Need AntiVirus Help


Lots of good info and tips above. I'll have to re-read this a couple of times for it all to sink in, LOL. So, at this point I'll turn on Defender and uninstall McAfee and go from there.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 11 Home, Win 7 Pro, Win 7 Home Premium
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo, ideaPad Pro 5 14"
    CPU
    Ryzen 5-5600U 6 cores 12 threads (per Win 11)
    Motherboard
    ?
    Memory
    16 GB @ 3200 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    CPU
    Sound Card
    onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    14" laptop
    Screen Resolution
    2240x1440
    Hard Drives
    500 (477 formatted) GB SSD
    Mouse
    logitech laptop M720
    Internet Speed
    100Mbps down, 6 up
    Browser
    FireFox
PC Mag rates Bit Defender no 1 this year with Norton 360 No 2. Techradar the same. Norton also has a good firewall.

The article from PCMag that you reference actually puts Norton behind Kaspersky and Webroot, but I wouldn't personally use that site for picking my AV solution, preferring to use accredited testing labs.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 15 9510
    CPU
    11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-11800H @ 2.30GHz (16 CPUs
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti
    Hard Drives
    512GB Solid State Drive
    Browser
    Chrome
FWIW, according to an article at TheWindowsClub, Bitdefender is retiring its free version at the end of 2021.


Rob
 
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My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Professional
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Digital Storm VELOX
    CPU
    Intel Core i9 11900K
    Motherboard
    ASUS PRIME Z590-P
    Memory
    64GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
    Sound Card
    Realtek onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer R221Q 21.5"
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    2 x Samsung SSD 990 EVO Plus (1 TB)
    2 x Seagate ST4000NE001 (4 TB)
    PSU
    None
    Case
    VELOX
    Cooling
    Cooler Master
    Keyboard
    Logitech
    Mouse
    Kensington trackball
    Browser
    Firefox, Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, Malwarebytes
I’ve been running Avast Free AV on my Win 7 (and prior) computers. Just got a Win 11 laptop and it has McAfee bundled in. Being retired, I don’t need or want another monthly bill. The last time I researched AV programs, Avast was the best free one out there, but that was many years ago. And back then, McAfee didn’t have too good a reputation anyways.


I’ve heard all you need is Windows Defender, but I think I should have a little more protection.


My bundled McAfee trial is over in a few days and I’d like to uninstall it and install Avast since it’s worked fine for 12+ years.


Thoughts? Ideas? Recommendations?


Thanks
@TDKMate

Hi there, it's good to see so many helpful comments here and a lot for you to wade through I'm sure. I'd like to add my own thoughts for what it's worth. Over the past 25 years or so I've used many AV/Firewall solutions and probably too many to mention in this post but suffice it to say, in this day and age you really don't need add-on security products. Windows Defender and Windows Firewall do a perfectly adequate job. Sure there's always someone who'll stay brand loyal, I like some branded products like the next person, but if saving money is a priority you can't go far wrong with the Windows built-in solution.

As many people will testify, almost all add-on AV/Firewall products come at a cost, not just the financial cost but the cost of valuable system resources too. Windows Defender/Firewall are light on resources and don't cost any extra dosh. Of course you cannot escape from the fact that most add-on security products also require some degree of user learning. The Windows solution takes care of everything behind the scenes so you don't have to. I can tell you from experience, I stopped using add-on security products when Windows 10 first launched and although nervous at first I needn't have been, I've had no viruses or malware attacks on my system since June 2015. Ironically the same could not be said in the preceding years with add-on AV solutions.

