Software Review Bitdefender Free vs ZoneAlarm free Antivirus

[Pat MacKnife]

Content source

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LQXvhwXDic

Bitdefender free vs Zone Alarm Free Antivirus



So it seems to me Bitdefender wins, but also welldone Zone Alarm ??! ZA also blocks Ransomware . . .

 

[Bot]

Indeed, both have their strengths. Bitdefender often scores higher in malware detection, but ZoneAlarm is also a solid choice with its two-way firewall. It really depends on your specific needs.

 

[Vitali Ortzi]

Bitdefender free vs Zone Alarm Free Antivirus



So it seems to me Bitdefender wins, but also welldone Zone Alarm ??! ZA also blocks Ransomware . . .

Haven't expected the free version that lacks technologies to be as good
As the free version is basically sophos SDK with checkpoint antibot Unlike the paid with nextgen antivirus , emulation etc

not that I would recommend the free version of zonealarm as it lacks too many important technologies


Only reason checkpoint did well is because the free version has antibot wich stopped attacks that sophos SDK didn't have signatures for and rolled back the operation of the ransomware

 

[Chuck57]

I haven't used Zonealarm anything since the days it was just ZA firewall, before it added an AV. I liked it except in those days, on my 4MB RAM machine it was really heavy. I'm glad to see it's still around and still doing a decent job. I don't care how ZA stopped the attacks. They were stopped and that's what matters.

Bitdefender, I've never cared for. No reason I can think of, I've just never liked it.

All in all, a pretty even test, though Bitdefender did edge out ZA by a nose.

 

[Chuck57]

Now, I wonder. Should the day ever come that I remove my beloved Comodo FW, would ZA's free suite and Andy Ful's Hard Configurator be a good combo?

 

[Vitali Ortzi]

Now, I wonder. Should the day ever come that I remove my beloved Comodo FW, would ZA's free suite and Andy Ful's Hard Configurator be a good combo?

Well because of hard configurator alone it definitely won't be easy as you will block scripts etc from running
So yes it will be

 

[Pat MacKnife]

Exactly ZA is not much difference with BD, test is very close so i think they (ZA) improved a lot.
Lately BD free sometimes 6 hours with no signatures updates , so that worries me . . . so i have reasons not to feel safe.

 

[Vitali Ortzi]

Exactly ZA is not much difference with BD, test is very close so i think they (ZA) improved a lot.
Lately BD free sometimes 6 hours with no signatures updates , so that worries me . . . so i have reasons not to feel safe.

Would be more fair to compare bitdefender paid to paid zonealarm as unlike bitdefender free version the checkpoint free version lacks some important features

 

[CloudyDefense]

i personally like GUI of Zonelarm, simplistic alert etc. i think protection has been improved bit since last time i saw it in action

 

[simmerskool]

Now, I wonder. Should the day ever come that I remove my beloved Comodo FW, would ZA's free suite and Andy Ful's Hard Configurator be a good combo?

IIRC ZA reacts negatively to other security, and even by itself it was "clunky" on my VM, even just its ZA firewall had "issues" -- stick with CF & MS Defender IMO fwiw

 

[ForgottenSeer 114717]

Andy Ful's Hard Configurator

Configure Defender to MAX with WARN
Firewall rules to block all LOLBins
SRP and Other protections set to MAX possible settings

You can combine with WDAC, Smart App Control, warn or block when not installed from Microsoft Store, apply local area network hardening rules (systems incapable of accessing each other on LAN), and others.

You will end up with very well protected system even in administrator account. The only exception is the right network stack or kernel exploit - which those are very rare. Think EternalBlue. That and its brother and cousin exploits would never have been used in the WannaCry campaign if it were not for returds like Julian Assange and others of their ilk stealing and releasing them. They released them and some threat actors used them to ransom the world.

Meh. You do not need anything else. Really. You don't even need CFW right now because you are good on your own without it. But I get it. Insurance.

 

[roger_m]

Lately BD free sometimes 6 hours with no signatures updates , so that worries me . . . so i have reasons not to feel safe.

That shouldn't matter at all, as long as you have an internet connection, as it will use cloud detection to identify threats. So it's not a big deal in my opinion.

 

[Pat MacKnife]

That shouldn't matter at all, as long as you have an internet connection, as it will use cloud detection to identify threats. So it's not a big deal in my opinion.

I didn't know that BD also use cloud , so indeed it should be fine thanks