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Security Software Fails - incl Malwarebytes Fails w/Kaspersky AV

#1

I accidentally came to learn that Malwarebytes (Premium) has a major failure on some computers that also use Kaspersky AV.

MWB has a web protection feature that shows as on or off in a dashboard, but it can become inoperative while also showing itself as on. I have 2 PCs, very similar software, with PC1 having no issues but PC2 the MWB web protect feature fails on Firefox and Opera, but works with Chrome and Edge. FWIW there is a beta web protect add-on for Firefox that can be installed as an add-on.

If you don’t know about this, you won’t know.

https://support.malwarebytes.com/docs/DOC-2401

#2

Poland, Russia - can’t see the connection there :rofl: Something you think is working, and isn’t, is certainly a big concern …

#3

It certainly changes the concept of trusting software, eh?

#4

I try and avoid using two software that essentially do the same thing…as it could increase the risk of conflicts…especially if they are using same windows drivers etc at the same time.

#5

Likewise, but while there is a lot of overlap between malwarebytes and new AV products it is still not congruent :frowning: I have a lifetime MWB subscription and am disinclined to pay for another AV, so am waiting for MWB to ‘come of age’ as an AV product as well as anti-malware and also use a free AV for now.

While looking at the options for the MWB fail I did find that bitdefender refuses to install if another AV/malware/ransomware product, including Malwarebytes, is installed. It offers to uninstall the other one or cancel itself. I ended up reinstalling Kaspersky and a Firefox Malwarebytes beta add-on – the combination passes the tests.

#6

In working through the problem and isolating item by item, and enduring way too many Windows reboots, I discovered that on my ‘PC2’ the Ublock Origin adblocker rendered Malwarebytes web protect semi-operative. Malwarebytes would report a malicious web site was blocked, but the initial content of the test site was displayed anyway. Bottom line is the PC could have been compromised for a long time with nary a clue! :open_mouth:

The PC1 also has Ublock Origin but not interference with Malwarebytes, so it is a subtle combination of extensions where Ublock Origin became ‘the guilty’.

This would be a good thread if anyone else experiences an undocumented or poorly documented case of software incompatibilities resulting in security fails that one would never know if they did not know.

In my testing neither system seems to have any interference from or with the current edition of Kaspersky free, despite Malwarebytes documenting one!

#7

On reading your posts Phil I decided to open up my own MWB Premium . No luck . Traced the path back from shortcut on desk top .All looked good . It still would not open . I had updated CCleaner yesterday , 04 / 09 , and because I had trouble with it interfering with my Anti Vi in the past uninstalled it .

No good . I decided to uninstall and do a reinstall of MWB premium and low and behold it opened up and immediately a pop up advised me that Avast updater was a risky program and was preventing MWB from opening .

I run Avast Premier and have had no problems with it so far comparability wise … What concerns me is that i never ordered , asked for , requested this Updater of theirs . I sent a ticket to them , if you phone them they can slug you up to $120 , advising them not to download their "products " during routine updates . I think I have the intelligence to be able to choose what products I want to use on " MY " computer and that I have a standing order for services that is sufficient for my needs without them adding superfluous programs that I don’t need .

RANT OVER .

#8

I am sure you are aware of it but for others they might not so…Ninite can make some of that updating less painful as well, as long as the programs you want are part of the Ninite offers. You just run the installer you downloaded previously and it will check for newer versions and install them if needed.

There is a business (Pro) usage version but this is not used by many home users and does have a monthly subscription cost.

There are some others out there that vary in what they do but for a cost SUMo by KC Softwares might also be useful to others (the free version is definitely not easy to manage) but I do not use it but have read reports the paid version is adequate.

Another is FileHippo App Manager which is free and only in a Beta version but has a limited stable of products it checks and so may be of limited usage. It also hasn’t been updated since 2015 but does run on Win 10 even though not mentioned in the versions it supports.

#9

Just an update on my previous post . Apparently Avast Anti Vi 's latest update is causing comparability problems with Malwarebytes premium . Currently working through the problem with Malwarebytes support team as my MWB failed to open again .

Was impressed how quickly MWB got back to me after submitting a ticket to their support team . Their scanning software download was no fuss and very easy to use . I may dump Avast now . Anyone have any recommendations on a good Anti Vi ?

#10

Kaspersky Free is going well now :laughing: But MWB still states their web protect doesn’t really work, but it does pass all their tests on my 2 PCs (Firefox).

Bitdefender free will not install with MWB. Choices are to uninstall MWB or cancel :roll_eyes:

#11

Thanks for that Phil.

#12

If looking for free versions Avira is working well with MWB Free but not sure on MWB Pro as that also does realtime scanning like AV engines do.

AVG could be worth a look but it’s AV performance lags a bit behind Avira, Kaspersky & Bitdefender. Trend may be again worth a look but it also has been not as good as others at times.

