What in your opinion will be the safest FREE security setup

[sujay]

this thread is for your recommendations. And a healthy discussion is needed.
1. Please do not talk about detections of AVs.
2. Try to justify your setup against all possible ways of threat.
3. Try to keep your setup as simple as possible.
4. Recommend only one product of its kind. i mean one firewall/AV.

Please comment on others setup but in a healthy manner so that others can learn.

Common sense is an integral part of any security. But make your setup at per so that you don't have to rely on you all the time.

[leofelix]

the best and free security combo resides between your ears

Well it may be the worst one of course. It depends on some factors

[sujay]

My recommendations:

Avast: has almost all kinds of shields that a paid AV can have.
Private Firewall: Use the silent mode as the firewall with AE. Firewall part can block unwanted intruder and AE part can alert about
i) opening of a threat from Pen-Drive,
ii) Most drive-by-downloads,
iii) Unwanted execution on innocent looking worms like Brontok.
AnalogX Script Defender: Can block unwanted scripts from email-attachment or from other source.
Winpatrol: Can tell you about browser hijacks, unwanted startups.
Sandboxie: Use it mostly for all cases as possible. Open your pen-drive within sandbox, Browse within sand-box, open unknown attachments within this.
Again only install softwares from trusted source.


Lastly if you want to try unknown softwares try Returnil or any VMWare.
You may disable autorun from all drives. But it is not necessary in here. As the AE of Private firewall can let you decide among legitimate and malicious executables.

---------- Post added at 09:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:26 PM ----------

the best and free security combo resides between your ears

Well it may be the worst one of course. It depends on some factors

Hey there is nothing best leo and you know that very well.. I was just trying to build some understanding about the safest one with minimal common sense.

[Nicks]

1) Avira: Stops all types of viruses....And its free...d new version is much more sluggish.

2) Super Antispyware: Blocks And Removes all kind of Trojans,malware and Adware..a great product indeed.

3)Winpatrol: pioneer in using a heuristic behavioral approach to detecting attacks and violations of your computing environment.

4) Windows default Firewall

5) Awareness & Common Sense.

[INDRANIL]

1.AVAST: It provides almost many type of protections. Free of cost .
2.Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware: Good antimalware & malicious software remover tool.
3.Sandboxie: a virtual environment good for like testing some programs, safe web browsing.
4.Private firewall: Use Firewall in the silent mode With AE As sujay said above.
5.HijackThis: Use for scanning the settings that may have been changed by spyware etc. This is for
advance user but very much helpfull tool.

[akhil]

my pick cloud antvirus for low resource systems , microsoftsecurity essentials for offlnre systems,
windows firewall +threatfire for novice users , zonealarm free,pctools free for intermedate ,privatewall , comodo for advanced users
a squared free on demand scanner , with bitdefender onlne scan
geswall sand box free with appropriate settings
software restriction
norton dns
and above all common sense

---------- Post added at 10:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:03 PM ----------

use drive image xml to back up in case the spyware is tough to remove

[Ceyfer √]

Mostly it is based according to our personal preferences...

Majority of free security applications ( security application is limited ) were already good,but it requires user's intervention and "smart decision" to become effective. So, to me it must begin on the user's security perspectives.

[gery79]

Mostly it is based according to our personal preferences...

Majority of free security applications ( security application is limited ) were already good,but it requires user's intervention and "smart decision" to become effective. So, to me it must begin on the user's security perspectives.

there is a number of security approaches in the field of computer protection. i would rate them as follow
Firewall
Antivirus HIPS and Sandboxie
Backup or Image restoration

the relative safest is possible but the absolute security does not. Common sense is the master of security and computer safety

my suggestions

ZA Free firewall
AVG antivirus ( because of the link scanner and ease of use) MBAM and SAS free
Geswall free

Online Armor Free firewall
Avira Antivirus MBAM SAS free
Sandboxie free


Comodo Internet Security (antivirus Disabled) + Avira free or AVG free

[LunarWolf]

1. avast! Free Anti-Virus v5
- set heuristics to high for all shields
- set test whole files for all shields
- set ignore virus targetting for all shields
- set it to scan all files
Reason :
Number of shields provide complete system protection

2. Avira Antivir Personal v10 (Install without guard)
-set heuristics to high for scanner
-scan all files
Reason :
Good to have second option considering Avira heuristics is fantastic.

3. Malwarebytes
Reason :
a) It usually pick up what AVs miss.
b) Second option

4. Sandboxie
Reason :
a) You never know whether a website have been infected or not.
b) Test out files which are dangerous.

5. Lastpass
Reason :
A very secure password manager. Useful if you make your browser remember passwords browser password manager can reveal your password with the right tools

6. Keyscrambler Personal
Reason :
Encrypt your keystrokes. Effective to defeat any keyloggers that may steal your log in data. But only work on firefox and Internet explorer.

7. PC Tools Firewall Plus
Reason :
The easiest firewall to use and quite effective too in my opinion.

8. Winpatrol Free
Reason :
It will warn you if a new program try to start up. Most malware does that (start itself up on startup)

9. Spywareblaster
Reason : Prevent infected spyware from installing or visiting an infected website.

10. Panda USB Vaccine portable
Reason : Disable Autorun on pendrives and prevent your computer from executing autoruns found in pendrive.
Download here : http://www.mediafire.com/file/oozd5i...e Portable.exe

11. VirusTotal
Reason : Always good to know the stuff you downlaod is clean or not.

12. Prevx SafeOnline Facebook
Reason :
If you install this, program 5 and 6 is not needed. It also protect you against zero day website. But I prefer sandboxie.
NOTE : It is currently unable to run under sandboxie. Main reason I didn't include it in my arsenal.

13. Firefox/Google Chrome with WOT and Adblocker plus (FF)/ Adblocker (Chrome)
Reason :
WOT gives you warning of a website. Adblocker plus and ad blocker may prevent you from accidentally clicking malicious ads.
Sorry sujay, but this is what I throw into my laptop minus prevx safeonline.



At the end, it still boils down to the end user.

[sujay]

Sorry sujay, but this is what I throw into my laptop minus prevx safeonline.

No, problem any one can tell about their setup too, if they think that is ultimate. But some of us use some paid versions. btw, Lunar, nice explanations.