull extraneous application based services and startups as appropriate
Blue

[HD rider UK]

Hi There
regarding the real time protection in MSAS, personally, I have disabled it to free up system resources, however, I also run Spybot S&D's Teatimer function, along with SpywareBlaster and SpywareGuard which I find gives me good Real Time protection.
If your system runs fine with the MSAS R/T protection enabled, and you are not using an application such as Teatimer, I would leave the MSAS module enabled. This however is only my opinion, the important thing is for you to be comfortable with the security you employ.

Jock

[squash]

I definitely use the MSAS real-time protection. It is only one of two free products on the market (the other being SpywareGuard) that currently has real-time protection.

If you enable real-time protection, then the need for more Spyware applications greatly reduces and/or is optional. I use just the one spyware scanner (unless you count SpywareBlaster as one) and I have yet to catch spyware.

You should use MSAS because of it's real-time protection, and IDS (if that is the correct term), MSAS not only detects spyware but also detects any crucial changes, loading of VBScripts, programs which load on startup.

[BlueZannetti]

I guess if MSAS isn't creating a noticeable drag, there not an overwhelming need to pull out the realtime components.

On the other hand, between NOD32 and BOClean, my copy of Giant virtually always has had nothing of significance to grab onto during my entire run with the product, which is obviously before MSAS came into being. I will see a very occasional tracking cookie nabbed, but that's it.

Blue