What Firewall and Antivirus tools you use ?

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chakkaradeep

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#15505 26-Aug-2007 17:07

I thought it would be nice to discuss about the anti-virus and firewall tools we use in our Windows Systems

I will start it :)

I use Kaspersky Internet Security along with Windows Vista Firewall turned on. I would recommend Comodo Internet Security and Firewall if you are running XP and looking for something free yet reliable product. Comodo is yet to release a Vista Compatible version but I think I wouldnt go out of Kaspersky as it has been good so far and rock solid with Vista ( I am using Vista Ultimate ) :)

The reason I turn on Windows Firewall in Vista (please note its in Vista) is that its really good and I do like the Network Discovery where I can hide myself from the network.

It would be really helpful for everyone if you can post your experiences :)

Thanks

Regards,
Chaks

Desktop : Intel Quad Core Q9400 2.66GHz - 8GB RAM - 500 GB + 500 GB HDD - NVidia GeForce 9800GT - LG246WH Flatron Display - Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise with Hyper-V
Virtual Machine : Powered by Hyper-V and VMWare Workstation
Laptop: HP dv7-3004TX Entertainment Notebook PC | HP Touchsmart tx2 1119au - Windows 7 Ultimate x64
Mac: iMac 21.5" Snow Leopard
Mobile : iPhone 3GS

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#83876 26-Aug-2007 17:11

I use Windows Live One Care v2. It integrates really well with Windows. Runs well and doesn't hog resources like some other products out there

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#83877 26-Aug-2007 17:12

I use Avast, Windows Defender and Windows Vista Firewall (only on Public networks). I also have a firewall enabled in my router.

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zion

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#83882 26-Aug-2007 18:12

After some serious manual tweaking (with a bit of head-scratching along the way), I use the built-in Firewall behind a router, but with outbound filtering activated, and outbound rules configured through the well hidden "Windows Firewall with Advanced Security" MMC snap-in. Getting Windows Update to function was the main challenge!!

As for AV, eTrust Antivirus 7.0 (a free promotional version) which uses the VET engine. Reasonably compact both size-wise and in resource consumption, although not particularly suited to most Vista users (due to the new Startup controls preventing it from being able to autorun). However if you have disabled UAC, then it works fine.

alasta

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#83885 26-Aug-2007 19:03

So is Windows Vista's built in firewall good enough to negate the need for a third party firewall?

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#83886 26-Aug-2007 19:17

Yes.

Unlike Windows XP, with Windows Vista you can create inbound and outbound rules, with blocking action by default. You can also create different sets of rules for networks that are private (home LAN for example), public (hotspot or mobile data) or while connected to a domain.

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chakkaradeep

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#83888 26-Aug-2007 19:33

alasta: So is Windows Vista's built in firewall good enough to negate the need for a third party firewall?

Yep. If you have Vista (not sure whether this is available in Home Premium), go to Administrative Tool-->Local Security Policy-->Windows Firewall with Advanced Security

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#83889 26-Aug-2007 19:49

On XP I am using ESET NOD32, with ZoneAlarm firewall.

On Vista, I am using Live Onecare V2 beta, this is becuase I am running a 64bit version of Vista, along with Vista's own built it firewall.

Both of the PC's are using Windows Defender., and both are behind a hardware firewall.

chakkaradeep

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#83891 26-Aug-2007 21:43

here is an interesting read

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#83898 26-Aug-2007 22:30

"Leak tests" are strange things, and according to the page you linked:

Leak tests are small, non-destructive, programs designed by security experts that deliberately attempt to bypass a firewall's outgoing security measures. The rationale behind them is painfully simple: "If this test can get past your computer's security defenses, then so can a hacker."

So we are tyring to keep hackers (wrong term, if those guys are serious they should know) not coming in, but they test things going out.

