Windows Defender or 3rd Party Security Software?

I have been a long time Webroot user, recently I have had lots of computer performance issues and discovered it was Webroot Secure Anywhere.
Last night I bit the bullet wiped the Computer fresh install of Windows and I am using Windows Defender.
Are people using Defender or a 3rd Party Suite?
Websites are pushing Norton but prior to using Webroot I tried Norton and don't think I would go back there.
If I decide to buy a 3rd party suite what are the current recommendations please?

lots of answers here. What does Windows Defender lack, what can’t it do?
Personally, on my main PB I use Malwarebytes Premium+Defender because they work so well in tandem with each other in real time, but the only reason I do is I have a lifetime license to MWB. On all my other machines I run only Defender and manually scan ever so often using Malwarebytes Free.

Microsoft Security (Defender)

I use Webroot Secure anywhere Complete. I find their tech support is brilliant. It is so lightweight. It fails some tests when reviewed because it does not use signatures, it waits for bad actions and then intervenes.

I personally am using Windows Defender, along with Malwarebytes Browser Guard, uBlock Origin, and NextDNS for my main computer, and I am using Avast (Free) on a computer with an "elevated" risk.

Based on AV-Comparatives test results and comments from a "hobbyist" security forum, Windows Defender (along with the browser's security extensions) performs as well as other major AVs, with "some" more technical people saying that the advantages of other major AVs will be minimal. However, if you want something that seems to do well in many categories, ESET might be a good bet, albeit expensive. Bitdefender is another favorite but may be "slow" in some settings, which you won't know until you test it out on your machine with a "break-in" run-through procedure to ensure it's performing at maximum.

kelper said:

I use Webroot Secure anywhere Complete. I find their tech support is brilliant. It is so lightweight. It fails some tests when reviewed because it does not use signatures, it waits for bad actions and then intervenes.

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Webroot is killing my system not sure what is going on, when the system boots Microsoft Security Centre spends several minutes scanning trying to decide what Security Software it using and the computer is slow. I also noticed at times Webroot was not recognised at all and Defender was providing security.
With Webroot installed if I signed out of the Windows Account, the keyboard was no longer recognised and I could not sign back in.
I even tried Webroot on fresh Windows Installs and it was still garbage.
There have other complaints on there Forum as well re performance issues, not being able to log back in etc.

I’m using Kaspersky Plus because it performs well on my system – it’s been stable, easy to use and I haven’t experienced any bugs or performance issues. I’m aware the Australian Government doesn’t allow Kaspersky on government systems, but that restriction does not apply to home users. Since it’s not banned for personal use in Australia and I’ve had no issues with it, I’m comfortable continuing to use it.


Regarding other forum posters comments about its location and history – yes, the company is based in Moscow and the founder did previously work in a military-linked role many years ago. That’s publicly known and not disputed. However, there’s no official finding that the software has been misused or that home users are at risk. The government’s ban on official systems is precautionary, not the result of proven wrongdoing.


I respect that people will have different views based on ethics or risk tolerance. For me personally, I base it on how the software performs and the fact it remains legally available to consumers here. Until it stops working well or is banned for home users, I’m happy to keep using it

I use Tinywall, since it blocks running apps/etc. until whitelisted, blocks even windows update if setup correctly.

EB2XR6 said:

Webroot is killing my system not sure what is going on, when the system boots Microsoft Security Centre spends several minutes scanning trying to decide what Security Software it using and the computer is slow. I also noticed at times Webroot was not recognised at all and Defender was providing security.
With Webroot installed if I signed out of the Windows Account, the keyboard was no longer recognised and I could not sign back in.
I even tried Webroot on fresh Windows Installs and it was still garbage.
There have other complaints on there Forum as well re performance issues, not being able to log back in etc.

