Webroot and Malwarebytes compatibility solution

[CyberJake4D]

For users of a conflicting security program,

As described by some Webroot users and also in my earlier post ( http://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?s...&hl=Webroot ), WISE and MBAM Pro (active protection on) seem not fully compatible. In my case, a simple MBAM Quick Scan before the activation of the protection module allowed (some?) compatibility - such that I could do a Sweep (Webroot scan) on my system.

Consequently, I used MBAM only as an on-demand scanner until this simple compatibility solution which is to untick the scanner setting for memory objects.

Therefore, only Webroot Internet Security Essentials would be

[Firefox]

Hello and

Is there a way to add exceptions in Webroot Internet Security Essentials? If so then adding the exceptions for Malwarebytes files may solve your issue....

Please exclude the following files from your antivirus:

Note: If using a software firewall besides the built in Windows Firewall you'll need to exclude them from it as well

For Windows XP:

• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbam.exe
  
• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamgui.exe
  
• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamservice.exe
  
• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\zlib.dll
  
• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbam.dll
  
• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamext.dll
  
• C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\rules.ref
  
• C:\Windows\System32\drivers\mbam.sys
  
• C:\Windows\System32\drivers\mbamswissarmy.sys
  

For Windows Vista or Windows 7:

• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbam.exe
  
• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamgui.exe
  
• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamservice.exe
  
• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\zlib.dll
  
• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbam.dll
  
• C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamext.dll
  
• C:\ProgramData\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\rules.ref
  
• C:\Windows\System32\drivers\mbam.sys
  
• C:\Windows\System32\drivers\mbamswissarmy.sys
  

For 64 bit versions of Windows Vista or Windows 7:

• C:\Program Files (x86)\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbam.exe
  
• C:\Program Files (x86)\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamgui.exe
  
• C:\Program Files (x86)\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamservice.exe
  
• C:\Program Files (x86)\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\zlib.dll
  
• C:\Program Files (x86)\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbam.dll
  
• C:\Program Files (x86)\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamext.dll
  
• C:\ProgramData\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\rules.ref
  
• C:\Windows\System32\drivers\mbam.sys
  
• C:\Windows\SysWoW64\drivers\mbamswissarmy.sys
  

Note: If using a software firewall besides the built in Windows Firewall you'll need to exclude MBAM.EXE from it as well

Note: Once that's done, please make sure that if either of those programs has any sort of web filter, that you add the following as a trusted site:

data-cdn.mbamupdates.com

The FAQ contains examples of setting file exclusions for some known AV products

Please post back and let us know how it went.

[CyberJake4D]

Hello Firefox,

Thank you for your interest.

As discussed with Noknojon in my earlier topic (reference above), the possible exceptions into WISE were added. Also, as user Daledoc1 explained, a Webroot representative said that the other exceptions not possible to add were not necessary for WISE to avoid a conflict with MBAM. In my case, I could avoid OS freeze by the strange ordered steps (v. 1.44 and 1.45) as a temporary solution.

Now, WISE and MBAM Pro with active protection seem to work fine together when the memory objects scanner setting is unticked. Perhaps a solution for others too.

My main interest is the loss in MBAM Pro function when when memory objects are not actively scanned (WISE only has this charge; no more conflict). Is this a major reduction of MBAM Pro function? (Although, memory checks from MBAM Pro or WISE must be different.)

Thanks for your help,

CyberJake4D

[noknojon]

Hi CyberJake -

Please follow the directions from daledoc1 below for the best information -

Thank You -

Edited by noknojon due to other information being posted

[daledoc1]

Hi, Cyberjake and Noknojon:

Regarding memory objects scan -- I have MBAM Pro 1.46 set to scan everything. IOW I don't have that item unchecked. Scans are fine. So, I'm not sure what's causing the issue with your system when you have that box checked. What Webroot product and version are you using? (I am using WISE 6.1.0.45 or whatever the most current version is.)

The only things I have found necessary to avoid conflicts were:

1) temporarily disable all Webroot services during the MBAM install & update -- I then re-enable them and click to allow permissions when prompted by Webroot, and I manually verify in the Webroot firewall settings that the MBAM program files (and their parents) have full permission; and

2) I have MBAM set NOT to load the protection module at Windows startup -- WISE takes a while to load its services and to phone home to check for updates upon Windows startup, so even on my Win7/32 laptop with a fast processor and lots of RAM, I found that starting MBAM active protection manually a minute or so after bootup avoids the conflicts (On my other machine, running OEM McAfee Security Center, this step is not needed, and running MBAM active pro at startup works fine).