To install Bitdefender you uninstall MWB then install Bitdef then reinstall MWB, they then seem happy to party together. I think the Bitdefender package is set to check for a number of other packages and will stall/refuse if they are found, they did have problems running with some in the past so as a proactive precaution they halt the install if the previously errant products are found.

Bitdefender is much less in your face with popup advertising that Avira and Avast seem to excel at doing. In fact it is one of the packages I prefer to install for computers I fine tune for family and friends who don’t need commercial paid packages.

Microsoft Defender is not something I trust past the point of initial booting up and quickly ditch it for more effective tools but others swear by it and it does have similar tools to MWB. Some 14 years ago Microsoft acquired “GIANT Software Company Inc” to boost the performance of Windows security tools in Windows so maybe MWB could work as well with Defender. But in AV tests it is the base by which other ones are rated to show how much more effective they are. Defender needs more work before I could really recommend it and the work they benefited from 14 years ago seems not to have been developed all that well in the meantime but they seem more active about it these days than in several previous years.

#13

Avira isn’t as ‘east’ as most :wink:

#14

Yes a little more westerly :slight_smile: GmbH

#15

I have been running Bitdefender Total Security for many years now alongside Malwarebytes with no quibbles between them. Bitdefender has improved immensely over the past few years with its capability and covert operation. I have recently ditched MWB as Bitdefender was always the first to jump on something and MWB ran clean after. Bitdefender was always installed before installing MWB .

For anyone interested in the paid versions, which in my opinion are worth their salt at the right price, going straight to the source will always cost you much more. Anti-Virus4U.com sells subscriptions for a number of brands and include family packs, 1 to 3 years, 3-10 devices including PC, Android, tablets phones, etc. for a fraction of what you would pay through the brand direct.

With Bitdefender, a purchase through Anti-Virus4U will take you to Bitdefender’s checkout direct. The only catch is they seem to force you into an ongoing automatic renewal agreement with the next offer at full retail price. As long as you remember to log into PayPal and disable this renewal this won’t be a problem. Also remember to renew through Anti-Virus4U and not the brand. 5 extra devices (total of 10) added after sale to my subscription cost me AU$10 for the 2 years so the family’s phones, laptops and tablets are all covered under the one subscription. Bitdefender Central allows you to log into your account from any computer and manage any device on your subscription, even parental controls for your kids devices.

I have thrown some curly stuff at my PC and delved into unsafe net territory yet Bitdefender TS has grabbed every threat by the throat. I have full trust in it now.

#16

I have used many free and paid malware and antivirus programs over the past 2 decades on many computers, with varying levels of satisfaction.

I now only use Windows Defender on our desktop and laptop and have never had an issue.

And the best part is the price. FREE.

#17

I have been using Malwarebytes Premium for several years running with Sophos AV. The two packages sit well together and I have had no problems at all with the combination. I use a properly configured hardware firewall together with a web based email spam/malware filter and, as a matter of course, disable all Microsoft protection. I depend on my systems for my income and am happy to pay for the various levels of protection I use. I look after my systems and make sure they are correctly configured. I have been doing this for 40 years. A basic tenet of any security structure is that all vendors assume that their software is the only software running on the system. I have no problem with Kaspersky however I prefer Sophos as my base AV. Also in deciding what software you use you need to weigh up the cost of an infection against the cost of the software.

#18

Just an update on the incompatability issues I was having between Avast Premier and Malwarebytes Premium . Avast have updated their software with a patch . All is good now . Was impressed with the Malwarebytes team because of the way they kept me in the loop at all times .

The issue I have with all of this is as follows . I receive a monthly newsletter email from Avast . It has some good tips for security but is mostly full of pop ups for their products . I would really have expected an email from them , considering these incompatibilities go back to mid August , advising me of the issues regarding the August patch . They were known issues . I will let my licence run out with Avast but will not renew .

#19

I’m running MWB Premium and Bitdefender Total together and have overcome compatability problems by adding each in the ‘Exclusions’ of the other. I find each has its strengths and wouldn’t be without either. Recently a Windows update meant that Windows Defender was switched on as well and requires extra effort to permanently disable if you are running Windows 10 Home. You can install the Windows 10 Group Policy app in the Home version (Google it), which is probably the easiest and safest way to go, and disable WD from there.

#20

Google gets a gong.

I forgot to stop my Thunderbird gmail POP client when firing up my VPN and magically transported myself half way around the world as far as gmail was concerned. ‘Cries’ that ‘Somebody has my password!’ were expected. Angst, worry, but I did not get the routine messages on all my accounts and recovery accounts!

Could it be that google learnt something?

But no, Google is still not happy about that internet teleportation exercise and I found all the emailed warnings from google in the gmail spam folders when I eventually looked at them. I guess they finally figured out we think those warning are spam, however well intentioned. :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

Priceless.

But if it was a real hack all their feel good security alerts would be for nought.