Probably the best combination against most viruses and nearly all zero day (free)

Discussion in 'other anti-virus software' started by Forever, Oct 17, 2014.

  1. Forever

    Forever Registered Member

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    Hi guys,

    I don't think you have to pay for any security suite to increase the security of your computer. You are just wasting money in my oppenion.

    To be save against most viruses out there and to be secure against _nearly_ all zero day malware out there:

    Avira free for its detection
    Comodo Firewall for its behavior blocker.

    Just turn off HIPS and enable either fully virtualized or "strong" restricted.

    There can be exceptions but overall you should be save against most of the malware out there. Even against the new ones.

    I've tried a lot of security suites like BitDefender, Kaspersky and Eset but there is zero day malware which is able to bypass these programs anway. So there is no point in spending any money because you can archive the same if not more security with free products.

    What do you think?
     
  2. Marcos

    Marcos Eset Staff Account

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    Why to spend money on airbags if the chance of saving your life in the event of an accident isn't 100%? :)
     
  3. oliverjia

    oliverjia Registered Member

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    wrong.
    If only zero-day malware will do damage, and older malware will not, then you are right. however, the reality is, older maware does much more damage worldwide than zero-day malware. Reason is simple, you have to consider the time frame. New malware needs time to spread. By the time it gets wild, AVs already have the ability to detect them.
     
  4. oliverjia

    oliverjia Registered Member

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    OK so my point is, the ability to block zero-day malware is more like serving a marketing gimmick, rather than reflecting the reality. Zero day malware is like HIV, deadly but very rare; older malware is like common cold, there is cure for it but you still can easily catch it if you don't have the medicine to defend it.
     
  5. Mayahana

    Mayahana Banned

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    Why go to a restaurant, when you go to a soup kitchen for free food?
     
  6. Forever

    Forever Registered Member

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    @oliverjia Avira has one of the largest and best databases. Even if there is malware which is not detected by Avira for whatever reason (too old) there is still Comodo as behavior blocker.

    @Marcos the free variant give the same amount of security so your example is just... meh ;)
     
  7. treehouse786

    treehouse786 Registered Member

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    or you could just install https://secureaplus.secureage.com/Main/index.php and stop worrying. i try infecting my live machine (i image) on purpose and nothing gets past. cant believe they give it away free for a year

    edit- also, much easier to use than comodo. the beauty of this software is the zero noticable performance loss when using the no AV version which is what i use
     
  8. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    Only one big flaw to the only free argument. If everyone just used free stuff, there would be no free stuff. If no one pays, then there would be no development, hence no free stuff
     
  9. Austerity

    Austerity Registered Member

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    This is precisely why I pay. I feel fine with a lot of the free solutions out there, Avira, Panda, Qihoo, Avast, and others I believe to be plenty of protection for someone with common sense.
     
  10. J_L

    J_L Registered Member

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    There are multiple way to gain revenue, the traditional customer payment is only one of them. If everyone just used free stuff, there'd probably be adware everywhere or something like that.
     
  11. Minimalist

    Minimalist Registered Member

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    I agree. I bought few licences to support developers even if I don't use their software (or real time protection) at the moment.
     
  12. Austerity

    Austerity Registered Member

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    I also have licenses for software I don't use, that I have not even activated. However, they didn't cost $99.95 a year, or even close to the sale price of $69.95.
     
  13. FleischmannTV

    FleischmannTV Registered Member

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    I think a thread with the message "This is my setup and it's the best and everyone who uses other programs and pays for them is a fool" will hardly inspire a productive discussion. It will most likely provoke respective counter-reactions and quickly spiral out of control. :thumbd:
     
  14. Veeshush

    Veeshush Registered Member

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    You can lock down a system with "free" open source software and be protected, you can buy software and be protected. You can do both and not be protected. There's a ton of variables, chance, likelihoods... In the end no one will know how good their method works for them till time tells them. It's all choice.

