windows defender and Panda titanium AV

[rtdavide]

.... is it redundant to run both? perhaps slowing the computer too
much....

 

[Bob]

No, an AV program is not redundant with anti-spyware. You need both.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

... is it redundant to run both? perhaps slowing the computer too
much....

It's not at all redundant. They do two different things, and you need
both functions:

1. Windows Defender is an anti-spyware program

2. Panda anti-virus is an anti-virus program.

Two more points:

1. Panda is not one of the better anti-virus programs, in my view.
Instead I recommend the freeware Avast.

2. A single anti-spyware program is not sufficient. Note what Eric
Howes, who has done extensive testing on Anti-Spyware products,
states:

"No single anti-spyware scanner removes everything. Even the
best-performing anti-spyware scanner in these tests missed fully one
quarter of the "critical" files and Registry entries" See
http://spywarewarrior.com/asw-test-guide.htm

My own practice is very conservative, and I personally run all of the
following:

Spybot Search and Destroy
Adaware
Spyware Blaster
Windows Defender
Super-Antispyware

I recommend running at least two from that list.

 

[Mick Murphy]

Hi Ken.

I use Spybot Search & Destroy and Spyware Blaster.
Spyware Blaster is good as it runs in the background, and all you have to do
is update it, and enable the extra protection.

AdAware went off the boil a few years ago.
It used to be a brilliant program; now, I don't even put it on customers
computers.

For anti-virus, you can't beat Avast.

 

[MICHAEL]

Mick,

SpywareBlaster doesn't "run" in the background.

<quote>
How does SpywareBlaster's protection work?

-SpywareBlaster works by settings "kill bits" in the registry. These "kill
bit" registry entries are set for the spyware ActiveX CLSIDs (unqiue IDs
that identify an ActiveX control). When a kill bit is set for a CLSID, the
ActiveX control that uses that CLSID cannot install itself via your browser,
nor can it run if it already installed. Microsoft sometimes uses these kill
bits for fixing Active-X security holes.
</quote>


-Michael

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hi Ken.

I use Spybot Search & Destroy and Spyware Blaster.
Spyware Blaster is good as it runs in the background,

Actually, no. It doesn't "run" at all.

and all you have to do
is update it, and enable the extra protection.

AdAware went off the boil a few years ago.
It used to be a brilliant program; now, I don't even put it on customers
computers.

I don't agree, but your choice.

For anti-virus, you can't beat Avast.

I think that's very likely true of freeware anti-virus programs. If
you're willing to pay for a product, I hear very good things about
NOD32, and I suspect that it might be better than Avast.