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I had an issue with the keyboard not working. If I uninstalled the keyboard drivers and rebooted, it worked again. Booting into safe mode and then bootng normally also fixed it. Webroot connected to my laptop and took some data. They came back with a modified program which works. To say Webroot is garbage is unfair. Why not contact their support. It seems tha t Webroot is not correctly installed as you say Defender is protecting you.
There will probably be an update soon.

kelper said:

i had an issue with the keyboard not working. If I uninstalled the keyboard drivers and rebooted, it worked again. Booting into safe mode and then bootng normally also fixed it. Webroot connected to my laptop and took some data. They came back with a modified program which works. To say Webroot is garbage is unfair. Why not contact their support. It seems tha t Webroot is not correctly installed as you say Defender is protecting you.
There will probably be an update soon.

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I mentioned in another post I have contacted support.
It is a long weekend in the USA.
WIll not hear back for days.
The Garbage reference is about the System performance with Webroot installed.
Previously never had any issues with Performance, been using it since the late 2000's.
I did a couple of fresh installs of Windows and after the Windows Updates had finished installing rebooted, installed Webroot and noticed issues.
I had a look at Windows Security / Virus and Threat Protection and it had a spinning blue circle underneath which lasted for several minutes before Webroot was found to be the App. Another instance the System defaulted to Defender with Webroot Installed.

For domestic computers this argument surely has run out of steam.The major threat these days is via SCAMS rather than HACKS etc. Even those sites such as that one still flying the Jolly Roger after all these years don't want junk on their sites. WD is as good as it gets these days having almost military strength.

Many 3rd party stuff was developed to solve problems in the early 2000's and before -- both Windows OS itself and the software has moved on considerably.

People also using comparative software are deluding themselves since this stuff is done usually a few weeks before current dates - so is ALWAYS likely to be behind the times - especially as WD is updated often several times a week and potentially a new threat could appear at any time.

If you need or feel you have to use 3rd party stuff (note DOMESTIC and HOME computers -- business is another issue entirely) - then if it helps your peace of mind -- OK can't answer that - but as a technical solution it buys you ZILCH and can often cause more problems than it solves.

Cheers
jimbo

There may be some truth in what you say.

EB2XR6 said:

Are people using Defender or a 3rd Party Suite?

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All you need is Microsoft Defender Antivirus (formerly Windows Defender).

Wikipedia:

During a December 2017 test of various anti-malware software carried out by AV-TEST on Windows 10, Windows Defender earned 6 out of 6 points in detection rate of various malware samples, earning its "AV-TEST Certified" seal.

During a February 2018 "Real-World Protection Test" performed by AV-Comparatives, Windows Defender achieved a 100% detection rate of malicious URL samples, along with 3 false positive results.

An AV-TEST test of Windows Defender in October 2019 demonstrated it provides excellent protection both against viruses and 0-day / malware attacks.

On December 1, 2021, AV-TEST gave Defender a maximum protection score of 34 points after successfully managing to detect ten out of ten ransomware samples in a lab test.

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edit:

Key new security features in Windows 11 25H2 include:

• Administrator Protection This new feature bolsters security by requiring Windows Hello (PIN, fingerprint, or facial recognition) verification for apps or services requesting administrator privileges via User Account Control (UAC) prompts. This helps prevent malware from gaining elevated access without explicit, secure user approval and ensures that all administrative actions are intentional.
• Third-Party Passkey Integration The update improves support for third-party passkey providers, such as 1Password, allowing users to securely store and use passkeys within Windows Hello. This integration supports the FIDO2 standard and promotes a shift toward phishing-resistant, passwordless authentication methods across various services.
• Default File Preview Security File Explorer now automatically disables the preview feature for files downloaded from the internet to mitigate a potential vulnerability that could be exploited when previewing unsafe files.
• Removal of Legacy Tools For better security, the update removes legacy and potentially insecure tools like PowerShell 2.0 and Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC).
• Kernel Hardening Some parts of the Windows kernel have been rewritten in the Rust programming language, which provides memory safety guarantees and helps improve overall system reliability and security.

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I use the default Windows/Microsoft Defender. I also use a couple of Andy Ful's Defender utilities to harden Defender a bit. At the moment, I use Windows Hybrid Hardening Light (WHHL), even though the stock Windows Defender works just fine the way it is.