Questions for malwarebytes.

[Nicolas2]

Hello there, 

I have a few random questions for malwarebytes. 

1. Did malwarebytes ever get hacked?

2. Did malware ever sneak past your security? (I mean a virus/ malware that is known to you, not an unknown virus)

3. When does malwarebytes detect something as a treat? (When it's downloaded, when it's executed,...)

4. Why can't the free users have real - time scanning?

5. Why do scans take so much longer on a free version than on a premium? (Experienced it firsthand)

 

I would be really happy if you could answer these questions for me.

[Malwarebytes]

***This is an automated reply***

Hi,

Thanks for posting in the Malwarebytes for Windows Help forum.

If you are having technical issues with our Windows product, please do the following:

Malwarebytes Support Tool - Advanced Options

This feature is designed for the following reasons:

• For use when you are on the forums and need to provide logs for assistance
• For use when you don't need or want to create a ticket with Malwarebytes
• For use when you want to perform local troubleshooting on your own

How to use the Advanced Options:

Spoiler

1. Download Malwarebytes Support Tool
2. Double-click mb-support-X.X.X.XXXX.exe to run the program
   • You may be prompted by User Account Control (UAC) to allow changes to be made to your computer. Click Yes to consent.
3. Place a checkmark next to Accept License Agreement and click Next
4. Navigate to the Advanced tab
5. The Advanced menu page contains four categories:
   • Gather Logs: Collects troubleshooting information from the computer. As part of this process, Farbar Recovery Scan Tool (FRST) is run to perform a complete diagnosis. The information is saved to a file on the Desktop named mbst-grab-results.zip and can be added as an email attachment or uploaded to a forum post to assist with troubleshooting the issue at hand.
   • Clean: Performs an automated uninstallation of all Malwarebytes products installed to the computer and prompts to install the latest version of Malwarebytes for Windows afterwards. The Premium license key is backed up and reinstated. All user configurations and other data are removed. This process requires a reboot.
   •  Repair System: Includes various system-related repairs in case a Windows service is not functioning correctly that Malwarebytes for Windows is dependent on. It is not recommended to use any Repair System options unless instructed by a Malwarebytes Support agent.
   • Anonymously help the community by providing usage and threat statistics: Unchecking this option will prevent Malwarebytes Support Tool from sending anonymous telemetry data on usage of the program.
6. To provide logs for review click the Gather Logs button
7. Upon completion, click OK
8. A file named mbst-grab-results.zip will be saved to your Desktop
9. Please attach the file in your next reply.
10. To uninstall all Malwarebytes Products, click the Clean button.
11. Click the Yes button to proceed. 
12. Save all your work and click OK when you are ready to reboot.
13. After the reboot, you will have the option to re-install the latest version of Malwarebytes for Windows.
14. Select Yes to install Malwarebytes.
15. Malwarebytes for Windows will open once the installation completes successfully.

Screenshots:

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

If you are having licensing issues, please do the following: 

Spoiler

For any of these issues:

• Renewals
• Refunds (including double billing)
• Cancellations
• Update Billing Info
• Multiple Transactions
• Consumer Purchases
• Transaction Receipt

Please contact our support team at https://support.malwarebytes.com/hc/en-us/requests/new to get help

If you need help looking up your license details, please head here: Find my premium license key

 

 

Thanks in advance for your patience.

-The Malwarebytes Forum Team

[Nicolas2]

Ps sorry if this is in the wrong board, i couldn't find any other place to do it. 

[Firefox]

I do not work for Malwarebytes so my answers below are my words, and not those of the Malwarebytes company.

1. Did malwarebytes ever get hacked?
    A: Malwarebytes software, no, however they did have an incident related to the SolarWinds breach, that only affected some of their email.

2. Did malware ever sneak past your security? (I mean a virus/ malware that is known to you, not an unknown virus)
    A: Not that I am aware of, keep in mind no one product is 100% effective.

