Solved Should I use Windows Defender with Panda Free AV & Malwarebytes?

[XLR8TX]

Should I use Windows Defender with Panda Free AV & Malwarebytes?

Is it unnecessary and/or redundant?

Will it cause conflicts with Panda & Malwarebytes?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[MoxieMomma]

Hi:

Windows Defender (WD) under Win7 is only a weak anti-malware application.
It does not offer much protection. And you still need at least a robust, real-time AV (either free or paid to supplement it.

Most 3rd-party AVs will at least partially or fully disable WD. I do not know whether that's the case for Panda.

As far as MBAM, you did not mention if it is Free or Premium.
Free will not conflict with WD or any other, real-time security application, as it is only a manual, on-demand scanner. MBAM Free provides no real-time protection.
Premium ought to be fine with both Panda and WD, but MBAM is without question much more robust than WD. IOW, I don't think you'll have any problem with WD + MBAM Premium, but MBAM will provide more protection.

HTH,
MM

 

[Eric3742]

I do not recommend you to use Panda Free AV at all.

To give you a better view on this Panda Free AV.

This Panda Free AV is a compliment AV for USB devices, original purpose, which come with USB thumb/flash drive.

It do not do anything as you are require to run this AV to check, hence it is not suitable.

Even i am using Panda Internet Security licence, for many years (10+) since i have accepted as my main AV.


On another free best AV.

SUPERAntiSpyware.com

There is this free version and i am using for many years, so i bought a license (PRO).
But actually, i need not to have a licence, as the Free version works well.
The different between the Free and Pro (Licence) is that the PRO will run in the background.
The Free will have to do manually, depend on you.

How to use:
Run the SUPERAntiSpyware After you have completed surfing the world.
Next at the bottom right "Click here to check for updates"
Then do the scan "quick", about 4 minutes depend on the system files size.


As for Malwarebytes, i do not use, but many recommend it.

Windows Defender.
MS had bought over Norton.
But Norton had moved away, so Windows Defender is a replacement as free.

 

[Eric3742]

Maybe you could try this AV free.

Ignore the name which is AVG AntiVirus FREE

Access Denied

There are many Free version.

Do note that some AV are not full version, as compare to Internet Security which may consider as full version.

Do read more in details and just to understand how it works.


Your Decision.

 

[MoxieMomma]

Hi:

AVG was recently purchased by Avast.
So, the AVG brand will likely go away eventually.
I would look for other choices.

Superantispyware has lost the support of many folks in the security community.
The Free version is good for picking up non-malware tracking cookies on a manual scan.
Other than that, I've not found it useful in recent years.

There are many fine choices for anti-virus (AV), both free and paid.
No one AV is perfect.
No one AV will best suit all users and computers and budgets.
You will get at least 101 passionate opinions from 100 persons that you ask.

Aside from MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials), many of the "free" AVs come with popups/ads, toolbars, reduced features, and/or reduced support. That can be a "hidden" cost.
The nominal cost for robust paid AV works out to pennies a day and is much cheaper than the cost of recovering from data loss, identity theft or other disasters.

Additional layers of security, with anti-malware, anti-exploit and other strategies, is a common recommendation for many home users.

No security program or combination thereof, however, can protect 100% of computers from 100% of malware 100% of the time.
The most important security component is the one between the chair and keyboard.
That is the first and last line of computer defense.

>>Getting back to your original question, no, you do not need Windows Defender on Win7 if you have a good AV + Malwarebytes Premium (or a similar anti-malware).

Cheers,
MM

 

[XLR8TX]

Most 3rd-party AVs will at least partially or fully disable WD. I do not know whether that's the case for Panda.

It seems that Panda Free AV has NOT disabled WD.

As far as MBAM, you did not mention if it is Free or Premium.

It is the free version.

 

[MoxieMomma]

Hi:

Thanks for the information.
Well, if Panda is running OK with WD enabled, then I wouldn't worry about it.
WD is not an AV under Windows 7, so it ought not to conflict with Panda or any other real AV.
It's probably better than nothing as an anti-malware, but there are better choices (MBAM, Emsisoft Anti-Malware, etc.)

As far as MBAM Free, as mentioned, it provides NO real-time protection. It can only REMOVE infections that already made it past your AV onto the system.
If you would like real-time anti-malware protection alongside your AV to help PREVENT infection by certain types of malware often missed by an AV, then you need to upgrade to MBAM Premium.

The basic concept for home computer users is layers of complementary protection:
One real-time AV (free or paid) + one real-time anti-malware + one real-time anti-exploit, plus additional strategies. There are many comprehensive tutorials and articles about this at several reputable computer help sites.

