Software Review McAfee Protection (Plus Plans, Total Protection, LiveSafe)

[rashmi]

I believe the Scam Protection feature is available in the US, UK, and Australia. I'm unsure, but selected Scam Protection features may be available in some English-language countries. You can activate a McAfee license globally, but Scam Protection is available with a McAfee US, UK, or Australia license. You won't get Scam Protection with a McAfee US license in India or with a McAfee India license in the US. In short, you need a McAfee US, UK, or Australia license, and you should be physically there in these countries for the Scam Protection features.

 

[Trident]

I received R133 update.

What I saw new is McAfee has integrated more components (account cleanup, social network protection, password manager and so on) in the main UI hamburger menu.

In addition, some functions include labels that help users understand what the action does.

The Real Protect behavioural monitoring machine learning models are updated, it seems that they are getting updated on every product update. The new size of the model is 13MB (+300 kb). McAfee updates the machine learning models before it updates the entire product, independently.

Web Advisor also receives updates independently from the whole product.

In addition, McAfee received 3 new patents in August.
One of them is again related to Phishing detection via grammatical artefacts, the second one is related to reanalysing the website based on user request, analysing the text in the request to tailor the analysis. This means that likely in Web Asvisor, a request for reclassification will soon appear and the patent describes using Deep Convolutional Networks as part of automated analysis. The third patent is related to the password manager.

 

[stonjean633]

I received R133 update.

What I saw new is McAfee has integrated more components (account cleanup, social network protection, password manager and so on) in the main UI hamburger menu.

In addition, some functions include labels that help users understand what the action does.

The Real Protect behavioural monitoring machine learning models are updated, it seems that they are getting updated on every product update. The new size of the model is 13MB (+300 kb). McAfee updates the machine learning models before it updates the entire product, independently.

Web Advisor also receives updates independently from the whole product.

In addition, McAfee received 3 new patents in August.
One of them is again related to Phishing detection via grammatical artefacts, the second one is related to reanalysing the website based on user request, analysing the text in the request to tailor the analysis. This means that likely in Web Asvisor, a request for reclassification will soon appear and the patent describes using Deep Convolutional Networks as part of automated analysis. The third patent is related to the password manager.

McAfee keeps giving more features to consumers. The opposite of what Eset does

 

[Sunqfu]

Let's see how the R134 update will be. I'm eagerly waiting. Watching McAfee's development is as enjoyable as watching a little baby grow up.

 

[Szellem]

I received R133 update.

What I saw new is McAfee has integrated more components (account cleanup, social network protection, password manager and so on) in the main UI hamburger menu.

In addition, some functions include labels that help users understand what the action does.

The Real Protect behavioural monitoring machine learning models are updated, it seems that they are getting updated on every product update. The new size of the model is 13MB (+300 kb). McAfee updates the machine learning models before it updates the entire product, independently.

Web Advisor also receives updates independently from the whole product.

In addition, McAfee received 3 new patents in August.
One of them is again related to Phishing detection via grammatical artefacts, the second one is related to reanalysing the website based on user request, analysing the text in the request to tailor the analysis. This means that likely in Web Asvisor, a request for reclassification will soon appear and the patent describes using Deep Convolutional Networks as part of automated analysis. The third patent is related to the password manager.

That's great, but not everyone gets them. It looks like there are regional restrictions, which isn't fair on McAfee's part. I really, really don't like that.
If they release something, then it should be released and that's it. They shouldn't mess around with licenses and regions.
Their support is rubbish. They can't tell me who gets what or why they don't get it? Should I call a foreign number and buy a new license? Funny.

 

[ForgottenSeer 114717]

That's great, but not everyone gets them.

It is due to U.S., E.U. or other regulatory restrictions and other legal considerations. Such as releasing a new feature to users in a region where there is reduced liability in using the users as guinea pigs to test those features.

Anything that utilizes certain types of cryptography cannot be exported outside of the U.S. Not even to U.S. allies and international partners. You would think that software publishers would not implement or integrate such restricted cryptography, but they occasionally do. In the case of McAfee, I would be surprised if it did and that has anything to do with limited region rollout.

Other things that can cause feature rollout delays are not updating Terms of Service and the EULA for each region or market. Then there are operational reasons for slow feature rollout.