3. When does malwarebytes detect something as a treat? (When it's downloaded, when it's executed,...)
    A: Malwarebytes has many layers especially in the Premium version.  Most things get detected on execution. If you have their browser guard extension, thein you are also protected even before you get to the infected page (that is if they already know about the threat)

4. Why can't the free users have real - time scanning?
    A: They have to make money somehow, they can't just give away all of it, after all they have employees they have to pay.

5. Why do scans take so much longer on a free version than on a premium? (Experienced it firsthand)
    A: I have not seen this firsthand myself, however since you are doing a manual scan, those do take longer to run, and they also work out your CPU pretty good.

[AdvancedSetup]

The Forums were breached by a vulnerability that was discovered on November 10, 2014, and we addressed it shortly thereafter.

The Malwarebytes.org website was not compromised nor were our company’s emails, billing info, etc. Only one server running our forum (https://forums.malwarebytes.org/) was affected by this vulnerability.

The Nov 2014 vulnerability allowed a hacker to gain access to the server hosting our forums. We have no evidence of any personal data being stolen nor do we store any on our forums.

We took this opportunity to strengthen our Forum's platform and moved to Invision Power Services’ hosting services as they can better manage this for us.

 

As an additional precautionary measure, an email was sent out to all forum users back in November 2014 informing them that their password had been reset

 

[Porthos]

4 hours ago, Nicolas6 said:

3. When does malwarebytes detect something as a treat? (When it's downloaded, when it's executed,...)

Only when actually scanned (if in the database or in the cloud server) Or executed but only in the paid version.

2 hours ago, Firefox said:

4. Why can't the free users have real - time scanning?

The scans are not the strong part of Malwarebytes. The exploit protection, web protection and the rest of the paid features.

Malwarebytes does not target script files during a scan.. That means MB will not target; JS, HTML, VBS, .CLASS, SWF, BAT, CMD, PDF, PHP, etc.

It also does not target documents such as; PDF, DOC, DOCx, XLS, XLSx, PPT, PPS, ODF, etc.

It also does not target media files;  MP3, WMV, JPG, GIF, etc.

Malwarebytes will block the execution of files like these on execution only with the anti-exploit module of the paid program.

2 hours ago, Firefox said:

Why do scans take so much longer on a free version than on a premium? (Experienced it firsthand)

The free version does not auto update like the paid so when you run a scan it updates a much larger database since you are more out of date than paid users.

 

[Nicolas2]

7 hours ago, Porthos said:

Malwarebytes does not target script files during a scan.. That means MB will not target; JS, HTML, VBS, .CLASS, SWF, BAT, CMD, PDF, PHP, etc.

It also does not target documents such as; PDF, DOC, DOCx, XLS, XLSx, PPT, PPS, ODF, etc.

It also does not target media files;  MP3, WMV, JPG, GIF, etc.

Malwarebytes will block the execution of files like these on execution only with the anti-exploit module of the paid program.

 

So what you're saying is if you don't have premium, you are only protected against .exe and nothing else? So if you get An infected PDF it won't do anything? Except if you scan the file yourself? And don't Tell me that doesn't happen, enough virusses spread through excel, pdf, MP3, and what more. 

[AdvancedSetup]

Without the Premium version there are no real-time protection modules to stop any infection period. The free version is and always has been an after the fact clean up scanner.

If you have an infected PDF or Word document then if you did go to run it our Exploit protection module would catch and stop it if using the Premium paid version

https://www.malwarebytes.com/antivirus

Thank you

 

 

Edited June 17, 2021 by AdvancedSetup
updated information

[Nicolas2]

2 hours ago, AdvancedSetup said:

Without the Premium version there are no real-time protection modules to stop any infection period. The free version is and always has been an after the fact clean up scanner.

If you have an infected PDF or Word document then if you did go to run it our Exploit protection module would catch and stop it if using the Premium paid version

https://www.malwarebytes.com/antivirus

Thank you

 

 

Well that sucks. 

[AdvancedSetup]

It's been that way since the company started back in 2007 (14 years ago). Nothing new or different now.

 

Edited June 17, 2021 by AdvancedSetup
updated information