Windows 8 protection question

[mysts]

We have a small group of Windows 8 users here and the question keeps coming up "is windows defender and windows firewall" adequate protection. Most of us think that it is not. What are your thoughts?

[yoda313]

I don't have windows 8 but I don't rely just on the built in stuff. I have norton 360 on my computers. That gives me more security. I have it on my vista and xp computer. I've used norton since you could buy it on floppy disks.

[aedipuss]

defender in win8 includes microsoft security essentials. at least it offer some protection even if it isn't the best.

[Constant Gardener]

I use Windows Defender and Windows Firewall on my laptop, with all kinds of public wifi worldwide, and have never had a hint of trouble. I do run an alternate hosts file which blocks many undesirable sites, and have Adblock Plus, NoScript, Flashblock, and Better Privacy on Firefox.

I've learned to avoid malicious links and bad attachments that arrive by email.

[usually_quiet]

I'm using Windows Defender or MS Security Essentials on a couple of Windows 8 and Windows 7 machines, but not alone. I use Malwarebytes and SUPERAntiSpyware as well for on-demand scanning, plus Comodo's free firewall and a my router's hardware firewall.

In recent tests neither MS product did as well defending against zero-day attacks as some other free security software, but was still better than nothing. Unlike one of the better free security software products I have tried in the past, Windows Defender and Security Essentials are not resource hogs, and and unlike one of the other better freebies I tried, it gets along well with my video card drivers.

[jman98]

In my opinion Windows Firewall in Win 7 and above is worthwhile. So you'll be fine with it for Win 8. I have no knowledge of what version of Windows Firewall is supported on XP and Vista so I cannot comment at all on those.

I have Avast for anti-virus protection. I'm not particularly bent out of shape about spyware. Even the commercial products similar to Windows Defender have things that get past them.

[Kerry56]

I run Windows 8 with the built in firewall and MS Defender. No issues for me. I do a scan with Malwarebytes from time to time, and Sophos anti-rootkit/virus program on rare occasions. Haven't found anything of note.

Sophos is really slow by the way, even on a very fast machine.

[jagabo]

I use Windows Defender and Windows Firewall on my laptop, with all kinds of public wifi worldwide, and have never had a hint of trouble. I do run an alternate hosts file which blocks many undesirable sites, and have Adblock Plus, NoScript, Flashblock, and Better Privacy on Firefox.

I've learned to avoid malicious links and bad attachments that arrive by email.

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[Noahtuck]

"is windows defender and windows firewall" adequate protection.

Nope!!!

But then I can do thousands of nefarious things in a year and never have a problem yet have people take home their PC's and have them infected with a thousand things and their systems totally jacked up within a week from just surfing!!!!

But then, when some idiot tells me, well Avast would not let me onto this site or let me do this, so my cousin disabled it......

What can you expect ?!?!?
LOL!!!

But NO!!!
There is no way in hell I would ever trust anything from M$ to protect my systems!!!!
The first thing I turn off when installing any version of windows on any system!!!!

[sanlyn]

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/356857-XP-is-it-still-viable-for-online-browsing?p=...=1#post2249019

[redwudz]

I find Windows Defender and Windows firewall almost completely useless, IMO. I've have Defender on all my PCs since it's been available. Not ONCE has it detected anything, though my regular anti-malware has. Same with Windows firewall. Unless they have vastly improved it, it only blocks incoming packets, not outgoing. If your 'installed' malware wants to 'phone home', Windows firewall happily lets it.

If I really want economy security, I use the freeware Comodo firewall and Avast anti-malware. Both are now heavily adware, but they do work fairly well. For better protection, pay a few dollars for better software.

[johns0]

With Windows firewall it will send any info to Microsoft without telling you,that why i use windows 7 firewall control.

[ranchhand]

If you are unsure, test it.
https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2