As a final thought for you to digest, as someone who regularly does online banking and shopping, quite possibly the most important thing you could install right now is a password manager, there's some really good free ones to choose from, LastPass, Dash Lane and so on. Adding one of these will really tighten up your online security especially if you make use of 2 factor authentication. No more remembering passwords or manually typing them out or worse still writing them on a piece of paper, a password manager will take care of it for you. All you need to remember is a single master password. I think in an age of cyber crime it pays to protect every avenue.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS Prime B350 Plus
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 5 1600 AM4 Hex Core Processor 3200GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS Prime B350 Plus
    Memory
    Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 GB (2x8 GB) DDR4 2666 MHz C16 XMP 2.0 High Performance Desktop Memory Kit - Red
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia Geforce GTX 1050 Ti
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    DELL U2412M
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1200
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 850 EVO SSD 120Gb
    Seagate 2 TB
    PSU
    EVGA SuperNOVA 750 G2, 80+ GOLD 750W, Fully Modular
    Case
    Chieftec Scorpio TX 10BWD Mid Tower
    Cooling
    Arctic F8 PWM Rev.2
    Keyboard
    Logitech K520
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    72.35 Mbps Down - 18.53 Mbps Up
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
Bitdefender and Sophos dead, Norton bought Avast/AVG/Avira, so I expect them to be gone within 2-3 years.

When in doubt you can always go for made in China, if ~1 billion people trusts it, it has to be good.


360 and TenCent are no longer tested because they were caught cheating in AV tests (sticking their hands in the cookie jar).
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 5 3600 & No fTPM (07/19)
    Motherboard
    MSI B450 TOMAHAWK 7C02v1E & IFX TPM (07/19)
    Memory
    4x 8GB ADATA XPG GAMMIX D10 DDR4 3200MHz CL16
    Graphics Card(s)
    MSI Radeon RX 580 ARMOR 8G OC @48FPS (08/19)
    Sound Card
    Creative Sound Blaster Z (11/16)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24" AOC G2460VQ6 (01/19)
    Screen Resolution
    1920×1080@75Hz & FreeSync (DisplayPort)
    Hard Drives
    ADATA XPG GAMMIX S11 Pro SSD 512GB (07/19)
    PSU
    Seasonic M12II-520 80 Plus Bronze (11/16)
    Case
    Lian Li PC-7NB & 3x Noctua NF-S12A FLX@700rpm (11/16)
    Cooling
    CPU Cooler Noctua NH-U12S@700rpm (07/19)
    Keyboard
    HP Wired Desktop 320K + Rabalux 76017 Parker (01/24)
    Mouse
    Logitech M330 Silent Plus (04/23)
    Internet Speed
    400/40 Mbps via RouterOS (05/21) & TCP Optimizer
    Browser
    Edge (No FB/Google) & Brave for YouTube & LibreWolf for FB
    Antivirus
    NoAV & Binisoft WFC & NextDNS
    Other Info
    Headphones: Sennheiser RS170 (09/10)
    Phone: Samsung Galaxy Xcover 7 (02/24)
Does Norton have a block "all" option in the firewall? To me, that is the most important part of a firewall.
I ask because although it's good... Bitdefender is getting bloated. 16 modules. :/
And all I want is AV and firewall, that I control.

When Bitdefender is set like this... the firewall only allows white list items.



View attachment 16351
I don't know :-) I just install it and leave it as it is lol. It seems bit defender is the highest ranking on most review sites though.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion 14-ce3514sa
    CPU
    Core i5
    Memory
    16gb
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 970 evo plus 2TB
    Cooling
    Could be better
    Internet Speed
    200mbps Starlink
    Browser
    Firefox
    Other Info
    Originally installed with a 500gb H10 Optane ssd
I don't know :) I just install it and leave it as it is lol. It seems bit defender is the highest ranking on most review sites though.


Yeah, I know BD is good. I've been running it since 2013.
Problem is... they added so much junk, it's getting to be a pain in the app. :)

Each one of these 13 modules has 3 or 4 tabs worth of settings.
All I need are the three in the RED rectangles.

Image3.png


On the box right now....


