Complete protection from scratch

Discussion in 'other anti-malware software' started by tepe2, Jan 27, 2008.

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  1. tepe2

    tepe2 Registered Member

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    I have decided to ditch Nod32 and never use it again. That force me to build a new security setup from scratch. Since I also spend money on other applications than security, I have decided to pay for only one security application. That one may be AV, FW or HIPS. I am looking for complete protection. (Does not exist, I know:) )

    Some products I think of is: Avira (free or suite without firewall) and OA (free or paid without AV+) Remember I only want to pay for one.

    Avira free - then I miss Spywareprotection, Proactive AntiPhishing and WebGuard. (some will say not needed, but if it exist I want it). Would have to buy the suite to get all this 39.95 euro.

    OA free - it miss Online Banking Mode, Web Shield, Mail Shield, Phishing Filter, Advanced Mode, Keylogger Detection - Kernel, Transparent Blocking and DNS Spoofing Protection. If I buy OA without AV+ I get all this. 39.95 US$.

    I know I will have good protection if I use Avira free together with OA free, but I want to pay for one of them because I think it can give me just a little bit more protection. I may be wrong. I dont know how important those missing features in both free versions are. Maybe not at all.

    Anyway - It seems to me as both these combos would give a very strong protection:

    1. Avira suite without FW together with OA free.
    2. Avira free together with OA paid (no AV+).


    Would both alternatives offer same protection or one would lack something? One run better than the other? No big difference between the two I think, but any difference? Any advice?

    Other products I think of (and like): Threatfire, DSA, Sandboxie. I try Sandboxie right now and have more or less decided to use it in my setup. I also use Threatfire right now and also want to use it in this setup, but not sure. DSA is out of question if I shall use OA. So forget about DSA.

    So in total:

    Avira free or suite
    OA free or paid
    Sandboxie
    Threatfire (maybe)


    Dont know if it will work but I find out. Anything I have tried earlier has worked on my pc. If you reply to this thread please dont suggest Comodo, Avast, SSM, Prevx etc. I know they are great but I have decided to focus on those mentioned above.

    The only other I could find a place for is Prosecurity Pro, but then something has to go out.

    I also use SAS free on demand. I may add other free scanners. I use an image tool (BootIt NG from Terabyte)

    Thank you so much :)

    Edit: Forgot to say I use Firefox w/NoScript
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2008
  2. Wordward

    Wordward Former Poster

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    ThreatFire and Avira Personal offers plenty of protection for most users IMO, and both are light and top shelf, but Online Armors next release should be very good. I have ran TF with OA Free and Avira before without any problems. Also I hear plenty of good things about Sandboxie and SafeSpace being used for added extra protection.
     
  3. Sportscubs1272

    Sportscubs1272 Registered Member

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    I had problems running Antivir Premium, Threatfire with Online Armor Free. Seems like the Antivir and TF combo conflicts with OA. Some users on their forum had the same problems.

    Sandboxie crashed when I had all three installed on my machine. I uninstalled TF and everything worked fine.

    I like TF so I went back to ZA Antispyware.
     
  4. trjam

    trjam Registered Member

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    get the Avira Suite and use with Sandboxie. You will still have speed and more then enough protection. Plus you will be able to upgrade to their new suite before Cebit,;) and the things that are going to be included in it, compared to the current one, are like night and day.:)
     
  5. Threedog

    Threedog Registered Member

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    I agree with Trjam.
     
  6. subset

    subset Registered Member

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    Seems like the PF falls into oblivion. :doubt:

    Cheers
     
  7. Kees1958

    Kees1958 Registered Member

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  8. subset

    subset Registered Member

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    As far as I know OA only uses US$ pricing, OA without AV+: 39.95 US$
    http://www.tallemu.com/pricing.html
    Would be about 27.13 Euro at the moment.

    This would be my choice, because in OA Free you will miss not only a few security features, but also Auto Updates, Import/Export Settings and Install Mode.

    Cheers
     
  9. EricEgan

    EricEgan Registered Member

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    I use a number of free products as my security setup.

    Comodo Firewall Pro 3 (With Defense+ HIPS) - Really Good firewall and better protection than AO.