The way I see it, "leak tests" are great to show off some features, not all. For example, there's no dispute that Windows XP SP2 was a poor firewall, because it only blocked inbound connections - but with firewalls that actually block outgoing connections I wanted to see who can live with the constant notifications - I bet the majority of non-educated users when asked "Program 'mytrojan.exe' wants to access the Internet on port 25 (SMTP) - Allow or Deny" would click Allow, because they know nothing about port 25, SMTP or security.

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Tarq57

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#83900 26-Aug-2007 22:35

XP Home, SP2, fully (but selectively) patched. Most unnecessary services disabled/set to manual.
Firefox with noscript.
MVPS Hostsfile, managed by Hostsman.
SpywareBlaster.
Avast Home.
Comodo Firewall.
SpywareTerminator.
On Demand, AVG AS, Superantispyware, Asquared, Cureit, Spybot, a handful of specialist tools.
Works.

Oh God, what've I done to it now??

alasta

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#83914 27-Aug-2007 07:10

Tarq57:
SpywareBlaster.
Avast Home.
SpywareTerminator.

I thought Avast had spyware protection? Is a dedicated spyware protection utility more effective?

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Tarq57

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#83931 27-Aug-2007 10:25

Hi Alasta,
Avast, like most of the AV's, offers some spyware protection. The lines between the various categories of malware are a little blurred these days, I read, with a lot of the damaging malware being the trojan-based (and sometimes rootkit) type.
The cleaning methods most av's use are often not adequate for these, since they (the malwares) install component bits in different (and sometimes changing) locations.
So I'm far from certain, but am pretty sure that antispyware (and sometimes other) tools are necessary for them. Often have read on security forums about users who have had their AV warn about some kind of malware, but then "it keeps coming back".
So Avast is pretty good, there, partly because of it's webshield, and the ability to run a boot-time scan, others may be better- I hear NOD32 is about as good as it gets - but sometimes deeper analysis and even manual cleaning in safe mode are needed.

PS had something like this happen a couple of years ago, was using AVG AV, which kindly told me I had a Zlob downloader, but it then couldn't remove it. AdAware removed a bit of it, but it then regenererated. Spybot ditto. Asquared finally did the job. I blamed AVG at the time, but (a) really it was my fault for carelessly clicking, (b) quite likely another AV would have been no more effective. Still, I'm using Avast now, and real happy with it. SpywareTerminator has a form of HIPS that will prevent anything attempting to execute, without user approval, and that's pretty good.

Oh God, what've I done to it now??

chakkaradeep

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#83956 27-Aug-2007 13:23

One of my friend is testing several firewall/anti virus softwares namely,

1) Kaspersky
2) AntiVir
3) Sophos
4) Comodo

I got this anti-virus test code from him ,

Here is what you do,

Copy the code below and paste it to a text file and if your tool detects it as soon as you save the file or even before saving it to a text file (heck, antivir does that ! :) ), then your tool has passed one of several tests, lol. Kaspersky gave a message popup after 10 seconds I saved the file first time and I did it again and kaspersky detected it immediately and deleted it. AntiVir didnt even allow to save ! No worries, this code below is not a virus :)

X5O!P%@AP[4\PZX54(P^)7CC)7}$EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE!$H+H*

Tarq57

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#84051 28-Aug-2007 00:22

Good trick. (Avast picks it up when it tries to run, btw.)
Or you can visit http://www.eicar.org/anti_virus_test_file.htm and try to download any (or all) of the 4 test files. The last is double zipped, takes a pretty good unpacker in the scanner to get that one. Avast's webshield blocks them all, prior to download.
I seem to recall that 2-3 years ago AVG got 2 or 3 of them, Avira (Antivir then) about the same.

Oh God, what've I done to it now??

chakkaradeep

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#84052 28-Aug-2007 00:58

Just tested with Firefox and IE 7 and Firefox allows to save the file , but with IE 7, Kaspersky doesnt even allows to save the file and in another fresh installation of Vista, Windows Defender detected and asked Remove All or Ignore :)

So, is Firefox safe ????

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