Here we go again.
Bottom line - if you are a private citizen and typical home user, it really doesn't matter. Pick one from a known company, keep it and the OS current, don't be click-happy and you'll be safe.
We don't need to drive around in an Abrams Tank to be safe. We just need to use a fairly new, properly maintained and current car, and we must DRIVE DEFENSIVELY!
Now if you are financial or education institution, government network, doctor's office, small business that collects credit card numbers, that's a different story - and for a different discussion.
Windows Defender performs at peak detection with a network connection through the cloud mechanism. Otherwise it’s ability to detect malware becomes worthless.
Well of course, that's just totally misleading at best. Come on! We all must use some common sense.
Every decent anti-malware solution uses Internet databases - that's the best way to stay current. And how is that accomplished? Through a network connection to the cloud! Bitdefender, ESET, Comodo, Kaspersky, Microsoft, TrendMicro - you name it! They
all use some sort of cloud based scanning to thwart zero-day and other newly discovered web-based threats. And that's
good thing!!!
And to say it is worthless otherwise is just click-bait - as is this thread frankly. If worthless, where are all those 100s of millions of infected machines?
To dismiss Microsoft Defender (as Windows Defender is now called) because it has some "downsides" is frivolous. NO SOLUTION IS PERFECT and EVERY SOLUTION HAS DOWNSIDES. NO SOLUTION IS THE BEST AT EVERYTHING. So we might as well dismiss them all, right?
A year ago I was using Norton but when their license came up it cost a lot more so I uninstalled it. then tried comodo which had a problem with whatever Norton leftover so I removed it been using Microsoft defender ever cense with Malwarebytes. is this good enough or can I do better?
That's just fine. It is what I and millions of others use WITH NO PROBLEMS, and have done so for years.
Ask yourself this - why would Microsoft include an anti-malware solution in Windows 10 if it was going to allow you to get infected as easily as some here want you to believe? That just makes no sense. MS knows there are those who simply refuse to trust anything with the MS brand on it. And they know there are many (including bloggers and wannabe journalist in the IT press
) who love to trash MS just to trash MS. So MS knows if Microsoft Defender failed to protect Windows, those bashers would be relentless in their attacks. So contrary to what many want you to believe, Microsoft Defender is a good security solution. Period. If it weren't 100s of millions of computers would currently be infected. And that just is not happening. Same with Windows Firewall. It doesn't take 3rd party software to block access to a port. Windows Firewall is just fine.
I am not a big fan of laboratory testing because despite their best efforts, they are "synthetic" tests. Yet some folks insist they show the real-world facts. Fine. The see
AV-Comparatives and scroll down to the bottom to "
Award levels reached in this Real-World Protection Test" and pick one out of the 3-Star list if you want one of the top rated. Any one, I don't care. It does not matter. What matters is that you use a decent anti-malware solution. And note the worst, Total AV still scored an impressive 98.5% in the all important Protection Rate category.
And what matters is to remember that the user is ALWAYS the weakest link in security. So the user MUST use strong passwords and passphrases, keep our operating systems current, keep our security software current. We must avoid risky behavior by avoiding illegal filesharing, don't use pirated software or counterfeit devices, stay away from illegal gambling and pornography sites. AND we must avoid being "click-happy" on unsolicited downloads, links, attachments, and popups. And periodically use a secondary scanner just to make sure we, as the users, or our primary solution didn't let something slip by. THE EXACT SAME THINGS we must do, or not do with any anti-malware solution.
for clients .
