Malwarebytes compatibility question

[saluqi]

System: Dell XPS 8700, Windows 10 Pro 64 bit, version 1803.  Windows Defender, Malwarebytes 3 Premium, all current.  I am hearing from serious and credible Windows experts that it's unwise to have more than one program at a time doing real-time scanning, because of possible interference.  They are saying use MB as on-demand scanner, but don't activate the real--time detection features.  So I am asking what to think of this advice, and for an explanation (as technical as may be necessary) for why MB will not interfere with Windows Defender (and vice versa), and/or what precautions are advisable to prevent interference from occurring.

I have previously run MB alongside Avast Premier without observable problems.  I did have problems with a newly installed UHD monitor (blackouts, system freezes etc.).  Some thought that MB and/or Avast were responsible.  That seems not to have been the case; removing CCleaner Pro seems to have solved that problem.

I cannot claim to be a Windows expert, or a security expert, but I've been in computers for a long time (since before they were electronic), written software (mostly database apps) in mainframe and PC environments, built and maintained corporate networks, etc., so I might be able to understand an explanation of how MB avoids interfering with Windows Defender (etc.), if that is indeed the case.  And of course I also understand confidentiality limitations.

Thanks for any enlightenment you can provide.

[Malwarebytes]

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[exile360]

Greetings,

No, Malwarebytes shouldn't shouldn't have any problems with Windows Defender (and in fact it should work alongside most AV products).  This is because, unlike AVs, Malwarebytes is not an on-access scanner, meaning it does not attempt to check files as they are downloaded/created on disk, copied or moved.  Instead, it waits for a file to attempt to execute and only then does it analyze it as it attempts to map itself to memory.  Because of this, if an item is a threat which would be detected by both Malwarebytes and your AV, the AV would see it first (on access/creation/download) and would remove it before Malwarebytes ever sees it, thus preventing any conflict/fighting over the same file.  If, however, the item is missed by the AV and the file is executed, Malwarebytes will then detect it just before it actually enters memory, removing it after the AV has already written the file off as being clean.

There are other modules in Malwarebytes, however they all fall either earlier or later in the attack chain compared to an on-access scanner like an AV which is how it is able to avoid conflicts.  You can find out more about the various components in Malwarebytes and how the function by reviewing the information and diagram found on this page.

If you have any further questions please let us know.

Thanks