    Comodo Memory Firewall (This soon to be integrated with CPF3)

    Comodo BOClean (Real-time anti-trojan/malware)

    Spyware Terminator with WebSecurityGuard and HIPS Disabled so it doesn't conflict with CPF3.

    I pay for Antivir PE Premium which is light on my system though it's email virus protection needs improving.

    MY Antivir runs out soon so I'll probably use my copy of Kaspersky Antivirus though it's slower on my system.

    Some new comodo products due to be announced in the coming months. I think there's some coming out later this week.

    Eric
     
  10. subset

    subset Registered Member

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    @ EricEgan

    BTW AO... did you mean massive multiplayer online roleplaying game Anarchy Online (AO)? ;)

    Cheers
     
  11. Perman

    Perman Registered Member

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    Hi,

    For freeware approach:

    Sandbox/virtualization: GeSWall, Sandboxie, Returnil or SafeSpace

    Firewall: Comodo firewall with Defense+

    HIPS: no need, since Comodo defense+ has this section covered.

    AV; Avast home

    AS; SAS free on demand only and Winpatrol(real time)

    If you have RAM more than 512 MB, consider to add

    Comodo BoClean (AT real time), and ThreatFire (behaviour blocker).

    Take care.
     
  12. aigle

    aigle Registered Member

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    Hi tepe2, do u have good imaging software, ISR etc!
     
  13. Bio-Hazard

    Bio-Hazard Registered Member

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  14. tepe2

    tepe2 Registered Member

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    I slept, went to job, came home and.....so many replies. Thank you so much, all of you :)

    Yes I have Terabytes BootIt Next Genereation for imaging (and partition tool). I dont use ISR software only imaging and I am happy with that :) (I know about FD-ISR etc...)

    Some of you say maybe conflict with Avira, OA and TF. Thank you for letting me know. I can investigate or try on my pc. Sooner or later I find out.

    Subset you are absolutely right. Sorry my mistake. That said the price difference will not affect my choice. (I changed from euro to US$ in my first post now)

    Kees this is interesting. I have read the thread about this combo and must admit I have thaught of it.

    EQS - I know about it but dont know much about it. Will it be further developed or is it like the situation with NG? Is EQS very difficult to use? How userfriendly compared to SSM or TF?

    I can agree with you Subset. I may prefer to pay for OA and use Avira free instead of opposite.

    1. It would be interesting to know how the webguard, mail protection and phising filter compare between the two products (Avira and OA). They work the same with equal protection? Maybe nobody can answer this?

    2. I always thaught I should use one strong classical HIPS in my setup, like SSM and Prosecurity Pro. If so I would prefer PS Pro over SSM. Can OA do this part as good as PS Pro? If so that would make it easier for me to make a decision, but I am not sure OA work the same and as good as PS Pro. (But OA is more userfriendly right?)

    You already figured out I am afraid to miss features like webguard, mail protection and phising filter :) Maybe they are just for sale and not for real if you know what I mean?:)

    Again thanks :)
     
  15. Kees1958

    Kees1958 Registered Member

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    Tepe,

    EQS comes with file and registry filters (see the post), when you set the application protection as showed in the picture, EQS will be very quiet.

    OA has white and blacklist, you can even set it to not pop-up when a unknown program starts. As a matter of fact, when you set the internet facing aps to run safer, you do not have to be frantic on execution control,
    because downloaded programs run
    a) as a limited user
    b) have the process/com intrusion control of OA
    c) have EQS to warn you from the real bad things

    OA + EQS configured will protect against the same things as SSM/PS, only you leave the intrusions most violated by normal programs to OA. Because OA has a black and a whitelist, you get about 10% of the pop-ups compared to SSM or PS (or EQS, because those 3 are more or less eqaul aps).

    Only thing more quite than those programs would be a combo of DefenseWaLL and TreathFire with Avast. Then you only pay for DW.
     
  16. tepe2

    tepe2 Registered Member

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    Thank you so much Kees :)

    I am going to read more about these products, EQS included before I make any decision and start testing.
     
  17. trjam

    trjam Registered Member

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    One thing you might want to consider trying to decipher all of this. There are 3 routes to take.

    1. The simple route.

    2.The complicated route.