It is true that one cannot set specific file exclusion in Webroot consumer products, so there's no way to set the specific dll, ref and sys file exclusions. But, as they and you point out, that shouldn't be necessary.

Other than that, I have no problems with the 2 products -- active protection, updates, scans all seem to run fine in real time together.

@Noknojon, I think you might be confusing **Sunbelt** VIPRE/Counterspy with Webroot in your last post? VIPRE is a Sunbelt product, not a Webroot product.

Overall, I'm not ecstatic with Webroot ISE. I will probably move to KIS or possibly VIPRE Premium with FW or something else when my subscription expires. Their software has always been a bit buggy and non-cooperative with other (security) apps (I ditched Spysweeper on my old XP box long ago b/c of that); case in point, I recently had to disable the FW to install a routine Windows patch! And it was a chore to get WISE to play nice with SuperAntispyware (Free) and to handle the "automatic" update of MBAM 1.45 to 1.46.

And, they don't have user forums (a definite downside).

I chose them late last year on the basis of good (over-rated?) reviews and the fact that they are US-based.

That said, their tech support has been inconsistent.

@cyberjake, if you are up to the task -- and all the work it entails -- you might want to try again by doing a clean uninstall/cleanup of MBAM, temporarily disabling WISE, reinstalling MBAM and then making sure all the exclusions are set before restarting WISE. I can't promise it'll work on your system as it did on mine, but it might be worth a try?

See ya,

daledoc1

[CyberJake4D]

Hello Daledoc1,

Thank you again to share your experience about WISE and MBAM.

My version of WISE remains 6.1.0.45 (on a old one core Intel PIII system with 1.5 Gb RAM). The conflict with MBAM Pro started with version 1.44; similarly with 1.45 and 1.46 (WISE Sweeps can't go far into Memory items before jamming).

The definition of compatibility used here is that MBAM Pro and WISE run fine without sustained high CPU usage and WISE can do a complete Sweep. This is not yet a thorough check of compatibility because mbam.exe may still exhibit sustained high CPU usage, occured once, when WISE placed cookies into quarantine.

As mentionned in my last post of the earlier topic (reference above), an earlier version of MBAM Pro was installed as you suggested but did not change the problem. But, as for mbamgui.exe, I just set the firewall to Allowed Parent for mabam.exe and mbamservice.exe. Hopefully, that will help. Also, the protection module of MBAM is started manually.

WISE is slow to load but afterward very fast at malware detection and system protection. It seems to me, the compatiblity was lost when MBAM was updated to version 1.44.

CyberJake4D

Note : WISE and WSSA (SpySweeper with Antivirus) worked well with other security solution in my case. Ex. : ZoneAlarm Pro with WISE (firewall set to Allow ALL Traffic) or Eset Antivirus with WSSA (Shield Antivirus Protection unticked).

[daledoc1]

UPDATE:

Swallowed hard and updated WISE from 6.* to 7.0.4.83 today.

This involved an automatic uninstall of version 6 (with all the firewall and other settings, of course).

So far, so good.

FWIW, I made sure MBAM (and WinPatrol and SAS) active protection modules were disabled before beginning the process, and I made sure that none of them was set to load at Windows startup (since I knew the WISE version update would require a reboot). But I took a chance and did NOT actually uninstall MBAM (or the others) before starting the process.

WISE update installed fine and an initial scan was clean.

I then added the MBAM (and SAS and WinPatrol) exe files to the program permissions in the WISE firewall.

In fact, MBAM updated to version 4378 and ran a flash scan even before I got to this point, and I got NO warnings or error messages. It went fine.

I have been able to load the MBAM protection module just fine, as well.

The only "test" remaining is to configure MBAM protection module to load at windows startup and see what happens. This will be the true test of compatibility.

(With the old WISE version, this created conflicts/hangups/freezes/crashes.)

Overall, although the new WISE GUI takes a little getting used to (esp the "Sync and Sharing"), the software itself seems to be playing much better with MBAM (and my other security apps).

Just thought I'd let you know, in case others need help with MBAM and WISE.

