BitDefender Internet Security 2015 - General Impression

Status
Not open for further replies.
H

hjlbx

Thread author
Hello,

This is a mini-review of BitDefender Internet Security 2016.

Tested on Intel i7-4720HQ with SSD - so a fast system; not tested on low-end HDD (slow) system.

Pros:

  • Top-tier signature-based upon testing against samples from MT Malware Hub.
  • GUI is straight-forward and organized; minimalistic approach all the way around.
  • Highly automated requiring very little user interaction; very well suited to "set-it-and-forget-it" novice.
  • Notifications are clear, concise, unobtrusive but demand attention, and remain open long enough for user to respond if they so choose.
  • Safe Pay isolated browser that is stable (NOTE: Not the same as Sandboxie).
  • Only experienced one minor GUI bug and a few service crashes; BD auto-restarted and self-generated a bug report and submitted it.

Cons:

  • System optimization tools are completely unnecessary.
  • Since it is so highly automated, BD actions when protecting/cleaning system are not really all that clear (but maybe that is as it should be considering the intended audience).
  • Some minor GUI quirks that may confuse inexperienced novice.
  • Uses file rating/heuristics; lacks true Behavior Blocker.
  • BD Rescue Disk does not support Secure Boot (BD notifies user).
  • No firewall prompts from within which rules can be created; generic "Allow" autorules are created and editing is completely a manual affair.
  • No means for user to manually add object to Quarantine.
  • Navigation/info access is not always intuitive or convenient.
  • Web-protection (HTTP scanner) can cause noticeable delay in web-page load... sometimes long/may have to close tab and re-open page.
  • Using BD's sandboxed browser some plug-ins may mis-behave/show quirky behavior - e.g. LastPass.
  • SSL scanning breaks a lot of pages and user has to create browser exceptions.
  • 250+ MB RAM usage will be a problem for some users without sufficient memory.
Impression:

Now I understand why BD is not generally well-liked here at MT; it ranks dead-last with regards to the "toy factor." Well, Windows Defender really occupies that position, but you know what I mean.

I personally like BD's minimalistic approach.

Of all the AV I have used, BD comes the closest to the ideal of "maximum protection without user interaction."

As a general, all-purpose protection it is well-suited to those that want very little required AV interaction. Additionally, I would evaluate BD before purchasing a license to verify whether or not it will be "buggy" on your specific system.

If it works well on your specific system, then I would seriously consider using it.

The bottom line is that BD 2016 is signature-based detection. That's a problem, but it works best for the vast majority of typical home users so most AV vendors still use it. The Safe Pay feature seems worthwhile, but honestly it is difficult to test how secure it actually is.

Update:

Personally, I am surprised at the improvements from 2015 to 2016.


On my AMD system BD 2015 just didn't work. I think user will have better result on Intel system (I can confirm that BD works better on Intel system; as to the exact technical reasons why this is the case I do not know).


Initially I liked it quite a lot, but in the end 2015 was a bad experience. 2016 is much improved.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Cats-4_Owners-2

Level 39
Verified
Honorary Member
Top Poster
Well-known
Dec 4, 2013
2,800
hjlbx, your summary was a pleasure to read! You'd addressed the 'toy factor' interestingly well, then gave me a reason to smile with your comment on the reader's "knowing what you mean" about Windows Defender!:D

The mark of a good review:
  • Your viewpoints were based on other's observations and your own.
  • Unbiased information was given, & separated into pros and cons.
..and together, these approaches allow someone like myself to pause and consider something I have not done in over a year which is to find myself weighing both the possibilities and potential for Bit Defender.:)

Whom would have thought..?o_O

Well done!:cool:
 
Last edited:

Nightwalker

Level 24
Verified
Honorary Member
Top Poster
Content Creator
Well-known
May 26, 2014
1,339
How about browsing speed? Is it fast now?

Last time I tried it was terrible slow in my machine.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cats-4_Owners-2
H

hjlbx

Thread author
How about browsing speed? Is it fast now?

Last time I tried it was terrible slow in my machine.

When I tested it, I ran the system cleaner/optimizer. Whatever it did, it messed with IE11 settings and afterwards the firewall did not follow the generic in/out "Allow" rule.

I think I'm going to re-test at some point and look further into the issue.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cats-4_Owners-2

Durden

Level 3
Verified
Well-known
Dec 21, 2013
132
you do really good review :) .. I would appreciate it if you'd do a more thorough review of Bitdefender as I have a one year licence for it .. it always puzzled me, sometimes getting the best scores other times fails.. and seems always reported as buggy, though the weird thing is why different people has different experience with it, I mean performance wise, it doesn't make sense that one person report extreme bugs using it , and another does not ..
one more thing , someone here in the forum talked about it's firewall and how it failed in multiple test he did .. can you confirm that ?
also looking forward for your Norton Security review .. and I hope you'll have time to review Webroot
thank you for your hard work
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cats-4_Owners-2
H

hjlbx

Thread author
you do really good review :) .. I would appreciate it if you'd do a more thorough review of Bitdefender as I have a one year licence for it .. it always puzzled me, sometimes getting the best scores other times fails.. and seems always reported as buggy, though the weird thing is why different people has different experience with it, I mean performance wise, it doesn't make sense that one person report extreme bugs using it , and another does not ..
one more thing , someone here in the forum talked about it's firewall and how it failed in multiple test he did .. can you confirm that ?
also looking forward for your Norton Security review .. and I hope you'll have time to review Webroot
thank you for your hard work

Best thing for you to do is download and install 30-day trial and try it out on your specific system.

