Jump to content

Malwarebytes as the only virus protection

jbraner
 Share

Recommended Posts

jbraner

jbraner

Posted
Posted

Hi,

I've been using Malwarebytes on my PC and laptop for quite a few years now, together with Kaspersky Total Security.

I'm thinking of getting rid of the Kaspersky, so wondering how many people here are running Malwarebytes as the only protection on a Windows PC?

Or should I really be running something besides Malwarebytes?

Rgds,

John B

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • Staff
Malwarebytes

Malwarebytes

Posted
  • Staff
Posted

***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

 

 

01.png

02.png

03.png

04.png

05.png

06.png

 

 

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

Link to post
Share on other sites
Porthos

Porthos

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, jbraner said:

I'm thinking of getting rid of the Kaspersky, so wondering how many people here are running Malwarebytes as the only protection on a Windows PC?

Or should I really be running something besides Malwarebytes?

Many of us use use Malwarebytes and Windows Defender together.

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • Root Admin
AdvancedSetup

AdvancedSetup

Posted
  • Root Admin
Posted

Recommendations to help keep the computer safer

 

Recommend using a Password Manager for all websites, etc. that require a password. Never use the same password on more than one site.

  1. https://www.howtogeek.com/240255/password-managers-compared-lastpass-vs-keepass-vs-dashlane-vs-1password/
  2. Make sure you're backing up your files https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/136226-backup-software/
  3. Keep all software up to date - PatchMyPC - https://patchmypc.com/home-updater#download
  4. Keep your Operating System up to date and current at all times - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-update-faq-8a903416-6f45-0718-f5c7-375e92dddeb2
  5. Further tips to help protect your computer data and improve your privacy: https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/258363-tips-to-help-protect-from-infection/ 
  6. Please consider installing the following Content Blockers for your Web browsers if you haven't done so already. This will help improve overall security

Malwarebytes Browser Guard

uBlock Origin

 

Further reading if you like to keep up on the malware threat scene: Malwarebytes Blog  https://blog.malwarebytes.com/

Hopefully, we've been able to assist you

Thank you for using Malwarebytes

 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
jbraner

jbraner

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Yeah, I've got Premium. I'm running it through Windows Security Center at the moment (along with Kaspersky). I was going to leave this and not run Defender. I'm trying to simplify things and not have conflicting programs. I did have a nightmare a few years ago - caused by a Kaspersky update - and a lot of people gave me a hard time for running both together.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Porthos

Porthos

Posted
Posted
12 minutes ago, jbraner said:

I was going to leave this and not run Defender. I'm trying to simplify things and not have conflicting programs.

Malwarebytes will not conflict with Defender.

The reason many of us members are pushing Keeping Defender on is the following.

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 files like these if malicious on execution-only.

And,

Malwarebytes is not designed to function like normal AV scanners and uses a new kind of scan engine that relies mostly on heuristics detection techniques rather than traditional threat signatures.  Malwarebytes is also designed to look in all the locations where malware is known to install itself/hide, so a full or custom scan shouldn't be necessary, especially on any sort of frequent basis (like daily), especially since the default Threat Scan/Quick Scan checks all loading points/startup locations, the registry, all running processes and threads in memory, along with all system folders, program folders, and data folders as well as any installed browsers, caches, and temp locations.  This also means that if a threat were active from a non-standard location because Malwarebytes checks all threads and processes in memory, it should still be detected.  The only threat it *might* miss would be a dormant/inactive threat that is not actively running/installed on a secondary drive, however, if the threat were executed then Malwarebytes should detect it.  Additionally, whenever a new location is discovered to be used by malware the Malwarebytes Research team adds that location dynamically to the outgoing database updates so the locations that are checked by the default Threat/Quick Scan in Malwarebytes can be changed on the fly by Research without requiring any engine or program version updates/upgrades.

An AV will catch the file just by downloading it or just opening a folder with a detected file in it.

For example, you get an email with an infected attachment, Malwarebytes will not even blink until you run it yet Defender will detect it if it is in their database without even actually clicking on it. Remember the list of files Malwarebytes does not target.

Then I will leave you with this.

As good as Malwarebytes is, it is just a layer of protection.

Using a browser that has Ublock Origin and the Malwarebytes Browser guard enabled is also a layer of protection.

Not opening attachments from an email unless you were expecting it from a specific user during a specific time period.

Do not use Torrents. Do not install every free software you find. Do not click links in an unknown email. Go directly to the site listed in the email.

