best free AV and firewall for Vista?

[Kris]

Software firewalls are much like a dog barking at shadows in the night.

au contraire - set up correctly they cut a lot of junk inbound, and
outbound, if you choose.

 

[Kris]

Using AVG and Windows Firewall here on Vista Business.
No complaints with either.

Thanks Jay - I think that's the route I will initially go.

 

[Kris]

Avira AntiVir® PersonalEdition Classic - Free
http://www.free-av.com/antivirus/allinonen.html
Or
Free antivirus - avast! 4 Home Edition
http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html
(Choose Custom Installation and under Resident
Protection, uncheck: Internet Mail and Outlook/Exchange.)


You are not going to find anything better than the Vista FW and Vista in
itself due to the advanced features the FW and Vista are using.

"Personal Firewalls" are mostly snake-oil.
http://www.samspade.org/d/firewalls.html

Jesper's Blogs-
At Least This Snake Oil Is Free.
http://msinfluentials.com/blogs/jesper/archive/2007/07/19/at-least-this-snake-oil-is-free.aspx
Windows Firewall: the best new security feature in Vista?
http://blogs.technet.com/jesper_johansson/archive/2006/05/01/426921.aspx

Exploring The Windows Firewall.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag/issues/2007/06/VistaFirewall/default.aspx
"If you try to block outbound connections from a computer that’s already
compromised, how can you be sure that the computer is really doing what you
ask? The answer: you can’t. Outbound protection is security theater—it’s a
gimmick that only gives the impression of improving your security without
doing anything that actually does improve your security. This is why
outbound protection didn’t exist in the Windows XP firewall and why it
doesn’t exist in the Windows Vista™ firewall."

Tap into the Vista firewall's advanced configuration features
http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10877-6098592.html
"...once you discover the secret of accessing its advanced configuration
settings via the MMC snap-in, you'll find it to be far more configurable
and functional. At last, Windows comes with a sophisticated personal
firewall that can be used to set up outbound rules as well as inbound, with
the ability to customize rules to fit your precise needs."
Or
Configure Vista Firewall to support outbound packet filtering
http://searchwindowssecurity.techtarget.com/tip/0,289483,sid45_gci1247138,00.html
Or
Vista Firewall Control (Free versions available).
Protects your applications from undesirable network incoming and outgoing
activity, controls applications internet access.
http://sphinx-soft.com/Vista/

"> You are not going to find anything better than the Vista FW and Vista in

itself due to the advanced features the FW and Vista are using."

In my experience with XP firewall, I expect that it's a good firewall. I
understand that it also has added malware scanning which I am not
interested in - too many real-time scanners spoil the broth! The main
advantage to a different firewall like Kerio or Comodo is that it gives you
a tad more fine selection of what you're blocking.

Yes, there is usually little outbound blocking unless you choose it.
Having never had a virus, my concern is inbound, NOT outbound.

snake oil - if you believe that, I assume you use a router to block things,
which will definitely do the trick. I have done that on occasion. I have
also played with Etherial and different software firewalls and have made my
choice: Windows firewall or something like Comodo.

 

[Kris]

I recommend AVG anti virus and Zone Alarm firewall (free versions of both)

--

Second recommendation for ZA. I haven't played with that in years. What
makes it better than Comodo or Kerio? tia!!!

 

[Kris]

I would recommend that you stay with the free version of AVG for an
anti-virus plus utilize Comodo for your firewall.
Gene K

Thanks Gene!

 

[Kerry Brown]

So does the Vista firewall when setup properly. Any firewall running a
computer cannot be relied on to stop a process running on the same computer
with the same or higher privileges from doing whatever it wants.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I think that regular full disk scans are unnecessary

Probably.


and just wear out drives.

I don't believe that, though.

As long real-time scanning has been on since the last full scan,
they aren't needed. I have not had any Malawi for years though.

I've never had any Malawi. I haven't had any Zambia or Zimbabwe
either. ;-)

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Thanks, Ken - I didn't know that one!

You're welcome. Glad to help.

