Zemana AntiMalware

Discussion in 'other anti-malware software' started by Wendi, Oct 12, 2019.

  1. Wendi

    Wendi Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2008
    Posts:
    643
    Location:
    USA
    I just downloaded and installed Zemana AntiMalware Free (v3.1.395) and my first scan found and deleted a bothersome Chrome hijacker as well as a suspect driver. Both of those malware were never detected by WD (neither in realtime or with its scans), so ZAM seems to be a very worthwhile addition! :thumb:

    Question: Does the Premium version offer additional benefits when using ZAM only as a 'second opinion' scanner?
     
  2. Bill_Bright

    Bill_Bright Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2007
    Posts:
    4,041
    Location:
    Nebraska, USA
    You are assuming the Chrome hijacker and "suspect" driver were indeed "malware". For sure, the "suspect" one may not have been. I see that the same as a PUP ("potentially" unwanted program). Potentially does NOT mean "definitely is" unwanted. In fact, I have seen several that definitely were wanted and were legitimate.

    And browser hijackers typically change your home page, redirect you to other and possibly dangerous sites, or change what is displayed when you visit a page. If those changes never occurred, then it is more likely those were false positives and not real malware.

    Still, it is always good to have a secondary scanner available to double check to make sure you, the user and always weakest link in security, or your primary scanner didn't let something slip by. While I generally recommend Malwarebytes for that, Zemana makes for a good secondary scanner too.
    Like Malwarebytes, the main difference between the free and paid/premium versions is the premium includes a real-time scanner.
     
  3. Nightwalker

    Nightwalker Registered Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2008
    Posts:
    1,387
    Just to add my two cents, ALL browser hijackers detections that I have seen until now from Zemana were false positives, so it is pretty bad in this aspect.
     
  4. Bertazzoni

    Bertazzoni Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2018
    Posts:
    652
    Location:
    Milan, Italia
    @Wendi

    Agreed. Zemana has work to do on its on-demand scanner and real-time, which is probably not worth $$$.
     
  5. SIR****TMG

    SIR****TMG Registered Member

    Joined:
    May 31, 2004
    Posts:
    833
    I agree with both of you above
     
  6. Hiltihome

    Hiltihome Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2013
    Posts:
    1,131
    Location:
    Baden Germany
    Me too.
    All false positives!
    At the current state I don't recommend to trust ZAM 3.xx
     
  7. ako

    ako Registered Member

    Joined:
    Nov 16, 2006
    Posts:
    667
    I removed Zemana due to too many false positives. I had still a few months left on my free licence.
     
  8. bellgamin

    bellgamin Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2002
    Posts:
    8,102
    Location:
    Hawaii
    I have used ZAM Premium for a long time. All of its alerts have been verified by at least 6 or 7 Virus Total scanners. No FPs here. By the way, I only run ZAM on demand but use Premium so as to support a useful security app.
     
  9. Wendi

    Wendi Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2008
    Posts:
    643
    Location:
    USA
    I do not believe the Chrome hijacker was a FP. Before ZAM detecting and removing it I frequently experienced annoying popup ads upon launching Chrome. Since ZAM's actions I have not had any of those popups (yet). :doubt:

    @Bill_Bright replied that the main difference between the Free and Premium versions is the inclusion of a real-time scanner in the paid version. Since I intend to use ZAM only for 2nd opinion scans that feature isn't of value to me.
     
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2019
  10. Nightwalker

    Nightwalker Registered Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2008
    Posts:
    1,387
    @Bill_Bright already adressed your question:
    The only "benefit" is the real-time scanner and for me it isnt worth it.
     
  11. Bill_Bright

    Bill_Bright Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2007
    Posts:
    4,041
    Location:
    Nebraska, USA
    I certainly agree that popup ads can be extremely annoying, but that does not make them malicious - nor are popup ads an indication of a browser hijacker.

    I recommend you give Malwarebytes Free a try. You might like it better. FTR, I use Windows Defender on all my W10 systems here. And I use Malwarebytes Free on 4 systems and Premium on the my main two. Malwarebytes Premium is one of the very few antimalware solutions that plays well with other programs. I have not experienced any problems running both in real time at the same time.
     
  12. Wendi

    Wendi Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2008
    Posts:
    643
    Location:
    USA
    Hi Bill. I didn't really believe those popups were malicious, but they were annoying for sure and (so far) they are gone! I do appreciate your suggestion that I try MBAM Free. Since you seem to prefer it over ZAM, I will try it.

