Is this Considered Too Much Security?

I am running on my PC (Windows XP Home):

• Firefox
• ESET NOD32 (latest edition)
• Malwarebyte's Anti-Malware (real time)
• SuperAntiSpyware Professional (on demand)
• Prevx v3.0 (latest edition)
• Online Armor
• Window Washer
• CCleaner

(Am I out of breadth?). I'm concerned that all of these security apps are slowing down the system.

Thanks.

 

Hello

I think this depends on what you're doing with your machine.

As a home user I've survived a long while now using only Sandboxed Opera + Prevx.

I also occasionally use Returnil (for testing) and CCleaner for killing detritus.

I used to use ESS and a lot of other stuff...

Not worth the overhead if you're prudent in what you do, IMHO.

The most important thing for me is to have recent clean images to revert to.

However, even my use of "clean" in that last line can be questioned - see entertaining thread here.

philby

 

You probably don't need MBAM real time if you have NOD. Do you really need that much HIPS. After all you have Online Armor which is pretty good all by itself.

 

Thank you both for your replies.

Woody777, I have a question: other than Online Armor, what other HIPS am I running? Does NOD32 have a HIPS or do the other security apps have a HIPS other than Online Armor?

Thanks again

 

Your fine Online Armor is your only HIPS

 

If you are running Prevx and MBAM real-time you could drop one.
That would be the only change I might consider.

 

Thanks Warklen and the Tester.

I'll consider running either MBAM or Prevx in real time (but I'll probably keep them both running real).

Thanks.

 

If you have common sense and safe surfing habits, then you should remove Online Armor, as the protection it provides should be similar to Prevx.

 

But Someone: isn't Online Armor considered to be a firewall? And isn't Prevx an anti-malware tool?

Thanks.

 

Yes and Yes. See: http://www.tallemu.com/comparisons.html. I consider Prevx 3 to be an anti-malware tool (cloud data base) and behavior blocker (heuristics). Prevx is a good addition to an anti-virus program on your computer.

 

Online Armor is a firewall and HIPS and Prevx is a HIPS so you really don't need both.

 

A behavioural blocker is really just a "smart" HIPS so it's not completely different.

And seriously, with Nod32 and MBAM already the OP doesn't need both of these programs.

 

Well back to the question at hand, here are the overlaps I can see

NOD - MBAM Realtime
Nod has spyware built in so MBAM in real time may be adding more overhead than it is worth.

OA - PREVX
Yes they are somewhat different as PREVX is an heuristics based behavior blocker and OA is a classical behavior blocker. However you probably dont need both. If you want more control, go for OA, if you want more leave and forget go with PREVX. Not considering the firewall aspect as I dont really believe it is a big part a security solution.

Window Washer - CCleaner
Dont really need both. But because they are on demand, its not adding any overhead. Also if you are serious abt privacy, you should consider using whole disk encryption with Truecrypt.

 

Thanks again, to all (with particular reference to huangker, G1111, and to the Tester).

My concern about the security applications I have running is that they slow my system down a bit (which I can live with). I'm an academic, and the only time I have to do work at home is when I return here at night and it is at night when I have the following running:

1. NOD32
2. Malwarebyte's Anti-Malware
3. (I've configured Prevx3.0 to "real time")

And even though I've scheduled these applications not to overlap in their running time they still do. Does this account for the slow down? This is what I mean by "slow down": in the evening, when I use, for example, MS Word 2007 to write, and as a type, I see the letters come across in a halting way. Has anyone experienced the same?

Thank you.

 

Two more questions: would using a program such as "sandboxie" obviate the need for software such as MAB or SuperAntiSpyware Professional? And would a program like "sandboxie" make the system slow down noticeably?

 

Re need for MBAM or SAS: It is another layer, totally different approach. Dont think there was ever a 'need' for MBAM resident. (See EDIT)

Re overhead: Sandboxie may slow down the startup of the the program you are sandoxing but wont really have any massive overhead over the rest of the system.

EDIT: To give you a run down on SAS and MBAM, these products were created when most AV vendors didnt do a very good job with spyware. MBAM and SAS filled that niche of finding spyware. Now most AVs have really caught up in spyware detection. (Check http://www.virusbtn.com/news/2008/03_13a.xml) In my opinion, now the niche they fill is removal. i.e. they are quite good at removing spyware that have installed on your system. On demand, they dont pick up nearly as much as the mainstream AVs. MBAM and SAS haven't really been tested for their heuriscs.

 

I think this would depend on how cautious you are about what you recover from the Sandbox.

Both Opera and Outlook take 1 second longer to load on my machine, even with a "fresh" Sandbox every time.

philby

 

Thanks again, huangker and philby. I think I'll keep the security applications I'm running now, with a tweak here or there.