Battle If I had to spend $$ on a single security software on a commercial setting?

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Lostnwandering

New Member
Thread author
Feb 8, 2015
5
So I inherited this laptop at work. It seems to have a fresh install of Windows 7. This laptop would be used to maintain and process online orders through the company website and therefore contains sensitive data that I think should be protected. Management laughed at me when I mentioned we needed to invest in some kind of security software! ( Yes, they did laugh - "Are you serious?" ) This laptop would be the only one that deals with customers online as well ( Support, Questions, and all that ) I'm required to routinely open files customers sends as attachments ( usually pics and pdf )

After much talking, they said I can have $100 for 1 year to invest in some kind of security suite if it puts me at ease! When I asked an online buddy, he recommended Symantec Endpoint configured in a way to block out everything else except the company site and necessary support sites. I'm not really an advanced IT guy to configure Symantec properly, maybe a managed single unit license? Idk! I wouldn't mind personally investing another $100 or so if need be to ensure a relatively worry free working laptop! :D What do you guys think? Suggestions? Comments?

P.S: I'm very aware that there might be suitable winners that I may have never even heard of! so feel free! I'm also willing to learn how to configure it correctly as long as it won't take me 4 years and a degree to do it! :D
 
H

hjlbx

Hello Lostnwandering,

If I am understanding you correctly, are you saying:

0 protection for online orders, purchases and client data...

Is there any website server protections or is the company just winging-it = using local web-hosting with nothing?!!


In any case, back to your laptop...

MT members are going to ask "What are your system specs (processor and memory - both hard disk and RAM)?

These details may quickly eliminate some options.

A $100 budget narrows it down even further.


Generally, with Endpoint Security Solutions, all the top brand names provide trial periods.

I would take full advantage of any trials so you can sort out what you like and what works well on your system.

Relying upon paper "specs" and/or opinions, in my experience, will lead to disappointment.

Support is going to be a top priority...for endpoint I think you really do need to evaluate support.

I would verify what support is and is not included in the cost of the software...as it varies from vendor to vendor.
 

tallorder

Level 6
Verified
Jan 15, 2015
267
Excellent suggestions, both for being ready for the questions that will be asked: configuration, and to use all the free options out there for trial periods!!
 

Lostnwandering

New Member
Thread author
Feb 8, 2015
5
If I am understanding you correctly, are you saying:

0 protection for online orders, purchases and client data...

Is there any website server protections or is the company just winging-it = using local web-hosting with nothing?!!

You are understanding me perfectly! *cough* Nothing *cough* I just started working here and I was pretty amazed really. I don't know if I can 'blame' them as I don't think they are aware or properly educated about what it means to take your business 'online'. They just started out with their online venture recently and that's how I was hired and came in. They have 8 other computers on the network with Nothing!! Nothing! It might be okay considering all these 8 computers do all day is number crunching via various accounting software. I don't think anybody goes online? I come in now and I get this laptop solely meant for the online part.

MT members are going to ask "What are your system specs (processor and memory - both hard disk and RAM)?

These details may quickly eliminate some options.

I should have included this with my post. How silly of me! Specs are good for a laptop - i5-3320M 2.6Ghz, 500GB HDD, 4GB DDR3, Windows 7 Pro! AMD FirePro M4000! Compared to my Thinkpad T42 at home, it's a beast for sure :D Everybody else got a desktop while I get a laptop. I don't mind :D

I would take full advantage of any trials so you can sort out what you like and what works well on your system.

I suspect this is what I would end up doing!

Business type solution products will be varied on how configuration types can made due to complex structure, but if you want a protection, try those home products instead since its a straightforward already

Yes, I have been thinking about this since it's almost like just my laptop instead of a whole work network even though it's how it should be! Any recommendations? Am I just brainwashed by advertising - I seem to be thinking Big names = Safer! Picking a security software now a days feels very similar to trying to pick that one candy from a 9,000 Sq Ft candy store.
 

jamescv7

Level 85
Verified
Honorary Member
Mar 15, 2011
13,070
@Lostnwandering: If you are worthy to purchase a license for home solution type, try to test the trials from ESET, Norton or Kaspersky since they have very good products in terms of protection.

Free products are another promising too like Avira Free or Avast Free (Hardening Mode feature included as blocking unknown programs directly)

Multi engines like Qihoo 360 Internet or Total free version.

