F-Secure vs NOD32

So what are your thoughts on F-Secure vs KAV 5.0 in terms of effectiveness and system impact?

Tell you one thing, that app is huge. 29MB.

 

are you kidding me? what version you are running? 5.42 workstation or the new jumbo pack called the F-Secure Client Security? i don't have the guts to try the later one. tell me about it if you've tried it.

 

Filename is fsav2004f-sp1a from the home users section of the site. LOL not sure if I should bother installing. Funny, it's the same size as the internet security trial, so maybe it's the same package and you just do a customized install.

 

so you are running the F-Secure Antivirus 2004. yeah i noticed they have same filesize. you could be right. but let me inform you that there is something fishy about FSAV2004 and the workstation version. you'll notice that the scanning engine version of Libra and Orion is same for FSAV2004 but in the workstation version they are using an updated version though the workstation version is older that FSAV2004. i forgot which engine but its about Orion and Libra.

 

Those files are the same, half way through installation, it asks you if you want to install the full version or just the AV... Hope that answers that question. =)

Anyway..

That little AVtest program that throws those fake worms into your system to test monitoring heuristics was MISSED by NOD32 and KAV. (amoung others)

However, interesting point to note, F-Secure passed all 4 tests, with the fake worms getting past the internal KAV, but being picked up by Orion or Libra. Its pretty interesting, you can watch the processes, and see which one "Ticks" to 1% usage to see which one grabbed the signatures.

Norman and McAfee also grabs em, and so does BitDefender. Every other AV i've tried is ignorant them.

Also, a recent REpacked badguy file I have, with several rebased/hacked baddies hiding inside (that NOD32 missed, etc), is picked by up F-Secure - the packer at least. But interesting to note, Norman picks up the packer AND at least one of the baddies inside via its "Sandbox" and lists it as "Unknown W32/Malware".

Thats pretty impressive stuff at work. Now if BitDefender had decent unpacker support, it would be just perfect. I'm also not fully confident with the KAV-Only system.

I'm leaning now towards either F-Secure or Norman as my solution. I do like the Norman Firewall too.. Now to finalize my decision.. I'm tired of some solutions promising to fix things in updates, not delivering on supposed changes, and blowing smokez up my .....

 

Damn just looked @ pricing. F-Secure is rather spendy. $57... nearly $10 more than the (IMO) overpriced KAV.

Anyone know how their support is? Have to give it to KAV and BD. They're the only one's that responded in a reasonable amount of time... BD was on the outside of what I consider reasonable though.

Kobra, how did it impact your system?

I'm about to plop it on my laptop. Desktop has work/client files on it, so no experimentation there even though it would be nice to test these apps out on a 3.4G, RAID 0 Raptor array with 1GB RAM.

 

i haven't tried the Norman firewall. should be good but that AVtest program i don't trust. so it seems that KAV engine failed to nail that worm. i'm guessing that ORION grabbed that worm. you know its funny that the F-Secure guys have implimented so many security policies into their product but by tweaking one registry entry you can reset the trial period. i won't disclose the process due to legal reason. but its very hard to fool the scanner. i don't like the Norman AV. it also failed a recent VB test. can you believe it?

 

Norman needs a bit more refining IMO, I would suspect it would be extremely viable at 6.0.

 

Check this one out..

http://www.extendiaavk.com/

I contacted them and got a full copy to evaluate today, and its insanely good. Uses basically ZERO system resources and I can't figure out how, but it detects everything I can throw at it..

Even a stealthed packer with 2-3 rebased baddies inside the thing picks up with EASE.... Uses only 2 processes, one for 1,600k and one for 3,200k, with no detectable CPU usage.. Amazing!

It uses the RAV+KAV engines in a dual system, and man, does it work in my tests, even tells you which engine is picking up which nasty.

The interface is absolutely gorgeous, with lotsa easy options, and deep options for the techies.. Even sliders to alter performance speed vs security..

PS: I like the eXtendia version much better than the Gdata direct version, and this one has Daily/Hourly sigs it snatches from KAV and RAV as well. I've already seen it do this in action.

 

VB tests are complete bullox, I don't buy em... 1 false and you fail.. Also, they focus obviously, on Viruses.. I'm more worried about Trojans and Malware, I see those daily.. I haven't seen a virus in 2 months pass through my box.

