Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 16 of 21

Thread: Firewalls/Antivirus

  1. #1
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Posts
    28
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Firewalls/Antivirus

    So having solved that ZoneAlarm was the problem slowing dowm my PC. I quickly searched for replacements for now, which I have chosen Comodo Firewall (Free) and Avast Antivirus (Free) along with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.

    So, is their anything else I should install? or do you guys recommend a different firewall/antivirus etc than what I have installed? Even if their paid or free as I want to protect my computer.

  2. #2
    Seething Cauldron of Hatred TheAnimus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    17,164
    Thanks
    803
    Thanked
    2,152 times in 1,408 posts

    Re: Firewalls/Antivirus

    What OS are you running? There really shouldn't be any need for anything other than Windows 8.
    throw new ArgumentException (String, String, Exception)

  3. #3
    Editable... jimbouk's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Bristol
    Posts
    2,811
    Thanks
    244
    Thanked
    238 times in 191 posts
    • jimbouk's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asrock B450M-HDV R4.0
      • CPU:
      • AMD Ryzen 5 3600
      • Memory:
      • Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4 3200 MHz C16
      • Storage:
      • Sabrent Rocket Q 1TB NVMe PCIe M.2 2280
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Sapphire Pulse RX 580 8GB
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic Core Gold GC-650
      • Case:
      • Lian-Li PC-V1100 ATX
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 Pro
      • Monitor(s):
      • AOC CU34G2/BK 34" Widescreen
      • Internet:
      • EE FTC

    Re: Firewalls/Antivirus

    Microsoft Security Essentials and Microsoft Firewall (plus the standard router firewall), I gave up on various other free offerings as they just became more bloated. I'm sure good ones exist, but so long as you take a bit of care and aren't downloading warez from dubious locations then they should cover you.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Smudger's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    St Albans
    Posts
    3,834
    Thanks
    643
    Thanked
    608 times in 444 posts
    • Smudger's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gbyte GA-970A-UD3P
      • CPU:
      • AMD FX8320 Black Edition
      • Memory:
      • 16GB 2x8G CML16GX3M2A1600C10
      • Storage:
      • 1x240Gb Corsair M500, 2TB TOSHIBA DT01ACA200
      • Graphics card(s):
      • XFX Radeon HD4890 1GB
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX520
      • Case:
      • Akasa Zen
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 Home
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 24"
      • Internet:
      • Virgin 200Mbit

    Re: Firewalls/Antivirus

    There's an article in this month's PC pro about AV, and they say MSE has become bloated as well. Avast comes out best, according to them. Not sure about firewall though. Windows firewall will probably do...

  5. #5
    mush-mushroom b0redom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Middlesex
    Posts
    3,438
    Thanks
    174
    Thanked
    362 times in 279 posts
    • b0redom's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Some iMac thingy
      • CPU:
      • 3.4Ghz Quad Core i7
      • Memory:
      • 24GB
      • Storage:
      • 3TB Fusion Drive
      • Graphics card(s):
      • nViidia GTX 680MX
      • PSU:
      • Some iMac thingy
      • Case:
      • Late 2012 pointlessly thin iMac enclosure
      • Operating System:
      • OSX 10.8 / Win 7 Pro
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2713H
      • Internet:
      • Be+

    Re: Firewalls/Antivirus

    Probably will be flamed for this, but I don't subscribe to the notion that any software firewall is worth having. Turn off all unused services, keep everything patched and you should be good. Most vulnerabilities these days seem to be from malware, and those which aren't should be blocked by your hardware firewall/router - obviously this assumes that you have no one trying to hack inside your network.

