Free malware software with real-time monitoring

[jyeh74]

My trial version of Malwarebytes Premium is expiring. The free edition doesn’t monitor websites and automatically block malware real-time. I am searching for any software that is free that does this.

I read that Bitfender Anti-Virus free edition is free and recommended but I’m trying to figure out if it has real-time monitoring for the free edition . I believe it does. But as I am installing Bitdefender, it says that I must first UNinstall Malwarebytes. I don’t know why it won’t allow both. Does anyone have experience with the free version of Bitdefender? Would you use one over the other when using the free edition? Is Anti-virus technically different from Anti-malware? Just need this free software to block things that get downloaded onto computer as I’m browsing sites.

https://www.techradar.com/news/best-free-anti-malware-software

[hech54]

I've had maybe one thing sneak through in the past 5 years(Windows XP Pro) with Avast Free, Malwarebytes, SpywareBlaster and SuperAntiSpyware ....all free.

[jyeh74]

So you wouldn't recommend Bitdefender Anti-Virus free edition over Malwarebytes free edition?

i don't know why it makes you choose one over the other. I have superantispyware and malwarbytes installed and they work with each other.

[hech54]

I've always wanted to try something other than Avast.....just never got around to it.

[usually_quiet]

But as I am installing Bitdefender, it says that I must first UNinstall Malwarebytes. I don’t know why it won’t allow both.

Real-time malware scanners interfere with each other if more than one is running at the same time. Malwarebytes free, or other anti-malware products which run on-demand, can be installed at the same time as Bitdefender, but Bitdefender should be temporarily disabled while running a scan. I used to have both Malwarebytes free and Bitdefender free installed on my computer.

[lingyi]

IMHO, you get what you pay for.

As I posted in the other thread by the OP, I like the extra sense of security that the full Malwarebytes offers. After years of using the free versions of Malwarebytes, AdAware and Spybot (is Spybot still around?), when I built my new PC this year I decided that not having to manually run scans was worth the money. Also, there's always discounts available, search Malwarebytes coupon.

Sure you could get two or more programs that MAY due as well as the paid version, but as mentioned, there are potential conflicts and there may be higher system resources used.

[jyeh74]

Did more research. I was advised to install these free programs that help with adware and malware pop ups and installing when you browse websites. Note that these are free and for Chrome browser.

Malwarebytes Browser Extension
uBlock Origin
uBlock Origin Extra
HTTPs Everywhere

I was told to remove McAfee Webadvisor because it does the same thing as Malwarebytes Browser Extension. Although I am wondering what is the harm in leaving both on the computer since if one misses something, the other might stop it? Or does McAfee just have resource intensive products and aren't that great in general?

[usually_quiet]

I was told to remove McAfee Webadvisor because it does the same thing as Malwarebytes Browser Extension. Although I am wondering what is the harm in leaving both on the computer since if one misses something, the other might stop it? Or does McAfee just have resource intensive products and aren't that great in general?

The situation is similar to running ultiple anti-malware programs that are all monitoring your system for signs of problems at the same time. You don't want more than one running at a time because they compete with each other for access and system resources while scanning web pages for content that may be problematic.

[jyeh74]

I was told to remove McAfee Webadvisor because it does the same thing as Malwarebytes Browser Extension. Although I am wondering what is the harm in leaving both on the computer since if one misses something, the other might stop it? Or does McAfee just have resource intensive products and aren't that great in general?

The situation is similar to running ultiple anti-malware programs that are all monitoring your system for signs of problems at the same time. You don't want more than one running at a time because they compete with each other for access and system resources while scanning web pages for content that may be problematic.

So it’s more about simultaneous running programs that conflict and cause errors?

But it is perfectly ok to have separate reactive programs like Avast free edition, Malwarebytes free edition, AdwCleaner and SuperAntispyware free edition that you manually scan one program at a time?

[usually_quiet]

So it’s more about simultaneous running programs that conflict and cause errors?

Yes.

But it is perfectly ok to have separate reactive programs like Avast free edition, Malwarebytes free edition, AdwCleaner and SuperAntispyware free edition that you manually scan one program at a time?

You can install as many manually controlled malware scanners as you like but you should not have more than one malware scanner running at any given time.

[Edit]Basically, you don't want two security programs running at the same time if they do any of the same things. For example, if you have the paid version of Malwarebytes installed, it looks for malicious content on web pages as well as monitoring and scanning your system, so you wouldn't want to have a separate malware scanner or another website monitoring browser plug-in running at the same time.