So, you think you're safe and secure? (And obscure? Particularly with your fancy commercial VPN?

[L&LD]

https://www.windowscentral.com/avast-sells-searches-clicks-data-and-more-several-giant-corporations

What is there left to say?

If you're connected to the internet in any way, shape or form, you're under attack even when running 'security' software you're loyal to.

The less third-party software I install, the safer I know I am. At least from entities that I wouldn't expect to be exploited from.

 

[Wallace_n_Gromit]

I tried to access your hyperlink to read the story but the connection fails. Dunno why...
This site can’t be reached
www.windowscentral.com refused to connect.

...but I imagine that story is the same/similar to what was discussed in:

Security Now! #744

https://twit.tv/shows/security-now/episodes/744?autostart=false

"The Avast Online Security, Avast SafePrice, AVG Online Security, and AVG SafePrice extensions
have all been pulled from the Mozilla addon repository... after they were found to be silently
collecting FAR more user-identifiable data than was required to do their jobs.."

For years, Microsoft had sub-par/non-existent security options/software (determined via 3rd party independent testing). So I myself, like many, used third party firewall/antivirus solutions like Bit Defender, AVG, Kapersky, Comodo, and even Avast.

Over the very recent years, Microsoft has really done a very good job providing top-tier antivirus/security software which is integrated within the OS. There have been issues with 3rd party security suites breaking, with certain Microsoft updates. Don't imagine that would happen with the native Microsoft security suite.

The Host of "Security Now" has stated that in his opinion the writing is on the wall for 3rd party Windows Security programs. In this era of declining revenue, at least one of these companies, has found a deeply questionable way to subsidize/leverage their user base for a boost to their bottom line.

 

[Paliv]

Actually every update has the potential for Defender to have potential issues, just not as bad as the third parties blocking the computer from loading windows properly. I say this as a Windows Defender user. Just make sure features don’t get turned off after updates. I always rerun AndyFul’s ConfigureDefender on high after an update. Much easier that messing with group policy.

 

[AndreiV]

I saw this coming years ago when AVAST went on the US stock markets, everything became monetised and filled with adverts. Paying users were spammed continually by mail and with adverts in the GUI.

You could see the way things were going and data collection was obvious but nobody would listen.

I had an account at Avast, I closed it , yet for 5 years they continually spammed me with offers/information/please come back begging messages . Every time I unsubscribed from all mailings, every time despite saying unsubscribe was successful the mails kept coming .

The email address I used was unique and never given to any other party, having used it for Avast that address was then filled with spam every day of the week so we know who sold that address .

 

[L&LD]

This is how I feel about this (as I hinted yesterday in my first post above).

https://www.windowscentral.com/windows-defender-great-so-why-even-gamble-third-party-antivirus

 

[Wallace_n_Gromit]

@L&LD, I was finally able to read the windowscentral.com articles. Had to disable my Nordvpn App. I think that the "CyberSec" feature (...Avoid ads and protect your security from malware, phishing and other threats...) has an issue with windowscentral.com for some reason.

That article is the exact reason that I solely use the native Microsoft security, antivirus stuff on a regular basis and few 3rd-party applications. (Specifically, I like to use MalwareBytes on a rare occasion)

 

[ColinTaylor]

I was recently looking at the video below and it reminded me of this thread. So I thought I'd post the link. I'm not trying to make any point or infer one product is better than another, I just thought it was interesting.

FWIW Until recently I always used Avira but now I just use Defender.

 

[Wallace_n_Gromit]

@ColinTaylor, watched that entire video. Wow, it was very enlightening. He ran the test for 1 1/2 hours in August of 2019 with Windows Defender in Sandboxed mode(I run it that way).

Defender got 91% of the Malware allowed 9% to do its damage. (All the malware wasn't scanned/missed & allowed before Defender/Windows finally gave up/locked up.) The date of the scan was August 16, 2019 and tried to scan 1800+ malware items. After reboot the system was still very compromised and unusable. Of course, even allowing 1 malware through could be catastrophic.

I went to the website https://www.thepcsecuritychannel.com to see if they might have done an updated scan to see if Defender since August 2019 just might be a bit better (with its subsequent updates/upgrades). Didn't see anything more recent.

I see the warning here, as not totally relying on one solution. Maybe practicing good layering of software solutions, hardware solutions, and best practices/don't do stupid things (to minimize the likelihood of having to deal with the multitude of malware in the wild).

That's why I like the work that Asuswrt-Merlin and this interest group is doing. Providing an extra layer of protection/features and information.

 

[Paliv]

I was recently looking at the video below and it reminded me of this thread. So I thought I'd post the link. I'm not trying to make any point or infer one product is better than another, I just thought it was interesting.

FWIW Until recently I always used Avira but now I just use Defender.

He is a very good tester, but there are large issues with these kinds of tests. Most people don’t drop large folders of zipped malware onto their system unless they are testing or torrenting. It completely bypasses any web protection component, such as smart screen. He also works for a third party antivirus company, though one I respect (Emsisoft). He is, however, intelligent and a person I respect even if I disagree sometimes.