    Wendi
     
  13. bellgamin

    bellgamin Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2002
    Posts:
    8,102
    Location:
    Hawaii
    As BBright said, the only difference between free & premium is the real-time scanner.
     
  14. Hiltihome

    Hiltihome Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2013
    Posts:
    1,131
    Location:
    Baden Germany
    I have used ZAM from the very start, and was impressed.
    So impressed, that I did the German translation for Zemana.
    But that was ZAM V2.XX
    V3.XX produces soo much FP's, that I warn relying on it.
    Since V3.XX is out, I see not progress, instead it's getting worse.
    Anmerkung 2019-10-12 035435.jpg
     
  15. Surt

    Surt Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2019
    Posts:
    471
    Location:
    USA
    It's a good thing SpyShelter showed up, but I still miss the original ZAL with its logical, well structured "outdated" GUI. And a simple, singular purpose, anti-logging, in one's own preferred, layered strategy.

    ZAL-RIP.jpg
     
  16. Bill_Bright

    Bill_Bright Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2007
    Posts:
    4,041
    Location:
    Nebraska, USA
  17. Hiltihome

    Hiltihome Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2013
    Posts:
    1,131
    Location:
    Baden Germany
    From 10 up to 14 FPs, in only 4 days.
    They are making progress...
    Anmerkung 2019-10-18 005709.jpg
     
  18. Hiltihome

    Hiltihome Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2013
    Posts:
    1,131
    Location:
    Baden Germany
    ZAM is moving fast.
    From 14 FP's to 21 Fp's.
    Among them: Intel and Adobe...
     
  19. Hiltihome

    Hiltihome Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2013
    Posts:
    1,131
    Location:
    Baden Germany
    The haven't fixed any of now 21 FPs in 2 weeks.
    Finally I uninstalled ZAM 3.xx, and rate it as abandonware.
     
  20. bellgamin

    bellgamin Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2002
    Posts:
    8,102
    Location:
    Hawaii
    ZAM is a second opinion scanner. As such, it should be (and is) very aggressive. ZAM lets me whitelist any items that it flags as potential malware, and I do so as soon as I have checked the flagged items with such as VirusTotal, HitmanPro, et alia. I also do routine scans using Norton Power Eraser, which is also very aggressive.

    Version 3 of ZAM was issued this year, 2019, so it is still relatively new -- 1 major engine change per year is quite average so I do not yet view ZAM as abandoned. As to its aggressiveness -- that is the reason that I paid for it.
     
  21. Bill_Bright

    Bill_Bright Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2007
    Posts:
    4,041
    Location:
    Nebraska, USA
    No its not. If it was, it would be marketed as such. But no where on the website, that I can see, do they suggest their product (free or paid) should play second fiddle to a primary scanner.

    Also not so. Every scanner should be very aggressive. But very aggressive should never translate as some excuse for false positives somehow being acceptable. They never are. But false positives do happen. But when they do, they should aggressively fixed, and that obviously is not happening either - which is not good! :(

    Sorry, but I think you are really just trying to convince yourself (and perhaps us) you made a good choice paying for it. And I don't blame you. I sure would not like paying for something that later turned out to be a mistake. But it happens. And perhaps when you did buy it, it was a wise choice.

    If you wanted it as "second opinion scanner", perhaps you should have stuck with the free version. That's what I do with Malwarebytes Free.
     
  22. Bertazzoni

    Bertazzoni Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2018
    Posts:
    652
    Location:
    Milan, Italia

    I quite agree with your entire reply. I paid for Premium version 2.7.XX and before license expired I was sorry I had.. BTW, even a newcomer like WiseVector StopX is much better than Z, as a stand-alone or as a 2nd opinion scanner.
     
  23. plat

    plat Registered Member

    Joined:
    Dec 19, 2018
    Posts:
    2,233
    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    Can anyone recommend Zemana now, without reservation? I don't have the confidence to use it, based on the observations of Hiltihome and others, plus my own admittedly limited experiences. But there is still an open mind.
     
  24. Bill_Bright

    Bill_Bright Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2007
    Posts:
    4,041
    Location:
    Nebraska, USA
    I'd say in terms of its #1 responsibility, detecting malware, it is good at doing that. Beyond that I would not recommend it as a primary scanner. And due to its other short comings, not as a secondary either. If I already owned a copy, I would not get rid of it. But if I were looking at getting a secondary scanner, I would look elsewhere.
     
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2019
  25. kaljukass

    kaljukass Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2011
    Posts:
    244
    @plat1098 Forget it forever! You never need such a thing. No one else but the manufacturer and the seller don't need it never. And even they don't need it for nothing else, if only to make money.
     
  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.