    That's a bit black and white though. You can pay for some software and not others. "If everyone bought stuff, there'd be no free stuff!".
     
  15. Osaban

    Osaban Registered Member

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    I couldn't agree more Peter... I think that the nominal price for AVs is by and large too expensive. 'Free' would be possible if there was a positive attitude towards accepting ads and promotional material, a proposition which, here at Wilders at least, has been totally rejected by most users.
     
    Last edited: Oct 17, 2014
  16. guest

    guest Guest

    To the OP, I need a paper that supports your argument. Otherwise I will just see this thread as marketing. ;)
     
  17. clocks

    clocks Registered Member

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    I agree with this. I thought AV programs were over priced years ago, when they were $40-$50 per year. Now a lot of packages at $60-90. Way too expensive for a utility that expires in a year, especially with so many good free options available.

    I'll buy licenses for AV programs I like when I see good deals, like $5, $10, maybe $15. I also always supported those that offered TRUE lifetime licenses, like Twister, Malwarebytes, Super AntiSpyware, Sandboxie, etc... If a company offers me the use of a product for my lifetime, not a machine that I may only keep 6months, I will usually bite. Sadly those deals have mostly gone away.
     
  18. Q Section

    Q Section Registered Member

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    Greetings:
    It would be quite illustrative to know the name of and read documentation about which "zero day malware" Eset missed. If you mean a virus then please come with the information if you have any. If the malware to which you are referring is other-than-virus malware then that would be a different story. Some "suites" and antivirus programmes exhibit varying ability to detect and defend against certain other-than-virus malware.

    Thank you.
     
  19. steve1955

    steve1955 Registered Member

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    I suppose you could always completely fill your HD with free solutions(or paid for that matter)then you will leave no space for any malware to occupy,having a machine that is completely useless is just a consequence you will have to live with,why do folk so focus on the price of a product,always saying they/it are too expensive but when even the more expensive products cost peanuts on a daily basis?these same folk will happily spend a fortune on latest gadget,which isn't the latest for long,or waste money on smoking or drinking,remember the quality of anything is remembered long after the price is forgotten,and that quality may be in the form of product support for anti malware products if things do go wrong
     
  20. Marcos

    Marcos Eset Staff Account

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    I have a different opinion on this. Zero-day malware, when spread massively via a spam campaign for instance, can affect much more users than old malware which most AV vendors protect from. Also when it comes to dangerousness, it can be as dangerous as old malware (just remember the recent massively spammed Filecoders or downloaders that downloaded new Filecoder variants unrecognized by almost all AV vendors).
     
  21. Behold Eck

    Behold Eck Registered Member

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    Free is for people who know how to put together a security suite to suit their individual needs.

    Paid is for people who need a complete solution under one roof as it were.

    Back on topic, the OP`s setup is very good i.e. zero day protection from Comodo and good detection from Avira sigs.

    Regards Eck:)
     
  22. clocks

    clocks Registered Member

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    Comodo firewall with just about any AV will provide near 100% protection. The issue is, even with HIPS disabled, Comodo will give you some pop-ups and also flag many clean files. It seems Comodo has just never been able to solve that issue that has tarnished the problem for many years.
     
  23. siketa

    siketa Registered Member

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    Disable HIPS and use only auto-sandbox.
     
  24. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    Totally disagree on the first to points. I've put together a "suite" that fits my needs, and it is all paid software. I like to support developers.

    Also note there is more then one way to pay. You can use paid software free, by being a beta tester. That way you are paying with your services.
     
  25. clocks

    clocks Registered Member

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    I always do, and still get pop-ups and safe files flagged. Just a day or two ago it flagged the latest build of 360 Total Security. If Comodo is going to flag any file they have not yet whitelisted, they need to improve their whitelisting tech/speed. Having the 1000 page thread on their forum with users submitted programs to whitelist doesn't cut it.
     
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