Layering For A Overwhelmed Dinosaur

Hi, again:

asallwey said:

For a home network of several computers, how would it be to run a layering such as:
MS Security Essentials, antivirus program like Avast, AVG, etc., Antimalware like Malwarebytes, and antispyware like Spybot.

I think this was covered in great detail in your other, recent thread here?

But, just to clarify again, each PC ought to have ONLY 1 anti-virus (AV) installed (let alone running in real time).
MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials) is an anti-virus.
So, if that is your chosen AV, it is strongly advised to fully and cleanly remove (using the software publisher's removal tool, when available) ALL OTHER AV programs or suites (whether Avast, Avira, AVG, Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Norton, TrendMicro, McAfee, Webroot, Sophos, Panda, etc. etc.).
AV remnants (especially drivers), even if the program is not running in real-time, can lead to all sorts of problems.
ONE installed AV per PC. Period.

If you want to add ONE realtime anti-malware layer and/or ONE realtime anti-exploit layer, that is different and is perfectly fine, alongside ONE anti-virus.
There are a couple of options, & AFAIK all of the good ones with real-time protection are paid software (e.g. Emsisoft, Hitman Pro Alert, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware).
(MBAM Free is only a manual, on-demand malware scanner -- it does not provide realtime protection to help prevent non-viral malware infection).
The anti-malware applications help to protect in realtime against certain malware threats not covered by anti-virus programs.
Most users here and at security sites seem to have less favorable opinions about Spybot S&D.

MBAE Free (Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit) is another possible layer, to prevent exploits in your browsers; the Premium version can shield other applications, as well.
(There are other, similar "anti-exploit" software choices, too.).

MBAR Beta (Malwarebytes Anti-Rootkit) is a standalone BETA application intended for use with expert guidance on heavily infected systems. Much of the functionality is already part of MBAM. So, NO, you do not need it, and should not run it, without expert help.

MBARW Beta (Malwarebytes Anti-Ransomware) is -- for now -- a standalone BETA application. The functionality will eventually be incorporated into MBAM. As is it BETA software, it should only be used by those expert enough to know how to run BETA software and only in non-production environments. So, NO, you do not need it.

While a layered approach is appropriate for many/most basic home computer users, "more" is not necessarily "better". To the contrary, having too many security programs -- especially if their functions overlap, such as two AVs -- can lead to problems and to reduced security.

And there is no one security program or suite of programs that can protect 100% of computers from 100% of malware/infections 100% of the time.
The most important security component remains the part between the chair and the keyboard, using "safe hex".

A series of comprehensive articles may be found here and at several other sites that focus on computer security.

Hope this helps,
MM

Hi,
Short story,
No having multiple antivirus programs is not layering that is disastrous,
Layering is
1 antivirus program like Panda free
1 malware dedicated program like Malwarebytes premium
Optional would be a spyware program.

Others might use a model or router and configure it
Which I have no idea how that works :)

Best layering is when you do not go on the internet with your Windows system but use a Linux system (real or virtual) dedicated to internet work.