    3. And last but not least, the confusing route.;)

    only you can decide which is best for you. Good luck.:)
     
  18. tepe2

    tepe2 Registered Member

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    :) Yes I am thinking of that too. Considered the level of my knowledge I should stick to somewhere between 1. and 2. I believe EQS+OA is closer to 3.:) But I am a bit tempted because I also believe EQS+OA offer strongest protection. If I had more knowledge the choice would be so easy:)
     
  19. trjam

    trjam Registered Member

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    there isnt a "strongest approach", there is a "smart approach" based on your surfing habits, level of skill at using various products,etc. Over doing it can do more harm then good, just ask my computers. The key is to try and cover all areas of entry and not overlap. Start out small, keep reading here and dont be afraid to try new things. But always keep in mind that when X says Y is the best, and is what you need , X isnt you.;)
     
  20. tepe2

    tepe2 Registered Member

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    I know but need somone to remind me from time to time :D

    I have made one decision so far. That I will first try Avira free+OA+TF. For some it doesnt work, but if it works for me I stick with it. Now I only need to find time to test :)

    I wonder if theres an answer to this.

    Hope to be back in a week to tell you Avira+OA+TF work fine:)
     
  21. trjam

    trjam Registered Member

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    I have to ask you tepe, were you just using Nod by itself. Becaue none of these products by themselves will totally protect you. I mean yeah, I would love to see you buy Avira but be smart about it. If you have a good license for Nod use it. If version 3 doesnt fit your taste, use 2.7, it is proven. I mean, I would use 2.7 or 3, add OA free and Sandboxie and would not hesitate to worry about protection. I actually have used it. Of course I am not X either, but dont throw away what might just need some extras.:)
     
  22. tepe2

    tepe2 Registered Member

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    This is part of the story why I dont want to use Nod anymore:

    https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=195676


    I did receive a temporary license/password by pm after this thread so I could use Nod until I had paid. But when I received the invoice from Sweden (I live in Norway) I became a bit unsure. Before I received the invoice they told me to pay to their Norwegian account. In Norway thats 11 numbers. But on invoice only 8 numbers. And English text about BIC, IBAN, Sort code - Account No, OCR etc.....If you read that thread you understand thats more than enough. Should I also contact them to ask exactly how to pay with this invoice? NO! NEVER NOD OR ESET ANYMORE.
     
  23. subset

    subset Registered Member

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    Hi,

    in my opinion using multiple security software from the same class, like two AVs, two HIPSs or two PFs, does only indicate that you don't trust your choosen apps.
    As OA HIPS and EQS are covering almost the same range, it's like stereo control for mono output. ;)

    I prefer straight setups. AV + PF + HIPS
    Like NOD32 2.7 + OA or KIS7 (without proactive defense) + EQS

    Virtualization and Sandboxing tools can always be used in addition (some will say instead).

    TF is pretty useless in my opinion, very easy to kill, don't like such apps.

    Cheers
     
  24. innerpeace

    innerpeace Registered Member

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    Hi tepe2, Most browsers have some sort of phishing filter included. I'm not sure exactly what you do daily with your computer, but since you have Sandboxie blocking access to your important data when surfing, you could add a program like Returnil to virtualize your C: system drive and theoretically, your protected. This setup is ideal if your computer doesn't change much and you use it mainly to surf. If you download something you want to save, recover it do your desktop, scan it with your on-demand scanners and/or send it to Virus Total then move it to your D: partition.

    If you haven't paid for Sandboxie yet, you may want to because after 30 days it has a nag screen that makes you wait 5 seconds then you have to click continue. To me, it's worth the money and will provide a great and strong layer of security for your internet facing applications. Remember, it sandboxes/virtualizes the contents of everything that happens to the sandboxed application and it doesn't permit access to your valuable data.

    As you can see, I use Sandboxie, OA2 paid, Avira premium and I occasionally turn on Returnil when I do some possible "risky" surfing. I have a lot of faith in Sandboxie and I also keep up to date on my softwares like Java, Flash, FireFox etc. That in itself is good protection. All the programs you've asked about are well thought of. I don't think you can go wrong with whatever you decide, especially when using Sandboxie.
     
  25. tepe2

    tepe2 Registered Member

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    Subset, Innerpeace - thanks again. You and others have shared info, ideas and opinions.:thumb: Now the rest is up to me, and I will enjoy it :)
     
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