Malwarebytes

[Jetster]

Does anyone still use Malwarebytes? Just thought I would ask; I've used it for what seems like 15 years. I usually get it for like $20 and over the last couple of years it's only blocked a few Sofware from sending data home.
Nothing important. Just curious. No, I don't use an anti-virus. Just Windows Defender. I mainly use it on my PC for testing software. Not on my daily

 

[qubit]

I had a play with it once, but nothing more.

I've been using Kaspersky Internet Security for 15 years+ and it's been great. Cheap. too.

 

[Splinterdog]

I only ever use it when a PC comes in full of crap. Other than that, just Defender.

 

[Jetster]

I stopped using Kaspersky about 5 years ago. I didn't see the point. I liked Malwarebytes. It would actually do stuff like let me know when data was going out, I didn't authorize.
I started using it on customers PCs just to scan. Then delete it after it found a bunch of threats. Justification to format and start over. But like I said, it doesn't find much any longer

That was the cool part about the Pro version. You leave it installed and if a program starts sending stuff out it will block it and ask you. But in the last few years, not so much.

 

[Sithaer]

I do, the free version tho for years now.
Run a full check like every month or so, actually thanks for reminding me since I forgot to reinstall it when I reinstalled my OS ~2 weeks ago on a new system.

Other than that only Defender and CCleaner every now and then.

 

[dgianstefani]

Defender is fine used together with Shutup10 to remove most of the vulnerabilities in the first place.

Use ublock origin and HTTPS everywhere and a script blocker if you are serious about security.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Yes mbam pro user for a long time these old one time purchase keys which I have four were cheap and still good and free to this day for mbam premium which is yearly subscription.

It's getting a little to tied up into windows update/.... but what ever shitload better than lame pretender oops defender/ microsoft security or what ever ms want to call it tomorrow I usually just dump the crapware with @W1zzard 's gpu cmd strings

 

[LFaWolf]

I use it. I bought a bunch of lifetime licenses and they still work very well. It blocked a couple of unscrupulous sites for me before so I would say it is effective. I am careful with where I visit but it is still good to have that real-time protection when you need it.

 

[Bill_Bright]

Does anyone still use Malwarebytes?

last couple of years it's only blocked a few Sofware from sending data home.

No, I don't use an anti-virus. Just Windows Defender.

Ummm, what do you mean you don't use an anti-virus? Sure you do. You use Microsoft Defender (formally Windows Defender) and Microsoft Defender is an "anti-malware" solution. And viruses (like worms, Trojans, rootkits, ransomware, spyware, etc.) are all types of malware.

What is Malware? - Definition and Examples - Cisco
Malware Description | Common Types of Computer Malware (comodo.com)

The fact you have not been infected is simply a testament to how effective Defender is. I have to assume you have otherwise been "practicing safe computing" too. That is, you have been keeping Windows current and are not "click-happy" on every link you see. All good things, and critical to staying malware free - regardless the security software we use.

Does anyone still use Malwarebytes?

I do. I use Malwarebytes Premium on this PC and my notebook too.

HOWEVER, I have to admit the only reason I use the Premium ("paid") version is because I snagged a several "Lifetime" licenses way back in 2014 just before they released their new version and transitioned to a recurring fee "subscription" license format.

On all my other systems here, I use the Malwarebytes Free for the occasional "on-demand" scan just to reassure me I (as the user and ALWAYS weakest link in security), or Defender didn't let anything slip by. And in all the years that I have been using Defender (since W8 in 2012), Malwarebytes has never, not once, found anything on any of my systems except a couple "wanted" PUPs.

My point here is this. I recommend everyone (regardless their primary security solution of choice) have a second scanner on hand for "on-demand" scanning just to get a second opinion that our systems are clean. And I recommend Malwarebytes (Free) for that. I personally would not pay for Malwarebytes Premium today, and would not be using it if I didn't already have Lifetime licenses for it.

 

[Ivan Bliminse]

I'm currently using MalWareBytes (Premium) 4.5.6 on my systems, i've been using it for several years with no problems. I like it.

 

[kiddagoat]

I have been using a combo and NOD32 and Malwarebytes Pro for the last 10+ years. As others have mentioned, I have a few lifetime licenses that I acquired before they switched to an annual fee.

 

[erpguy53]

Defender is fine used together with Shutup10 to remove most of the vulnerabilities in the first place.

Use ublock origin and HTTPS everywhere and a script blocker if you are serious about security.

