Your security setup - then and now?

[uninfected1]

I'm interested to hear how members' security setups have changed since they first joined MalwareTips, and also what's that 'must have' piece of security kit that you would never be without which you heard of through MT?

My setup has changed out of all recognition. When I joined MT I was using the free combo of Panda AV, ZoneAlarm FW and Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit. Now it's Eset Smart Security 9, Zemana AntiLogger 2.21 Premium and VoodooShield, plus other improvements I heard of here such as replacing Adblock Plus with uBlock Origin.

Anyway, over to you.

 

[jamescv7]

Before I join MT, I have already engage proper setup configuration: Avira Free, PC Tools Firewall alongside of Hitman Pro and MBAM. But today as my knowledge already enhance thus I understand my needs so therefore rely only for Windows Defender alongside of McShield.

 

[FrFc1908]

My oldschool setup used to be : AVG IS - Zemana Anti Malware and Unchecky ( for system hardening I used Emet on max settings ) I was a big AVG fan ( even have been an AVG hall of famer / vip from 2010 - 2014 ) absolutely loved their products. Now I am on a different path. realtime : Norton Security - Zemana Anti Logger 2.21 ( pandora engine enabled ) - Unchecky - Voodooshield 3.32 Pro Beta ( autopilot mode ) on demand I use shadow defender ( thanks to MT! ) I am a big vivaldi fan since a couple of days and also Cyberfox x64 AMD has stole my heart. for sure MT members have helped me out along the way , which I am greatly thankfull about , but it also was a path of trial and error......

 

[frogboy]

mine has changed a whole heap i had Norton and thought it protect me from anything but how wrong i was. My current setup is just so different.

PC: SECURE - frogboy's configuration Toshiba PC

Great thread.

 

[FrFc1908]

mine has changed a whole heap i had Norton and thought it protect me from anything but how wrong i was. My current setup is just so different.

PC: SECURE - frogboy's configuration Toshiba PC

Great thread.

did norton let you down froggy???

 

[frogboy]

did norton let you down froggy???

No it did not let me but i did get a bit wiser.

 

[King Alpha]

Prior joining MT:
Toshiba Laptop
Dec. 2007- May 2012 - AVG/avast! Free/Norton and ThreatFire

HP TouchSmart PC
Nov. 2012- June 2013 - Trend Micro Internet Security

After joining MT:
June 2013 - May 2014 - Comodo Internet Security / Webroot (Companion AV), NVTERP, MBAM, EEK, HMP, k9 Web Protection and McShield
May 2014 (2 Weeks) - avast! Free, WFC, MBAM, EEK, HMP, and McShield
May 2014 - July 2014 - Qihoo 360 Internet Security, WFC, EMET, MBAM, HMP, EEK and McShield
July 2014 - June 2015 - ESET NOD32 Antivirus, AG, WFC, ZAL, MBAM, HMPA, HMP, EEK, McShield and AdGuard
June 2015 - May 2016 - avast! Premier, AG, WFC, NVTERP, MBAE, MBAM, ZAM and McShield
May 2016 - July 15, 2016 - Qihoo 360 Total Security, WFC, AG, MBAE, MBAM, WAR, McShield and WinPatrol
July 15, 2016 - Present - Emsisoft Internet Security / SecureAPlus (Companion AV), AG, AdGuard, MBAE, McShield, MBAM, ZAL and Crystal Security

 

[Viking]

After joining MT:
June 2013 - May 2014 - Comodo Internet Security / Webroot (Companion AV), NVTERP, MBAM, EEK, HMP, k9 Web Protection and McShield
May 2014 (2 Weeks) - avast! Free, WFC, MBAM, EEK, HMP, and McShield
May 2014 - July 2014 - Qihoo 360 Internet Security, WFC, EMET, MBAM, HMP, EEK and McShield
July 2014 - June 2015 - ESET NOD32 Antivirus, AG, WFC, ZAL, MBAM, HMPA, HMP, EEK, McShield and AdGuard
June 2015 - May 2016 - avast! Premier, WFC, AG, NVTERP, MBAE, MBAM, ZAM and McShield
May 2016 - July 15, 2016 - Qihoo 360 Total Security, WFC, AG, MBAE, MBAM, WAR, McShield and WinPatrol
July 15, 2016 - Present - Emsisoft Internet Security / SecureAPlus (Companion AV), AG, AdGuard, MBAE, McShield, MBAM, ZAL and Crystal Security[/QUOTE]

Either you have a good memory @King Mellow, or you keep a record of every security change that you make

 

[King Alpha]

Either you have a good memory @King Mellow, or you keep a record of ever security change that you make

I have a good memory. Photographic memory!