 
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My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win 11 Home ♦♦♦22631.3374 ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦23H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Built by Ghot® [May 2020]
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
    Motherboard
    Asus Pro WS X570-ACE (BIOS 4702)
    Memory
    G.Skill (F4-3200C14D-16GTZKW)
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA RTX 2070 (08G-P4-2171-KR)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC1220P / ALC S1220A
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell U3011 30"
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1600
    Hard Drives
    2x Samsung 860 EVO 500GB,
    WD 4TB Black FZBX - SATA III,
    WD 8TB Black FZBX - SATA III,
    DRW-24B1ST CD/DVD Burner
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling 750W Quad EPS12V
    Case
    Cooler Master ATCS 840 Tower
    Cooling
    CM Hyper 212 EVO (push/pull)
    Keyboard
    Ducky DK9008 Shine II Blue LED
    Mouse
    Logitech Optical M-100
    Internet Speed
    300/300
    Browser
    Firefox (latest)
    Antivirus
    Bitdefender Internet Security
    Other Info
    Speakers: Klipsch Pro Media 2.1
  • Operating System
    Windows XP Pro 32bit w/SP3
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Built by Ghot® (not in use)
    CPU
    AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ (OC'd @ 3.2Ghz)
    Motherboard
    ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe Wireless Edition
    Memory
    TWIN2X2048-6400C4DHX (2 x 1GB, DDR2 800)
    Graphics card(s)
    EVGA 256-P2-N758-TR GeForce 8600GT SSC
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ViewSonic G90FB Black 19" Professional (CRT)
    Screen Resolution
    up to 2048 x 1536
    Hard Drives
    WD 36GB 10,000rpm Raptor SATA
    Seagate 80GB 7200rpm SATA
    Lite-On LTR-52246S CD/RW
    Lite-On LH-18A1P CD/DVD Burner
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750 Quad EPS12V
    Case
    Generic Beige case, 80mm fans
    Cooling
    ZALMAN 9500A 92mm CPU Cooler
    Mouse
    Logitech Optical M-BT96a
    Keyboard
    Logitech Classic Keybooard 200
    Internet Speed
    300/300
    Browser
    Firefox 3.x ??
    Antivirus
    Symantec (Norton)
    Other Info
    Still assembled, still runs. Haven't turned it on for 13 years?
Yeah, I know BD is good. I've been running it since 2013.
Problem is... they added so much junk, it's getting to be a pain in the app. :)

Each one of these 13 modules has 3 or 4 tabs worth of settings.
All I need are the three in the RED rectangles.

View attachment 16511
That's why I liked the free version so much, same AV engine but no bloat. Nothing to set or customize and light on resources as it ran in the background.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 22H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware M17 R3
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-10750H (Comet Lake)
    Motherboard
    Alienware
    Memory
    32GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 and Intel UHD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC3281-CG
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17"
    Screen Resolution
    3840x2160
    Hard Drives
    Micron 2300 NVMe 1TB
    PC SN530 NVMe WDC 512GB
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    60mbps
    Browser
    Vivaldi and Firefox
    Antivirus
    MS Defender and Malwarebytes Free
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 22H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-1065G7 (Ice Lake)
    Motherboard
    Microsoft Corp.
    Memory
    16GB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Plus Graphics
    Sound Card
    Omnisonic Speakers with Dolby Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.5” PixelSense Touchscreen Display
    Screen Resolution
    2256x1504
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba Memory 512GB
    Mouse
    Surface Arc Mouse
    Internet Speed
    60 mbps
    Browser
    Vivaldi and Firefox
    Antivirus
    MS Defender and Malwarebytes Free
That's why I liked the free version so much, same AV engine but no bloat. Nothing to set or customize and light on resources as it ran in the background.



I was contemplating switching to the free version... then they decided to kill it. :/