  6. #6
    Admin (Ret'd)
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Posts
    18,481
    Thanks
    1,016
    Thanked
    3,208 times in 2,281 posts

    Re: Firewalls/Antivirus

    Quote Originally Posted by b0redom View Post
    Probably will be flamed for this, but I don't subscribe to the notion that any software firewall is worth having. Turn off all unused services, keep everything patched and you should be good. Most vulnerabilities these days seem to be from malware, and those which aren't should be blocked by your hardware firewall/router - obviously this assumes that you have no one trying to hack inside your network.
    One reason for software firewall is not just to keep out what you don't want, but to keep what you don't want talking out from doing so. I've been surprised, over the years, about exactly what seeks to call out, and often, without telling you it's doing it, much less asking first. And I don't mean dodgy software, but full, licensed and often expensive stuff, like an accounts suite.


    Personally, despite the fact that some software has legit reasons for calling out (like checking for upgrades) I expect to be asked before it does it. Any software firewall, or at least a half-decent one like Comodo, does that. I would not allow a PC onto my network without such control.

    It's not a flame, by the way. I just don't agree with you.

  7. Received thanks from:

    jimbouk (16-01-2013)

  8. #7
    Editable... jimbouk's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Bristol
    Posts
    2,811
    Thanks
    244
    Thanked
    238 times in 191 posts
    • jimbouk's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asrock B450M-HDV R4.0
      • CPU:
      • AMD Ryzen 5 3600
      • Memory:
      • Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4 3200 MHz C16
      • Storage:
      • Sabrent Rocket Q 1TB NVMe PCIe M.2 2280
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Sapphire Pulse RX 580 8GB
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic Core Gold GC-650
      • Case:
      • Lian-Li PC-V1100 ATX
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 Pro
      • Monitor(s):
      • AOC CU34G2/BK 34" Widescreen
      • Internet:
      • EE FTC

    Re: Firewalls/Antivirus

    Quote Originally Posted by Saracen View Post
    One reason for software firewall is not just to keep out what you don't want, but to keep what you don't want talking out from doing so.
    I will agree with this. If you are safety/privacy cautious then a software firewall is a good tool. I gave up eventually because everything likes to update online automatically and it became too much of a hassle to maintain, but I can see it's merits.

  9. #8
    Admin (Ret'd)
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Posts
    18,481
    Thanks
    1,016
    Thanked
    3,208 times in 2,281 posts

    Re: Firewalls/Antivirus

    Quote Originally Posted by jimbouk View Post
    I will agree with this. If you are safety/privacy cautious then a software firewall is a good tool. I gave up eventually because everything likes to update online automatically and it became too much of a hassle to maintain, but I can see it's merits.
    That's where a level of granular control comes in handy.

    I expect three options, when the firewall kicks up software asking to talk out :-

    - always allow
    - never allow
    - ask every time.

    That allows you to fine-tune your response, not least on what the software is, and how much you trust the software house. And, of course, if you said either always, or never, you can override that, or reset the default, if you change your mind.

    But I agree, it's a balance between security/privacy on the one hand, and the hassle on the other. And it's a personal decision. I probably am far more towards security/privacy that most people, and some people would probably regard it as almost to a paranoid degree. I don't expect others to necessarily agreed, but it suits me.

  10. #9
    mush-mushroom b0redom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Middlesex
    Posts
    3,438
    Thanks
    174
    Thanked
    362 times in 279 posts
    • b0redom's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Some iMac thingy
      • CPU:
      • 3.4Ghz Quad Core i7
      • Memory:
      • 24GB
      • Storage:
      • 3TB Fusion Drive
      • Graphics card(s):
      • nViidia GTX 680MX
      • PSU:
      • Some iMac thingy
      • Case:
      • Late 2012 pointlessly thin iMac enclosure
      • Operating System:
      • OSX 10.8 / Win 7 Pro
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2713H
      • Internet:
      • Be+

    Re: Firewalls/Antivirus

    Fair enough I guess. I'm not that concerned about stuff dialling out from my domestic kit, and for the blue chip corps I work for, the default policy is deny everything unless it needs to be specifically permitted.

  11. #10
    Admin (Ret'd)
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Posts
    18,481
    Thanks
    1,016
    Thanked
    3,208 times in 2,281 posts

    Re: Firewalls/Antivirus

    A difference in perspective, I guess, from someone that works from home most of the time.

