Home Forums Discussions Problems Who Using What Internet Security Package & Why?

After my most recent problem with Trend Micro, and seeing some of the responses my other thread got, that other folks have had similar issues with some of the other popular or readily available packages; I thought it might be a good thing to have any and all users post what package or combination of products they are using with their networks with AC on them.

Also please include whether your network is P2P or running on a real server and anhy other details that you think may be of use to understanding your particulars....

Me I'm interested in Kaspersky as it seems many people seem to think they are one of the best at finding the nasties and they offer those hourly updates 24/7 too. I tried to install an older version on the new tower but it seemed to choke on the massive download of a year's worth of updates. I didn't have time to stay and work the problem further so I'm not to sure. I have also heard that they are hard to reach by phone in time of need. The website doesn't give it up and it wasn't in my basic manual that came in the box either. But talking about the manual there is like a two hundred page pdf full version to be had... Now that is a lot of detailed info that none of these other vendors seem to offer.

So, let's have at it and help each other avoid these types of issues in the future... Thanks.
Paul

Paul,
I use Server/Client network.

My system is protected from the public by a Cisco Pix 501 firewall and I use Symantec antivirus (for server/client) version 10.2.

And you're thoughts on all of this are???

Kaspersky's Website for those who are interested:

http://www.kaspersky.com/

My thoughts?
Everyone should be using a real firewall. These devices that most of us buy at Staples (Netgear, etc) "Firewalls" are not true firewalls. Everyone should have a Cisco firewall.

Interesting. How much does a decent enterprise type firewall go for? I was looking at some of the less expensive NetGear ProSafe stuff like their VPN routers back before we took the elegant and simple solution of logmein. But I think the type of firewall you speak of even have a regular subscription to anti-malware type of package unto themselves and so they tend to stop these things at the back door before they ever get to any given PC, yes? Details?

Paul,
Check out this description on Cisco's website.

Cisco ASA 5505

It's available on edimestore.com for $405.90 plus S&H.

That may seem like a lot of money for a firewall, esp when compared to the $75-$125 "firewalls" at Staples. But these are not true firewalls.

Cisco firewalls are truly protective. And, to answer your question, you are correct in your assumption. This firewall as an example offers virus/spam/spyware/malware protection that is "built in."

In fact, if you read their description it eliminates the need for anti-virus software. However, most IT and security experts will still advise that each computer/client have software firewalls and anti-virus capabilities.

Adam,
Thanks for the lead, I will check it out. Now for what just happened to us and our network last week, I have but two questions...
1) how can we all aviod this kind of thing in the future?
2) Bert and Vinny, where the hell are you on this truely technical thread???

Paul

Sorry for my rather prolonged absence. The reasons are long and complex.

We're using a D-Link DIR-655 as both our wireless access point AND our firewall. It is, INDEED a "real" firewall. It's also not very expensive. It does not do content filtering, which is what I think Cisco means in discussing their product that filters spam and other malware/spyware. Quite frankly, if that's what you want DO NOT buy it in a box.. buy it as a service. In order to be worth anything the signatures need to be constantly updated. Cisco offers this service, and it has an extra price.

If you want content filtering, do some serious shopping before you spend your money, and find out what the total cost of ownership, in $$$ per month, is going to be before buying hardware you'll be locked into.

Regards,

V.

See I knew you were the right man for the Job! Welcome back from your sustained absence.... Now I have been playing with Kaspersky and so far I am very pleased. Any thoughts on this product. I hear their anti-virus is the best.... Thanks,
welcome home,
Paul

Am playing with their on-line free scanner even as I type this.

We'll see how they do

V.

I bought a 6.0 package a long time ago and never used it as it was hard to get good info on them at first. So I installed it on one machine and it and I liked it and they even let me upgrade it to 7.0 on the house. So now I've got it on every computer except the old main tower in our P2P set-up. Ran out of time last night. I hope to pop it on that one next sometime this weekend but we're kind of busy. It found a trojan on Nancy's examroom laptop on the first scan... Couldn't find any info on this bug last night, but it seems that it quarentined it pretty well... So far the network traffic likes it whole lot better than either the Trend Micro or the AVG.

See your PM's please and that weird thread from earlier today...

Hockeyref,

Slow down. Vinny is most likely the best computer and network guy on the boards, but there is NO comparison between a D-Link Access point/firewall or a D-Link standalone firewall and a Cisco firewall. Cisco is the industry standard. There are other good firewalls out there, but it's hard to beat Cisco.

On the ASA 5505, they do offer content filtering along with the firewall. I don't see it as being any different than Norton or Kapersky or any other commercial malware product as far as it is a subscription service. From everything I have read, Antivirus solutions at the gateway to the Internet is the wave of the future. Plus, with the bad guys never resting having a triple layer of protection, i.e. Firewall/Malware, main software Antivirus and a software firewall may be necessary.

Everyone has an opinion so you have to research it yourself, but spending $350 to $450 on a Cisco PIX is well worth the money. IMHO.

Hockeyref??? Hockeyref??? After all this time, now it's hockeyref? Like you don't know me??? Yes sir Dr. Adams sir....

It's all cool. Sorry I just could't resist the opportunity to bust your chops real good.

Like I've said before, thank goodness even the closest parts of Maine are at least 400 miles away or I'd be black and blue or worse.... Have a great night.

I use BitDefender
I doesn't slow down my network as much as TrendMicro did

I used McAfee, until Dr. Adams convinced me to use Norton Symantec Corporate edition 10.0. What do you think about Norton, Hockeyref?

