Norton buying Avast... ugh

[windwhirl]

GlassWire - Personal Firewall & Network Monitor

GlassWire is a modern personal firewall and network monitor with over 40 million downloads. Download GlassWire free!

www.glasswire.com

Hmm, kinda want to try that, but it's not clear to me what the differences are between the free version and the paid ones.

 

[P4-630]

Hmm, kinda want to try that, but it's not clear to me what the differences are between the free version and the paid ones.

I use the free version, I know with the paid version you can block any connection but I can do the blocking with norton.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Norton is buying Avast Antivirus. Needless to say, I won't use anything that's even remotely connected to that garbage software company (Norton).

One less-than-stellar company buying out another weak-sauce company. The world will hardly flinch..

Any suggestions as a replacement?

Comodo. IMHO, they provide the best protection available. The AV/AM is excellent, the Firewall is second to none making microsoft's in-built effort look like amateur-hour and the HIPS app/program management utility provides fine-grained controls of any software that runs, or attempts to run, on a PC. This combination of features makes Comodo the clear choice for anyone serious about personal digital security. The Sandboxing feature is especially useful for apps/programs you're not sure you can trust. There is a learning curve(about an hour or two worth of time), but it's very much worth the effort.

The free version is exceptional.

Best Internet Security Software 2022 | Antivirus Total Security

Comodo's best internet security software is an advanced best antivirus total security for web threats. The best internet security and Computer security software.

www.comodo.com

However $40 a year for 3 PC's, the premium version is MORE than worth it.

 

[GerKNG]

who cares about norton or avast?
for the normal user, Windows Defender.
for people who do shady things all day long and need real ransomware protection = Kaspersky.

 

[windwhirl]

When looking up the details of AVAST and Norton's deal, I also got the news (for me at least) of Norton acquiring Avira.

NortonLifeLock acquires Avira in $360M all-cash deal, 8 months after Avira was acquired for $180M | TechCrunch

Only eight months after getting acquired for $180 million, Avira is changing hands again, for double the value: NortonLifeLock today announced that it

techcrunch.com

That's four brands gone into one. AVG, Avast, Avira. All Norton now.

And then we have the engine rebrands: G Data, Total Defense and Vipre using Bitdefender's technology, Total AV using Avira's (well, Norton's now, I suppose)...

Feels like they're consolidating into a handful of companies. Nothing new showing up.

 

[Solid State Soul ( SSS )]

If you can trust a company based in Russia, with its CEO a Russian oligarch billionaire who was trained by the KGB and is a friend of Putin, then sure, go ahead and put Kaspersky on your PCs. Me? Never.

Don't believe all that? Google is your friend.

Of course Kaspersky and Putin deny all that. You can trust Putin, right?

I have no doubts Kaspersky is fully capable of protecting your system from all malware (at least all malware not previously approved by the FSB).

Man let me tell you something, not caring about politics and giving zero fudge about whatever political climate people are going trough is the best thing that's ever happened to me, i will always continue to use what i like and what works for me, politics and all this make believe scary crap around it can go fudge itself, just take it easy and enjoy life, F politics,

 

[DrCR]

Adding an additional mention of Comodo. When I think of WinOS software firewalls, they come to mind. I'm not sure there's really a reason to bother now that WinOS is what it is now though.

 

[lexluthermiester]

for the normal user, Windows Defender.

That's so wrong it's painful to read.

 

[the54thvoid]

Isn't it more the case these days that viruses aren't so much picked up but 'accrued' by ill-informed web practices. I mean, i recall downloading a music file years ago from Limewire and when I opened it up, it was a total shitshow of browser hijacking nasty porn.

And then there's social engineering to gather personal info to allow hackers to 'infiltrate' your system. Or hacks on major sites to gain access to your p/words and credit card data.

I use MS and not much else. And apart from the 50k I loaned the Nigerian Princess, I'm pretty sure I'm fine.

 

[GerKNG]

That's so wrong it's painful to read.

enlighten us with your infinite wisdom.

 

[Splinterdog]

That's so wrong it's painful to read.

What the...?

 

[windwhirl]

Isn't it more the case these days that viruses aren't so much picked up but 'accrued' by ill-informed web practices.

Yeah, I think these days it's mostly that you go to some shady site, get some file from there and boom, red alerts across your screen. Plus browsers including some basic shielding against some malicious domains, Windows shipping with AV by default, etc., I think the metaphorical security wall surrounding most users' PCs has definitely gotten harder to crack.

I mean, i recall downloading a music file years ago from Limewire and when I opened it up, it was a total shitshow of browser hijacking nasty porn.

I'll bet that was fun to watch

And then there's social engineering to gather personal info to allow hackers to 'infiltrate' your system. Or hacks on major sites to gain access to your p/words and credit card data.

Indeed. I think attacks are getting more sophisticated, but they're also taking more effort on the bad guys' part, so following that idea I think they're shifting the target, not as much focus on individual users but rather larger institutions.

That's so wrong it's painful to read.

Do clarify on that.

 

[lexluthermiester]

enlighten us with your infinite wisdom.

Do clarify on that.

I already have, please see above..

EDIT:
Allow me to elaborate further.

IF you trust microsoft, then going with Defender and the default firewall is better than nothing at all.

IF you do not trust microsoft, there are many MUCH better options.

Go with microsoft's stuff if all you want is the bare minimum protection for bare minimum effort. But as we have all seen with the malware, ransomware and virii as of late, the bare minimum is NOT safe and microsoft's stuff does not actively protect users from it. Dare I say that even Norton is better than microsoft(I feel dirty even suggesting such, but it's the reality)! If you are serious about your digital security, leaving well enough alone to microsoft is at best unwise and at worst foolish beyond reason.

 

[dirtyferret]

it was a total shitshow of browser hijacking nasty porn.

you downloaded 2 girls 1 cup too?

 

[95Viper]

Stay on topic.
Stop the trolling and thread crapping.

EDIT: Thread closed... use News thread for discussion --> NortonLifeLock and Avast to Merge to Lead the Transformation of Consumer Cyber Safety