 

[shmu26]

I used Panda free + Malwarebytes anti-exploit free, as far as I can remember. I thought that was really cutting-edge security.
Now I learned about so many security softs, I can't make up my mind...

 

[DJ Panda]

I used to have all the Malwarebytes programs MBAE, MBAM, and MBARW. Now I use Avast and Zemana for protection and MBAM for scanning. I have shortened my config a little bit over time.

 

[Atlas147]

In the past I used to only rely on AVs for protection and scanning, I used to have AVG or Avira as my main AV and that was it.

After joining MT, I learnt about layered protection and set up many more layers including MCShield, Zemana, MBAE, and changing my protection to Avast because I find their features very useful like hardened mode and the recent cybercapture.

Although it would seem that AVG and Avira scored better in all the independent tests that have been released recently, I find that Avast has served me well over the years and I don't feel like changing it any time soon.

Also thanks to the recent giveaway from MT I am also using shadow defender to test out any risky installs before actually installing it on my main system. I also use Sandboxie when I want to check a risky link or files that I know will run in the sandbox without issue.

 

[Aura]

My setup didn't change. I had a really strong setup before, and I still have a strong setup today. I also don't use any product I first heard about on MalwareTips, I'm happy with what I'm running.

 

[LASER_oneXM]

..... my security configuration was quite good. After posting my configuration on MT forum i only had to enable/change UAC to "default" and I also had to add zemana anti malware to my configuration. Everything else was quite OK....

 

[ElectricSheep]

What I knew about security when I joined, I could have wrote on the back of a postage stamp!! Just had an AV, that was it...
Now I've got like a layered approach with all sorts of things looking out for the critters

 

[uninfected1]

I have a good memory. Photographic memory!

That is impressive. I can't even remember all the different security programs I've installed let alone the dates!

Interesting reading about the journeys most of us have made since we joined MT (apart from one or two people who seemed to know it all already). Before I joined MT I already understood the importance of layered protection, using additional programs like MBAE, Zemana AntiLogger Free and WinPatrol Free which, alongside Panda and ZoneAlarm made a pretty good free combo. I think now though I have a better mix of software doing the same thing - obviously things like the ZAL 2.21 lifetime licence giveaway help massively.

I was always very happy with Panda and ZoneAlarm though and may well return to them when my Eset licence runs out.

 

[DardiM]

Since I joined Malwaretip :

I purshased :
- ZAM (3 years licence),
- Voodooshield (after personal tests)
- Shadow Defender (I was using Try&Decide from Acronis True Image 2016)
​

And "adopted" Crystal Security

 

[jamescv7]

The case of @King Mellow is not surprising since the common products that we use are already common at all. Also if you are enthusiastic then it is not already complicated to recall.

 

[Ink]

For the next 2 years I will be using Avast Premier, been an Avast user since version 4.6.

Stopped using Comodo Firewall Pro after version 3.x.
Stopped using Spybot SnD and SAS Free after Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
Stopped using MBAM after HitmanPro
Stopped using KeyScrambler after Zemana AntiLogger Free (discontinued)
Stopped using HitmanPro after Zemana Anti-Malware

 

[uninfected1]

Going back to before I joined MT, this is my security 'journey' since I've had my current PC.

2009 - 2011- Microsoft Security Essentials free AV + Vista firewall (v poor protection - see below)
Early 2011 - Infected with ransomware so switched to Avira Free AV + Comodo Firewall 5x (v good combo for me)
Late 2011 - switched from Avira to Avast Free AV (no particular reason)
2013 - Added Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit Free
Early 2014 - Multiple issues with Avast so replaced with full Comodo Internet Security Premium free suite
Late 2014 - Significant and multiple issues trying to clean install CIS v8 so switched to Panda Free AV and Online Armor Free firewall (very good combo imo)
2015 - support ending for Online Armor so switched to ZoneAlarm free firewall (a very underrated FW imo).
Jan 2016 - Joined MT
Jun 2016 - Replaced Panda, ZoneAlarm and MBAE with Eset Smart Security 9
Aug 2016 - Added Zemana AntiLogger 2.21 Premium and VoodooShield 3.33 Beta

I've also used Norton ConnectSafe since 2012.

Other realtime security programs used but not sure of dates:
Qihoo 360 TS AV (very briefly, not impressed), WinPatrol Free, Zemana AntiLogger Free, Keyscrambler Free

No infections since 2011.