AV+ vs Suite

Just playing, and got a good deal on Avira Premium so I thought I would install it on my laptop. I have been using a suite.
I installed it and am using the following in real time.
Avira Premium
LnS Firewall
SAS Pro
Win Patrol Plus

Am I essentially as well protected as a suite? I am also behind a NAT router, although I wouldn't be if I travelled.

Thanks,
Jerry

 

Hey Jerry. You wont need SAS Pro! The Guard is crap! Use MBAM and SAS on demand (free).

Other Config is Ok afait.

 

I would say your suite included AV+AS+firewall+HIPS and it is already a good suite.

But how far you want the HIPS (in terms of scope) would be depends on your needs.

One thing that I have unchecked for real-time in Avira Premium is the Web scanner, because it delayed all my downloads, that is, I have to wait for the prompt where to save my downloads. It will always scan the file first before it offer the prompt for me to save, and I have to wait for almost a minute or so before I got the prompt where to save the file. I have been using KIS for a long time but it never delayed my download, maybe a different logic in the functionality of the web scanner for KIS.

For firewall, I use Outpost, so Avira + Outpost for me is already enough for my XP partition. I tired to add MalwareBytes Anti-Malware sometime before, but Avira + Outpost + MBAM slowed download my system. So I leave MBAM, leaving only Avira + Outpost for my XP system.

 

Thanks to you both.
I do appreciate your assessments and advice. I have been using KIS 2010, and more recently FSIS 2010, and both run well. I also used Avira Suite for awhile, and it ran well also. Almost everything runs well on my laptop.

I notice that LnS did not do well on the Matousec tests, but I have an impression that the test was more than just a simple firewall test.

Thanks, again,
Jerry

 

Chubb, I'm running Avira and Outpost and I noticed something that might be answered by your post, Since I changed from the KIS 2009 to my current setup.

I use speedtest.com to see how fast my downloads are going. With KIS 2009, the test just started right up and the download speed would go straight up and stablilize at the number. However, with my Avira and Outpost setup, the marker slowly increases until it reaches the final number.

I've also noticed that when I download a file, it starts out slow and increases as the download continues.

You have any idea why this would happen? Could it be the web scanner?

 

The only reason LnS doesn't do well at Matousec is because it is a pure firewall without HIPS. The firewall from my experience is superb...

 

Hi Mongol. I had read something like that, but did not remember the specifics. There are tests and tests, and unless one knows the details they can be confusing when they do not agree.

I have always been happy with LnS, and it was not intrusive to someone with little knowledge. The only other stand alone firewall I have used is Kerio 2.1.5, and it worked fine for me. Although it is an old one I do notice some still use it. I know so little about firewalls that I don't want to have to make many rule sets, but just to install and forget. Thanks.

I admit to some confusion as to what a firewall is expected to do. I thought it was primarily to block access through ports, and I depend upon the AV to detect and remove any malware that gets through by whatever method.

Regards,
Jerry

 

I am also running the Avira Suite. My question is What makes LooknStop any different from the Avira firewall? Packet and application filtering on both.

 

I am also interested in the answer to that. I am using the AV instead of the suite because I had a license for the AV. Other things being equal I prefer the suites.

Regard
Jerry

 

Hi Cherub,

The web scanner is the culprit. When I configured the web scanner, I ticked the option "Display progress bar". So when I started to download a file, I will first see a progress bar showing the scanning progress. The progress bar is located on top of the Avira icon on the system tray. When it has scanned enough, it will prompt the saving box to ask me where to save the file. The bigger the file, the more the time it takes to scan the file and the longer is the prompt to save the file to appear.

Sometimes, the prompt to save was brought up at about 40% scanning progress but sometimes, the prompt to save was brought at about 60% scanning progress. So I just have to wait, sometimes more than a minute, which is quite annoying. I therefore decided to disable the web scanner.

I also use KIS 2010 (and also previous KIS and KAV versions) in my Vista x86 partition and NOD32 AV in my Vista x64 partition, but I never get such delay when saving a file. The same goes to Outpost Security Suite.

I think it has something to do with the scanning technology and logic in Avira.

 

Very strange your case It could be possibly that you are running some other security app along with avira? In my case I have the webguard always enabled and, no matter what i choose to download (with it either enabled or disabled) the prompts are instant. The only thing different with webguard is that all downloads "appear" to be slow initially when you start them (while files are being scanned) but then when they are at the middle way (approx) the files are completed at "light speed". I mean, download times are the same with or without webguard on. You can compare them with a stopwatch

 

Not the case with Rising Antivirus MB is set to the max the WebGuard (Web Trojan Defense) pretty darn good if it detects something downloading that is infected it removes the files off the system. My rules are to Clean Virus or delete it. No reduction in download speed.

 

Thanks. I was wondering what was going on. For me, it's not really a problem. Like you said, more of an annoyance, but I'm glad I know why it's doing it now.

Once it gets done scanning, the download are faster than when I had KIS 2009, but it does take awhile to get going. lol

Thanks again for the explanation.

 

Thanks for sharing your experience Macstorm.

I have Outpost Firewall run alongside with Avira, but Outpost's AM is set to disabled. Actually, the download started immediately with normal speed, but the prompt to ask me where to save the file appeared only after Avira has finished the scan, at which point the file is already 60% downloaded. That means, the download started immediately and it went to the cache and then when Avira has finished the scan, it prompted me where to save it. The download speed is not affected. It's a bit annoying because I have to wait for the prompt.

I tried to scroll through all available options in web scanner to see if I have missed something, but I am not aware of any options that can change this behaviour.

I am sure Outpost is not the culprit because I have been using Outpost Firewall + NOD32 combo some time before and all download prompts appear right away.

So for the time being, I have disabled the web scanner because downloads are unavoidable every now and then, and waiting for the prompt at all times is quite annoying.

 

You're most welcome, Chubb

Then, we might conclude that definitely it's Outpost somewhat (perhaps by just being installed) what's causing conflicts with the webguard? It has to be
It seems that Outpost and Avira don't like each other...

By the way, I'm missing your 'break up' news on security software, remember Sophos?

Take care!

 

Yes, Sophos is going to release version 9 of the antivirus and endpoint protection late this month. Will see how this is going to compare with the current version 7.

BTW, I tried Avira Premium with Online Armor Firewall (paid) sometime before I used the Avira + Outpost combo. The prompt to ask me to save the file also appeared only after Avira has finished scanning the file. So there must be something wrong with the configurations that might have caused the behaviour.

 

Yes, that's probably the reason. The prompts on where to save the file should appear at the start of the download.

Thanks for the news on Sophos. I'll give a try on the new v.9 when it's out