  12. #11
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Posts
    28
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: Firewalls/Antivirus

    Quote Originally Posted by TheAnimus View Post
    What OS are you running? There really shouldn't be any need for anything other than Windows 8.
    Windows 7

    Quote Originally Posted by jimbouk View Post
    Microsoft Security Essentials and Microsoft Firewall (plus the standard router firewall), I gave up on various other free offerings as they just became more bloated. I'm sure good ones exist, but so long as you take a bit of care and aren't downloading warez from dubious locations then they should cover you.

    I'v never actually tried those, I may give them a go.


    Quote Originally Posted by Smudger View Post
    There's an article in this month's PC pro about AV, and they say MSE has become bloated as well. Avast comes out best, according to them. Not sure about firewall though. Windows firewall will probably do...

    Many thanks for that! I'll check it out.


    Quote Originally Posted by Saracen View Post
    One reason for software firewall is not just to keep out what you don't want, but to keep what you don't want talking out from doing so. I've been surprised, over the years, about exactly what seeks to call out, and often, without telling you it's doing it, much less asking first. And I don't mean dodgy software, but full, licensed and often expensive stuff, like an accounts suite.


    Personally, despite the fact that some software has legit reasons for calling out (like checking for upgrades) I expect to be asked before it does it. Any software firewall, or at least a half-decent one like Comodo, does that. I would not allow a PC onto my network without such control.

    It's not a flame, by the way. I just don't agree with you.
    Which Firewall do you use? I'm currently running Comodo.


    I'm currently using Avast AntiVirus too, I'm actually tempted to try AVG again as I haven't for years.

  13. #12
    Admin (Ret'd)
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Posts
    18,481
    Thanks
    1,016
    Thanked
    3,208 times in 2,281 posts

    Re: Firewalls/Antivirus

    Quote Originally Posted by jcsix View Post
    ....

    Which Firewall do you use? I'm currently running Comodo.


    I'm currently using Avast AntiVirus too, I'm actually tempted to try AVG again as I haven't for years.
    There's a long and short answer to that, bearing in mind multiple machines running in a home and home-office environment, on a range of OS's including Windows 2000, Ubuntu and, yes, Win 7.

    But the relavant bit for you, which is the Win 7 machines, is ..... wait for it .... Comodo.

    I've used a variety over the years, both free and paid-for, and currently, and for several years, I prefer Comodo.

    But there's a thing. In my view, there's no one perfect, ideal 'best' firewall.

    Every product has to try to hit a blend between security and versatility on the one hand, and user friendliness on the other. If you have a product that is too locked down and cannot be adjusted, it's restrictive in what it allows, but that might be exactly what suits some users .... whether they know it or not.

    But it'll be useless to others.

    And if a product is very versatile, it can also be complicated to set up. Show most users a set of firewall rules and their eyes will glaze over in nanoseconds at the notion of TCP/IP, UDP, ports, and so on.

    And, if you have a versatile product in the hands of someone that doesn't understand it, then it is SO easy for them to leave it set so insecurely that it might as well not be there, as it gives a false sense of security.

    It's like having your front door replaced by a vault door that would do Fort Know proud, with a 50-digit numerical code to open it, then scribbling the code on a bit of paper pinned up by the door because the kids can't get in the house if you don't.

    Comodo suits ME. I'm a fairly PC and security literate guy, but I'm no expert. Comodo hits the right balance for me. For anyone else .... who knows.

  14. #13
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Posts
    20
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: Firewalls/Antivirus

    Using the same setup as you - have had no problems so far

  15. #14
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    milton keynes
    Posts
    67
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    6 times in 6 posts

    Re: Firewalls/Antivirus

    i use MSE and find it quite accurate and once a week run Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool http://goo.gl/TjAPp


  16. #15
    Registered+
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Posts
    28
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked
    0 times in 0 posts

    Re: Firewalls/Antivirus

    Quote Originally Posted by Saracen View Post
    There's a long and short answer to that, bearing in mind multiple machines running in a home and home-office environment, on a range of OS's including Windows 2000, Ubuntu and, yes, Win 7.

