To Supplement EAM or Not?

[SearchLight]

I purchased EAM with the promo based on the glowing reviews regarding protection, and the price.

Would you use EAM by itself to protect your PC, or add something as a supplement?

Some have installed supplemental AV or AM apps to EAM but being that the program is considered a combo AV/AM, I think that might be a formula for conflict. That being said, what else would you use, and what program?

I am not interested in a firewall as supposedly EAM now has Windows Firewall protection built-in, and many have said that the WDF is more than adequate for its purposes.

 

[bribon77]

EAM It is enough to be protected.
I would only add Sandboxie to navigate.

 

[_CyberGhosT_]

EAM "is" enough if you have a proclivity for safe browsing and download habits.
If you often find yourself in uncharted waters (so to speak) I would add VoodooShield
or whatever your favorite companion app is.
Stay frosty and let us know later how things work out with this config. PeAcE

 

[shmu26]

It depends on your security needs.
If you are looking to achieve 99.9% protection against the worst stuff out there, including zero-days, then an AV suite alone is probably not going to do that for you. If that's what you are looking for, you should do like @_CyberGhosT_ said.

Sandboxie for browsing is only needed if you are not using a secure browser. If you are using Chrome, Firefox or Edge, up to date versions, you don't need to sandbox your browser.

 

[Rengar]

Crystal Security of Avast with File Shield and BB, or both

 

[Nightwalker]

Just add a good adblocker like uBlock or AdGuard and its done, just remember to do backups and to have up-to-date software and OS.

You can always run UAC to the maximum settings and use a standard user account, imo it is better to keep it simple; complex and multi layered security solutions are good for the eventual geek play but it really isnt necessary or pratical enough for day-to-day usage.

 

[Deleted member 65228]

I recommend you stick with Emsisoft Anti-Malware and Windows Firewall... You don't really need anything else, and if you manage to still get infected then chances are you will still have been infected even if you had stacked software upon software for a potentially conflicting configuration. Emsisoft Anti-Malware is sufficient with its protection components in my opinion, and it is a full suite - stacking other security software alongside is just asking for trouble.

You can ensure User Account Control (UAC) and SmartScreen is enabled, and add an in-browser ad-blocker to increase security. An on-demand scanner doesn't hurt either.

As @Nightwalker mentioned, remember for a good backup as well. This will be very important should you end up being infected. Data-loss prevention is important.

 

[ForgottenSeer 58943]

I'd put Heimdal Pro or HitmanPro Alert with it to be honest.

 

[bribon77]

It depends on your security needs.
If you are looking to achieve 99.9% protection against the worst stuff out there, including zero-days, then an AV suite alone is probably not going to do that for you. If that's what you are looking for, you should do like @_CyberGhosT_ said.

Sandboxie for browsing is only needed if you are not using a secure browser. If you are using Chrome, Firefox or Edge, up to date versions, you don't need to sandbox your browser.

Well all browsers promise to be safe from the beginning of time.. BUT. The greatest risk of infection comes from the internet through browsers. Therefore I do not trust browsers, it is not wrong to add one more layer to the navigation.

 

[Garzaman]

Sandboxie for browsing is only needed if you are not using a secure browser. If you are using Chrome, Firefox or Edge, up to date versions, you don't need to sandbox your browser.

Well all browsers promise to be safe from the beginning of time BUT. The greatest risk of infection comes from the internet through browsers. Therefore I do not trust browsers, it is not wrong to add one more layer to the navigation.

Well, when I want to listen to a new online radio station, or surfing websites unknown to me, I like to do it with the browser in a sandbox. It may be excessive, but sometimes, it has been useful

There are happy people using only Comodo Firewall, and there are others who like to have the computer as an onion, full of layers. I belong to this last group, I live calmer like this

 

[Arequire]

I personally don't like relying on a singular solution to protect me, even with safe browsing habits. Plenty of examples of malware waltzing right past traditional AVs. Voted for supplement.

 

[blueblackwow65]

Is the Emsisoft promo still on ? Thks

 

[Nightwalker]

I personally don't like relying on a singular solution to protect me, even with safe browsing habits. Plenty of examples of malware waltzing right past traditional AVs. Voted for supplement.

