Opinions On This Combo....

I am currently looking for a security solution to put on my desktop pc. I was using scamantec but thats another story, anyhow I have recently purchased the new 2007 mcafee viruscan plus and it seems to work great. I have a 3 user version and now have it installed on my other 3 computers. So I have just my desktop to find something for and I use it for all email and really need some type of anti-spam solution. I thought about just getting a copy of mcafee IS 2007 and still may but then also thought about putting together my own suite from seperate apps. So I would like to know what everyone thinks about the following combo as opposed to just getting the new mcafee suite.

First thoughts:

KAV 6 or Bitdefender 10
Spysweeper 5
Zonealarm or webroot firewall or Comodo Firewall?
Mcafee Site Advisor
AntiSpam - I have no idea as stand alone product?

I guess another thing I am trying to keep in mid is the fact that with Vista around the corner, alot of these may no longer function after upgrade due to the limitations of kernel acess that MS is doing. So for all the expense of seperate products does everyone feel it worth getting into at this time?

Well let me know what everyone thinks.

 

Honestly, I would drop Spysweeper for the new freeware WinPatrol 10.0.5. Bluefrog is good for antispam, but the Opera browser has a spam filter with its email client. It works well. The rest seem to be choices which suit your taste.

Dave

 

Thanks, I am not familiar with this Winpatrol or bluefrog mentioned. Are they comparable or even better than spysweeper? I have had great results using spysweeper in the past but not sure about their recent releases. I don't mind paying for a decent anti spyware app if it is truly decent. Overall I personally feel spyware risks are more prevelant than any of the others really.

I have tried Opera in the past as well as Firefox, which I like but found that without IE there are things you just can't do effectively yet. I know IE is a risk in itself but it is what I need to run at this time. I do not visit adult sites or anything and try to be pretty conservative on where I surf.

 

u can try Thunderbird for an email client. it has good spam filters.

as for teh AV and FW, do u need help deciding between the choices u gave?

bluefrog is an antispam though i dont know if its still developed.

as for winpatrol, it is not an antispyware like spy sweeper or spybot s&d. rather it is a HIPS and it can prompt you for various changes to your system.

 

I would go with either kav6 or nod32 for antivirus.
Zonealarm pro or tiny firewall(6.5.126)
Spyweeper or spyware doctor for antispyware
Use gmail as your antispam which can be configured for outlook(if you use it).
http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=13276

I would suggest you to look at first defense isr (as a immediate recovery system).

 

Thanks for the info as I knew nothing about the bluefrog or winpatrol. Yes, on the AV FW I would like to hear your opionions.

As for software firewalls I have really only used the mcafee and nortons before for any length of time. I read alot of good things about this comodo app but never have used it before. Also in reference to FW, I hear that is the weak component of KIS, do you agree and why?

As I mentioned, I am still trying to decide on going seperate apps or suite and knew this would be a great place to get expert opinions on whats out there on the choices I am considering.

 

If you are worried about compatability with Vista in the near future, I am not due to my usual upgrade style of SP1's, I would go the whole freeware route.

AV- Antivir or AVAST!, even AVG is making strides.
AS - Spyware Blaster/Spyware Terminator/WinPatrol/SpyBot
FW - Comodo [Maybe Ashampoo with some fixes]
ASpam - Bluefrog
Anyone of the free Anti-Phish toolbars serve well as a site advisor

SpySweepers made a recent agreement with Sophos also, so when that becomes available it may be a good option too.

Anti-Phish:
http://toolbar.netcraft.com/
http://addins.msn.com/phishingfilter/
http://www.google.com/support/toolbar/bin/answer.py?answer=34798 <- read privacy policy

I have used Netcraft and it is in my opinion the best of these.

 

for AV i like KAV 6. its light and has good detection rates.

for firewalls, i dont rele like any of the three u mentioned. comodo is supposedly good, it couldnt hurt to give it a try.

it used to be weak but with version 6 of KIS and soon the upcoming MP1, its much improved. i like it very much.

 

Which ones do you like?

If the one in KIS is not really that weak anymore than would you recommend considering KIS 6 as a suite option other than these seperate apps?

 

i like Outpost and KIS 6. and yes i would recommend KIS if u want a suite.

 

Thanks for all you input. I think if I decide in the end to go the suite route after looking at these various seperate app choices, then I will most likely go with either KIS or mcafee 2007. I just though I should investigate my options either way first.

 

Thanks for all the info, just wnated to let everyone know that I decided to go for a suite based on both cost for individual as well as not being sure how Vista will handle things with security apps when it is released. I found a deal on mcafee suite today and just grabbed that. Been pretty happy with the 2007 viruscan plus, so the suite is definately decent IMO.