    But the relavant bit for you, which is the Win 7 machines, is ..... wait for it .... Comodo.

    I've used a variety over the years, both free and paid-for, and currently, and for several years, I prefer Comodo.

    But there's a thing. In my view, there's no one perfect, ideal 'best' firewall.

    Every product has to try to hit a blend between security and versatility on the one hand, and user friendliness on the other. If you have a product that is too locked down and cannot be adjusted, it's restrictive in what it allows, but that might be exactly what suits some users .... whether they know it or not.

    But it'll be useless to others.

    And if a product is very versatile, it can also be complicated to set up. Show most users a set of firewall rules and their eyes will glaze over in nanoseconds at the notion of TCP/IP, UDP, ports, and so on.

    And, if you have a versatile product in the hands of someone that doesn't understand it, then it is SO easy for them to leave it set so insecurely that it might as well not be there, as it gives a false sense of security.

    It's like having your front door replaced by a vault door that would do Fort Know proud, with a 50-digit numerical code to open it, then scribbling the code on a bit of paper pinned up by the door because the kids can't get in the house if you don't.

    Comodo suits ME. I'm a fairly PC and security literate guy, but I'm no expert. Comodo hits the right balance for me. For anyone else .... who knows.
    Thanks for that reply! I guess I'll stick with what I have

  17. #16
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Kingdom of Fife (Scotland)
    Posts
    4,991
    Thanks
    393
    Thanked
    220 times in 190 posts
    • crossy's system
      • Motherboard:
      • ASUS Sabertooth X99
      • CPU:
      • Intel 5830k / Noctua NH-D15
      • Memory:
      • 32GB Crucial Ballistix DDR4
      • Storage:
      • 500GB Samsung 850Pro NVMe, 1TB Samsung 850EVO SSD, 1TB Seagate SSHD, 2TB WD Green, 8TB Seagate
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Asus Strix GTX970OC
      • PSU:
      • Corsair AX750 (modular)
      • Case:
      • Coolermaster HAF932 (with wheels)
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 Pro 64bit, Ubuntu 16.04LTS
      • Monitor(s):
      • LG Flattron W2361V
      • Internet:
      • VirginMedia 200Mb

    Re: Firewalls/Antivirus

    Microsoft Security Essentials seems to be pretty reasonable - and you can bet that Microsoft will be enthusiastically maintaining it. I've heard mixed reviews of Avast v's AVG (although my phone runs the latter). MSE I've used on two PC's (backed up with the free version of AntiMalware) and it seemed quite reasonable and low impact.

    What I'd be wary of is the big name suites - they seem to eager these days to upsell you into more products. I'm currently running McAfee on the Windows boxes I've got and I'm not sure that I'll be renewing this year, as the system impact seems more and more. As for Norton, Satan will be looking for rock salt for his paths before that comes in here!

    The other question is, as noted above, whether you actually need such a tool. If you can guarantee safe working practises and are willing to tweak here and there then I'll agree it's an unnecessary expense. On the other hand I'll argue it can be nice to have as a backup (the "are you sure you want to run that dodgy file?" reminder).

    Even if I do go AV-less for myself, then there's no way in hell that the kids are getting the same configuration. Had a nasty turn at the weekend when looking at the wee one's machine, only to discover a load of .exe files in the download directory. When asked, she said they were games that she'd downloaded and tried to run from a variety of sites - and this is someone who's been on the school/cubs IT awareness training. Luckily she's got a Linux system at the moment, so Windows malware ain't likely to be an issues (and her WINE installation is locked down so root privs are needed to install to it).

    Likewise I run AVG's AV app on my S3 phone - not because I need it, but actually more for an automated sanity check. On the other hand my main system is a Linux one - it's just faster than Windows on the same hardware and I'm pretty safe in the knowledge that it's also Win-malware proof.

    Career status: still enjoying my new career in DevOps, but it's keeping me busy...

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •