Resource Usage: Bitdefender AV Plus 2014, NIS & MSE

I know someone who went to a local PC Shop to get Malware cleaned from his Compaq Windows Vista 32 bit Desktop PC. The local PC Shop installed MSE and stated that MSE was superior to Norton Internet Security and was free. Norton Internet Security with up-to-date subscriptions was installed on the PC when the Malware infections occurred. I told him that this was not correct and that no Antivirus software fully protects from all Malware.

I don't remember the exact hardware of his Compaq Desktop PC. The PC is a 'low end' Compaq Desktop PC and was purchased just a few months after Windows Vista was released. The memory had been previously upgrade to a total of 4 GB (2 X 2 GB).

Options that I am considering suggesting to him:

Option #1. Uninstall MSE and install Bitdefender AV Plus 2014 (I have a 2 year license that I decided not to use that I can give him.). Install Malwarebyte Anti-Malware free Trial and purchase a 1 PC Lifetime license from NewEgg.

Option #2. Uninstall MSE and install Norton Internet Security (latest version). Install Malwarebyte Anti-Malware free Trial and purchase a 1 PC Lifetime license from NewEgg.

Do you think that Bitdefender's AV Plus 2014's Resource Usage would not be much different from the Resource Usage of the latest version of Norton Internet Security?

Thanks in Advance.

Note: This is not an A versus B Thread. I just want to know which of the two options given above would be reasonable on Resource Usage.

The person who uses the PC is like most people. He just wants to use the PC thinking that an AV should be able protect him from everything. Given that mind set, I threw in Malwarebytes Anti-Malware with Active Protection.

 

I have found most folk infected with malware either have no protection installed or its out of date(subscription has lapsed)or in a lot of cases they have turned it off to download something that their anti-virus has blocked them from doing so while active:-nowt as queer as folk as we say around here!can't see how any pc shop could say that MSE is superior to nNIs while keeping a straight face to be honest,unless they are hoping for repeat business!

 

Many PC repair shops plus many of my fellow IT pros who moonlight doing PC repair and malware clean up install MSE for one reason - it is idiot proof, updates cleanly, and runs unintrusively on their non-commercial customer PCs. This means less service call backs and complaints.

Notice I mentioned nothing about protection in the above. Unfortunately many PC users care about security but don't want to do anything proactively to improve that security. That includes anything that interfere's with their normal PC usage which is risky overall.

All this results in continuing and profitable business for these local PC service entities.

 

Contrary to what some may think, MSE is very good. I actually use it on one computer with SecureAPlus and it is a very good combo with little system impact.

Add HitmanPro Alert and you have a free killer setup.

 

In regards to the original post, I don't think the local pc shop's comments were out of line. However no security pkg is 100% on any given day. That being said MSE supplemented with MBAM Pro and sandboxie should help reduce your friends malware issue(s). Remove Java, update Flash and other browser plugins, etc.

 

BitDefender actually got a higher performance score than Norton in the latest Av-Test.

BitDefender AV Plus + MalwareBytes PRO = extremely unlikely to get infected. Hell, BD alone would probably be enough.

 

I have never seen anything to substantiate that, in professional tests or my own.

 

This is an excellent combo for MSE. MSE is an excellent virus scanner. Problem is most of today's malware are not viruses. MSE scores low on the AV lab tests because is zero day protection is poor. MBAM Pro on the other hand gets high marks on it zero day protection. It also scores highly on ransomware protection. Also MBAM has recently expanded it's PUP protection to include most known adware and spyware installers.

The weakness in the MSE + MBAM Pro combo is in its web protection. Supposedly MBAM Pro's web protection has been "beefed up" to provide actual web page malware scanning versus it's original IP blacklist capability. I have not seen any tests however that show how effective the new web protection is.

Finally MBAM Pro might not be a good choice for an old PC with limited hardware resources since Pro tends to be resource intensive.

 

I have drafted an EMail to the PC owner. The following are some Options that I am considering suggesting to the PC owner. I think he would not do Option #5, so I may leave out Option #5. What do you think about these Options and what changes would you make?

Thanks in Advance.

Option #1 (Free, minimal setup work, only a very slight increase in protection, no increase in “Active” protection): Keep MSE. Install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware without the Free Trial (No Active Protection). Periodically update the Malware signatures and run a scan of your PC. Remove any Malware found.

Option #2 (~$25, minimal setup work, some increase in protection): Keep MSE. Install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware as a Free Trial (Active Protection) and purchase the Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1 PC Lifetime License. Once the Lifetime License is received, activate the Lifetime License. Periodically run a scan of your PC. Remove any Malware found.

Option #3 (~$25, minimal setup work, a significant increase in protection): Install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware as a Free Trial (Active Protection) and purchase the Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1 PC Lifetime License. Once the Lifetime License is received, activate the Lifetime License. Periodically run a scan of your PC. Remove any Malware found. Download the Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2014 30 Day Free Trial. Uninstall MSE, restart the PC and install the Bitdefender Antivirus 2014 30 Day Free Trial. Once you feel comfortable with Bitdefender Antivirus 2014, I can send you my License Key which still has about 22 months left on it. Activate Bitdefender Antivirus 2014 with the supplied License Key.

Option #4 (~$50, minimal setup work, a significant increase in protection): Install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware as a Free Trial (Active Protection) and purchase the Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1 PC Lifetime License (~$25). Once the Lifetime License is received, activate the Lifetime License. Periodically run a scan of your PC. Remove any Malware found. Download the Norton Internet Security Free Trial. Uninstall MSE, restart the PC and install the Norton Internet Security Free Trial. Once you feel comfortable with Norton Internet Security you may order a 1 PC 1 Year License for around $25.

Options #5 (Cost varies with Option selected, some setup work, a very significant increase in protection): Download, install and configure Sandboxie in combination with any of the above Options. Sandboxie may be used unregistered (Free), however it is recommended to purchase the Sandboxie Lifetime Home License for around $42. This Lifetime Home License covers all Windows PC that you own for personal used for a Lifetime. A purchased (registered) Sandboxie adds a few features plus you do not get an “Nag” Screen. With a ‘minimally configured’ Sandboxie, you still have a significant increase in protection with any of the above Options.

 

Just goes to show that you can never trust all the advice you see online. Not sure where trjam is getting his info. MSE is DEAD LAST in this test

http://www.av-test.org/en/tests/home-user/windows-8/janfeb-2013/

Look at the very bottom of that table.

 

I think generally you'll find most people advise against McAfee, Microsoft, and Norton/Symantec for security products. I'll concede that growing up I had my own fair share of problems, but computer security has come some way since then and so has my computer experience. Most of the products have bloated to include both preventative and proactive defense, as well as, other features. Even browsers have come some way since then. I think people are going to hold on to some of these biases. I know for a fact that I HATE internet explorer. So I wouldn't let people steer your decision too much. Do some research and if necessary give the products a trial run and see what you like. A tool is only as useful as the person that wields it. I would like to stress that I've heard good things about a lot of these products recently including: the web shield for internet explore, a major overhaul with Norton 360 Complete, and McAfee Enterprise is popular amongst businesses.

 

That's great, if it's well designed it shouldn't have a big impact on the browsers speed etc etc...
where did you read about this?

 

I absolutely dislike MBAM Pro's Web Protection. Randomly I get these blocks on trusted sites like yahoo finance etc., and it never tells you why it blocked it. And I can't even find them in the logs. MBAM has these primitive looking text file logs that are a real pain, you have to open each one up individually and search them.

I suspect all of these are FPs. I have gotten 4 or so in the past 6 months.