Symantec SEP and Zonealarm

Hi...(newbie here, reasonable computer experience in general)...

In the past my setup was:

XP Sp3 (auto-updated)
2WIRE modem/router (ATT supplied)
NAV (Daily update and full scan)
ZA free (Windows FW off)
MBAM free (run weekly)

My OS was on separate partition from my data and I kept a ghost image of of the OS partition with a clean new OS install with programs added (for emergency worst case restore scenarios...)

Seems to have worked pretty well...(no problems that I knew of).

I got a new PC (same OS and programs) and was planning on the same firewall/security setup, but the new PC came with Symantec SEP (Symantec Endpoint Protection)...

I was planning to use ZA free again, but after reading/research, the general consensus is not to use 2 FWs (SEP comes with its own).

I am used to ZA and like its setup/notification procedures...

The SEP network protection (FW) seems to have an added benefit of being updated with the live updates for SEP, but it seems more cumbersome in terms of setting up notifications. However, this may be due to my unfamiliarity with it...

So...

1. Is there any way/advantage to getting the 2 firewalls to work together?

2. Is there an advantage to using the Symantec FW? (I am assuming that by using their package all together, the pieces are well integrated...and I already mentioned the automatic updates.)

3. Is there an advantage to using the ZA free FW instead (and turning off the SEP FW)?

Also, after perusing these forums, I am specifically concerned about keyloggers (eblaster, etc.) and wonder if my security/FW/AV/MW setup is sufficient...and on a general level, am I missing anything that I should be aware of?

Thanks in advance for any help/opinions!

Cheers,

Artiste

 

Absolutely NO . No more than 1 firewall at a time.

They are a package but integration is a strong word . They are different modules that install/uninstall separately , can work separately . This is not like in modern Norton where it is integrated.

Well , you should decide on your own . Symantec's firewall in SEP is based on Sygate technology.

And a comment - you said that the computer came with SEP. Computers don't just come up with a paid antivirus . Babies , too I mean someone installed the program and you should be allowed to use it - note that is a corporate product


As for something else , if you keep the current setup , I'd invest some money in Hitman Pro
http://www.surfright.nl/en/hitmanpro

 

Thanks...

1. Okay - that's what I thought...

2. What is the "modern Norton where it is integrated" you are referring to?

3. I checked out the Hitman Pro site...it goes into a fair amount of detail...But I am not sure how to compare it to the current anti-malware tool I am using (Malwarebytes - MBAM)...their site does not go into the same level of detail:

http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

And, I should have said:

"I received a work PC (from my employer) for telecommuting (same OS and programs) and was planning on the same firewall/security setup, but the work PC came with Symantec SEP (Symantec Endpoint Protection)..."

 

Well , you probably know that SEP and Norton are different products made by the same company but from different depts.

SEP uses a bit outdated technologies , new ones goes first into Norton.
SEP is a business product while Norton is a home products . SEP is for businesses and companies with 5 or more computers , Norton is for users with max. 10 computers.

Norton 2009/2010 and now 2011 have pretty much nothing in common with SEP . All modules in Norton run as a single kernel process , they can't be installed separatedly and they share info with each other . However , SEP is not like that . SEP uses MSI (Microsoft Windows Installer) to install itself and its componets can be installed separately . You install a component fot auto-protection , another one for email , third for proactive , fourth for firewall , then device control , etc . Modules are all updated as separated modules by Live Update.

Integration is better accomplished with Norton.

As for protection - Norton offers better protection than SEP because Norton uses newer technologies than SEP such as in-the-cloud scanning (Insight) , reputation info , better behaviour analysis (SONAR) , etc...

People here at Wilders are aware of MBAM . One of the best out there as a cleaner/malware scanner. Hitman Pro is a bit different . MBAM and Hitman Pro complement each other . If you plan to use SEP and MBAM , I would back them up with Hitman Pro - very light and effective second scanner. If Hitman Pro finds something , it is very good at removing it and fixing patched files by trojans/rootkits.

Thanks for confirmation!

 

3GUSER,

Thanks for your help!

Cheers!