App Review McAfee: how bad is the worst antivirus?

[Jonny Quest]

McAfee forum crazy fever trending, replacing previous ESET fever I wonder what will be the next one

And from my understanding, wasn't F-Secure the trend ~5-6 years ago?

 

[Trident]

And from my understanding, wasn't F-Secure the trend ~5-6 years ago?

F-Secure was a trend many times on MalwareTips.
When it was still relevant.

There have been many other trends, there are people who are trend setters. COMODO, DeepInstinct, Kaspersky, AVG, Check Point and many others have been a trend.

 

[stonjean633]

The hashes (mostly) are up there in the table. Anyone with Eset can double check whether their solution detects.


Many others?

I got Eset. I like it as it's very light. But I find it a bit annoying as notifications are too much and I find it annoying. I hate it as it's one of the most pricey AV that for me is not reasonable considering the competition.

 

[silversurfer]

And from my understanding, wasn't F-Secure the trend ~5-6 years ago?

@harlan4096 doesn't meant what about 5-6 years ago because the next forum trend (I call that rather hype) is coming almost every next month or the next quarter of year...

 

[TuxTalk]

Well i quit the new "McAfee" trend, just went back to GDATA. Just not for me, McAfee.

 

[Trident]

Well i quit the new "McAfee" trend, just went back to GDATA. Just not for me, McAfee.

That’s mainly usage and habits really.

 

[Trident]

@harlan4096 doesn't meant what about 5-6 years ago because the next forum trend (I call that rather hype) is coming almost every next month or the next quarter of year...

The thing is people like me just get fascinated and describe the technology, mainly cuz it’s new and complicated and it attracts me. I love decoding these architectures and engines and so on.
That’s why AVs like F-Secure can’t attract my attention, cuz there is nothing going on there.

But for some users, the explanations of this technology become sort of a reason to install the software. They take the content as advertising.

Nevertheless, the objective here was to prove that McAfee is not the worst, as it’s been claimed.

Whether it’s better than Eset, G Data and so on, these are personal opinions that everyone will form for themselves.

 

[ForgottenSeer 116559]

I got Eset. I like it as it's very light. But I find it a bit annoying as notifications are too much and I find it annoying. I hate it as it's one of the most pricey AV that for me is not reasonable considering the competition.

I'm right there with you, hoping there is a solid ESET replacement to jump over to soon. I'm definitely enticed by how cheap I can find McAfee licenses.

 

[stonjean633]

And from my understanding, wasn't F-Secure the trend ~5-6 years ago?

Jokes aside,
F-Secure was really Trend. I still remember they mass hired my coworkers in Trend Micro. It's a group that they took the leader and his foot soldiers followed him to FSec. This happened around mid 2000s.

 

[mlnevese]

McAfee forum crazy fever trending, replacing previous ESET fever I wonder what will be the next one

If I followed every trend in the Forum since I joined, I'd probably be bankrupt by now... I will install some stuff when I can get a good license price, just to see how it's going, like the new Avast/Norton and even the current McAfee a short time ago, but what I paid for both licenses wouldn't buy me a sandwich

 

[Jonny Quest]

@harlan4096 doesn't meant what about 5-6 years ago because the next forum trend (I call that rather hype) is coming almost every next month or the next quarter of year...

Well i quit the new "McAfee" trend, just went back to GDATA. Just not for me, McAfee.

And despite all of the hype or trends, I'm not even using my Eset license but will run my F-Secure license out through next May.

I'm not downloading the Internet every day and installing and running multiple apps. It does what I want it to do, protects my general surfing, banking and PC security, and being stable with low system impact. And I'm okay with that

 

[TuxTalk]

For me , McAfee simply does not feel "right" maybe protection wise its oke, but too much fuss inside the app.
They want too much information, normally i dont care so much, but the amount they ask for is insane.

Part from Co-Pilot :

McAfee's privacy practices have raised concerns, particularly regarding data collection and auto-renewal practices. Users have reported issues with McAfee collecting excessive personal information, including browsing history, location data, and financial information, even when not explicitly using certain features. There are also complaints about aggressive marketing tactics, including unwanted notifications and pop-ups, and difficulty unsubscribing from services or canceling auto-renewals.

Specific Concerns:

• Data Collection:
  McAfee collects a wide range of personal information, including IP addresses, user settings, device information, location data, and browsing history, even when not actively using certain features.
  
  
• Third-Party Data Sharing:
  McAfee may share personal information with third-party service providers and organizations, including payment processors and social media platforms.
  
  
• Auto-Renewal Practices:
  McAfee has faced class-action lawsuits regarding its auto-renewal practices, with users claiming difficulty canceling subscriptions and unexpected charges.
  
  
• Unwanted Notifications and Pop-ups:
  Users have reported receiving numerous unwanted notifications and pop-ups from McAfee, even after opting out of certain features or services.
  
  
• Data Security:
  Concerns exist about the security of user data, especially with the collection of financial information and the potential for data breaches.
  

Addressing Concerns:

• Review Privacy Settings:
  Regularly review and adjust McAfee's privacy settings within the software and your device settings to limit data collection.
  
  
• Be Mindful of Notifications:
  Pay attention to the source of notifications and pop-ups, and be cautious about clicking on links that seem suspicious or come from unfamiliar sources.
  
  
• Read Terms and Conditions Carefully:
  Before purchasing or using any McAfee product or service, carefully read the terms and conditions, including the privacy policy and auto-renewal information.
  
  
• Consider Alternatives:
  If you are dissatisfied with McAfee's privacy practices, explore alternative antivirus and security software options.

 

[Trident]

For me , McAfee simply does not feel "right" maybe protection wise its oke, but too much fuss inside the app.
They want too much information, normally i dont care so much, but the amount they ask for is insane.

