windows defender

[XWrench3]

how do you guys (and girls) feel about windows defender as a primary anti virus / malware program? is it as good as AGV or Avast free versions? my Norton (free) that came with my mobo expired today (yea!), so now its time to do something else.

 

[carnageX]

It's ok for basic needs. It's all I run, but I'm also vigilant on what I click, where I visit, and have other layers of protection - such as uBlock (adblocker), flashblock, and cookie blocker extensions in my browser.

 

[PP Mguire]

Their definition updates are too far and few to really be that effective. IMO it's best to just disable it and watch what you click instead. Run Malwarebytes ever so often.

 

[XWrench3]

really?! i guess i thought it got updated with every microsoft update. of course, i think i disabled that as well. i will have to check. maybe that is my "learn" for today. i DO run malwarebytes and superantispyware on a regular basis. guess i will download and install avast to go along with them. its a LOT easier to head problems off, than it is to try to track them down and get rid of them after the fact.

 

[PP Mguire]

You can drop anti-spyware. Best to minimize how many scans you run as it's a bit counterproductive.

 

[XWrench3]

why is that?

 

[objecterror]

why is that?

Spyware is usually brought-in based on websites used and how often some one can send you those risky-click bait links. By running an adblocker and being relatively careful of what I browse on the internet I've been 2 years without a spyware scan.

You'll see traits of spyware on your machine, pop-ups out of the blue, your home page/start page changing and disabled functions in the browser to change any settings that might keep the spyware from continuing to stay on your machine.

 

[PP Mguire]

why is that?

Spyware is usually brought-in based on websites used and how often some one can send you those risky-click bait links. By running an adblocker and being relatively careful of what I browse on the internet I've been 2 years without a spyware scan.

You'll see traits of spyware on your machine, pop-ups out of the blue, your home page/start page changing and disabled functions in the browser to change any settings that might keep the spyware from continuing to stay on your machine.

Besides the above, most use the same definitions usually or a variance so you're basically doing multiple scans of the same things. There's nothing Malwarebytes won't pick up compared to the other 2 you listed.

 

[XWrench3]

[QUOTESpyware is usually brought-in based on websites used and how often some one can send you those risky-click bait links.][/QUOTE]
[QUOTEBesides the above, most use the same definitions usually or a variance so you're basically doing multiple scans of the same things. There's nothing Malwarebytes won't pick up compared to the other 2 you listed.][/QUOTE]

i didn't know either of those. i have had spyware several times,but i do SO MUCH different browsing, that i had no clue to where i got it from. since this post started, i have installed the ublock origin, and it already shows 5 items blocked. it makes sense that most anti spyware, and anti virus use pretty much the same basic program. and i guess that is why when i run malwarebytes after superantispyware, there is very seldom anything that shows up. i know that superantispyware also deletes cookies, so i guess i will keep that one, and loose malwarebytes.

 

[PP Mguire]

Malwarebytes is the superior program. If you want to delete cookies you can do that through the browser.