Anti-Executables - List of

Here's a list of some AE's, please feel free to add to it with any others you have heard, or know, about.

The only i've used is WinSonar, which never failed me in spite of frequent attempts with all manner of Malware over several years.



FREE


Trust-No-Exe - http://www.beyondlogic.org/solutions/trust-no-exe/trust-no-exe.htm

Winsonar - http://digilander.libero.it/zancart/winsonar.html


PAID


Anti-Executable - http://www.faronics.com/html/antiexec.asp

Executable lockdown - http://www.horizondatasys.com/169602.ihtml

Fortres 101 - http://www.fortresgrand.com/products/f101/f101.htm

 

Appguard is also an anti-executables if i am not wrong, only that it also got feature to "protect" applications.

 

Let's not forget Software Restriction Policy (SRP). . Script Defender as well I believe.

 

is the winsonar 2009 ready ?thanks

 

Criss

I forgot about Appguard, Thanx.

Trespasser

SRP isn't really an App, but yeah i guess you can include it. Script Defender, yes that's a good one to add.

jmonge

Hi,

Don't know about wnsonar 2009 lol, but the version that's available right now listed as WinSonar 2008, as far as i'm aware is bug free etc. So i guess it doesn't need changing. I suppose he could update the year though !

If you try it let us know what you think will ya.

 

@ssj100]Man

I've heard of this program before but I never tried it because I thought the GUI looked "ugly" . But it seems like it's a small, non-resource hogging program.

But how does it work? Does it scan your system when it's installed and add all the executables to a white list, then deny all new/unknown exes?

 

the developer told me that the 2009 version is almost ready sure i will let you know

 

Re Winsonar - does the process monitoring use hooking or polling?

 

hooking

 

BOO YA! Downloading right now.

 

for polling you need winpatrol

 

Thanks for the info ssj100. My only real complaint against it (since I haven't trialed it in years) was the looks but if you say it works great, I trust you

Since jmonge said that a new release is coming soon I'll wait for that and try it out.

Is there an online users manual for WinSonar? I'd like to read up on it before I try it to see how it works.

PS StevieO, you may want to include Online Armor Free and Comodo Internet Security to your list of free apps. They can be setup as default deny anti-executables

 

Nothing was mentioned in your original post about our choices being an application, StevieO, , though I did "install" SRP on my sisters XP Home thanks to tlu's wonderful instruction.

Later...

 

ssj100

Glad you like it, i wish more people would try it as i'm sure they would too.

jmonge

It's good to know that the 2009 version is almost ready, Thanx. I wonder what the new changes will be ?

In a previous version he changed the colour from blue to yellow, which didn't look as nice. I contacted him and asked if he'd change it back to blue, which thankfully he did.

zopzop

There isn't an online users manual for WinSonar, it is included in the App as a help file though. You could install it, save the Help file to read, and uninstall it straightaway if you want to wait for the new version. Quite honestly i think you'ld enjoy using right now.

I'm running Online Armor Free at the moment, but i'm thinking of disabling the HIPs and just using the FW, and going back to WinSonar as i found it brilliant at stopping Malware etc before. Plus it doesn't need multiple option settings and Popups to work effectively. It also has a bunch of very useful tools included, like a Port Scanner for eg.

Trespasser

That's right i didn't, maybe it wasn't clear enough ! Good to hear about your sisters setup working for her.

 

i always send this developer emails and he keep me inform all the time very soon i say

 

This has probably been discussed before, but how secure would it be to use anti-executable software without additional security software, except for a firewall ?

Assuming the OS is Windows XP Home Edition SP2, IE 7 (improved security settings) or 8 or perhaps Opera, common sense and keeping software up to date ?

Common sense would be browsing the web with some distrust, never installing files from the internet without checking them with Virustotal/Jotti, not opening attachments of spam emails. My ISP checks emails for viruses.

So, that would be a configuration without an AV or other anti-malware software.

 

jmonge

Ok good news.

Fly

Well nobody can say 100%, but i used to run WinSonar/ZoneAlarm/BitDefender then Avira and only had one intrusion over several years. But that was due to my not scanning one new App before i installed it. In all that time i tested hundreds of fresh Malware, often daily, and Nothing got through ever.

This was on 98SE and i did also have IE6 + 98SE locked down as much as possible. For eg, i disabled ActiveX/Scripting/Java/iframes etc.

I'm thinking of going back to a similar setup, so i'd say it's pretty secure.

 

Answer = Very.

Just ask yourself how you could be infected

 

I recall reading an 'anti-executable' program does not offer 100 % protection. It has been a long time, I don't remember the pitfalls/vulnerabilities ... I guess I'm asking.

Non-executable infected files somehow infecting a computer, or aiding in the infection of a computer. Some years ago an AV I used asked if I wanted to 'allow process X to inject code into file 'Y.dll'.

I'm really not an expert.

 

Sorry , I didn't mean to seem smart.

Most Anti-Executable applications have some dll blocking/protection as well.
Even without it they work really well, as most of today's drive-by-downloads are simple bold.exe files.
This is really the most thing worth keeping in mind in any security discussion.
Nothing is 100%.

 

It seems like all the free anti-executables softwares available cannot run in Vista?

With all the good words on WinSonar, I thought of trying it, but when I looked through their website, it's not indicated available for Vista.

Anyone tried WinSonar on Vista? Any anti-executables for Vista, free preferable.

 

AppGuard

 

If you edit WinSonar's white list to disallow rundll32.exe, and regserv32.exe, and a few other exe's and put some .inf files on the black list, it becomes a good security app.

Dave

 

any reason why someone should choose an app like Winsonar over SRP?

 

I think XP Home and Vista Home versions does not have SRP.