Cheers,

daledoc1

[daledoc1]

"FINAL" update on this thread, I hope:

I am happy to report that new version of WISE 7.* seems to be playing fine with MBAM protection module.

I set MBAM to load with Windows and everything seems to boot and load just fine, without conflicts or crashes.

And, MBAM manual and automated flash scans (everything "ticked") are running fine, even with WISE running in the background. (Although the WISE Firewall and AV are active, I *do* have WISE RTS disabled for now, preferring to do manual scans, instead, especially since the MBAM protection module is activated. The WISE manual scans are also running fine with the MBAM protection module enabled.)

The only thing I notice is that MBAM scans are a wee bit slower than they were.

So, I guess the only other thing to try is to enable the WISE RTS module *and* MBAM protection module to be sure they don't clash....

I was toying with the idea of ditching WISE, even before my subscription expired.

However, since the new product seems to be much more user friendly (though a bit stripped down in terms of features) and compatible with MBAM, perhaps I'll stick with it a bit longer.

So, Webroot users wishing to run MBAM Pro, should be OK now, with the current Webroot versions.

Cheers,

daledoc1

[CyberJake4D]

Dear Daledoc1, MalwareBytes Forum Deities and personnel,

Good news, MBAM Pro 1.46 and latest WISE 7 work fine (and very lightly) without any problem too on my system.

A clean install of MBAM was done while WISE 7 active. No special configuration needed.

There is no compatibility problem to load MBAM protection with Windows and run WISE automated or custom scanning (neither freeze nor high CPU usage by mabam.exe after WISE takes care of cookies).

During a WISE scan, necessarily doing its work, mbamservice.exe consumes about 8 to 17% of CPU resource (one-core CPU). And, zero thereafter. As advertised by Webroot while scanning, CPU usage of WISE drops when another computer task is done; memory usage drops too when idle.

The cause of this seemingly unique software conflict which occured is unknown. A possibility, could have been related to the Privacyware implementation of the firewall in WISE 6.1.0.45 (Private Firewall version 7.0.20.31); Webroot now uses Private Fifewall version 7.0.20.36 (not the latest) in WISE 7. Hopefully, because the firewall is often considered the first software line of defense, perhaps Webroot could be faster to implement into WISE or WISC the latest Privacyware firewall.

Daledoc1, many thanks for your assistance. Sure, this WISE update was a big jump.

Very happy that issue seems gone. MBAM Pro and WISE should be a very strong combination.

Best wishes of PC security,

CyberJake4D

[daledoc1]

At the risk of bumping an older thread, I just want to update folks searching the boards to let you know that an in-place upgrade from 1.46 PRO to 1.50 PRO on my Win7/32 laptop running the current build of Webroot ISE (7.0.5.221) went just fine, with no conflicts, crashes or problems.

I even took the chance of NOT temporarily pausing the AV or FW, and it proceeded without a hitch.

The in-place upgrade offered the advantage of maintaining settings and logs, so it was worth trying first, even though I was prepared to have to do a clean install.

FABULOUS JOB, MBAM, and THANK YOU!

daledoc1

[daledoc1]

Update:

After a day or so of what looked like better performance with 1.50, FLASH scans are now taking LONGER than with 1.46 on this Win7/32 LT running WISE.

Flash scans are now taking > 1 minute; they do speed up a bit with disk caching on re-scan, but flash scans previously took < 30 seconds. (And I recall something in the release notes about "under 10 seconds on some systems".)

Quick scans, however, do still seem a bit faster than they were with 1.46 (just completed in ~3 min).

MBAM has full permissions in WISE, and WISE has full permissions in MBAM.

I did perform some routine driver updates yesterday (video, network, wireless), as well as an update to Dell System Software, all of which were uneventful. (Disk has been cleaned up (Windows and CCleaner), and de-fragged.)

WISE had been ever so slightly wonky since a recent in-place minor software update.

So, I did the following to see if this would improve things:

1) Uninstall/clean of MBAM.

2) Uninstall/clean of SuperAntiSpyware (paid version subscription left over from last year, but only used for on-demand scanning for tracking cookie).

3) Uninstall and clean (twice, as recommended) of WISE.

4) Clean install of WISE.

5) Clean install of MBAM Pro 1.50.

6) Clean install of SAS.

Everything seems to be working fine, EXCEPT for the LONGER MBAM FLASH SCAN TIMES.

Any thoughts?

daledoc1