Running Avast and MSE together

pparks

I use Avast Internet Suite I think it is called. It has the firewall. I also use MSE.

I tried the bug downloader someone posted here a couple of weeks ago.
Fake virus to see if it downloads or catches it when you try to install.

Both AV's stopped/deleted the download within a second of each other.

Avast blocked the download stopped it dead and MSE ate it. MSE quarintined and prompted to clean the PC actually.

I tried it three times just to be sure and same thing all three times.
Now this was an old known bug but both AV's reacted to it.

I also use Malwarebytes free once a week. I have not found a bug since using this combo since last August.

Antedotal evidence but it seems to work well for me.
Mike

@ PParks,

I fit the obsessive-compulsive category;-)

I use Avast Free along with Comodo Internet Security, as well as SpywareBlaster and Spybot S&D for its SD Helper immunity.

I use Firefox for the bulk of my surfing, with Better Privacy and NoScript .

I use Foxit Reader over Adobe as I don't entirely believe the claims that Adobe Reader X is significantly more secure than previous versions.

And I run weekly scans with the free versions of MBAM and SAS.

And the worst that is ever found is tracking cookies.


@ Hopalong: Using MSE 2?

jeeprad

Yes the new MSE 2 what ever it is.

Also use Foxit.

Never installed Adobe Reader or Java. Haven't missed either program.

Also run IE 9. Never could keep the IE 8 working properly for more than 3-5 days.

Mike

I fins Malwarebytes and Spywareblaster to be great helpers to run alongside whichever Av you prefer, in my case Norton.
Since they do not interfer, and Malwarebytes is On-Demand.

I do have one concern about running 2 AV's.
((Other than the main things we've discussed many times before: Possible Performance issues and Instabilities caused by running more than 1))

But Im curious:
As we all know, ALL AV's have a slight chance of throwing a false positive from time to time. Of course,some are better than others in this regard.

But by running 2 AVs, wouldn't the chance of getting a false positive be much higher? Seems to me it would.

In six months I have had maybe 10 reponses from Avast or MSE. Three I did intentionally.

Malwarebytes on my weekly scan is always clean.

I even ran an ESET on line scan just to know what I send other peole to use. First hand experience.
Nothing found.

Avast firewall has blocked a few websites and told me they weren't safe. They weren't porn sites either.
They were sites from links or searching from Google for info for posters.
So I skip them and search else where for the info I need.
A 1 in 40-50 website blocks false or not I can live with.
They are always sites I don't know but may have relevant info for error codes etc.
Everyone has run into these I'm sure if you do much searching for posters here on the forum.

Mike

Wishmaster said:

But by running 2 AVs, wouldn't the chance of getting a false positive be much higher? Seems to me it would.

It would seem likely. Although I have no real world experience as I don't get anything from my AV's...not even false positives. Or at least I haven't since moving to Windows 7. Like I said, I don't honestly even remember the last time my AV went off at home.

BioSid

Same problem with a bad MSE update installation or maybe a bad Win Update this past Tuesday- not Avast.

You can try a System Restore from earlier in the week.

My Sytem Restore wouldn't work so I used System Image from last Sunday and re imaged C.

I did the back up while doing this and reinstalled the new back up I created today.

So far so good. All updates re installed with no hang ups- so far.
System seems repaired.

Mike

Just wanted the post but I've ran them together since MSE and Avast 5 were avalible.
Fabe