Whether you stick with Panda Free or change to a different AV, I suggest adding those other layers to your real-time protection.

Others will have different suggestions, I'm sure.

No matter what, however, safe computing practices are first and last line of defense, not software.
But nothing is guaranteed these days, given the current threat landscape, social engineering, and the "arms race" between the security software vendors and the bad guys.

Cheers,
MM

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Yes you should disable defender if using any third party antivirus.

 

[MoxieMomma]

Hi,
Yes you should disable defender if using any third party antivirus.

Under Win 8.1/10, of course, where WD is a true AV.
But I don't know that it's entirely necessary under Win7?
WD is a bit of a PITB under Win7 (updating definitions, trying to run background scans, etc.)
But, as a weak anti-malware, at best, it really ought not to cause serious problems with 3rd-party AVs.

Having said that, it probably doesn't lose much to disable it, as there are several, far better options for real-time anti-malware and anti-exploit protection.

But if it's all working OK for the OP with WD enabled (especially if there is no other anti-malware protection), then it's probably a coin toss.

Just my two cents and worth less,

MM

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
I've seen messages from MS that state running 2 antiviruses will slow a machine down not to mention make a system less safe not more safe via conflicting with each other
Yes defender in any os is poor to say the least and slow at every stage of scanning which I doubt defender even "if" it found anything would not be able to remove it

Only thing that is important is if in action center/ security it shows Panda or what ever is listed as On.

 

[XLR8TX]

Hi,
I've seen messages from MS that state running 2 antiviruses will slow a machine down not to mention make a system less safe not more safe via conflicting with each other

As has been stated, WD is NOT an AV in W7. Thanks for the info though.

 

[MoxieMomma]

Hi,
I've seen messages from MS that state running 2 antiviruses will slow a machine down not to mention make a system less safe not more safe via conflicting with each other

Correct.

But WD under Win7 is NOT an anti-virus, it is an anti-malware/anti-spyware application, and a weak one at that.

WD under 8/8.1/10 is a full AV (essentially a rebranded and somewhat enhanced version of Microsoft Security Essentials).

For many/most home computer users, ONE AV (free or paid) + ONE anti-malware + ONE anti-exploit is a perfectly fine, layered approach.
Running 2 overlapping applications, such as two real AVs, as you point out, is a bad idea.

So, again, if the OP wants to run WD (for anti-malware) alongside Panda or another AV, then that should be fine.
However, again, there are better choices for real-time anti-malware/anti-exploit protection, such as MBAM Premium or EAM.

That is all I was trying to say.

Cheers,
MM

 

[Eric3742]

Hi,
I've seen messages from MS that state running 2 antiviruses will slow a machine down not to mention make a system less safe not more safe via conflicting with each other
Yes defender in any os is poor to say the least and slow at every stage of scanning which I doubt defender even "if" it found anything would not be able to remove it

Only thing that is important is if in action center/ security it shows Panda or what ever is listed as On.

Do note that there is a difference between Active and Non-Active AV.

Note: Active mean always lookout for virus, while not active is by manual or once a day a quick scan.

Panda AV free is not active and has to be run manually, hence i never use this AV.
(The paid version is known as Panda AV Pro)
My Panda Internet Security is Active.

And the superantispyware is not active, as it only run manually for free version, and once a day for paid version.

Hence, it should not be saying that running 2 AV is not a good idea.
But if 1 AV is active, while the other AV is not active, this has no issue.




As for WD, this was created by MS for some reason.

Years ago, MS bought over Norton AV and package this Norton AV among their products.

But looks like MS have moved the Norton AV out, so the replacement is WD.

From my opinion, not many AV software company are happy with such idea, as it put their business out.
Hence, MS have quietly move the Norton out, in coming WD.
WD do have a history, as many do complain and not using it, as we know it is weak AV.

There is no long advert for WD on newer version or not.
Then again, WD is nothing but an shell...

 

[DavidE]

Panda AV free is not active and has to be run manually, hence i never use this AV.
(The paid version is known as Panda AV Pro)
My Panda Internet Security is Active.

Panda AV free is an active AV.
The lightest free antivirus - Panda Security

 

[XLR8TX]

Panda AV free is an active AV.
The lightest free antivirus - Panda Security

Correct.

 

[ThrashZone]

Panda AV free is not active and has to be run manually, hence i never use this AV.
(The paid version is known as Panda AV Pro)
My Panda Internet Security is Active.

Panda AV free is an active AV.
The lightest free antivirus - Panda Security

Hi,
Indeed I did not know what the heck Eric was talking about