Antimalware, firewall, and other security programs for Windows XP working in 2023 and hopefully beyond

[Monroe]

3 hours ago, AstroSkipper said:

Furthermore, I was able to activate the Pro version by using my lifetime licence. Only in the Pro version, you will have a real-time protection as is usual with Malwarebytes and many other manufactures of antimalware programmes.

I also have the Pro version since it was reasonable to get and Malwarebytes said at the time that 'def updates' would still be available as newer versions were released. I decided I didn't care for 'the real time protection' running all the time. I went back to the free version since I really just wanted to scan downloaded files. 

Edited July 17, 2023 by Monroe
sp

[Vistapocalypse]

2 hours ago, AstroSkipper said:

I was able to activate the Pro version by using my lifetime licence. Only in the Pro version, you will have a real-time protection as is usual with Malwarebytes and many other manufactures of antimalware programmes.

Good for you! Actually, many AV vendors (Avast/AVG, Panda, Kaspersky, etc.) made free versions that included real-time protection you know. Back in those days, nobody thought Malwarebytes was any substitute for a real antivirus, e.g. Martin Brinkmann in his April 10, 2013 article about version 1.75:

https://www.ghacks.net/2013/04/10/malwarebytes-anti-malware-1-75-update-adds-archive-scanning/

Malwarebytes Premium was not certified by AV Test until October 2018:

https://www.av-test.org/en/antivirus/home-windows/manufacturer/malwarebytes/

[Monroe]

1 hour ago, Vistapocalypse said:

That advice applies equally to Malwarebytes 3.5.1, which is already 5 years old itself. It did not bother to check for OS compatibility before pushing a program update.

I remember Malwarebytes updating to a newer version when I didn't want a newer version. Messed up a couple of times till I got everything figured out back then. I never liked version 2.0 anyway ... too complicated as I remember.  Version 1.75.0.1300 was small and simple to use.

Thanks for posting the v1.75.0.1300 link information.

Edited July 17, 2023 by Monroe
add,

[AstroSkipper]

35 minutes ago, Monroe said:

AstroSkipper, what program did you use to post your images of Malwarebytes v1.75.0.1300 or any quick easy to use product to make an image that anyone might be using for Win XP. Sorry for taking this slightly of topic. I see that your images are still visible whether a person is logged in or not.

:OT
I use the well-known, very good screenshot programme Hardcopy from sw4you. Another German software and absolutely great! I use it for more than 20 years. It is free of charge and still XP-compatible. I save all screenshots in the file format PNG and upload them to an image hoster. The hoster I use is postimage. It works as it should and is free of charge in standard mode. You have to register there, of course.
:END OF OT

[AstroSkipper]

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware v1 Free/Pro (compatible version with SSE only CPUs)

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware is a high performance anti-malware application that thoroughly removes even the most advanced malware and spyware. With effective, quick scans and malware removal capabilities, this program is the perfect addition to your PC's defences. It is still XP-compatible and can be used in two versions, Free or Pro. The full version of the product includes a number of key features, including the ability to schedule updates and scans, and most importantly, a real-time malware protection module that blocks malicious processes and websites before they even start. Furthermore, this antimalware programme supports old computers with a CPU lacking of the SSE2 instruction set.

Features:

Here is a screenshot of a comparison between Free and Pro version:



Homepage: https://web.archive.org/web/20130618025654/http://www.malwarebytes.org/

Version number: 1.75.0.1300

Date of release: 09.04.2013

System requirements: Windows XP, Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows 7

Release notes:

Quote

New Features:

1. Added ability to scan within archives

Review: https://www.ghacks.net/2013/04/10/malwarebytes-anti-malware-1-75-update-adds-archive-scanning/

Download links:

Installer:

Installer of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.75.0.1300

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware Database Update:

mbam-rules-2019.10.17.zip

Installation:

Remove any old installation of Malwarebytes! Run the installer mbam-setup-1.75.0.1300.exe provided by the first link above, but do not start the programme directly after installation has been finished! Now, execute the file mbam-rules.exe which is inside the file mbam-rules-2019.10.17.zip provided by the second link above! This will update the installation and bring it up to date as of 17.10.2019. Be sure to deactivate the automatic programme update to avoid receiving an unwanted programme upgrade! Finally, select your other options and update the virus definitions via the Update programme tab! If updating doesn't work directly, try again until it works! From now on, you will receive the latest virus definitions.

Explanation:

The manual, offline Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware Database Update not only updates the virus definitions, but also changes the internal update server addresses. This step allows the programme to access the update server again.

