Best reasonable, non-overhyped freeware security setup these days

[Guest]

[MorphOS REBOL]

Well, what do all of YOU, as the users, think?

Which (assumingly working) combination of freeware applications do you believe to be the best overall FREE security suite these days?

(After the thread will be closed, I might create a poll for the supposedly working combinations)

I have some in mind, of course, but I won't try to influence anyone here by starting to contribute.

Now it's YOUR turn!

[MorphOS REBOL]

Ok, just to inspire you, here's some hints:

Some firewalls here: Comodo, Sygate (dead), Jetico, Kerio free

Some AV's: Avira, AVG, avast!, Comodo

Some Antispyware progs: Spybot S&D, Ad-Aware, SuperAntiSpyware, SpywareTerminator

Some Trojan Scanners: AVG Antispyware, emsisoft a squared free

Trojan Shields: Comodo BOClean....

HIPS and related: DiamondCS ProcessGuard, System Safety Monitor, InfoProcess Antihook, GS AppDefend, Threatfire, etc.

Registry Protection: Mark Jacobs Registry Watcher (new version now payware), DiamondCS RegistryProt, GS RegDefend

Script Protection: AnalogX ScriptDefender, Script Sentry

Encryption Tools, proxys, sandboxes, fileshredders....you can add anything here you deem essential

Cheers

[Soyabeaner]

CFP (Comodo Firewall Pro) + CBAM (Comodo BoClean Anti-Malware) + SAS (SUPERAntiSpyware) + HJT (HijackThis) + Opera (browser) + WWDC (Windows Worms Door Cleaner)



(Don't ask me about AV because I'm not running any and the above isn't necessarily my PC setup either...)

[Japo]

Well my avatar pretty much answers the question:

• Comodo Firewall Pro
• Avira AntiVir
• Comodo BOClean
• Spyware Terminator--includes HIPS
• AVG AntiSpyware Free (on-demand only)

(Also I use Opera and block pretty much everything by default.) I'm very happy and convinced about everything, only I would like more info about my choice for Spyware Terminator... How about its alternatives I mean with resident protection? I'm very interested. Also AVG AS compared to, or complemented with, other on-demanders including of course Spyware Terminator's scan.

Rebol I know you're eventually going to tell us your expert opinions about good setups, and about proxies, sandboxes etc. too, AND I'd be really disappointed if you didn't. Looking forward to learning from your input Rebol. Also from other users, go ahead and post!



EDIT: forgot to say that I run a limited user account in XP and the admin one is password-protected.

EDIT2: I see you haven't even mentioned Windows Defender... Is it that bad?

[MorphOS REBOL]

Hi Soya, did you ever try HiJackFree by emsisoft?

http://download5.emsisoft.com/a2HiJackFreeSetup.exe

Do you think HJT is better?

Are you sure that Opera (because of not being open source) is more secure than FF with reasonable extensions? (not just the ones being offered at the official addon site, of course...)

Do you really think SuperAntispyware is any better (or, not worse) than a squared free or AVG (former ewido) free?

And, could you please tell me more about th WWDC?

Last unnerving question....Have you ever tried AnalogX Script Defender? It's totally configurable and very user friendly...

Cheers

[Soyabeaner]

Whether it be HiJackFree vs HJT or Firefox vs Opera, I cannot comment as I have not used most of the other products.  The ones I've listed I haved used and what I deem as best in their fields (except for CBAM as I have not used it long enough to know its effectiveness).  All I know is Opera has saved me countless times where I would've been infected by malware while browsing the sites on IE6 due to ActiveX that automatically runs hidden scripts and whatnot (I've compared this while browsing on the same site before) and has (one of) the least reported vulnerabilities.

WWDC is a tool to close certain annoying services/ports by Windows: http://www.firewallleaktester.com/wwdc.htm - it's probably a fraction of the script that you use on your other thread and not everything should be disabled if you're on a network.

[MorphOS REBOL]

Ok Japo, you demanded it.