I gave up using VB as any reasonable source of info, after they pump up NOD32 to godlike levels, and half the bugs on the net waltz right through it.. Sheesh. A AV product without very good malware/trojan protection is about as useless as a 3 legged dog if you ask me.

 

well i'm more concerned about viruses. i don't have much of a threat from trojans as i don't have those habits. also remember that false alarm does cause a problem with all users.

 

Kobra, isn't that just a private label version of an earlier AVK?

I'm pretty sure it used to have KAV and RAV.

 

Thats exactly what it is.. eXpendia is the US/UK distributor for Gdata, and handles all AVK sales here.

They were kind enough to provide me a demo, and so far, i'm very impressed. Its even passed the "Rise of Nations" test on one of our extra low end machines here. Basically, Rise of Nations expansion is really a hog at higher resolutions and tends to crash with any AV's running in the background. My son is on his 2nd game with no crash and AVK in the background. Certainly nothing pertaining to actually protection, but performance is always a consideration.

Its blown through anything i've thrown at it, and for $29, i'm considering it, especially since they don't hide their voice number and toll free voice support line, and don't charge extra for daily/hourly defs.

 

LOL well I can tell you that F-Secure is in no way an alternative to NOD (faults aside). Not only does the install take forever, but it uses backweb for updates, slows my system to a crawl and uses more resources than the supposedly resource heavy KAV 5.0.

 

Maybe 4 you. But for us, who think that NOD32 is a toy, f-secure is the best antivirus! Ever!

 

For RAM, yes F-Secure is heavy. For actual PC resource use, it seemed pretty light to me, didn't notice any slowdowns.

F-Secure is a *MONSTER* for finding baddies! In fact, both of the multi-engine solutions out there are monsters for finding the bad stuff. AVK and F-Secure. They both get anything I throw at them, even stealthed and rebased crap.

You want protection, these got it..

 

Ummm thanks for providing such useful insight.


Desktop has a OC'd P4 @ 3.6GHZ, RAID 0 array with WD Raptors, 1GB RAM, F-Secure didn't have an impact.

Laptop has a P4 1.8GHZ CPU, 768MB RAM, 5400RPM HD. Does OK with most apps. That's where I noticed the issues with F-Secure.

 

Yea I don't think i'd recommend F-Secure on anything under a 2Ghz processor, those triple engines probably eat some background CPU cycles on anything less.

 

We have f-secure in school on pII 300 mhz, 128 mb ram. It works OK!

 

yes when it comes to detection and nothing else, F-Secure rules the nest. but KAV 5 is not lagging behind. there is a huge difference between their resource usage. KAV 5 is cheaper than that Finnish monster and uses updated engine with less resource.

 

Have to say, some bugs aside, I do like KAV5. Exchanged 3 emails with Igor in a 30 minute period. That says something about their commitment to support.

 

KAV5 is interesting, but I think it still lags behind as well. For one, they removed far too much customization and "Toys" in KAV5, I miss those in dumbed down applications. McAfee Enterprise Edition(beta) is a dream AV with tweaks and tools galore, but everytime they release a retail product, they slap it inside that garbage internet center and ruin it.. lol!

Anyway, support at KAV is good, but they've been evasive when me before - and it was puzzling.. I emailed them pointing on that realtime scanning of folders on the fly is missing from KAV5, and got a reply back saying "How do you know its missing?".. I replied saying "Uhh, because I tested it!", and then they replied back saying "Yes, it is missing, but mostly nobody notices..".. WTF?

Either way, $80 for KAV Pro is outrageous IMHO, especially when I can get the same engine and defs in something else for $29... I could see $80 if it included lifetime definitions, but not 80$ per year!

If they put all the functionality in 4.5 back into 5.0, added back in optional realtime scanning of folders and junk, then i'd consider it. Scanning over the KAV forums, it seems a good measure of customers are disatisfied with KAV5 and are moving BACK to KAV4.5... 4.5 massively needed an interface improvement, but nerfing most of the functions in it for 5.0 seemed like a bad decision.

AVK, F-Secure and possibly Norman are most interesting to me. I'd love to like Bitdefender, its a clean and pretty product thats good. But without better packer support, a few more defs, and some tech support, I have ruled it out. Norman has a couple of bugs that bug me. F-Secure is expensive as hell... Guess its AVK! I'll run it for 30 days and see. lol

 

well... they will hv this customization in their Personal Pro release, I just wonder when will be released.!!!