 

[kevpan815]

Avast Has Always Been My Favorite, Ever Since I First Started Running 64 Bit
Operating Systems Beginning With Windows XP X64 Professional Edition, And Now
Windows Vista Service Pack One X64 Ultimate Edition, Just FYI.

 

[Val]

I use AVG free and ZoneAlarm. Minimal impact on system.

Just note that you'll get lots of alarms from ZA - half of M$s services
seem
to want to talk on the network to someone. Why?????

Can you give an example of these services and who they are trying to talk
to?
~~~~~~~~~~~`
I've got ZA set on High security for Internet Zone, Medium for the Trusted
Zone.

While most of the network attempts are to the local machine, in on form or
another, some (attempt to) go further. Why?
Here's a sampling

Defrag - wants to talk to my router (192.168.1.1)

Service Host is talking to itself? source IP is the local computer (both
the wired and wifi IP addresses), source DNS is the computer's name
(yes, I know service host is a cover for lots of things. So, what is it
really?) This one comes up a lot

Task Scheduler -again calling the router

Windows Installer wants to talk to 224.0.0.252 (a local thing? I don't
understand this one when I look it up) Why does an installation need to
access network at all, I've downloade the blinking file!

Desktop Window Manager (239.255.255.250 and the local router)

Malicious Software Removal Tool (wants to talk to router address)

Microsoft Sowftware Licensing Service (we know what that one wants to do!)

Windows Search Protocol Host ( 224.0.0.252) - if it's not on my hard drive,
why look outside the box?

Not to mention various applications I've installed (MS or other vendors)
that seemt to want to talk to someone when I'm using them locally. It can't
all be checking up on updates.

 

[C.B.]

Thanks Gene!

Kris,

Comodo is indeed a good firewall. I think it is better than ZoneAlarm's
free firewall. However, both firewalls have the potential to cause problems
with certain Vista systems, but not all.
I finally had to quit using the Comodo firewall because it (since
Novermber of 2007) always caused trouble with or prevented the installation
of Windows Updates. Although Comodo has informed me on numerous occasions
that the problems associated with Windows Updates has been corrected I have
found this to be untrue. Uninstalling the Comodo firewall immediately fixed
the problems with Windows Updates.
If, at some future date, the Comodo problems are fixed I will probably
go back to using it again. However, I have found the embedded Windows
Firewall to be more than sufficient. The Windows Firewall with Advanced
Security will give you much more control over inbound and outbound
connections if that is what you desire.
I don't worry too much about outbound connections although some people
are paranoid about them, sometimes for good reasons, and will only allow
outgoing connections for the updating of their software. However, during
this updating process the vendor can upload any information their product
has acquired from your system.

C.B.

 

[John Barnett MVP]

Nothing makes ZA better or worse than Comodo or Kerio this is simply
personal choice. Although I use the windows firewall, other firewalls such
as ZA are far more user friendly and this is one of the big plusses when it
comes to recommending firewall (or antivirus) software to the general
public. Not everyone is an 'expert' therefore for those with less expertise
than the experts on these newsgroups I would continue to recommend Zone
Alarm. I haven't done a side by side test between ZA, Comodo or Kerio so it
is difficult to say which (if there is one) is better than the other.

--
--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..

 

[Kris]

I don't believe that, though.




I've never had any Malawi. I haven't had any Zambia or Zimbabwe
either. ;-)

regular full scans are probably a good idea on a heavily used computer.

 

[Kris]

So does the Vista firewall when setup properly. Any firewall running a
computer cannot be relied on to stop a process running on the same computer
with the same or higher privileges from doing whatever it wants.

agreed!

 

[Kris]

Nothing makes ZA better or worse than Comodo or Kerio this is simply
personal choice. Although I use the windows firewall, other firewalls such
as ZA are far more user friendly and this is one of the big plusses when it
comes to recommending firewall (or antivirus) software to the general
public. Not everyone is an 'expert' therefore for those with less expertise
than the experts on these newsgroups I would continue to recommend Zone