1. Best firewall: No comment yet (Remember they're all DT FW's)
2  using nlite windose castrating system tool before install
3. a certain script I recommended somewhere here, not too long ago, if you find it, you're lucky (it's a cmd, and you can have a look inside the source code of course)
4. Using Avira as first choice real time AV shield
5. Using on demand scanners for virus detection:
    http://www.pctipp.ch/index.cfm?pid=1411&pk=28470 (Sophos, TrendMicro, McAfee, Kaspersky) turned into one console tool
Other free scanners: Bit defender free v.10, clamwin, avast!, AVG
6. GRC Tools (some of them)
7. Javacool Software (all of them)
8. XPAntispy or Xpy
9. AnalogX ScriptDefender
10. Some HIPS of your choice (best one? well, I don't dare naming it yet)

Last hint: Have a hq beer and don't use warez sites.

[Soyabeaner]

DT FW's

DT = | FW = Firewall.

[MorphOS REBOL]

Hey Soya! Really wanna know what a DESKTOP FIREWALL is?

lol

Cheers

[Soyabeaner]

I know what desktop is, just that it didn't really need an acronym because it's only one word

[MorphOS REBOL]

Soya:

Quote: "I know what desktop is, just that it didn't really need an acronym because it's only one word"

Now you're obviously right, you're the winner nowl

You've just won one day of drinking dark coffee with me to discuss this topic (in total privacy) further.
Interested?

[LeoniAquila]

Best setup? Depends a LOT on user habits! Visiting warez sites etc. - you can't be too careful. Being the opposite, you would hardly need any program.

The best firewall today is, like we all know, Comodo. What else do we need? Some kind of antimalware is good. I have BOClean sometimes, CAVS sometimes. And sometimes both...

Be careful, block EVERYTHING except for what's necessary. Then you'll be fine.

/LA

[Japo]

Thank you Rebol. I have some default services disabled since long, but also opted to leave others running. I'd really like to know what each and every service is about, perhaps one day I'll research more into it. The NetBIOS or whatever, I disabled it because having it enabled (unknowingly by default) caused popups from CFP if and when Spyware Terminator was running. I posted here asking about it and someone provided me with the solution. I don't know what NetBIOS is but since I obviously don't need it I'm glad that traffic path is closed now.

From another thread, Justin thinks ST is good:

For Windows I use Spyware Terminator, it's updated almost every day, and has great realtime protection, and not only does it preven, but it also scans and removes infection as well, where as the tools you listed do not.

I know very little but I chose my security setup because I've consistently heard favourable opinions about all these programs.

About the browser, security is not the only consideration when choosing one, of couse it has to be secure. My option for Opera is because almost every aspect of a browser's functionality, but also it can be configured for greater security. However I'm not one of the people who think that their browser makes them bullet-proof. Safe habits or at least non-suicidal ones are of course the first step. Also IE7 is not so insecure I hear, and it requires active user consent for running the kinds of ActiveX that can be exploited. Upgrade from IE6 to IE7 will be included in Windows Automatic Updates in November, and IE6 will be history and a thing of the past if it's not yet. Concerning vulnerabilities, one's got to recognize Opera's developing effort to have 0 known vulnerabilities almost 100 per cent of the time, showing that IE and FF with higher market success have no excuse for lagging. In this aspect Opera kicks the competition off.

Also having no vulnerabilities is nice but still, your computer can't be perfectly secure unless you don't use it, and besides most of the times someone gets and infection is because he downloads somethings shady and runs it himself, without even scanning it first.

[aladinonl]

How abt HIPS?

SSM, Pro security, Antihook, winpooch, winpatrol...

I'm using SSM free, its just gr8, but will b replaced by CPF3 soon (hopefully).

wit CPF, SSM, Opera under sandboxie, i haf no anti-nasty running on-access, demand-scanners only: AVG AV, AVG AS, a2, Calmwin AV.

[MorphOS REBOL]

Just in case you should'nt know, EVERY sandboxing technique kills ALL of your privacy settings, cause inside the virtual environment, everything is allowed.

Cheers, and stay calm.

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