Maybe I'll try Kaspersky free, and Zonealarm free firewall.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win 11 Home ♦♦♦22631.3374 ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦23H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Built by Ghot® [May 2020]
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
    Motherboard
    Asus Pro WS X570-ACE (BIOS 4702)
    Memory
    G.Skill (F4-3200C14D-16GTZKW)
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA RTX 2070 (08G-P4-2171-KR)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC1220P / ALC S1220A
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell U3011 30"
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1600
    Hard Drives
    2x Samsung 860 EVO 500GB,
    WD 4TB Black FZBX - SATA III,
    WD 8TB Black FZBX - SATA III,
    DRW-24B1ST CD/DVD Burner
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling 750W Quad EPS12V
    Case
    Cooler Master ATCS 840 Tower
    Cooling
    CM Hyper 212 EVO (push/pull)
    Keyboard
    Ducky DK9008 Shine II Blue LED
    Mouse
    Logitech Optical M-100
    Internet Speed
    300/300
    Browser
    Firefox (latest)
    Antivirus
    Bitdefender Internet Security
    Other Info
    Speakers: Klipsch Pro Media 2.1
  • Operating System
    Windows XP Pro 32bit w/SP3
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Built by Ghot® (not in use)
    CPU
    AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ (OC'd @ 3.2Ghz)
    Motherboard
    ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe Wireless Edition
    Memory
    TWIN2X2048-6400C4DHX (2 x 1GB, DDR2 800)
    Graphics card(s)
    EVGA 256-P2-N758-TR GeForce 8600GT SSC
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ViewSonic G90FB Black 19" Professional (CRT)
    Screen Resolution
    up to 2048 x 1536
    Hard Drives
    WD 36GB 10,000rpm Raptor SATA
    Seagate 80GB 7200rpm SATA
    Lite-On LTR-52246S CD/RW
    Lite-On LH-18A1P CD/DVD Burner
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750 Quad EPS12V
    Case
    Generic Beige case, 80mm fans
    Cooling
    ZALMAN 9500A 92mm CPU Cooler
    Mouse
    Logitech Optical M-BT96a
    Keyboard
    Logitech Classic Keybooard 200
    Internet Speed
    300/300
    Browser
    Firefox 3.x ??
    Antivirus
    Symantec (Norton)
    Other Info
    Still assembled, still runs. Haven't turned it on for 13 years?
My 2 cents, I have used MS Defender since W7 (although it had a different name at the time). MS Defender wasn't very good at the time, and I used a variety of second opinion scanners. The most useful second opinion scanners IMHO are EEK (Emsisoft Emergency Kit) and MalwareBytes.

But MS Defender has become truly excellent IMHO, and my use of second opinion scanners has become less and less frequent.

Not long ago, I did an MS Defender Offline scan which I routinely do from time to time. The scan caused MS to direct me to additional MS resources, and the one I that chose to run was the MS Safety Scanner msert.exe

So, for emphasis, I really, really, really like it that MS directed me to the additional resources on the appropriate occasion, I did not even know that these additional resources even exist.

Of course, at the end it was nothing, but I ran EEK nonetheless which also found nothing, and I left well it alone, I did not even run MalwareBytes or any of my other second opinion scanners.

On the other issues raised in this thread, I disable (USB) autorun on my main work computer and on my test computer, although I don't disable it on my other computers (here I am not paranoid enough, I guess)

