Do I even need antivirus?

OmniDyne

Active Member
For those who are interested, please read one of the latest tests regarding malware protection and how good they are at blocking any type of malware: https://news.sophos.com/en-us/2019/...d-endpoint-protection-aep-security-value-map/

In blocking exploits (the most dangerous malwaretype since they often give the attacker SYSTEM-level access (that is even higher rights than your own administrator-account has, not affected by UAC, NOT GIVING ANY WARNINGS).
Out of 35 different exploits Sophos managed to block 34,
-Symantec (=Norton) only blocked 19 where another 1 exploit got missed but was stopped by other means, totally missing 12 exploits.
-Microsofts defender WITH EXPLOIT GUARD only blocked 17 exploits (10 without exploitguard), 2 where in both cases missed but was stopped by other means, totally missing a enormous 16 exploits EVEN WITH EXPLOITGUARD and a totally missing whapping 23 Exploits without exploit guard! (Defender is total CRAP!)
-Mcaffe only blocked 12 out of 35 exploits, missing 2 that was stopped by other means, totally missing a whapping 21 exploits!! Being an even bigger pile of crap!
-Trend micro only blocked 8 out of 35 exploits, and totally missing an extreme 24 out of 35 exploits, with 3 exploits stopped by other means That is really so poor it should not be called anything with the word "protection" at all..

And that is just the exploit protection feature tested.

in the 1: protection accuracy rating Sophos got 99%, in the 2: legitimate accuracy rating it got 100% and in 3: total accuracy rating sophos got a 100% rating..

Microsoft only got 1: 90% rating, 2: 98% rating, 3: 95% rating (= Not good at all)

Mcafee, Crowdstrike,Trend micro and Panda and webroot got even worse ratings (beeing worse than not good at all)

-Malwarebytes (that many here relies upon) was tha most crappy crap of them all...
1: a MINUS 25% rating (that is unique to get a minus score), 2: 100% rating, and 3: only a minute 55% rating..
That even worse than Microsofts low rated DEFENDER.... That is totally not accepted!

So everyone that claims no antivirus protection to be good enough and uses that as a reason to claim that no-one needs to use antivirus, are most likely people who has an interest in spreading malware, spyware etc. for their own benefit...

And note that the most efficient antivirus in this test was the cheapest one of them all, a measly €37,5 to protect 10 different PCs or Macs! And that one is almost the same as the business versions tested...
There is a free version of ALL of the tested antiviruses, but note that they all lack several important functions.. So the FREE versions of the above, are even WORSE at protecting you..

And if you use Microsofts defender, malwarebytes, mcafee, etc. please change to something that at least TRY to do their intended "job"...
You really can not do without an security software like an antivirus etc.

If anyone claims that you are better of without an protection like an antivirus, avoid those people, they have no clue of what they talk about...
Download the entire test here: https://secure2.sophos.com/en-us/lp/prove-it/endpoint-buyers-guide.aspx or at the NSS-labs

So, how much is Sophos paying you? They hiring?
 

Darren

Moderator
Staff member
Please somebody lock this thread, I'm begging you.
I mean we're bang on topic. I'm not going to lock it just because somebody disagrees with the rest of us.

@TheRealSwede not a single one of us advised against any AV at all. We simply are saying that paid AntiVirus is a waste of money for the majority of users if they've got some common sense and an AdBlocker. I've cleaned hundreds of machines of viruses and more often than not the more heavily infected ones had a paid AV anyway. Your likelihood of infection is 90 percent down to the individual and browsing behavior.

If you want to waste your money on an AV I won't stop you, but from actual experience and cleaning computers for work for years, I've seen a lot and paid AntiVirus does nothing worth its price tag. Even if you don't like Defender, pretty much all AV's have a free version.

I even made commission on selling Avast Pro, but depending on the user I'd advise free was enough or paid if they frequently had issues with viruses. Prefer give real advise than a 10 dollar kickback.
 
not a single one of us advised against any AV at all. We simply are saying that paid AntiVirus is a waste of money for the majority of users if they've got some common sense and an AdBlocker. ..--.. Your likelihood of infection is 90 percent down to the individual and browsing behavior.
Well The common knowledge of today is really that "common sense" and "Adblockers" are not good enough today, that was some 15yrs ago, but not today!

Free Antivirus software are free for one reason, to show you how that software work so you get more "comfy" buying the premium version.. And free AV is always crippled!

Most of them does not even have a proper network-scanner, so they do not stop the malware BEFORE it hits your computer-system, They may in some instanses find it when it has executed in your computer, and created a copy of itself in the filesystem.

The REALLY GOOD PREMIUM versions does hav that ability to scan whats coming in via the network and blocks the download before any code has been executed.. (That is proper safety)

As a comparison: Having free AV is like putting an burglar alarm into your building, while a payed (PREMIUM) AV is like securing your your building by enhancing the strength of the buildings doors and strengthening the windows etcetera.

-A burglar alarm does not PREVENT a burglary, it will only sound a horn and try to scare the burglar away! Much like free AV, they does not have the needed functions to prevent an malware attack, they can only find the malware when it already has struck in your computers (and most suck at removing all the malware components).
Most Free AV is good att finding malware FILES on your harddrive, but not good at all in protecting what is coming into, or running in your computer..

-A premium (payed) version of the AV is similar to securing your building by enhancing the doors and putting bars on the Windows, So they BLOCK the bad guy even before it has managed to get into the building (your computer)..

This is done with network scanners, mashine learning, AI, and other functions that you will never find in an free AV...
-Good payed AVs may even find NEW, never seen malware that is not in any malware database, much thanks to AI and the mashine learning functions..

That is the reason that you should NOT use any free AV, unless to try out if you would like to buy the real protection..

Free AV is more a "try before you buy", not an actual "full" product!

That is why I dislike when people claims that "common sense and a free AV is just fine!" especially when most non-professionals often uses an Administrative account as their regular user account (with allows any malware to "piggy-back" on the users Administrative rights and thus may cause severe damage..)
Always logging on with an administrative account and using no, or free, AV is the worst thing one can do..

Since this thread was started by someone who asked IF Antivirus software was needed, Yes or NO! My answer is YES! And preferable a PREMIUM version of AV, not a free AV at all.

You may ad an adblocker, tinfoilhat, bells and whistles or even a pair of socks if you like.. That is up to the user in question! :)
But i find it offensive to recommend stuff that only seems to work, while not doing anything actually nessesary (like free av).
 
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Darren

Moderator
Staff member
I've never seen someone so invested in a paid AntiVirus.

Well The common knowledge of today is really that "common sense" and "Adblockers" are not good enough today, that was some 15yrs ago, but not today!


Honestly man, comments like these are massive red flags you just don't have a clue what you're talking about. AdBlockers didn't even exist 15 years ago, at least no where close to their current usage now. If anything paid AV was MORE useful 15 years ago than it is now as you had fewer options and the internet was much more of a wild west.

Gotta ask, what do you do for work? You seem to have all these grandiose claims but I've yet to see anything indicating you have actual experience beyond what you've read online.
 
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AlienMenace

Well-Known Member
And honestly, I wouldn't promote a page or a guide if the creator can't spell check (proofread) his own work before giving or selling advice. I read through the link about mistakes and found some mistyped or misspelled wording. That is not very professional to me, don't you think.
 
And honestly, I wouldn't promote a page or a guide if the creator can't spell check (proofread) his own work before giving or selling advice. I read through the link about mistakes and found some mistyped or misspelled wording. That is not very professional to me, don't you think.

I will notify the owner…
 
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