Alarm. I haven't done a side by side test between ZA, Comodo or Kerio so it
is difficult to say which (if there is one) is better than the other.

--

Thanks for that, John!

 

[Kris]

Kris,

Comodo is indeed a good firewall. I think it is better than ZoneAlarm's
free firewall. However, both firewalls have the potential to cause problems
with certain Vista systems, but not all.
I finally had to quit using the Comodo firewall because it (since
Novermber of 2007) always caused trouble with or prevented the installation
of Windows Updates. Although Comodo has informed me on numerous occasions
that the problems associated with Windows Updates has been corrected I have
found this to be untrue. Uninstalling the Comodo firewall immediately fixed
the problems with Windows Updates.
If, at some future date, the Comodo problems are fixed I will probably
go back to using it again. However, I have found the embedded Windows
Firewall to be more than sufficient. The Windows Firewall with Advanced
Security will give you much more control over inbound and outbound
connections if that is what you desire.
I don't worry too much about outbound connections although some people
are paranoid about them, sometimes for good reasons, and will only allow
outgoing connections for the updating of their software. However, during
this updating process the vendor can upload any information their product
has acquired from your system.

C.B.

Thanks, C.B. - I'll keep my eye open for that one.

 

[John Barnett MVP]

You're Welcome

--
--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..

 

[Bruce Chambers]

AV: Currently using AVG under XP. Also know about avast, antivir, PC
Tools...

Firewall: Initially will use Vista firewall as I am used to XP firewall.
Currently using Comodo under XP.

tia

A free (for personal use) anti-virus product is AVAST! 4 Home Edition
(http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html), which is what I'm
currently using without problems on Vista Business. It's interface is a
bit annoying, but not too hard to learn.

For a recent comparison of anti-virus products:

Retrospective / ProActive Test
http://www.av-comparatives.org/

As for a firewall, Vista's built-in solution is more than adequate
for most consumers' needs. While it's not quite up to the ease-of-use
standards of Kerio or ZoneAlarm, it has been improved over WinXP's version.

There are two interfaces for Vistas built-in firewall:

1) A simplified one accessed through the Control Panel that is the only
one most people see. Sphinx's Vista Firewall Control
http://sphinx-soft.com/Vista/) is a piece of freeware that makes the
Vista Firewall much more useful to the average user.

2) And the more advanced "Windows Firewall with Advanced Security
(WF.msc), accessed via the Start Menu's Administrative Tools folder, for
the experienced user who wants more granular control.

If you prefer something a bit "chattier," Comodo Firewall Pro is
free for personal use.



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

 

[Kris]

A free (for personal use) anti-virus product is AVAST! 4 Home Edition
(http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html), which is what I'm
currently using without problems on Vista Business. It's interface is a
bit annoying, but not too hard to learn.

For a recent comparison of anti-virus products:

Retrospective / ProActive Test
http://www.av-comparatives.org/

As for a firewall, Vista's built-in solution is more than adequate
for most consumers' needs. While it's not quite up to the ease-of-use
standards of Kerio or ZoneAlarm, it has been improved over WinXP's version.

There are two interfaces for Vistas built-in firewall:

1) A simplified one accessed through the Control Panel that is the only
one most people see. Sphinx's Vista Firewall Control
http://sphinx-soft.com/Vista/) is a piece of freeware that makes the
Vista Firewall much more useful to the average user.

2) And the more advanced "Windows Firewall with Advanced Security
(WF.msc), accessed via the Start Menu's Administrative Tools folder, for
the experienced user who wants more granular control.

If you prefer something a bit "chattier," Comodo Firewall Pro is
free for personal use.

Thanks Bruce!

 

[Murray]

Hi Ken (and anybody else)
Any ideas please why AVG Free Version 8 is blocking incoming Windows Mail,
and how I can solve that? Temporary disablement of the POP3 server is not an
option visible in AVG's User Interface > Tools, at least in the Free download
version. Do I need to uninstall, reinstall daily...? Cheers
Murray
Darwin
Australia