Windows Defender Is Becoming the Powerful Antivirus That Windows 10 Needs

Discussion in 'other anti-virus software' started by Secondmineboy, Jan 30, 2016.

  1. EASTER

    EASTER Registered Member

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    Amen to that @xxJackxx. While i didn't have THAT high a frequency of toasted units from AV's, all of them were a massive undertaking when it came time to remove all their feelers and fingers from UNINSTALLS. Which was a blessing in an odd sort of way since it started the undertaking of me doing BACKUP IMAGES before every new AV install.

    But being new to Windows 10 with Micro-Defender AV built-in it's enough on this end that some additional third party security in a supportive role is as far as i'm willing to risk.
     
  2. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    Hmmm, this is scary stuff. I actually didn't even use an AV for over 12 years and I never had any problems with malware. I must say that Win Defender is getting a bit annoying, I see that folders with .exe file sometimes open a bit slowly because it's always scanning the same files over and over again. But I also don't see myself switching to a third party AV, don't really trust them.
     
  3. GrDukeMalden

    GrDukeMalden Registered Member

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    Voodooshield is a good thing to pair with windows defender. Although I'd still reccomend using "high" on configure defender and changing the cloud level to "block" and the lookup timeout to the full 60 seconds.
     
  4. EASTER

    EASTER Registered Member

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    Thanks @GrDukeMalden for another good suggestion. Never really got off the ground with VS on my end, and not because it wasn't a solid product/program but with so many choices some got a head start.

    What's you take on coupling Configure Defender w/ HardConfigurator OR even Simple Configurator.
     
  5. GrDukeMalden

    GrDukeMalden Registered Member

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    I've never tried those other configuration tools.

    As for how I configure voodooshield. I have "automatically trust files that match a digital signature in the whitelist snapshot" turned off. I have the option to auto-deactivate turned off. I have auto-allow by parent process turned off and I have left-clicking of the shield disabled for a little bit of idiot-proofing too. And I have all of my regularly used apps protected by VS.
     
  6. SeriousHoax

    SeriousHoax Registered Member

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    No. The size of regular signatures is tiny. Only a few kilobytes or megabytes if it hasn't been updated in a while. You can check it by yourself if you want.
    By default, Defender updates once a day unless you restart the system or have fast startup disabled. With cloud protection enabled, you don't need constant signature updates. The cloud is always up to date.
    1.PNG
     
  7. 1chaoticadult

    1chaoticadult Registered Member

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    Hi EASTER, I actually use HardConfigurator and it works well on my pc. I also have and use VoodooShield. You said Simple Configurator but it is Simple Windows Hardening just as a note. I personally prefer HardConfigurator myself because it includes InstallBySmartScreen, ConfigureDefender, FirewallHardening and allows me to customize settings to my preference. I will say if you don't need all the features of HardConfigurator or whatever other reason you dont want to use it, then Simple Windows Hardening might be a better bet.
     
  8. EASTER

    EASTER Registered Member

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    I appreciate your reply. Yeah I am so on the fence which best route to take between the two-and of course there is OSArmour 1.4.3 since I much rather if am going to Subscribe would for me be of better use for something like a registry monitor. There just isn't many to find anywhere or much in details of one.

    For me I prefer "live" (even audible) alerts even if nothing nefarious is switching around in the registry. Simply would like to have that section (very important) keep tabs in real time with some sort of monitoring detail which also is not intrusive for a user.
     
  9. 1chaoticadult

    1chaoticadult Registered Member

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    I understand where you are coming from. I hope you find a good solution for yourself. Good luck.
     
  10. Bunkhouse Buck

    Bunkhouse Buck Registered Member

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    I mentioned before that all but one of the 11 AVs I tested corrupted one or more Win10 files on my main computer. I needed to repair them via the sfc /scannow command. The only one that did not was Sophos that I use on several other machines but I have found it to hinder performance to some degree on my primary machine.
     
