Please advise me on my setup

AV: Avira Antivir Premium
Firewall: Netgear Router (Hardware), Sygate Pro 5.6 (Software)
Antispyware: SAS Pro 4
HIPS: EQSecure 3.41
Sandbox: SandboxIE
Rootkit: GMER (On demand)
Encryption: TrueCrypt 5
Privacy: R-Wipe and Clean
System Eraser: DBAN 1.0.7
Backup: Shadow Protect, FD-ISR (replaces system restore)
Hardening: SpywareBlaster 4, PeerGuardian 2, IE7 Pro, MVPS Host File

This is my current setup and i now need a little bit of advice. Im already going to be replacing EqSecure 3.41 and SandboxIE with EqSecure 4 final. However, i was wondering if adding a behaviour blocker like threatfire would add to my defences?

I was thinking or replacing avira with threatfire free or running threatfire alongside avira? Would it improve protection, or is it just overkill?

 

Your setup looks good but to me it's totally overkill and uses lots of system resources. No reason to add threatfire with all of those.

 

I disagree. My current setup runs very light and the constantly active programs are avira, SAS Pro, Syagte and EqSecure. I dont thinkits overkill yet when compared to what some people use in their setups lol.

However, what if i was to replace avira premium and sas pro with threatfire? Would that be more effective or am i better off with my current setup?

 

With EQSecure v4 having a sandbox then I don't see the need for an AV. Add to that SAS Pro and Threatfire while behind Sygate(I assume to manage outgoings as you are behind a router?). Looks a good setup to me. Nicely layered.

muf

 

As long as theres no conflicts and your system is up to speed I don't see a problem with your setup.
Looks like your covering your a** with the layered approach which is a good idea,IMO.
Myself i'd keep the AV and the AS and forget about TF. I think you got that aera covered.

 

Cheers guys. Looks like ill be sticking to what ive got.

 

Just curious why you asked for advice. You get a response saying its probably overkill - you disagree - and then appear happy when others confirm that what you have is good. Please don't take offense but I'm not really sure why you asked for advise if you really intended to stick with what you've got all along.

Just to answer your question anyway - I think its massive overkill - but what the H - we all have to have pointless hobbies.

 

I was only really asking if using a behaviour blocker like threatfire along with Sygate and EqSecure would provide better protection than using Avira and SAS Pro

 

just avira+Netgear Router+eq+sandboxie. it is enough.

 

TVH,

>ALL these apps do NOT make your system slow (?)
>Having -BOTH- Hardware Firewall and Software Firewall?
Just Keep your Hardware Firewall.
>Already using AV&AS scanners with HIPS & Sandboxing
and adding a behavior blocker (=ThreatFire)? No way.

Some combinations (apart from having a Hardware Firewall):

-AV+AS.
-AV+AS+Sandboxie.
-Sandboxie+EQS.
-Sandboxie+TF.

Having AV+AS+Sandbox+HIPS+Behavior Blocker -all Together- is an overkill.

 

These are all so called light applications, if they are running altogether very light on your system: congratulations, never change a winning team.

Well, who knows what happens if you add ThreatFire (Pro ?) and where should it be more effective with it.
At browsing, at p2p? What are you using Sandboxie for? Why SAS Pro on access?
In other words, I am not really sure which areas all these on access apps should cover exactly.
But as long as there are no conflicts or slowdown, this is a minor problem.

Cheers

 

A classic firewall + a behav. blocker (blacklisting ON STEROIDS) + a classical HIPS vs two "traditional" blacklist scanners. I guess that my thoughts are very clear, even if using a behav. blocker and a classical HIPS together is close to pointless.