The bugs seem to be highly system specific.

If you don't want to install it permanently, then do the following:6.

1. Download Shadow Defender

2. Enter Shadow Mode

3. Download Revo Uninstaller Pro

4. Uninstall any AV\Anti-Malware and/or Firewall on system

5. Install BitDefender

6. Try BD against malware from MT Malware Hub

7, When finished, exit Shadow Mode and your system will return to initial state

All I use to evaluate AVs and test against malwares is Shadow Defender. ;)
 
D

Deleted member 2913

Thread author
hjlbx,

In your 1st post at the end you mention using Windows FW Control?
The review is of Bitdefender Internet Security, why WFC?

And does BD FW default protects additionally or the same as Windows FW i.e block incoming & allow outgoing?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cats-4_Owners-2
H

hjlbx

Thread author
hjlbx,

In your 1st post at the end you mention using Windows FW Control?
The review is of Bitdefender Internet Security, why WFC?

And does BD FW default protects additionally or the same as Windows FW i.e block incoming & allow outgoing?

@yesnoo

Thanks for bringing that to my attention. ;)

My suggestion to add Windows Firewall Control was supposed to be inserted into my BitDefender Free review; I placed the sentence in the wrong review.

My mistake. Apologies for any unintended confusion.

Best Regards,

HJLBX
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cats-4_Owners-2

vivid

Level 5
Verified
Dec 8, 2014
206
Bitdefender is gathering forces in the wrong direction-- detection. I do admire the savvy employees, it's just the direction which is bad.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cats-4_Owners-2

Rolo

Level 18
Verified
Jun 14, 2015
857
I have AMD system. I think user will have better result on Intel system.
Nope...I ran BDTS 2015 for a few months and it is utter garbage. It is less secure than Windows Defender if you put it on an actual system being used (not a test PC).

Their support is less than non-existent. How is it less? Non-existent would be no response rather than an incorrect response (failure to read/understand the issue).
 
D

Deleted member 2913

Thread author
My laptop is Win 7 64
4GB RAM & 500GB HDD
Intel

I installed BIS.
Its running light here, boot is good too. For me its running as light as Avast AV Pro.

Users running BIS 2015 can shed some light here.
I tested with 2 harmless sample trojansimulator.exe from testmypcsecurity & eicar from amtso.
BIS detected trojansimulator as PUP & doesn't quarantine/deletes but the file remains on the location inaccessible.
BIS detected eicar as threat & said quarantined but was actually deleted as sample was not in quarantine.

Rightclick scan detected threats on the sameples above but no quarantine option in action. Delete deletes & take appropriate action too deletes the files.

What is search advisor in Web protection?
I thought those safe/malicious, etc... icons on search links but nothing on the search links.

So I liked its running light.
But the prob is ---
Deleting threats instead of quarantine (just a sample test).
PUP are blocked & remains in the location...dont know bug or design?
Rightclick scan detected threats no quarantine option.
Search advisor but nothing on the search links.

BIS 2015 users plzz give some info here.

UPDATE - Only vsserv process is on high side on task manager. Initially around 220,000 K & after sometime settles around 120,000 K but system is running light.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Venustus

Level 59
Verified
Honorary Member
Top Poster
Content Creator
Well-known
Dec 30, 2012
4,809
My laptop is Win 7 64
4GB RAM & 500GB HDD
Intel

I installed BIS.
Its running light here, boot is good too. For me its running as light as Avast AV Pro.

Users running BIS 2015 can shed some light here.
I tested with 2 harmless sample trojansimulator.exe from testmypcsecurity & eicar from amtso.
BIS detected trojansimulator as PUP & doesn't quarantine/deletes but the file remains on the location inaccessible.
BIS detected eicar as threat & said quarantined but was actually deleted as sample was not in quarantine.

Rightclick scan detected threats on the sameples above but no quarantine option in action. Delete deletes & take appropriate action too deletes the files.

What is search advisor in Web protection?
I thought those safe/malicious, etc... icons on search links but nothing on the search links.

So I liked its running light.
But the prob is ---
Deleting threats instead of quarantine (just a sample test).
PUP are blocked & remains in the location...dont know bug or design?
Rightclick scan detected threats no quarantine option.
Search advisor but nothing on the search links.

BIS 2015 users plzz give some info here.
That's the problem with BD,a great "av engine" plagued by bugs!!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

About us

  • MalwareTips is a community-driven platform providing the latest information and resources on malware and cyber threats. Our team of experienced professionals and passionate volunteers work to keep the internet safe and secure. We provide accurate, up-to-date information and strive to build a strong and supportive community dedicated to cybersecurity.

User Menu

Follow us

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter to know first about the latest cybersecurity incidents and malware threats.

Top