;)
 
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hjlbx

Hello Lostnwandering,

You find yourself in a conundrum my friend.

If I were in your predicament, then I would send a PM to Nico@FMA .... as he possesses both the knowledge and experience to help you with your predicament. That guy is busy, so I would only ask for some general guidelines. I can almost guarantee you that he will point you to Symantec as he uses it.

I would find out how and where the company's website is hosted.

There are quite a few details that need to be covered/considered; your configuration may be easy or it can turn out to be quite a project.
 
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D

Deleted member 21043

Hi,

To help you, I will give you a simple configuration I think would be a "good" level of protection to an extent, however I expect other members on the forum to quote me on this post, throwing questions at me and so on... (because I recon they won't like the below configuration I have suggested).

I think you could try using Emsisoft Anti-Malware, with the real-time disabled and ONLY the behaviour blocker (and if you like, Surf guard) enabled. The behaviour blocker is good, because it means it could catch out and block suspicious programs currently executing. Then, with this, you could try maybe ESET Smart Security for the real-time protection (they have good signatures, the detection rate is very nice) and for the firewall protection. (ESET also has a level of HIPS which can be good once configured correctly, but this is not required with Emsisoft Anti-Malware, and in my opinion, Emsisoft's behaviour blocker is far better than ESET. If only you saw the list of what it can look out for).

The reason I said to only use the Behaviour Blocker in Emsisoft is because it is known to be bad to have 2 Antivirus programs running at the same time; in the same sense that they both have real-time protection and could conflict and slow down your system... Not to mention, while 2 different Antivirus products running on real-time is good for protection, it's bad for system performance and can cause issues.

If you really want a more "strong" configuration, if you however decide to take the above configuration I noted down, you could also use Emsisoft Anti-Malware on-demand. Meaning, as well as using the Behaviour Blocker enabled, you regularly perform a scan with the scanner to see if it can detect any threats.

Cheers. ;)
 
H

hjlbx

In addition to kram7750's advice it might be worth your while to check out OPSWAT's Gears - it's free for the first 25 devices.

OPSWAT's Gears is slick...but it can be a bit rough on system resources.

It's worth a "look-see."

It includes "Secure Session" which offers the data protections you alluded to: https://www.opswatgears.com/session-shield

NOTE: While using Secure Session printers are unavailable by default but can be enabled via cloud console.

With a Gears account you can restrict access to only your company's website and also printer access along with a whole smattering of other controls.

You also mention PDFs. In that case use something other than Adobe Acrobat/Reader as it poses a security risk.

I have had good experiences with NitroPDF Reader.

Emsisoft Anti-Malware or Emsisoft Internet Security + Gears may just fit your needs.
 
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Lostnwandering

New Member
Thread author
Feb 8, 2015
5
If you really want a more "strong" configuration, if you however decide to take the above configuration I noted down, you could also use Emsisoft Anti-Malware on-demand. Meaning, as well as using the Behaviour Blocker enabled, you regularly perform a scan with the scanner to see if it can detect any threats.

I really liked this suggestion. I have been doing a trial of Emisoft Anit-Malware. It's too early to tell but I liked it so far except for the two BSOD errors! I'm not 100% sure if it's related to Emisoft. I was running a whole lot of programs together and kinda "felt" like the system couldn't handle it. I had to get things done so didn't really pay much attention to the errors themselves and just did a hard reboot both times.

It includes "Secure Session" which offers the data protections you alluded to:https://www.opswatgears.com/session-shield

Thanks for mentioning this to me!
 

tallorder

Level 6
Verified
Jan 15, 2015
267
In addition to kram7750's advice it might be worth your while to check out OPSWAT's Gears - it's free for the first 25 devices.

OPSWAT's Gears is slick...but it can be a bit rough on system resources.

It's worth a "look-see."

It includes "Secure Session" which offers the data protections you alluded to: https://www.opswatgears.com/session-shield

NOTE: While using Secure Session printers are unavailable by default but can be enabled via cloud console.

With a Gears account you can restrict access to only your company's website and also printer access along with a whole smattering of other controls.

You also mention PDFs. In that case use something other than Adobe Acrobat/Reader as it poses a security risk.

I have had good experiences with NitroPDF Reader.

Emsisoft Anti-Malware or Emsisoft Internet Security + Gears may just fit your needs.
I just keep absorbing more at MT all the time! I didn't know one could use a different PDF file reader!
 
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