With only one exception (where I need that one link) I do not network my computers to prevent malware propagation on the network. I purposefully disable auto-discovery (here I am paranoid enough, I guess) LOL
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro
Another vote here for Windows Defender and nothing but Windows Defender.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Homebuilt
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 3800XT
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Crosshair VII Hero (WiFi)
    Memory
    32GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Education
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 7773
    CPU
    Intel i7-8550U
    Memory
    32GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia Geforce MX150
    Sound Card
    Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17"
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba 512GB NVMe SSD
    SK Hynix 512GB SATA SSD
    Internet Speed
    Fast!
Bitdefender is good as the guys said. If you are happy with Avast try it, it can always be uninstalled and replaced. Personally I have never felt comfortable using defender, but that is just me and I am happy to pay for an AV I trust, I use Norton myself
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware M18 R1
    CPU
    13th Gen Core i9 13900HX
    Memory
    32GB DDR5 @4800MHz 2x16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Geforce RTX 4090HX 16GB
    Sound Card
    Nvidia HD / Realtek ALC3254
    Monitor(s) Displays
    18" QHD+
    Screen Resolution
    25660 X 1600
    Hard Drives
    C: KIOXIA (Toshiba) 2TB KXG80ZNV2T04 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD
    D: KIOXIA (Toshiba) 2TB KXG80ZNV2T04 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD
    Case
    Dark Metallic Moon
    Keyboard
    Alienware M Series per-key AlienFX RGB
    Mouse
    Alienware AW610M
    Browser
    Chrome and Firefox
    Antivirus
    Norton
    Other Info
    Killer E3000 Ethernet Controller
    Killer Killer AX1690 Wi-Fi Network Adaptor Wi-Fi 6E
    Bluetooth 5.2
    Alienware Z01G Graphic Amplifier
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware Area 51m R2
    CPU
    10th Gen i-9 10900 K
    Memory
    32Gb Dual Channel DDR4 @ 8843MHz
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia RTX 2080 Super
    Sound Card
    Nvidia
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Hard Drive C: Samsung 2TB SSD PM981a NVMe
    Hard Drive D:Samsung 2TB SSD 970 EVO Plus
    Mouse
    Alienware 610M
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Norton
I’ve been running Avast Free AV on my Win 7 (and prior) computers. Just got a Win 11 laptop and it has McAfee bundled in. Being retired, I don’t need or want another monthly bill. The last time I researched AV programs, Avast was the best free one out there, but that was many years ago. And back then, McAfee didn’t have too good a reputation anyways.


I’ve heard all you need is Windows Defender, but I think I should have a little more protection.


My bundled McAfee trial is over in a few days and I’d like to uninstall it and install Avast since it’s worked fine for 12+ years.


Thoughts? Ideas? Recommendations?


Thanks
I would still suggest to stick with Windows Defender. It is pretty good and not as bad as it once used to be.

What is most important is your browser configuration. All popular browsers have excellent security that can be enabled under Settings. I always use Strict settings, Block 3rd part cookies in all windows, Enable HTTPS always, etc.

My suggestion:
Take time to go through your browser configurations and set everything to maximum security. That will take care of most issues automatically.

Also do not click on unknown links sent to you over email. Even on email, you can set default configurations to disallow downloading of images (as images usually contain trackers).

No software is free. Avast doesn't have a great reputation either. They have been involved in questionable practices. And most online reviews and ratings are sponsored. Don't believe them.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy dv7
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
    Sound Card
    IDT High Definition
    Screen Resolution
    1080p
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Crucial MX500 on bay 1.
    1 TB Seagate HDD on bay 2.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
I think with all of these AV programs, it's which one gives you confidence
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware M18 R1
    CPU
    13th Gen Core i9 13900HX
    Memory
    32GB DDR5 @4800MHz 2x16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Geforce RTX 4090HX 16GB
    Sound Card
    Nvidia HD / Realtek ALC3254
    Monitor(s) Displays
    18" QHD+
    Screen Resolution
    25660 X 1600
    Hard Drives
    C: KIOXIA (Toshiba) 2TB KXG80ZNV2T04 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD
    D: KIOXIA (Toshiba) 2TB KXG80ZNV2T04 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD
    Case
    Dark Metallic Moon
    Keyboard
    Alienware M Series per-key AlienFX RGB
    Mouse
    Alienware AW610M
    Browser
    Chrome and Firefox
    Antivirus
    Norton
    Other Info
    Killer E3000 Ethernet Controller
    Killer Killer AX1690 Wi-Fi Network Adaptor Wi-Fi 6E
    Bluetooth 5.2
    Alienware Z01G Graphic Amplifier
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware Area 51m R2
    CPU
    10th Gen i-9 10900 K
    Memory
    32Gb Dual Channel DDR4 @ 8843MHz
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia RTX 2080 Super
    Sound Card
    Nvidia
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Hard Drive C: Samsung 2TB SSD PM981a NVMe
    Hard Drive D:Samsung 2TB SSD 970 EVO Plus
    Mouse
    Alienware 610M
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Norton
Does Norton have a block "all" option in the firewall? To me, that is the most important part of a firewall.
I ask because although it's good... Bitdefender is getting bloated. 16 modules. :/
And all I want is AV and firewall, that I control.