It can be any number of things. Probably not McAfee being the Mean Horry Anti-Consumer Monster.

Their support is rubbish.

I do not think there is any support that exists that is not rubbish, generally. The person providing the support makes all the difference.

 

[TuxTalk]

 

[ForgottenSeer 116559]

R133 arrived yesterday afternoon for me as well. No visible changes to report from the US version of Total Protection, but no matter. I'm sticking with it for the strengths of the core modules. Many thanks to @Trident for continuing to decode and share insights into McAfee's steady stream of updates.

Hopefully the McAfee Support Community will be back up and running again before long. A dedicated forum can be a better way to get some answers than ordinary avenues of customer support.

 

[Harputlu]

If I use a US VPN, will I receive the update?

 

[Trident]

If I use a US VPN, will I receive the update?

I don’t think so, with so many machines running their products, they are releasing updates in a phased manner, so it depends in which ring your device has been put.

 

[cartaphilus]

McAfee keeps giving more features to consumers. The opposite of what Eset does

Honestly McAfee can keep those features I would rather take a less impactful less threat space exposed anti-malware solution. I do not want a 3rd party bundled solutions forced down my throat. I have no Social Media to watch for, I don't need a VPN provided by a 3rd party I can buy the ones I chose to, I do not want my passwords tied to an anti-malware solution 3rd party agreeement. I want to purchase my own password manager that does just what it's meant to do and nothing more.

 

[Trident]

Honestly McAfee can keep those features I would rather take a less impactful less threat space exposed anti-malware solution. I do not want a 3rd party bundled solutions forced down my throat. I have no Social Media to watch for, I don't need a VPN provided by a 3rd party I can buy the ones I chose to, I do not want my passwords tied to an anti-malware solution 3rd party agreeement. I want to purchase my own password manager that does just what it's meant to do and nothing more.

Good but McAfee owns the VPN, the TruKey password manager and everything that they offer. There are other solutions that keep their offerings to the core, HEP is one of them.

 

[cartaphilus]

Good but McAfee owns the VPN, the TruKey password manager and everything that they offer. There are other solutions that keep their offerings to the core, HEP is one of them.

That perfect for them regarding the VPN; Unlike ESET who uses Windscribe. Don't get me wrong I have Lifetime Windscribe "KickStarter" membership and I love them. But that being said; it's an IP (Intellectual Property not Internet Protocol) they don't control so at any point during your agreement they can switch the provider to something worse and most folks won't be any wiser.

As per Password Manager; That's great for 90% of the mom and pop's solutions who don't even know what AntiMalware is; they just want it to work. As per myself I change vendors waay too often to bind myself into an AV solution because of a password manager.


i.e. In General I am not for bundling stuff; I like stuff ala carte; than again maybe that's why I've spent twice the amount a PC should cost just because I built it with the parts I wanted and not something pre-made.

 

[TuxTalk]

i do not use the VPN from McAfee, i use NordVPN, i also do not use their Password manager.

 

[ForgottenSeer 116559]

WebAdvisor suddenly started to work in Brave Search, which I've been trying out as of late.

 

[rashmi]

I recall some users reporting problems with McAfee WebAdvisor on Firefox. I've installed MWA on Firefox, and it's working fine.

 

[roger_m]

I got the R133 update today, on the second time I checked for updates.

 

[Sorrento]

Honestly McAfee can keep those features I would rather take a less impactful less threat space exposed anti-malware solution. I do not want a 3rd party bundled solutions forced down my throat. I have no Social Media to watch for, I don't need a VPN provided by a 3rd party I can buy the ones I chose to, I do not want my passwords tied to an anti-malware solution 3rd party agreeement. I want to purchase my own password manager that does just what it's meant to do and nothing more.

That's why I have the most basic McAfee, you do have the option of using the VPN which i don't but there are no other add-ons apart from tracker remover, I paid a pittance (£5:20 GB Pounds) for it for a two year licence, so to me you buy the version the fits your requirements?

 

[Lord Ami]

Sorry for bad quality. This is very concerning popup. Paid McAfee IS is being used.

 

[Sorrento]

That is annoying, if I had enough of such popups I eventually revert, it would depend though, as it happens with everything. What sane person wants to search with Yahoo anyway? Companies just can't help themselves & seems to be part of life these days, no one is happy until they plague you for more.