Screenshots:

Trial version:





Free version:





Pro version:





Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.75.0.1300 is the last release of the version 1. It can be used as an offline scanner or, if the user own a licence, as an antimalware programme with real-time protection, especially on old computers which lack of the SSE2 instruction set, i.e., SSE and not more. It is very lightweight, low on resources and can be used in other Windows XP systems, too, of course. I used it in the past and was fine with it. And, I will install it on my old Athlon XP computer. And finally, thanks to @Monroe for reporting that his installation of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.75.0.1300 is still receiving most recent definition updates in 2023. 

Greetings from Germany, AstroSkipper

Edited July 26, 2023 by AstroSkipper
Update of content

[Vistapocalypse]

12 minutes ago, AstroSkipper said:

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.75.0.1300...can be used as an offline scanner or, if the user own a licence, as an antimalware programme with real-time protection, especially on old computers which lack of the SSE2 instruction set, i.e., SSE and not more.

If someone running XP on an SSE-only processor wanted effective real-time protection that is free, then Kaspersky 18.0.0.405 is the obvious choice:

https://support.kaspersky.com/us/common/compatibility/15479

[AstroSkipper]

On 7/15/2023 at 12:15 PM, AstroSkipper said:

For all owners of a computer with a processor, that does not have more than the SSE instruction set, the air is getting thinner. The number of antimalware programmes that offer real-time protection has shrunk dramatically in recent years. The End Of Life (EOL) of Avast Antivirus 2015 was to be expected in any case. Like all AV providers, old versions are no longer supported after a certain point, and thus no further virus definitions are delivered. As a first measure, I recommend to save the last offline definition updater, when automatic definition updates will stop, to use this version as long as wanted and to have the possibility of a later reinstallation. Here is the link of the definition updater for Avast Antivirus 2015: https://install.avcdn.net/ivps9x/vpsupd.exe
And for all those who, like me, have withdrawn their trust in Kaspersky and still need an antimalware programme with a background guard for their old computer after September 2023, there will be another solution beyond Kaspersky. I will write about it soon. 

Once again, for all those who, like me, have withdrawn their trust in Kaspersky, don't want to use it anymore for whatever reason, which can't be discussed here in all its facets, and still need an antimalware programme with a background guard for their old computer after September 2023, there will be another solution beyond Kaspersky. One, for example, is Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Pro 1.75.0.1300.

And there is more than this one. I will write about it soon.  IMHO, Kaspersky is no longer an option for Windows XP  and should be avoided due to significant security risks which were already discussed sufficiently here in this thread. And to permanently offer others something that one is not willing to use oneself is becoming more and more questionable.
 

Edited July 18, 2023 by AstroSkipper

[Monroe]

3 hours ago, AstroSkipper said:

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.75.0.1300 is the last release of the version 1. It can be used as an offline scanner or, if the user own a licence, as an antimalware programme with real-time protection, especially on old computers which lack of the SSE2 instruction set, i.e., SSE and not more. It is very lightweight, low on resources and can be used in other Windows XP systems, too, of course. I used it in the past and was fine with it.

AstroSkipper - Nice presentation of the three versions of Malwarebytes v1.75.0.1300 ... really great images also. Kind of interested to try the Pro version again, might like having it on the computer.

Glad this all worked out and you figured out the updating problem. Nice to have this older version come back to life and being used again.

Thanks for the 'off topic' information earlier.

Monroe ...

[Cixert]

On 7/1/2023 at 12:57 AM, AstroSkipper said:

Hello @Cixert! Thank you for testing! That means the last XP-compatible version 1.6.2 of Spybot - Search & Destroy is now obsolete, and the database can no longer be updated in any way. Right? 

Sorry for the confusion.
I should have mentioned this post.

On 6/21/2023 at 9:07 PM, AstroSkipper said:

First of all, and as I already said, I appreciate your contributions here very much.  You provide facts as objectively as possible. You are really interested in collecting security programmes which still work under Windows XP. And you are very helpful here. 
Thank you for that!  All of this is not a matter of course! 
According to Spybot - Search & Destroy, I used it in times of Windows ME and some years under Windows XP. Therefore, I know it very well. Great to hear that the database is still updated for the old, abandoned version 1.6.2 which is indeed the last version targeting Windows XP. For a long time, I liked it very much. Unfortunately, I had stability issues and problems with updating the database. That was one reason I stopped using it. But nevertheless, this programme was already on my list. And due to the fact that the database updating still works as you reported, it is an option for Windows XP, of course. 

