Best AV + other software combo

[Alexandre Linteau]

First, a little bit background about myself, so i can receive better help and also because of my first post.

I am 120% geek, always playing with linux, bsd, programming, electronics... I even got my homelab recently (128 gb ecc, 32 core, 2x 10gbe NIC sfp+)... I know how to use a computer, and do safe web, aka not going on suspicious website, clicking on everything, downloading everything amd opening any mail. I can live without antivirus whe i am on paranoid mode, where i go on almost no website by fear of contamination, or live woth antivirus with cautious browsing, never caught virus. I never do torrent, have all my software legit... But I got two new usage scenario where an AV would be a must.

I currently have 3 use case :
- Main computer, deserved by either bitdefender or kaspersky (or no AV in linux or in paranoid mode)
- Workstation (wimdows), the new usage scenario. On this computer, I may have to run some application that may cause harm. (unfortunately, altought I am a legit user, there are 1-2 software that I just cannot obtain due to price, and these apps are not part of any giveaway... engineering apps, for education purpose)
- NAS. I can either have a computer plugged on the NAS scanning it continously, or is there some good AV that work on either freenas or synology NAS

Unfortunately, I didn't keep up with AV, abbreviation and computer security in general. Just got interested a few day ago and found this site.

This is where I need your help. What AV or combo that may serve my usage case 2, and if any also usage case 3?

Warning, don't suppose i am biaised toward amy solution :
I heard many cool thing about comodo. For example, the sandboxing feature. Very cool indeed, especially since i may need to execute some suspicious apps (execute, not block them). Most AV solution i know either block an apps, quarantine them or delete them. A solution that may execute but prevent harm is pretty cool. But comodo talk in this forum also confuse me : is comodo firewall a firewall, or a firewall and the sandbox thing, and HIPS or whatever abbreviation i don't know? Or when people are talking about comodo sandbox they are not talking about comodo firewall?

Like i said, i am mot biaised toward any, not even comodo, i am pretty sure other solution also got some sandbox feature.

In other word, which security solution may allow me to run a software that may be compromise without compromising the whole computer?

It dosen't bother me to spend some $ on AV. (in fact, it does not bother me spending $ on software as long as i don't have to pay 5k $ a software for some home usage)

As i am a geek, running multiple apps dosen't bother me either. But please, don't just shout out awnser with many abbreviation, or at least, define the abbreviation first.

I do not encourage piracy, if there is student discount, i priorize it over any piracy. Thus lets not talk about piracy, but just about security solution about running compromise application.

 

[AlanOstaszewski]

But comodo talk in this forum also confuse me : is comodo firewall a firewall, or a firewall and the sandbox thing, and HIPS or whatever abbreviation i don't know?

Comodo Firewall is/(contains)...
- a Firewall (...with website filtering) with many options that controls of course inbound and outbound traffic.
- a HIPS that monitors critical activites to protect you against zero-day malware.
- a Containment (Sandbox) that contains (once again) great settings. You can activate Auto-Sandbox for all untrusted applications and decide how you want them restrict. With Cloud Lookup can Comodo upload the sample to the cloud for better intervention.
- ...means relaxion time for your CPU.

I would recommend you for your main computer Comodo Firewall with the famous @cruelsister settings (you don't need more)!

Spoiler

 

[ispx]

Spoiler: d.i.y.

How to choose "the best antivirus"?

 

[Alexandre Linteau]

Comodo Firewall is/(contains)...
- a Firewall (...with website filtering) with many options that controls of course inbound and outbound traffic.
- a HIPS that monitors critical activites to protect you against zero-day malware.
- a Containment (Sandbox) that contains (once again) great settings. You can activate Auto-Sandbox for all untrusted applications and decide how you want them restrict. With Cloud Lookup can Comodo upload the sample to the cloud for better intervention.
- ...means relaxion time for your CPU.

I would recommend you for your main computer Comodo Firewall with the famous @cruelsister settings (you don't need more)!

Spoiler

Are you talking strictly about Comodo firewall or comodo internet security? It really confuse me, since comodo have many product line, and i am not sure when people talk about comodo firewall that include X feature if they talk strictly about the Comodo Firewall product or about Comodo Internet Security

Also, when you said for your main computer, you mean my workstation or my gaming rig? The computer with maybe compromised program or the perfectly clean computer?

Then way I read about it, Comodo firewall is an antivirus, then why does Comodo also have an antivirus? Won't the Comodo HIPS and containment conflict with other antivirus?

 

[AlanOstaszewski]

Are you talking strictly about Comodo firewall or comodo internet security? It really confuse me, since comodo have many product line, and i am not sure when people talk about comodo firewall that include X feature if they talk strictly about the Comodo Firewall product or about Comodo Internet Security

Also, when you said for your main computer, you mean my workstation or my gaming rig? The computer with maybe compromised program or the perfectly clean computer?

Then way I read about it, Comodo firewall is an antivirus, then why does Comodo also have an antivirus? Won't the Comodo HIPS and containment conflict with other antivirus?

I talk about Comodo Firewall. Comodo Firewall doesn't have a real-time malware scanner. It restricts malware in the sandbox, analyse it in the cloud and the blocks it. Comodo worked for me with Kaspersky, Avast and Sophos. You can put this on your main computer/gaming rig. On your workstation computer i would install Kaspersky Internet Security with max settings.

 

[HarborFront]

Have you thought of NOT using an AV i.e going signature-less with other security software? By this I mean NOT using an AV for real-time protection

Can give this a try

 

[AlanOstaszewski]

Have you though of NOT using an AV i.e going signature-less with other security software? BY this I mean NOT using an AV for real-time protection

Can give this a try

Comodo Firewall is signature less if you disable cloud lookup.

 

[HarborFront]

Comodo Firewall is signature less if you disable cloud lookup.

It's just one of the sig-less software

 

[Deleted member 178]

Best combo? sandbox + SRP (software restriction policy ) or anti-executables or HIPS

So if you decide to try Comodo , it may be good for you, but i don't recommend it anymore since never-fixed bug that annoyed me a lot.

 

[shmu26]

Comodo has a lot of fans, and for good reason, but it also has a lot of bugs. If you don't like the risk of headaches, conflicts and the risk of a borked system, look for another solution.
Voodooshield is not perfect, but less buggy, overall. You can combo it with any AV, such as Kaspersky free, or even Kaspersky IS if you want.

Since you are a geek, I recommend ReHIPS if you want a very strong security solution. You can combo it with almost any AV. (but not with Comodo firewall). If you want a light but good Av, try Avast free, or even Avast IS, if you want the firewall.