ESET Smart Security

[Simon]

One advantage with suites, as opposed to separates, is that there is less likelihood of conflicts or compatibility issues with different brands of security software.  OTOH, it could be argued that if a suite 'goes down', then you lose all your security in one swoop, but I've never heard of that happening.

[Rik]

No, but the argument is valid for hifi.

[Simon]

Probably true, Rik.  I have always mixed and matched, because I have never been able to spend what I would have wanted to spend on a complete, one brand kit, all in one go, and I tend to replace components either if they pack up, or are superseded by newer technologies.  I do like Sony though, and have more of their equipment than anyone elses.

[Rik]

I've used many brands over the years, but having discovered Meridian, I would find it hard to move to anything else now (except some even more expensive brands). I'm just hoping that, come the day, Sue understands why I want to spend £6K on some speakers. 

[psp83]

6k on speakers? They made out of gold? 

I thought my surround sound speakers was expensive at £150 

Oh and back on subject.. ESS has been running now for a while on my laptop and gets used everyday and you dont notice its there except for the popup saying its been updated. I've put the firewall through a test and it passed the basic tests.. Haven't had time to do any better tests though..

[Rik]

6k on speakers? They made out of gold? 

There's a fair bit of gold in them, Paul, but it's the quality you're paying for (that and the dealer markup).

[alan]

Well after running the trial for a few weeks it appears much faster on my system than my BullGuard one. So I decided to go for it and get it from the USA site.. I got the two license (other for lappy) and it cost a total of £33.74 against a license for one from the UK at £39.99. Good old dollar.
.

[Rik]

Well done, Alan.

[Simon]

Oh, that's not a bad deal actually.  I may have to have another look at that.    Currently toying with reinstalling Kaspersky, as I have a couple of old licences for that, which would still work on the new version.  Only thing I don't like about it is the firewall.

[Gary]

Oh, that's not a bad deal actually.  I may have to have another look at that.    Currently toying with reinstalling Kaspersky, as I have a couple of old licences for that, which would still work on the new version.  Only thing I don't like about it is the firewall.

The firewall actually got a good review from matousec Simon, download version 7 if your license was for V6 and just use the new one

[Simon]

Has it still got that stupid drop down menu of options on the firewall, Gary?  I seem to remember it asking about a dozen times a night to allow some apps, when I was definitely ticking the box to remember the answer.  I know I can turn off Training Mode, but I don't like to give it carte blanche to go it alone.

[Gary]

It still asks you, it has a pop up like zone alarm, or you can manually add apps you want to be monitored, it covers in default mode the essential windows services and quite a few programs anyway, and you can add programs manually if you want which will be monitored. The setting you are on about should not be called low security really, as the firewall is monitoring anything in the default list Simon, it has an allow all setting which is the next setting down in the firewall control, so that tag low security is misleading also the pdm and registry modules monitor all actions in the system as well, along with rootkits etc so you are well protected. V8 will  incorporate a better firewall recognition, but it took me only a few days to train my firewall in training mode, but the standard mode is perfectly safe.

[Simon]

OK, thanks Gary.  I like the look of ESET Smart Security, but the price is a little off putting at the moment, given that I can usually find OEM versions of software to purchase, and can't seem to find one for ESET. 

[Gary]

I like ad blocking for poison banners etc which the eset suite does not offer, also registry protection is great for finding intrusions from malware as well, so I'll avoid eset as I won't use add muncher etc, also its not so great at spyware and malware as some other suites like the F-secure one and avira etc, its all about personal preference and what you need and prefer I don't thing there is ever a perfect suite, I mean Norton has better virus detection ratings that Eset, Kaspersky and Sophos but its evil to remove 

[Simon]

F-Secure is fine on my laptop, and it's still my favourite suite, but it's very fussy about what else is on the machine, and seems to want exclusivity.  It's never worked 100% brilliantly on my desktop, even after a reinstallation of Windows, and each version seems to have a different problem, although 2007 seemed to work best.  2008 is now installed, but the right-click manual scan doesn't work, and once again they are blaming something else on my machine, even though others have also reported the fault on the F-Secure forums.

[Gary]

Its so difficult to code for every machine Simon, all our boxes have different hardware and software configurations that's the problem, I think once you find a security suite that works and does what it says on the tin swapping them seems to eventually cause issue as they put hooks in deeply, I know its harder for Vista machines as well, I used to love NOD32 but it didnt like my motherboards built in hardware firewall, or Asus mobo monitoring program, for me in the end since I want no adverts both for security and speed of browsing I choose Kaspersky 6 and now 7, Eset Smart security does not have what I need personally feature wise, if it did I would have no hesitation in using it. You can't guarantee things will not clash these days it seems, a lot security vendors are saying to solely use their products to avoid conflicts and as I guess malware gets more insidious this will probably be the case more often than not as other products may well interfere 

[Simon]

Exclusivity would be fine, Gary, but no one program can claim to find 100% of all malware / spyware, which is why, most security conscious users have at least two spyware apps on board.  I have given F-Secure as much sole usage as I am willing to, and have no other 'running' spyware programs, but I do have a couple of other 'on demand' scanners on board.  The trouble with F-Secure is, they will immediately look at blaming my machine for any problems.  They once told me to remove Mail Washer, so it's not even just security programs they don't like!

I'll probably install KIS7 over the weekend and see how it runs, but it slightly aggrieves me to waste half a year's license with FSIS, because the program has suddenly stopped working properly.

[Gary]

I can understand Simon I use a on demand scanner as well as Kaspersky 7 and it has never found anything apart from the occasional cookie, alas mixing active protection seems to be the problem 

[Rik]

no one program can claim to find 100% of all malware / spyware

It's curious, isn't it. We all have a single AV program and expect it to be effective.

When it comes to malware, though, we accept having to run two apps to be effective. I wonder if that reflects how malware apps were only used by us geeks originally, and grew up as freebies? Should we still accept that no one app can do a thorough job?

[Gary]

It's curious, isn't it. We all have a single AV program and expect it to be effective.

When it comes to malware, though, we accept having to run two apps to be effective. I wonder if that reflects how malware apps were only used by us geeks originally, and grew up as freebies? Should we still accept that no one app can do a thorough job?

Funny you should mention that Rik here's a quote and a link about this subject "Are You Wasting Your Money Buying Antispyware Software?" http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,140211-c,spyware/article.html# it says that most modern AV's are good at finding spyware so a freebie like for me, superantispyware are pretty much all you may need, seems like the paranoia feelings a few of us get about markets creating needs may just right, as in the market for pay antispyware applications. Could it be there just to skim money off us maybe

[Rik]

I think malware is a real issue, Gary, but as you say, much of it is dealt with by a good AV program. The things that are usually picked up on my machine as malware are usually tracking cookies - nothing more sinister. If I clear my cookies before scanning, something I do every day, nothing is discovered.

I suspect that good 'personal hygiene' accompanied by good AV would be adequate protection for most people. Of course, we'll never know unless we do nothing...

[Gary]

I agree Rik Malware is a real problem but safe browsing a good AV which scans in realtime and common sense not to download that free antipsyware program called spybotscleanupallnow from a pop up always helps, I do various scans and like you it may find tracking cookies even tough I have modified FF's networkcookiebehaviour to help mitigate this but if I delete all my cookies then that does not occur, common sense goes along way, and a free on demand scanner may be all that is needed.

[Inactive]

I only use " free " stuff, AVG, Superantispyware, Microsoft Defender, Spybot S&D, Comodo Firewall......never had a problem.

Crosses fingers and toes.

[Rik]

You forgot the eyes, In.

[Inactive]

I did...and them...