[dba-Tech] Win 10 virus protection

Tue Mar 15 12:50:10 CDT 2016

John,
Thanks for all that excellent information.  I've been watching Vipre 
carefully, too, because of the revolving door of selling.  But, Vipre 
has done a very fine job for me, thus far.  I appreciate the heads up on 
Bitdefender and will follow up on that.  Thanks again.
TNF

Tina Norris Fields
tinanfields-at-torchlake-dot-com
231-322-2787

On 03/15/16 12:41 PM, John R Bartow wrote:
> Hi Tina,
> Disclaimer: we're all very technical people on these lists so my discussion
> does reflect people that know what they're doing. ;-)
>
> I haven't abandoned Vipre. After being sold/spun off for the third time in
> about 1/2 dozen years, I expected there may have been some staff drainage at
> Vipre HQ. But et, I've had no problems with it in my client base. But then I
> also don't rely on one program to secure my clients. (Layering is a must.)
> Vipre seems to be better than Bitdefender at blocking the annoying crapware
> add-ons like conduit based toolbars and such. But Bitdefender had a better
> solution for preventing ransomware and that is currently the most damaging
> exploit there is and is only getting worse. All it takes is to click on one
> email attachment that starts the process and a disaster begins. But even
> where I am replacing Vipre on PCs, if they have a server Vipre will stay on
> it. That's two AMs scanning the same files.
>
> For instance I like to have Vipre and HitmanPro web alert. It seems to be
> very effective (either that or I have very smart clients) at blocking web
> born exploits. Also CryptoPrevent is a good product for small businesses to
> aid in resisting ransomware (and there is a free version.) It coexists
> nicely with the normal AM like Vipre or BitDefender. And for clients that
> have gateways with malware scanning support, it is usually Kaspersky or
> Sophos AM scanners.
>
> No AMs can stop the latest exploits immediately, there's a reaction curve.
> The problem is the users. Specifically users being duped into doing
> something they shouldn't. That is the #1 cause of problems and it's hard to
> get people to stop clicking on attachments, advertisements, fake update
> pop-ups etc. So, we try to block all of that stuff. For every solution there
> is a reaction from the bad guys and the circle continues. I insist on popup
> blockers in browsers - currently I install AdBlockPlus on all browsers
> because it is the only free solution I know of that works easily, and
> supports IE, FF and Chrome. (Most of my client base still have to use IE for
> some websites.)
>
> Also mail filtering is SO important. Currently mail filters should remove
> any attachment with embedded javascript as that is the latest attack vector
> of ransomware exploits. And it needs to strip the, by now, run of the mill
> fake UPS or FedEx email with the infected attachments that have been duping
> people for decades.
>
> But the biggest thing people need to have is disconnected backup. Sticking
> an external drive onto a PC, backing up to it every day and thinking that
> will save has been outmoded since the inception of ransomware, encrypting
> exploits. Anything they can get to now, they encrypt, including external
> devices, mapped and unmapped networks shares,
> DropBox/OneDrive/GoogleDrive/SugarSync synchronizations folders (and hence
> their cloud counterparts). Disconnected backup includes the old rotational
> backups and/or true cloud backup solutions.
>
> Prevention is much less expensive than reactionary remediation.
>
> I still get a lot of PCs to clean up for people that aren't my RMS clients.
> They come in with all sorts of "security" programs installed and mostly
> ignored. Hence my attitude towards "free" security solutions. They're only
> free until I have to get the PC ;-)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: dba-Tech [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of
> Tina Norris Fields
> Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2016 10:05 AM
> To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues
> Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] Win 10 virus protection
>
> "Bitdefender is what I replaced Vipre with"
>
> Hi John,
>
> Is this just for Windows 10, or have you abandoned Vipre altogether?
>
> TNF
>
> Tina Norris Fields
> tinanfields-at-torchlake-dot-com
> 231-322-2787
>
> On 03/14/16 5:46 PM, John R Bartow wrote:
>> Bitdefender is what I replaced Vipre with. Always keep a copy of MWB
>> free onboard for a second opinion.
>>
>>
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