[2009] Favorite Anti-Malware application

[Stoner81]

I like the look of that AntiMalware Toolkit for sure so goin to try that now... I currently use;

Eset Smart Security v3.0.684.0

MalwareBytes AntiMalware v1.34

Spybot S&D v1.6.2

SpywareBlaster v4.1

[lordpake]

MBAM and SAS for me, with possible assistance from other tools like Dr. Web CureIt/Panda antirootkit and some general tools such as Process Explorer/Autoruns to provide additional information.

[Doggie]

Spybot S+D for me. Never had problems with it nor have I had any sort of malware installed. Like others, its down to common sense on your part to keep it clean

[devil270975]

Nod32 Smart Security, never had an issue.

[lordpake]

Like others, its down to common sense on your part to keep it clean

Common sense is all good when dealing with your own PC. I doubt anyone here really have any problems with their persnal computers and malware. Problem is, however, the non-technical folks who have no clue and rely on their ISP/OEM etc. to provide security solutions. Most of us here probably know some, and have to help them on occasion.

Edited April 11, 2009 by lordpake

[Doggie]

Like others, its down to common sense on your part to keep it clean

Common sense is all good when dealing with your own PC. I doubt anyone here really have any problems with their persnal computers and malware. Problem is, however, the non-technical folks who have no clue and rely on their ISP/OEM etc. to provide security solutions. Most of us here probably know some, and have to help them on occasion.

Well, maybe some gulliable people out there yes. They just have to get up with the times

[svasutin]

My Favorite is Zone Alarms Extreme Edition. I am really impressed with it. While in remote sessions, i've been able to configure it so i cannot see:

• what the end user is typing into a window. For example, entering a URL, typing into a chat/IM box. Random Letters appear
  
• any open applications - even ones i've opened
  
• anything but a black screen
  

The value here should be apparent, as key loggers, and programs which take screen shots, are rendered

ineffective. The default is the black screen.

Going back to Zone Alarms Internet Security Suite ( included in ZAEE ), the Self-Protect option does not allow me to remotely send keys or click on any ZA window.

Of course, i also like that even if the EU clicks Yes, download and Install This Virus, it still stops the infection from happening. That and it plays pretty well with "free" independent checks ( Windows Defender, Spybot S&D, MalwareBytes, sysclean, hjt )

The bad side is, the longer a PC is on, the more memory it consumes, so daily reboots are required. Also, those first 21 days or Auto-Learn can be kind of rough.

[Quad]

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is great tool, i cleared 100 of computers with it.

[strel]

I only use common sense and noscript add-on for firefox, to avoid every script not comming from the web page I typed in the address bar + the rest of the protections it includes; and maintain my own whitelist of common online "for the web" services like youtube and many others. Never had a malware infection and have no favourite application for malware scanning because I don't use them on my machines. Used ad-aware in the past to scan other people's machines because it was pretty famous at that time, simple to use. Recently I tried briefly HiJackThis to see how it looked, concise, like it.

Edited September 2, 2009 by strel

[keirkei]

My favorite anti-Malware app is AppGuard (not listed above). It gets my vote.

[Aloha]

Uh, I don't know that Spywareblaster and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware are the same kind of applications. I don't know that they do the same functions, so I have them both. I notice that since I installed SpywareBlaster, MAM hasn't found anything any more. I have it scan the computer once a month when I remember it!

I want to ask one more question. I think the malwares mostly come from the net. If I clean the Temporary Internet Files regularly, does it help to protect my computer too?

[herbalist]

I want to ask one more question. I think the malwares mostly come from the net. If I clean the Temporary Internet Files regularly, does it help to protect my computer too?

Not really. Some types of malware will remain in the temp locations but most of it will install itself to some other location in your system. Most of the malware that runs from the temp folders is of the adware type. The nasty stuff hides elsewhere. Cleaning the temp folders doesn't protect you much. It's more of a maintenance routine that keeps temp files from using up disk space and slowing down your system.

To prevent malware that's dropped in the temp folders from infecting your system, you could implement software restriction policies that don't allow execution from those locations. Depending on what OS you're running, either the built in software restriction tools or 3rd party software can be used for this.

[Aloha]

Herbalist,

When MAM or Avira found something, I saw that most of them come from the Temporary Internet Files folder. I didn't mean that cleaning the temp folders could completely protect my computer. I thought it partly did the protection, so it helped in some way. I use Disk Cleanup twice a week, and think it's good enough.

Thank you for answering. The explanation is very clear.

[Richhs]

I just became a member of the site yesterday, so I just became aware of the Anti-Malware Toolkit.

I have yet to see a system that I've worked on that is malware / spyware free, so I use all of the above and my professional tech mind.