As I mentioned in my first post, the latest version of Spybot for Windows XP is 2.4.40. This does allow updating the database.
On the web they also offer version 1.6.2 but this does not allow updating the database.
The versions that allow updating the database is from v.2 onwards.

On 6/21/2023 at 8:11 PM, Cixert said:

Safer-Networking "Spybot - Search & Destroy" 
It is officially offered for Windows XP in legacy version 2.4.40.0 (2014-10-22).
https://download.spybot.info/Spybot2/
It is a free anti-spyware program that offers the possibility of working as an antivirus in a paid version.
I downloaded this version 2.4.40 in 2014 and it seemed more complicated than version 1.6.2, so I have since discarded the program.
Now I see that it was the last version for XP and that the database is updated to the current date.
Definitions can be downloaded in sideload for v. 2.x
Version 1.6.2 is also officially offered
https://www.safer-networking.org/spybot-1-6-2-mirror-1/

 

 

[AstroSkipper]

50 minutes ago, Cixert said:

Sorry for the confusion.
I should have mentioned this post.

As I mentioned in my first post, the latest version of Spybot for Windows XP is 2.4.40. This does allow updating the database.
On the web they also offer version 1.6.2 but this does not allow updating the database.
The versions that allow updating the database is from v.2 onwards.

 

Thank you for clarifying! So, Spybot - Search & Destroy 2.4.40 is the last version working under Windows XP and still allows updating its database. Good to know that and noted!  It was already on my internal list. But, due to your confirmation, I will write an article about it soon and present it here as an option for Windows XP. Thanks again! As I already said, you are really helpful here. 

Edited July 17, 2023 by AstroSkipper

[AstroSkipper]

13 hours ago, Monroe said:

AstroSkipper - Nice presentation of the three versions of Malwarebytes v1.75.0.1300 ... really great images also. Kind of interested to try the Pro version again, might like having it on the computer.

Glad this all worked out and you figured out the updating problem. Nice to have this older version come back to life and being used again.

Thanks for the 'off topic' information earlier.

Monroe ...

You're welcome! And don't forget it was you who made me investigate all this! 

Edited July 18, 2023 by AstroSkipper

[AstroSkipper]

@Dave-H I know that you, like me, have been using Malwarebytes Premium 3.5.1.2522 under Windows XP for years, and you are an active member of the Malwarebytes Forum. Did you read somewhere or notice that old versions such as Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.75.0.1300 are supported again with regard to updating the virus definitions? I actually thought those versions were abandoned long time ago. However, as you may have seen, I was able to reactivate this function of this old version which had not worked for a long time. See here: 
https://msfn.org/board/topic/184730-antimalware-firewall-and-other-security-programs-for-windows-xp-working-in-2023-and-hopefully-beyond/?do=findComment&comment=1248964
What do you think about that?  Have they possibly changed their policy? 

Greetings, AstroSkipper 

 

Edited July 18, 2023 by AstroSkipper
Update of content

[Monroe]

Well good news or bad news ... over at the Malwarebytes forum dealing with v1.75.0.1300 ... someone is reporting about all this here at MSFN and v1.75.0.1300 able to get updates again. Nothing has been posted there for three years until 4 hours ago.

https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/262745-definition-updates-failing-v17501300/

I wonder where all this will be going. The poster uses the term 'A couple of Windows XP diehards at the MSFN forum (their last stronghold)' ... doesn't sound too friendly. I hope doors won't be kicked in as these 'last Windows XP diehards' are hunted down and their computers are destroyed with sledge hammers. We shall see and I hope they won't stop future updates for v1.75.0.1300.

Go to the last post.

Edited July 19, 2023 by Monroe
add,

[NotHereToPlayGames]

1 hour ago, Monroe said:

Go to the last post.

That last post cites this  --  "I have quoted exile360’s August 13, 2020 post above because I tend to agree with his opinion that current definitions cannot be expected to work effectively with a 10-year-old version of Malwarebytes, however I am not an expert on that myself."

I have to agree.  "Having" a definition created SEVERAL YEARS after the "engine" does not indicate that the engine KNOWS WHAT TO DO with that "definition".

 

Caveat emptor!

[Dixel]

3 hours ago, NotHereToPlayGames said:

"Having" a definition created SEVERAL YEARS after the "engine" does not indicate that the engine KNOWS WHAT TO DO with that "definition".

Def. update is a blob in the format they previously used, just added new known vulnerabilities, collected during these years.

.>>> Could you please not use CAPSLOCK, at least not that often, thanks.

Edited July 19, 2023 by Dixel