Part from Co-Pilot :

And your other favourite Trend Micro doesn’t? Cuz Trend Micro does have the reputation of a privacy disaster around the web, not one or two places. Just saying. I like objective evaluations.

Here is the Gdata collection summary:
I've taken a look at the G DATA privacy policy for their Windows software. Here is a summary of the data they collect:
In essence, G DATA collects data to ensure their security features are working correctly, to manage your license, and to improve their products. Here’s a breakdown:
For Malware Detection:
* They collect information about suspicious files, including their characteristics like size and where they are on your computer.
* To identify your specific device and software installation, they use unique identifiers. This includes your IP address and details about your operating system.
* If you opt into the Malware Information Initiative (MII), they may also collect the suspicious files themselves.
When You Register:
* For the trial version, your name and email are required. Your address is optional.
* If you purchase a license, this information is linked to your registration number.
For Software Updates:
* To keep the software up-to-date, they check your system's configuration and the version of the G DATA software you're running.
* Your IP address and registration information are used to verify your license.
For Web Protection:
* If you use features like "Web Protection," "Anti-Phishing," or "Parental Control," the software will process the URLs you visit to check for threats.
For the Spam Filter:
* Incoming emails are analyzed to identify spam.
* Information about emails, such as a unique hash, is sent to a third-party service called Cyren for analysis. In some cases, parts of the email content, like the header, might be sent as well.
* Details about email attachments, and sometimes the attachments themselves, are uploaded to G DATA's servers for analysis if they seem suspicious.

 

[Jonny Quest]

And your other favourite Trend Micro doesn’t? Cuz Trend Micro does have the reputation of a privacy disaster around the web, not one or two places. Just saying. I like objective evaluations.

They all do in some way shape or form, right, pick your poison or the one that you would personally feel okay with. Last time I looked, I think my eyes started to glaze over when skimming F-Secure's privacy policy

 

[TuxTalk]

And your other favourite Trend Micro doesn’t? Cuz Trend Micro does have the reputation of a privacy disaster around the web, not one or two places. Just saying. I like objective evaluations.

Here is the Gdata collection summary:
I've taken a look at the G DATA privacy policy for their Windows software. Here is a summary of the data they collect:
In essence, G DATA collects data to ensure their security features are working correctly, to manage your license, and to improve their products. Here’s a breakdown:
For Malware Detection:
* They collect information about suspicious files, including their characteristics like size and where they are on your computer.
* To identify your specific device and software installation, they use unique identifiers. This includes your IP address and details about your operating system.
* If you opt into the Malware Information Initiative (MII), they may also collect the suspicious files themselves.
When You Register:
* For the trial version, your name and email are required. Your address is optional.
* If you purchase a license, this information is linked to your registration number.
For Software Updates:
* To keep the software up-to-date, they check your system's configuration and the version of the G DATA software you're running.
* Your IP address and registration information are used to verify your license.
For Web Protection:
* If you use features like "Web Protection," "Anti-Phishing," or "Parental Control," the software will process the URLs you visit to check for threats.
For the Spam Filter:
* Incoming emails are analyzed to identify spam.
* Information about emails, such as a unique hash, is sent to a third-party service called Cyren for analysis. In some cases, parts of the email content, like the header, might be sent as well.
* Details about email attachments, and sometimes the attachments themselves, are uploaded to G DATA's servers for analysis if they seem suspicious.

GDATA can opt-out. McAfee just has Opt-in.
If you compare GDATA with any other American AV , this is nothing. I know TM does, and trustwise i trust them more than McAfee, since McAfee has been bought by an investment group. We ll know these kind of groups just want Data and money ( See Norton / Gen )

 

[Trident]

They all do in some way shape or form, right, pick your poison or the one that you would personally feel okay with. Last time I looked, I think my eyes started to glaze over when skimming F-Secure's privacy policy

But I just don’t understand the big deal with this data. As already mentioned not once or twice, every breach monitoring service (whether it will be through Experian, Equifax), whether it will be through your AV provider (Bitdefender, Webroot, Avast, Norton, Avira, F-Secure) all offer breach monitoring. All of them will collect the same information.

It’s not like they come and grab it out of your machine, you gotta give it yourself. So if you want the service, give it. If not, don’t give it.

I really don’t understand all the beating around the bush…

 

[Trident]

GDATA can opt-out. McAfee just has Opt-in.
If you compare GDATA with any other American AV , this is nothing. I know TM does, and trustwise i trust them more than McAfee, since McAfee has been bought by an investment group. We ll know these kind of groups just want Data and money ( See Norton / Gen )

The business division was bought by an investment group, the home products have nothing to do with this division, they merely use technology under license, like any other AV uses feeds, shares intelligence under the STIX 2.1 standard and so on and so on.

The home products have nothing to do with Musarumbra LLC, the legal entity, the data processor is McAfee LLC.

 

[TuxTalk]

But I just don’t understand the big deal with this data. As already mentioned not once or twice, every breach monitoring service (whether it will be through Experian, Equifax), whether it will be through your AV provider (Bitdefender, Webroot, Avast, Norton, Avira, F-Secure) all offer breach monitoring. All of them will collect the same information.

It’s not like they come and grab it out of your machine, you gotta give it yourself. So if you want the service, give it. If not, don’t give it.

I really don’t understand all the beating around the bush…

Im not going in discussion about this. Just use google or any chat gpt like program and ask.

 

[Trident]

Im not going in discussion about this. Just use google or any chat gpt like program and ask.

To ask what?

 

[Sorrento]

For me its all good fun (and inexpensive) & I'm always up for trying something new & still happy I have that in me @ 66 years