Heimdal what exactly does?

[Andra Zaharia]

I am using Heimdal Pro and I am very satisfied user.

I understand every skeptical comment about Heimdal, how it works and what's the purpose of having it, because I was in the same shoes.

@Andra Zaharia Power users want more tests, see Heimdal in "action". Heimdal blog posts aren't enough, I know you guys trying hard to "explain". It just doesn't work that way with security programs. It's like fighting non-believer, atheist..

Christian: "Why don't you believe God exists?"
Atheist: "Prove it does"
Christian: "To believe God, you don't need proofs, you just feel it in your heart, it's a love"
Atheist: "If you can't prove it, you are a brain sucked sectant"

Totally agreed and I empathize completely, being a user of so many software apps myself. Once more tests are out, I will gladly share them here. And thak you all for the feedback! It's a great opportunity to learn and understand how to better refine the product to fit your needs.

 

[HarborFront]

Hi @Andra Zaharia

Can I check whether Heimadal Pro scans SSL/HTTPS traffic?

Regarding the DNS setting. If I use a VPN then it's DNS server settings will override your DNS settings making it useless, right?

Thanks

 

[Andra Zaharia]

Hi @Andra Zaharia

Can I check whether Heimadal Pro scans SSL/HTTPS traffic?

Regarding the DNS setting. If I use a VPN then it's DNS server settings will override your DNS settings making it useless, right?

Thanks

Hi there!

Yes, of course you can check that.

When it comes to VPNs, firewalls, proxy servers, you can use this guide to let Heimdal know which exceptions it should look out for: What are the exceptions needed if I'm behind a Firewall?

We aim to provide as high of a compatibility level as possible, but, as I'm sure you know, security products tend to interfere with one another if not set up properly.

Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help.

 

[ForgottenSeer 58943]

I purchased some licenses for Heimdal, and used it for a bit. Now I find it generally useless. While it does secure your DNS, and offers some type of traffic scanning aside from that I just don't find it incredibly useful. Installation of a secured Pi-Hole with the proper lists probably does just as much - for virtually free.

Also the very fact their update repository still has Ccleaner listed, instead of one of the dozens of other similar products causes me concern. Personally, after that compromise having the name Ccleaner attached to your product as 'recommended software' is cancerous.

Uninstalled, and denied a refund, so yet another product I am stuck with and don't use..

 

[HarborFront]

Hi @Andra Zaharia

I'm thinking of using Heimdal Pro to complement my set up with Emsisoft AntiMalware + HitmanPro Alert especially in areas of ATP and SSL/HTTPS filtering which the aforementioned doesn't cover (or doesn't cover very well). I understand that Heimdal Pro uses DNS-based engines and I'll need to split-exclude its DNS servers' IP addresses if I'm using a VPN. The followings are Heimal Pro's DNS servers IP addresses.

· 104.46.51.121
· 13.69.147.90
· 40.113.122.223
· 168.63.113.46
. 40.71.202.53

Is it possible to split-exclude Heimdal Pro's DNS servers IP addresses in WindScribe VPN and ProtonVPN (both free)? I was looking through these two VPNs and I don't seem to find an exclusion feature there.

If I split-exclude Heimdal Pro's DNS severs IP addresses in the VPN does that means my DNS queries now go through Heimdal's DNS servers instead of my VPN's DNS server?

Reviews at Wilders Security Forums also point to many problems in the use of Heimdal Pro

Heimdal Free and Pro

Thanks

 

[Daljeet]

I was using heimdal pro from this year i see heimdal blocks many unsafe website in my pc and it's software updater save me from ccleaner compromised version.
I appreciate Heimdal security blog and love to read your guides.

 

[ForgottenSeer 58943]

DNS resolution errors cropped up a few times a week that were incredibly annoying (Pro version). I see on Wilders, others experienced DNS resolution errors (or 'drops' as the neophytes over there called them). I now control my own DNS, local DNS caching, blacklists, enforced DNSSEQ. Much better and more efficient.

However, I can see a use for Heimdal for laptops on the go as it will secure your system from local hijacks, MiTM, DNS redirects, etc. It seems to play well with VPNs from what I could tell. I might keep it around for laptops on the go and the auto-updating of apps. It's cheap enough to use for that.

 

[HarborFront]

DNS resolution errors cropped up a few times a week that were incredibly annoying (Pro version). I see on Wilders, others experienced DNS resolution errors (or 'drops' as the neophytes over there called them). I now control my own DNS, local DNS caching, blacklists, enforced DNSSEQ. Much better and more efficient.

However, I can see a use for Heimdal for laptops on the go as it will secure your system from local hijacks, MiTM, DNS redirects, etc. It seems to play well with VPNs from what I could tell. I might keep it around for laptops on the go and the auto-updating of apps. It's cheap enough to use for that.