Adam,
I do not know a thing about the business, enterprise side of any of these products other than bits and pieces. But as for good old regular Norton the scoop on them, and I have seen this myself, is that Norton is a system resource hog, big time. I can't stand how long everything seems to take in Norton all while slowing the computer down and adding tons of stuff to the loaded processes. (See Bert I'm learning....)

I still have Norton on one old machine I'm affraid to mess with too much so I leave most of its stuff status quo. That's the one that has our old charts and old charting software on it... Just don't want to start messing with it's guts although I am tempted sometimes to ditch the Norton and see just how many processes disappear and how much RAM it would free up. Our change to Kaspersky has certainly done so. I'd say we have at least 100 mgs of RAM returned if not even more. And we have been thru a few different internet security products....

But I do have a glitch to report with Kaspersky. I had to wipe and reload our new tower to switch it from RAID 0 to 1 and when I reloaded it didn't know our machine I guess because it loaded as though the license had just started that day not like 5 days earlier. Matter of fact all three computers on the paid license have three different activation dates. Now I had to send them proof of purchase and some other stuff on Friday and I'm waiting for them to send us a new activation code or key. I can reach their servers from home but not from the office as though their server has blocked the static IP we have for the office. About a day after my wipe and reload, as I went to do some house cleaning in and with Kaspersky I got this pop up warning window telling me my License was over capacity. Their servers screwed our number of licenses up to all heck.

We honestly have three paid and as of tonight three trial versions too. I just set up new killer tower at home, it is a match of the one back at the office, Yeah! So just in case they don't like my email address and the like until tech support gets this all straight, I used Nancy's email address so as to make sure I would get a good clean trial version tonight for the new tower. If they get this cleaned up easily then in the next few days I'll go to the store and purchase an extra box with three more licenses...

Have a great night...
Paul

>>> If they get this cleaned up easily then in the next few days I'll go to the store and purchase an extra box with three more licenses...

You still buy boxed licenses? Try downloading software; they usually don't give you as many problems. In fact, I upload them to my www.box.net storage site and can download them at will to any number of machines. I usually try to stay honest with my licenses, but I never have to call for activation issues:

-- Kaspersky (buy download unlock code on ebay... haven't used this one yet, so don't know how much they enforce it)
-- ZoneAlarm (has Kaspersky engine, not really sure how many licenses I purchased)
-- Paragon Disc utilities (sells 3 licenses at a time... )
-- System Mechanic 7 (license is for ? installs)
-- AVG Antivirus 8 (license is for ? installs)

The only one that has given me a hard time is PDF Creator Plus, so I switched to MyPDFMaker. MS Office 2002 and 2003 have given me issues too...

Call me old fashioned if and when I always prefer to have that disc and manual in my hand. Heck instead of taking my test on line for USA Hockey, I always have them mail me an old fashioned "pen and paper" test. How many more typos do you catch after you print some document to hardcopy? For me and Nancy the difference is amazing. Just have to print the sucker out.

And right now Staples is having a sale off the full cost of the Kaspersky boxed set that has a $25 rebate cut of the regular price of $79 even at the vendor's own website... So I go buy the box.

I especially think it is important to "own" a real hardcopy on disc of one's OS and major expense and controlled things like MS's Office. Now you are certainly the real owner and if issues ever arise, tough, here is my boxed set that I properly regisitered at your servers two years ago. Now give me access to my own bought and paid for software. This goes back to the same stuff we were talking about with EMR's, ASP vs On one's own system or at very least still owning a working copy of the program that one's data is created in. The more niche and type specific then the more important it is to protect yourself and own a copy of the program that your stuff, your data was created in. I'll never waiver from this position. They can take lease and ASP type software and stick it..... And if any of you fall for it, shame on you, for now you have been warned.

Sorry to keep harping on this, but I sincerely feel that this issue is that important. Own it or loose it.

Paul

Remember guys, there is a big difference between server grade antivirus software and workstation software. I run AVG at home for about $40.00. You can get it for free I believe. AVG on the server would run ten times that. Trend Micro on the server is over $500. Of course, the licenses are for ten machines.

Same thing as backup software. Acronis for the workstation, $45 max, Acronis for the server, $700. There is just no comparison.

And gals

Yeah, i was almost tempted to purchase ten workstations worth of Kaspersky since I'm now up to six machines anyway. But the folks at their tech support told me it was basically the same stuff, just with the business license I would get this remote control thing for all of the covered machines to do my packages from one central location. I must say I almost bit, because even that sounded like it would make some of my days easier. But I just couldn't justify the price difference. And after what just happened around here with this shut the network down stuff, what if this package is the next to mess up AC on networks in six months from now and I'm off and experimenting again. So I copped out and took the cheap route... Sure did like my Trend until the office shut down.

Just a quick FYI for all of you on the market for a new internet security package... Kaspersky (good boy, good boy Kaspersky..) just found three trojans hiding in my deleted emails that at least two other products missed, AVG and Trend Micro.... Not bad. Good Boy Kaspersky, Good Boy... Now go get 'em!!!!

Hockeyref (Joking)

Paul,
Norton run on the server has not created issues w/ my system. It installs a client version on each client, and the server version runs the Norton sweeps on the clients. I set these run at midnight when no one (except occasionally me) is at the office.

My server has 4GB RAM and my clients all have 2GB of RAM.