How many security programs do I actually need..?

[ArnsteinB]

I have been AVG-fan for 15+ years, but added both Malwarebytes and Reason Core Security 6-12 months ago (all premium/pro-versjons)

The last few days Malwarebytes has often gone "completely bananas" with "Site is blocked... IP: 82.163.143.147(?), Port:..., Outbound, svchost.exe).
AVG and Reason Core had several warnings/findings, but at least their warnings wasn't in the way for clicking on save-button for downloading programs. (Malwarebytes-warnings gave me a "window" of 1/10th of second to click "save").

A guide from BleepingComputer helped me get rid of the problem today, but I'm a bit disappointed that none of the three above could fix the problem...

https/www.bleepingcomputer.com/virus-removal/fix-malicious-web-site-blocked-alert-from-svchost.exe/

How to fix Malicious Website Blocked Alerts from Svchost.exe, in short:
- iExplore (don't boot afterwards)
- HitmanPro (don't boot afterwards)
- adwcleaner. Now boot.
- Network settings: check that DNS is set to be received automatically (TCP/IPv4) (It was correct on my PC)

Malwarebytes still found 13 items after this, many of them was high risk.

I then run Reason Core. It no longer find anything.

I then run AVG. It no longer find anything.

Booted. Now all is OK and quiet again, like it has been for years..

But, I now also bought HitmanPro...and considering to add HitmanPro.Alert... (Update: Installed the free trial of HMP.A, and it was immediately activated. Included in HMP..?

Btw; How many security programs do I actually need..?

 

[Herc08]

I mean you shouldn't really need much. You could get a suite (I know AVG offers one). But you need a firewall, anti-virus, and anti-malware/spyware. That's pretty much it. Windows Firewall is ok, but doesn't detect everything unless you make it, but a lot of programs can automatically add rules to the Windows Firewall.

 

[t53186]

One good antivirus. An occasional malware scan. Beyond that clean up your browsing habits if you are getting a bunch of junk, like malware, pop ups, virus.

 

[ArnsteinB]

I mean you shouldn't really need much. You could get a suite (I know AVG offers one). But you need a firewall, anti-virus, and anti-malware/spyware. That's pretty much it. Windows Firewall is ok, but doesn't detect everything unless you make it, but a lot of programs can automatically add rules to the Windows Firewall.

"You could get a suite..."Did you miss this..? "I have been AVG-fan for 15+ years, but added both Malwarebytes and Reason Core Security 6-12 months ago (all premium/pro-versjons)"

 

[ArnsteinB]

One good antivirus. An occasional malware scan. Beyond that clean up your browsing habits if you are getting a bunch of junk, like malware, pop ups, virus.

Did you read all of my post..? I have AVG, Malwarebytes and Reason Core Security... (all premium/pro-versjons).

 

[t53186]

I read your post, you don't need all that, well maybe you do. I have free anti virus, free malwarebytes, and that's it. No problems ever.

 

[Scottray]

I've run Norton for years and an occasional scan with Malwarebytes (free version). The most important is your own behavior. Stay off of nasty sites, be careful of what you download and don't click on email attachments, unless you know that they are legit. I drilled this into my kids and haven't had any issues on our home network and PCs.

 

[mwryder55]

In my over 20 years with personal computers I have never been infected by any malware of any type. I have used various anti-virus programs, with or without firewall, and only once have I been alerted to an infected message. That was around 20 years ago and from a software vendor I was working with.

 

[ArnsteinB]

I've run Norton for years and an occasional scan with Malwarebytes (free version). The most important is your own behavior. Stay off of nasty sites, be careful of what you download and don't click on email attachments, unless you know that they are legit. I drilled this into my kids and haven't had any issues on our home network and PCs.

Yes, those are all sound advices. I have followed them myself for many years. I have been a computer geek since 1983.

It is no longer just "nasty" sites that can infect you.

The main issue here, was not about what people should do/not to do on the net. I don't want to think twice about clicking links on the net. I want software that protect me when I'm surfing. The main thing about my post was to focus on that not even those 3 big, trusted names (AVG, AMB & RCS), don't protect you well enough.

HMP & HMP.A. seems to very good though, but let's see....

 

[USAFRet]

The best AV is that squishy grey gunk that exists between your ears.

 

[boosted1g]

You should not have 3 active security programs running. Run a task and 3 three are going to suck up resources scaning the same file.

You should have 1 good (I dont define AVG as good, at least in the last 8 years or so) security suite (antivirus, firewall, etc) and then malwarebytes scanner as a backup.
I perfer kaspersky or bitdefender. Bitdefender has better detection but has a horrible UI and even worse trying to modify settings. Kaspersky has almost as good of detections but actually allows you much larger control so you can actually have a functional PC. Had a PC that bitdefender would not let it get a scan from the printer, even after whitelisting the applicaiton.

 

[ArnsteinB]

You should not have 3 active security programs running. Run a task and 3 three are going to suck up resources scaning the same file.

You should have 1 good (I dont define AVG as good, at least in the last 8 years or so) security suite (antivirus, firewall, etc) and then malwarebytes scanner as a backup.
I perfer kaspersky or bitdefender. Bitdefender has better detection but has a horrible UI and even worse trying to modify settings. Kaspersky has almost as good of detections but actually allows you much larger control so you can actually have a functional PC. Had a PC that bitdefender would not let it get a scan from the printer, even after whitelisting the applicaiton.

I agree that one program should be enough, but which one..? None of those three could fix the problem, or prevent the malware/trojan to "enter" my PC. MAYBE Bitdefender or Kaspersky could have prevented the problem in the first place. We will never know.

iExplore/HitmanPro/adwcleaner fixed the problem (I'm not sure which one, but I belive it was HMP).

I like the concept behind HMP.A, so lets see for the next years if anything like this happen again.

Last time I had a similar problem is many, many years ago.

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

I've used Comodo Internet Security for many years, never been infected, hacked or had any other malware hits while I've been using it, despite being a visitor to a few "dodgy" sites on some occasions. Best of all it's free.

https/www.comodo.com/home/internet-security/free-internet-security.php?track=8234&s_track=7639

 

[mwryder55]

I've used Comodo Internet Security for many years, never been infected, hacked or had any other malware hits while I've been using it, despite being a visitor to a few "dodgy" sites on some occasions. Best of all it's free.

I used the paid version for a couple of years and quit using it after a virus hit one of the company's NAS units. When I scanned a directory the first time it found infected files which were cleaned. Scanning it again showed no infection even though I could see the files being changed. It looks like they were trying to improve the performance by saying that since I had already scanned the directory it didn't need to scan it again.