Safe'N'Sec Review

Thanks for the response. Do you have it set for strict on the computer your family uses. The reason I ask is that my wife wouldn't know what to do if she saw an alert and would be worried as she just emails and downloads online jigsaw puzzles and surfs a bit.

 

Yes, all are set at the default strict level. I generally do major installs. You'll see alerts during Windows updates as well (since they touch system files). The kids and wife have not mentioned anything yet. That's what I like about it. Take the trial and see how it behaves.

Blue

 

I may do so? I had been waiting because I read that the next version (version two) was supposed to be out now and there was talk of adding a firewall. I was just waiting for the feature set to stabilize.

 

I can understand that. The current release has been stable since, gee, late April or May I think. Between then and now they released SnS Business (July 20 or so) - which has exactly the same underlying application, but some added aspects since you have the LAN resident management application which interacts with the clients. There was also the initial screen shot proposal of a revised alert windows (see here). So things have been occurring.

No idea if things are getting close to hitting the street, but judging from the stability of the application at launch, they much do a fair amount of internal testing.

Blue

 

I'm totally happy with the product, if they never released another version i'd be happy. It works, it seems bug free, and offers awesome protections.

 

Looks like Online Armour is also adding a firewall. My AV NOD is rumoured to be planning a firewall. Seems the in thing to do.

 

Which is a shame.. I don't like bloatware, I don't like combo packs or suites. I prefer to pick my apps seperately.. I also don't like software firewalls, I prefer my SMC Barricade SPI firewall - zero system drag.

 

I'm using the 2.0 beta right now, and it's coming right along. The new UI and some other new features are forthcoming (in the next couple months). No firewall now, but it does now cover driver/service install, memory overwrite, hooks, termination, suspend thread, & set thread context. I had some problems with it at first, but they seem to have gotten them smoothed out for the time being.

The downside is that it's now initially a lot more "noisy", and the new features make it more "techy", but overall I am liking it a lot.

 

Techy is not good for sure and noisy doesn't sound to hot either.

 

I'm really trying to push them to keep the bloat OUT of this product, but i'm losing the battle. Basic consumers seem to think that suites and all enclusive packages offer better value for the money - thus the increased bloat of most products.

I'd rather have it the way it is, without the nonsense bloat, which is why i'm keeping the older versions around handy and if there isn't a "Lite" version of 2.0 at release.

 

Hi SDS909
I concur with you on the "bloatware".
I also am lead to believe (correct me if I am wrong), that you are also helping them with their forums located at
http://star-force.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2&sid=1c620eafd278701b67b2561e17ce3cf9
There seems to be a lack of input from users ...... is it possible to promote the use of that forum for SNS input?
Just a suggestion on my part.

Hi Notok
I am also "beta" testing what they term version 2.0, but the program says "1.1(update version 5).
Yes it is noisey at first after install, but it has settled down after a day of running all the applications on the PC.
My previous input mentioned a "possible conflict" with CS.... as it turned out it had nothing to do with SafeNSec...I had to remove CS (enough said on that subject...lol)
I am still waiting for them to improve the following:
-blocking hooks and code injection
-blocking/alerting on all registry changes (operative word is all), as it does some.
The previous "beta build" had all of Windows update listed under "partially trusted/restricted".... this version does not pick them up anymore, they are no longer listed.
Cheers

 

I've tried to apply for BETA testing. A couple of days ago infact.

Entered my details, pressed submit, the page refreshes telling me nothing? Is that what should happen?

Kinda confusing.

 

Hi there!

Please, refill the request form, we had some problems with our web-site reconstruction.

If somebody have the similar problem - just refill that form.

 

Thanks.
I re-applied, all looks good so far.
Waiting for a reply

Update: Got a reply

 

PC Mag review. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1879960,00.asp Click where it says read full review here. This is how they tested it. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1880012,00.asp

 

The Hammer,

Thanks for the link. It's a little difficult to make out the details of the test. Obviously, you have to have a sense of your security objectives when reading these reviews. They note that SnS successfully handled 24 out of 30 pieces of malware, while PrevX Pro handled 26 of 30 with some performance degradation, TruPrevent handled all with a major hit to performance and stability, while PivX preEmpt handled just 10 of the 30 test malware. Not quite sure how preEmpt ended up with a marginally higher score than SnS, but it did.

For each of the products tested, it's not clear whether all the malware in the test were within their scope. They also noted some unexpected alert warning encountered with SnS. I've never seen this and have only seen stability issues in instances where a product with competing functionality was also installed on the system. Otherwise, I've seen no stability problems from 1.0 to the current 2.0 beta I'm running.

For myself, I run SnS on 5 systems with NOD32 or KIS 2006 beta installed with absolutely no issues. On the KIS systems, KIS is installed without the Proactive Defense being installed. In the very early KIS beta releases I did notice a conflict if the KIS Proactive Defense was installed with SnS active, even if the KIS PD was disabled, and have not bothered to install it since that time as I prefer the SnS manner of handling these items.

It would be nice if a little more descriptive and quantitative detail were provided around these results. For example, I weight performance degradation fairly high, so Truprevent's performance drag could be a show stopper for me. One of the final recommendations of the review, which would point a nontechnical user towards Truprevent over SnS seems dicey given the comments regarding stability with Truprevent (although they also noted some alert issues with SnS).

It seems as though some of the informal user reviews of programs like these, for instance SafenSec by kareldjag, provide substantially more useful information and analysis than this one in a major publication. That's rather sad when you think about it.

Overall, I'm comfortable with my choices and I'll let it go at that.

Blue

 

Anyone know when the new version will be out?

Last I heard was mid-November

 

Thanks, Pete

 

The word I just got is that: "the final release will be available in several days". This wasn't solicited on my part, but rather letting me know that the beta is coming to a close. Maybe they decided to push it forward?

 

Seems the final 2.0 is now out
Waiting for my license to be sent before i install it.

 

Yep - I had an email with a lic this evening from the Beta test

 

Is this a final release or just the last beta?

I am downloading now!

As I did not have to enter any serial number, as with version 1, it looks like this is the final beta