I second this - don't use any web browser w/out ublock origin & a script blocker

and the latest malwarebytes 4.x versions so far still support at least Win7 sp1

 

[sith'ari]

Since i own the premium versions of 4 different type of Internet security programs ( Malwarebytes ,AVG , BitDefender ,Sophos ) ,given the opportunity here ,i would also like to share my own experience.
What i can definately state is that among these products AVG has the best scan capability ... by far.
Several times in a work PC ,i encountered some types of Malware .
In the 1st infected PC , i had tried Malwarebytes. Although it was very capable to intervene and block the threat , it wasn't able to delete it. Unfortunately , this threat was trying to execute itself every few seconds , so the result was : threat-execute / Malwarebytes blocks ->every few seconds in an endless loop !!!
this resulted the CPU/RAM usage to hit 100% during the first 15-20minutes in every pc restart.
In the 2nd infected PC , i was using Sophos. Just like Malwarebytes , Sophos was able to block the malware but it was unable to delete it.

For both of these malware , AVG was the solution , since it has an excellent scan utility , which ..curiously .. i've never seen any internet-security reviewer to mention it , so i'll say it myself :
besides its normal scan , AVG has a feature called ""Boot-time scan"" .
This scan , has the ability to scan the PC files before the PC boots inside windows. This way AVG's scan is able to quarantine and erase files that other products are unable to do when inside windows enviroment.
I can't praise AVG's"boot-time scan" enough , and as i said i find it very "weird" that no reviewer mentions this type of scan which is so unique among the AV security products , so i thought to inform whomever is interested for using this type of scan
( the boot-time scan is included in AVG's free version as well , so you don't have to pay anything in order to use it )!!

 

[Space Lynx]

besides its normal scan , AVG has a feature called ""Boot-time scan"" .
This scan , has the ability to scan the PC files before the PC boots inside windows. This way AVG's scan is able to quarantine and erase files that other products are unable to do when inside windows enviroment.

Malwarebytes Premium also has this feature now.

I have a lifetime license to Malwarebytes. It is good stuff.

 

[Bill_Bright]

I second this - don't use any web browser w/out ublock origin & a script blocker

Most, if not all of the major browsers, including Edge have very capable script blocking so there is no need to add another. I do recommend using an ad-blocker and uBlock Origin is a decent one. But there are others very capable too, such as AdBlock Plus.

But my new favorite (at least for Edge and Chrome) is AdGuard AdBlocker.

 

[sam_86314]

I was helping someone on this forum remove a malicious crypto miner from their system, and I suggested they try Malwarebytes Anti-rootkit.

I hadn't tried it before, but it seemed like the kind of program that would help in that scenario. And sure enough, it solved their problem.

Other than occasionally running that, I stick with Defender and just being cautious online. I also run any suspicious files through VirusTotal before I use them.

 

[wolar]

I don't use anything (not even defender) but malwarebytes was the only software that was easy and fast to help infected PCs that i was asked to 'fix' without formatting.
If you know what you are doing, its extremely rare to get infected unless its from a vulnerability, in which case i would imagine automatic updates + defender would net the 'safest' option.

 

[Bill_Bright]

It is not recommended to not use anything - I don't care how experienced one is, or how well one things they know what they are doing.

If smarter than the bad guys, I recommend putting in a job application with the NSA.

I agree that if one keeps their OS current, and they avoid being "click-happy" and they stay away from illegal pornography and gambling sites, it is very difficult to get infected. But the possibility is still there. And with Defender already being in there, and with Defender being very light on system resources, and with Defender being very capable, I see no reason not to use it.

The problem with thinking we know what we are doing is we are human. And humans are not infallible. Even the most disciplined among us can slip up, get distracted, or just plain make a mistake. And of course, the problem is, if we do get infected, we become a risk to others.

I sure would not advertise or boast that I was not using an anti-malware solution. It is NOT an indication of being wise. Sorry, but thems the facts.

And for sure, if there is even the slightest chance another user might use a computer, a suitable security solution needs to be on that system.

 

[wolar]

Well, you say its light but for my PC its slowing it down quite bit while gaming. If i had the real option of stopping updates and defender completely while playing i would use them, but if not then ill just remove them from the iso all together. Its microsoft's fault that i am not using it.

 

[Bill_Bright]

for my PC its slowing it down quite bit while gaming.

Since it doesn't for 10s of millions of other gamers, that suggests you are an exception and exceptions don't make the rule. It also suggests there is something not right with your system - either just not capable for the type of gaming (perhaps insufficient RAM and/or too many other programs starting with Windows) or a fault somewhere.

Pretty sure most serious gamers will tell you 8GB of RAM is not enough for serious gaming.

I will also note hardware makers have the responsibility to ensure compatibility and efficient use of resources too.

Its microsoft's fault that i am not using it.

Not likely or else the vast majority of users similarly configured would be having problems too.

And for sure, even if it is Microsoft's fault your system bogs down with Defender, it is not their fault you are not using any security since there are several, capable alternative, third party solutions.

Anyway, this thread is not about that so I'm moving on.