  11. Trooper

    Trooper Registered Member

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    So I am now down to running WD at home due to some issues I had with third party av's sadly. I am using Configure Defender and have it set to high. Anything else I could do to improve my setup or add more security? Thanks.
     
  12. Brummelchen

    Brummelchen Registered Member

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    Not really on Defender. Now add some passive security. I use sandboxie with forced folders, i use a HOSTS file, an additional firewall with some refined rules (dont interfere with windows firewall). Not sure if a hips like osarmor or similar will help you, i am trough with such tools as i dont see any benefit for me here, it only raises my todo.

    I have Shadow Defender installed for testing purpose for unknown software which cannot run in sandboxie. No cleaner working, i dont see any evidence here in my used windows (several), all run smooth.
     
  13. digmor crusher

    digmor crusher Registered Member

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    Something you could add would be Simple Windows Hardening, easy and effective.
     
  14. Osaban

    Osaban Registered Member

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    A reliable backup/image is the mother of all security, but I'm sure you do have one already in place. When I surf dangerously I use a virtualizer, but honestly it is overkill having a good imaging program which can produce an incremental backup in minutes. I find Defender already at default settings sometimes overzealous in its warnings, but that's okay with me...
     
  15. Trooper

    Trooper Registered Member

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    Thanks for all of your suggestions. I will take them into consideration. Cheers!
     
  16. Brummelchen

    Brummelchen Registered Member

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  17. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    OK thanks, then I'm guessing the 100MB download was because the engine got updated. I also think it's a bit weird that you would still need signatures updates when cloud protection is enabled.
     
  18. waking

    waking Registered Member

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    Perhaps to provide reasonably up-to-date protection even when
    there is no current Internet connection. For example, ensuring
    that portable media being connected to a device is checked
    adequately even when the cloud is temporarily unavailable.
     
  19. Brummelchen

    Brummelchen Registered Member

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    cloud protection there, were other mechanism of signatures fail, presumably for unknown files!

    cloud :rolleyes:

    cloud means upload to MS servers, this is a privacy disaster in cases.

    BTW ESET was one of the first (i think the first) who offered "cloud", but they named it different.
     
  20. JasonUK

    JasonUK Registered Member

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    Tried WD again yesterday but didn't last long :)

    Scanned system and it reported 3 threats... but nothing in Protection history, threats, quarantine or on event viewer. What's the point of an AV which doesn't tell you what it's done/found/cleaned etc? System was noticeably slower too than Avast Free which I've been using again for a few months.
     
  21. Brummelchen

    Brummelchen Registered Member

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    you will get an attention sign in tray that defender needs your attention, click on it and follow the yellow sign.
    but - last days i read some comments where the extra scan module (MSRT) has found evidence but nothing in the logs. could be the same issue. MSRT is disabled here (reg-twweak, you can also use privatewin10 from David).

    And for sure Avast free is worse than defender and its limited in direct comparison.
    because you switched to defender, any antivirus need time to build its database for safe files, so defender.
     
  22. JasonUK

    JasonUK Registered Member

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    WD has been set for periodic scans the whole time Avast Free was running. Avast Free consistently outperforms WD in AV tests although WD has steadily improved.
     
  23. Bunkhouse Buck

    Bunkhouse Buck Registered Member

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    It does not outperform in terms of false positives and to an experienced user, that may be of far better value. And, if Avast has a better detection factor, it is very marginal. WD is free and soon, Avast will likely be nearly free as well.
     
  24. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    Good point, if you have no internet connection, it should still be able to block malware via signatures and hopefully also via behavior blocking, but I have this feeling that for behavior blocking it's mostly depending on the cloud.
     
  25. Bunkhouse Buck

    Bunkhouse Buck Registered Member

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    That was covered to some degree in one of the recent AV Comparatives tests based on "offline" efficacy> Microsoft, Panda and Trend Micro were the worst for offline detection which means by deduction, both are very cloud dependent.

    I like Windows Defender on several of my machines but that low score for offline is a concern-no question.

    https://www.av-comparatives.org/tests/malware-protection-test-march-2021/
     
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