Having a monthly image of your computer on an external drive that is only connected during the backup is actually better than any protective software ever made. Macrium Reflect free is the program I use and place on every computer I service.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Porthos

Porthos

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, jbraner said:

So, really, you're saying that it  is preferred to run an AV scanner with Malwarebytes?

I personally do with all of my clients. It does not hurt to have extra compatible protection.

Malwarebytes can run alone but since I do not work for the company, I do not hold the company's stance on the subject.

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
Porthos

Porthos

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, jbraner said:

So, to go back to my original question - no one is having conflicts between Malwarebytes and other AV solutions?

Yes they are having issues. Some times exclusions help though some times not.

Assuming you have Window 10 or 11 why do you seem to have an aversion with Windows Defender??

No one has ever had an issue running Malwarebytes and Defender together.

Link to post
Share on other sites
jbraner

jbraner

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hi Porthos - no real aversion, I'm just looking for opinions ;)

I just assumed that a paid for AV product will be better than the free MS one.

I'm looking to change from Kaspersky, so was toying with the idea of running Malwarebytes Premium only.

I figured that this is a good place to talk about it ;)

Link to post
Share on other sites
Porthos

Porthos

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, jbraner said:

I just assumed that a paid for AV product will be better than the free MS one.

That would be true 7 years ago. Today it is not.

Aside, I service many clients and have not seen an actual infected computer set up the way I have I provided.

There is a partial list of software that conflicts with Malwarebytes and as you already found out Kaspersky is on the list.

https://support.malwarebytes.com/hc/en-us/articles/360051090194

Link to post
Share on other sites
jbraner

jbraner

Posted
  • Author
Posted

OK, I've set one of my PCs up with Malwarebytes and Windows defender only. Defender was a little finicky to get started, but it's fine now.

The real time scanning is the main thing to have behind Malwarebytes, but I set up a task to do a weekly (Defender) scan too (Malwarebytes does it's own scans and they're no problem). I'll need to see if the task actually works, since I set it to only run if the PC is idle (this is my Music PC so I don't want it to fire off if I'm in the middle of something).

Checking the event viewer (to see if these scans actually worked) is a little messy too - but I'll see how it goes. hopefully it will become "set and forget" ;-)

I've still got my "normal" PC and laptop to go, so I'll see how this goes for a little while (Kaspersky is good until November)

Thanks to everyone for the advice.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Porthos

Porthos

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, jbraner said:

The real time scanning is the main thing to have behind Malwarebytes

Not really. I personally feel scanning is the least protective. The other 3 protections are more important.

If you do the recommended scan (Threat only) with no other non default settings enabled, you scan will take probably less than 10 minutes.

2 hours ago, jbraner said:

I set up a task to do a weekly (Defender) scan

That is the default for Defender anyway.

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
jbraner

jbraner

Posted
  • Author
Posted
31 minutes ago, Porthos said:

Not really. I personally feel scanning is the least protective. The other 3 protections are more important.

If you do the recommended scan (Threat only) with no other non default settings enabled, you scan will take probably less than 10 minutes.

That is the default for Defender anyway.

 

I was talking about the Defender scans ;-)

 

32 minutes ago, Porthos said:
3 hours ago, jbraner said:

I set up a task to do a weekly (Defender) scan

That is the default for Defender anyway.

 

I'm running Windows 11. I didn't see anything scheduled in the task scheduler. I had to put the task in myself.

Link to post
Share on other sites
jbraner

jbraner

Posted
  • Author
Posted

 

The real time scanning is the main thing to have behind Malwarebytes

 

Not really. I personally feel scanning is the least protective. The other 3 protections are more important.

If you do the recommended scan (Threat only) with no other non default settings enabled, you scan will take probably less than 10 minutes.

 

Sorry - the quotes screwed up a little ;-) And I can't edit the post.

Anyway - in the first part I was talking about the Defender real time protection - I shouldn't have said "scan".

Anyway - we'll see how this works out ;-)

Link to post
Share on other sites
Porthos

Porthos

Posted
Posted
45 minutes ago, jbraner said:

I was talking about the Defender scans ;-)

 

I'm running Windows 11. I didn't see anything scheduled in the task scheduler. I had to put the task in myself.

Some more advanced users go that route.  By default it will scan weekly anyway only when the computer is idle so not to interfere with work.

The comment about Malwarebytes scanning is because some users think scanning with the full scan options makes them safer. It is unneeded.

Also users like to enable non default settings like the two below, it is not recommended.

image.png.a807b1c52e9b89e6fac7e6b82f95aa8b.png

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
Back to top
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

This site uses cookies - We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.