But once you use your VPN its DNS server will override that of Heimdal Pro unless you split exclude the HP's DNS servers IP addresses

Also, I cannot find any exclusion feature in Windscribe VPN and ProtonVPN (both free) so how to exclude HP's DNS IP addresses?

I believe HP should work fine if you are not using a VPN.

Thanks

 

[ForgottenSeer 58943]

OpenVPN has a setting for selecting your own DNS or preferential local DNS forwarder.

The problem is, with custom clients, this is either missing or hidden somewhere else.. Sorry I can't help with that.

 

[klaken]

it would be like IBM Security Trusteer Rapport ?

 

[ForgottenSeer 55474]

Hello, I would never purchase this software, and I buy a lot!

 

[ForgottenSeer 58943]

Hello, I would never purchase this software, and I buy a lot!

It's ok for general users as a method to secure your DNS if you have no other DNS security methods in place.. AS an updater it's soundly in the 'meh' category IMO. So really, not much there to like overall. At least it is dirt cheap, for those needing secured dns.

 

[ForgottenSeer 58943]

I'm trying to get to the bottom of how Heimdal Pro works.

We know it inserts a loopback into the IPv4 settings on each computer of 127.7.7.3. I assumed this looped back DNS to the Heimdal local DNS Client running when it is installed. Which it appears to do, but it then hands it off to the normal DNS on your firewall/router or DNS server. I originally thought at that point Heimdal simply acted as a local DNS proxy and took it from there.

Now I am starting to understand that Heimdal loops back to it's local database for validity checks, then forwards to the normal system DNS. Otherwise my local Pi-Hole DNS wouldn't be seeing DNS requests from machines when Heimdal is running, but it is. This leads me to think Heimdal is a good bit more sophisticated than I thought and is doing addition things other than a simplistic DNS Client/Cache or Blacklist forwarder.

Also this is good news, as it means it is an additional layer over my local Pi-Hole DNS w/DNSSEQ, Caching and curated blacklists. So installing Heimdal doesn't blow out a crucial security layer of mine.

 

[HarborFront]

I'm trying to get to the bottom of how Heimdal Pro works.

We know it inserts a loopback into the IPv4 settings on each computer of 127.7.7.3. I assumed this looped back DNS to the Heimdal local DNS Client running when it is installed. Which it appears to do, but it then hands it off to the normal DNS on your firewall/router or DNS server. I originally thought at that point Heimdal simply acted as a local DNS proxy and took it from there.

Now I am starting to understand that Heimdal loops back to it's local database for validity checks, then forwards to the normal system DNS. Otherwise my local Pi-Hole DNS wouldn't be seeing DNS requests when Heimdal is running, but it is. This leads me to think Heimdal is a good bit more sophisticated than I thought and is doing addition things other than a simplistic DNS Client/Cache or Blacklist forwarder.

But you still need to exclude HP DNS servers' IP addresses in the VPN software and, in return, it'll work in the following manner

DNS query ==> HP DNS server ==> VPN server

Correct?

 

[ForgottenSeer 58943]

It turns out, HP isn't a DNS server. It reviews traffic for flawed DNS, blacklisted DNS and malicious appearing traffic patterns.

From one of their engineers I contacted;

You are correct, Heimdal uses your DNS in the end to resolve the addresses. First Heimdal scans all incoming and outgoing traffic with our database for infected domains and if the domain is not infected then it is sent to your local DNS server to be resolved.

 

[Arequire]

it would be like IBM Security Trusteer Rapport ?

Completely different. Rapport takes control of Windows APIs to stop malware hooking them.

 

[HarborFront]

It turns out, HP isn't a DNS server. It reviews traffic for flawed DNS, blacklisted DNS and malicious appearing traffic patterns.

From one of their engineers I contacted;

But I still need to exclude their DNS servers' IP addresses in the VPN software. When you exclude them does it still work as below

DNS query ==> HP ==> VPN DNS server

or it works like this

DNS query ==> HP ==> internet

 

[upnorth]

The posted videos in this thread, any possible updates on those? Seams dead and I'm curious on what they show.

Heimdals page on Vimeo is a source I can recommend as it shows pretty well IMO what Heimdal does and can do.
Heimdal Security

Personal I been a little bit frustrated on Heimdal because I never been able to buy it as they always been so extremely kind and promoted everything from 3-6 months or even more for free. A hint is simply to search either here on this site ( scroll down for Similar Threads ) or search via Google. Good luck!

 

[alakazam]

Since Heimdal does not work like an antivirus,

Does it work like an antivirus now? I've read that it uses Avira's signatures.

 

[upnorth]

Does it work like an antivirus now? I've read that it uses Avira's signatures.

Thor Vigilance and Thor Premium comes with the Avira engine. More information here.

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