When Bitdefender is set like this... the firewall only allows white list items.



View attachment 16351
Windows Firewall + Microsoft Defender is actually an excellent combination. And with the right browser setup, you really don't need other solutions.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy dv7
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
    Sound Card
    IDT High Definition
    Screen Resolution
    1080p
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Crucial MX500 on bay 1.
    1 TB Seagate HDD on bay 2.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
Windows Firewall + Microsoft Defender is actually an excellent combination.
And with the right browser setup, you really don't need other solutions.
If anyone is using this combo, do not forget to install this extension for Chrome/Firefox.
Microsoft Defender Application Guard Extension defends devices in your organization from advanced attacks, by redirecting untrusted websites to an isolated version of Microsoft Edge. If an untrusted website turns out to be malicious, it remains within Application Guard's secure container, keeping the device protected.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 5 3600 & No fTPM (07/19)
    Motherboard
    MSI B450 TOMAHAWK 7C02v1E & IFX TPM (07/19)
    Memory
    4x 8GB ADATA XPG GAMMIX D10 DDR4 3200MHz CL16
    Graphics Card(s)
    MSI Radeon RX 580 ARMOR 8G OC @48FPS (08/19)
    Sound Card
    Creative Sound Blaster Z (11/16)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24" AOC G2460VQ6 (01/19)
    Screen Resolution
    1920×1080@75Hz & FreeSync (DisplayPort)
    Hard Drives
    ADATA XPG GAMMIX S11 Pro SSD 512GB (07/19)
    PSU
    Seasonic M12II-520 80 Plus Bronze (11/16)
    Case
    Lian Li PC-7NB & 3x Noctua NF-S12A FLX@700rpm (11/16)
    Cooling
    CPU Cooler Noctua NH-U12S@700rpm (07/19)
    Keyboard
    HP Wired Desktop 320K + Rabalux 76017 Parker (01/24)
    Mouse
    Logitech M330 Silent Plus (04/23)
    Internet Speed
    400/40 Mbps via RouterOS (05/21) & TCP Optimizer
    Browser
    Edge (No FB/Google) & Brave for YouTube & LibreWolf for FB
    Antivirus
    NoAV & Binisoft WFC & NextDNS
    Other Info
    Headphones: Sennheiser RS170 (09/10)
    Phone: Samsung Galaxy Xcover 7 (02/24)
Which ever you chose just make sure you don't have 2 running at the same time or they will fight against each other, and have reported that some things are viruses when they are not !
Chuck
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows11 23H2 (OS Build 22631.2428)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP HP ENVY TE01
    CPU
    2.90 gigahertz Intel Core i7-10700
    Motherboard
    Board: HP 8767 A (SMVB)
    Memory
    16214 Megabytes Usable Installed Memor
    Hard Drives
    1511.52 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
    1418.15 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless
    Mouse
    M 185 wireless
    Internet Speed
    12 ms Jitter 8 ms Download 10.5 Mbps Upload 1.7
    Browser
    Edge & FF
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
Been using PC Matic now for over a year, US based and US software not made in China or Russia like most others.

Easy white list to add to and UI is simple and schedule dated to auto run and clean of HD when you want to.
And a lifetime licence (not free) (no trouble going from W10 to W11).

I just got fed up with Windows Defender and changing what setting I wanted and scans is needed.
Or on older PC when WD auto ran I knew it was it slowed system down and then stupid WD summaries.
Plus WD antivirus updates were a PITA at times

Obviously PC Matic is AV default and overrides WD.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    me
    CPU
    9900
    Motherboard
    Z390
    Memory
    64GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    2080TI X
    Monitor(s) Displays
    TCL 4K
    Screen Resolution
    4K
    Hard Drives
    970 EVO NVMe M.2 SSD 1TB
    PSU
    Corsair
    Case
    Fractal Design
    Keyboard
    MS
    Mouse
    MS
    Internet Speed
    1000 Mbps
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    PC Matic

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