Can you give a example of malware waltzing right past Emsisoft's behavior blocker? Thanks.

 

[dinosaur07]

EAM alone is enough. Leave the rest to your brain.

 

[Nightwalker]

Is the Emsisoft promo still on ? Thks

Yes it is:

Emsisoft

 

[Arequire]

Can you give a example of malware waltzing right past Emsisoft's behavior blocker? Thanks.

https://malwaretips.com/threads/shade-ransomware-1-11-17.76753/#post-685809
https://malwaretips.com/threads/18-10-17-11.76306/#post-681651
https://malwaretips.com/threads/7-9-17-13.75244/#post-668721
https://malwaretips.com/threads/6-9-17-18-cerber-fud-injector.75219/#post-668325
https://malwaretips.com/threads/5-9-17-16-with-globelimposter-dwldr.75180/#post-667993
https://malwaretips.com/threads/4-9-17-12.75170/#post-667832
https://malwaretips.com/threads/01-09-2017-17.75077/#post-667252
https://malwaretips.com/threads/31-8-17-11.75052/#post-666696

Not to say that every supplementary solution would have protected against these or any other infection but they'd have - at minimum - increased the chance of protection.

 

[Nightwalker]

https://malwaretips.com/threads/shade-ransomware-1-11-17.76753/#post-685809 (Nothing from Emsi, no files were encrypted )
https://malwaretips.com/threads/18-10-17-11.76306/#post-681651 (files running on memory but no damage)
https://malwaretips.com/threads/7-9-17-13.75244/#post-668721 (just downloaders running on memory, the payload was blocked, NO DAMAGE)
https://malwaretips.com/threads/6-9-17-18-cerber-fud-injector.75219/#post-668325 (Executed and finally self-terminated NO DAMAGE)
https://malwaretips.com/threads/5-9-17-16-with-globelimposter-dwldr.75180/#post-667993 ( NO DAMAGE, actually the system is clean)
https://malwaretips.com/threads/4-9-17-12.75170/#post-667832
https://malwaretips.com/threads/01-09-2017-17.75077/#post-667252
https://malwaretips.com/threads/31-8-17-11.75052/#post-666696

I could go on but it isnt necessary, some malwares needs C&C and if they are dead the malware wont do anything.

I didnt see anything extraordinary in those links that you posted, Emsisoft BB worked pretty well, additional security software isnt that will allow a machine to be infection clean, but ofcourse it is just my opinion.

Edit: I finished to see all those tests and Emsisoft protected the machine in all cases.

You can see that in some tests Ransomware is still running in the memory, but no file was encrypted in any of those tests; the C&C was probably already dead.

In most of those links (maybe all?) the malware failed to create an autorun entry, so just reboot, do a temp folder cleanup and the machine will be "clean".

I saw some downloaders in the memory but the payload were blocked and they didnt set persistence.

 

[Arequire]

I could go on but it isnt necessary, some malwares needs C&C and if they are dead the malware wont do anything.

I didnt see anything extraordinary in those links that you posted, Emsisoft BB worked pretty well, additional security software isnt that will allow a machine to be infection clean, but ofcourse it is just my opinion.

Don't get me wrong, Emsisoft's BB is absolutely fantastic. I just prefer having a reserve chute in case the first one doesn't deploy.

 

[Nightwalker]

Don't get me wrong, Emsisoft's BB is absolutely fantastic. I just prefer having a reserve chute in case the first one doesn't deploy.

I respect your opinion and I understand your reasoning, but my reserve chute is backup and not additional security software that adds cost, system load and potential compatibility problems to my machine.

 

[Arequire]

I respect your opinion and I understand your reasoning, but my reserve chute is backup and not additional security software that adds cost, system load and potential compatibility problems to my machine.

I'm willing to accept cost and increased system load for peace of mind (although cost hasn't come into the equation yet).
Compatibility issues I've yet to run into but if they did occur I'd just replace whichever soft' I value less at the time.