Is it just me or does HitmanPro keep losing AV engines?

Discussion in 'other anti-malware software' started by GrammatonCleric, Mar 30, 2013.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. GrammatonCleric

    GrammatonCleric Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2009
    Posts:
    372
    Each update there seem to be less participants.

    Now it's only 4 and that is including EMisisoft which is basically Bitdefender or Ikarus. So it's realistically 3 engines.
    It started out with 6 where they used to include CLAMAV and AVIRA and maybe AVAST. WTF is going on?
     
  2. BoerenkoolMetWorst

    BoerenkoolMetWorst Registered Member

    Joined:
    Dec 22, 2009
    Posts:
    4,868
    Location:
    Outer space
    Re: Is it just me or does HitmanPro keeps loosing AV engines?

    I don't recall them having ClamAV, but I do recall Avira and Eset. They switch engines sometimes and a new one will be back. Dr Web which is now gone came in place of some other engine as well(I think that was Avira?)
     
  3. jmonge

    jmonge Registered Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2008
    Posts:
    13,744
    Location:
    Canada
    Re: Is it just me or does HitmanPro keeps loosing AV engines?

    or malwarebytes;)
     
  4. The Hammer

    The Hammer Registered Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2005
    Posts:
    5,752
    Location:
    Toronto Canada
    Re: Is it just me or does HitmanPro keeps loosing AV engines?

    Isn't Ikarus gone from EMsisoft?
     
  5. kjdemuth

    kjdemuth Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2005
    Posts:
    2,974
    Location:
    Boston, MA
    Re: Is it just me or does HitmanPro keeps loosing AV engines?

    yep. EAM uses Bitdefender now.
    It's too bad they didn't keep Dr Web. I swear that Dr web found some malware that a lot of others didn't Must be the russian sigs. ;)
     
  6. jmonge

    jmonge Registered Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2008
    Posts:
    13,744
    Location:
    Canada
    Re: Is it just me or does HitmanPro keeps losing AV engines?

    very true:thumb:
     
  7. CrusherW9

    CrusherW9 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2012
    Posts:
    517
    Location:
    United States
  8. blinking_spirit

    blinking_spirit Registered Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2013
    Posts:
    56
    Originally (3.5) they had:
    IKARUS
    Dr.Web
    Emsisoft
    Prevx
    G Data

    Good observation on the dwindling engines. And here I have a 2-year licence going ;)
     
  9. blinking_spirit

    blinking_spirit Registered Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2013
    Posts:
    56
  10. Doraemon

    Doraemon Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2009
    Posts:
    202
    Re: Is it just me or does HitmanPro keeps loosing AV engines?

    Same here. The loss of Dr.Web is bad for Hitman. Hope the newcomer is a good one! o_O
     
  11. safeguy

    safeguy Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2010
    Posts:
    1,797
    Well, it's not hard to see why. 1 possible factor is that the AV vendors that strikes a deal with SurfRight need to make estimations and evaluate whether it's good or bad for their overall business.

    What I'm saying is that although Hitman Pro is marketed as a "second opinion scanner", it's still a competitor and the potential to lose a portion of potential/current customers is there. It's only a matter of how much and whether the gains outweigh the loss.

    Different vendors have different priorities and strategies.
     
  12. erikloman

    erikloman Developer

    Joined:
    Jun 4, 2009
    Posts:
    3,152
    Location:
    Hengelo, The Netherlands
    Starting a HitmanPro discussion outside the HitmanPro thread will go unnoticed by us. Thanks to Tony R for pointing out this new discussion :thumb:

    That's highly exaggerated. Not with every update an engine is lost. If that were true we would have -188 engines. But I understand your concern.

    As can be seen from the HitmanPro splash dialog, we currently run the following engines in our Scan Cloud (in alphabetical order):
    • Bitdefender
    • Emsisoft
    • Ikarus
    • G Data
    In addition, you have the option to upload a suspicious file to VirusTotal as well (which has 46 engines), as we have integrated it in the HitmanPro client. As of build 190 no VirusTotal API key is required (thanks to direct support from VirusTotal). Improvements to the VirusTotal integration will be made in future builds, like automatic uploads to VT. This will be an opt-in feature and is not default enabled.

    But IMO you are emphasizing too much on the use of engines. HitmanPro is a behavioral scanner. If you have a live infection, HitmanPro will list the zero-day malware file 9 out of 10 times: without internet connection. The cloud scanners are only there to confirm HitmanPro's findings and to name the malware found. And as stated in the EULA, paragraph 4: “Internet-based Services: SurfRight provides Internet-based Services with the Software. It may change or cancel them at any time.”

    Unlike other malware removal applications, HitmanPro is the only tool that removes bootkits (MBR/VBR) and rootkits, replace infected system files with originals, has Kickstart integrated to easily remove ransomware or FakeAVs (no need for Linux or safe mode), is quick, does not need installation and does not conflict with any existing AV. Just to name a few unique features.

    As stated in the HitmanPro thread, we are in the process of adding an extra engine to the cloud. Adding engines increases detection rate, but also false positive rate. So we have to choose our engines wisely.

    I cannot elaborate on which new engine we are currently testing. Sorry.

    Hope this helps.
     
  13. siketa

    siketa Registered Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2012
    Posts:
    2,718
    Location:
    Gaia
    GData, Bitdefender and Emsisoft all use the same engine.
    o_O
    I would go with Bitdefender, Ikarus, Avast and Avira.
    Just my 2 cents...
     
  14. erikloman

    erikloman Developer

    Joined:
    Jun 4, 2009
    Posts:
    3,152
    Location:
    Hengelo, The Netherlands
    We currently use Bitdefender through the G Data engine. We use Emsisoft with the Ikarus engine (not the Bitdefender engine).
     
  15. siketa

    siketa Registered Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2012
    Posts:
    2,718
    Location:
    Gaia
    Ok.
    But again, BD and Ikarus share the same engine.
    Drop two of them and save some money. ;)

    GData And Emsisoft also have their own in-house engines, so keeping these two products is a way to go...
    BTW, Is Emsi's database still updated with Ikarus signatures? I'm not so sure...
     
  16. erikloman

    erikloman Developer

    Joined:
    Jun 4, 2009
    Posts:
    3,152
    Location:
    Hengelo, The Netherlands
    No Ikarus is not using Bitdefender engine. Emsisoft uses Bitdefender nowadays.

    Yes it is. Depends on which version you use.
     
  17. Rompin Raider

    Rompin Raider Registered Member

    Joined:
    May 6, 2010
    Posts:
    1,254
    Location:
    Texas
    I did notice that...missing an engine. Figured it was "vapor lock".
     
  18. Brandonn2010

    Brandonn2010 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2011
    Posts:
    1,854
    Well right now it's:

    - GDATA: Avast! and Bitdefender

    - Bitdefender

    - IKARUS

    - Emsisoft: Emsisoft and Bitdefender.

    So really there are 4 unique engines (Avast!, Bitdefender, IKARUS, Emsisoft), with 2 redundant Bitdefenders (GDATA and Emsisoft).
     
  19. Tarnak

    Tarnak Registered Member

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2007
    Posts:
    5,285
    I updated HMP the other day...;)

    ScreenShot_HMP_v3.7.3_build_193_01.jpg

    ScreenShot_HMP_v3.7.3_build_193_02.jpg
     
  20. siketa

    siketa Registered Member

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2012
    Posts:
    2,718
    Location:
    Gaia
    GData 2014 now uses in-house engine instead of avast's.
     
  21. shadek

    shadek Registered Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2008
    Posts:
    2,538
    Location:
    Sweden
    So much confusion... :D
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.