Any replacement for MBAM or something to block bad sites?

[ComputerDave]

I’d like to apologize in advance if this question seems, well, too general.

We recommend Avast and Malwarebytes together. Lately we’ve been asking ourselves if there might be something as good if not better than Malawarebytes that’s free, or less of an investment for us. Malwarebytes is good at removing silliness, such as “Potientially Unwanted Programs”.

Like yourself, we find that we can put what we think are excellent programs to keep our Client’s safe, but nothing that prevents bad judgment. We have Client’s that repeatedly bring their computers back with the same silliness on it, such as Optimizer Pro, Reg Fix, PC Speedy Upper (that last one I made up). Of course you and I understand what causes that, but in the mind of the Client, they’re like “but you put that protection on there, why didn’t that keep this from happening again?”

The bottom line is that we’re interested in solutions that at the very least keep our Client’s from visiting dangerous sites, and at the very most prevent them from downloading stupidity.

 

[Go-To Gordon]

http://unchecky.com

helps prevent installing bundled crap. It's not perfect but works pretty damn good.

 

[ComputerDave]

http://unchecky.com

helps prevent installing bundled crap. It's not perfect but works pretty damn good.

I just left their webpage, and yes, that looks very promising! Thanks!

 

[Xander]

I'm looking at incorporating Unchecky and Malwarebytes AntiExploit into my mix.

And, for my managed customers, dUninstaller to run weekly.

 

[ComputerDave]

Interesting threat about MBAM

Interesting thread about MBAM, perhaps another good reason to try different things.


http://www.technibble.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56625&highlight=Malwarebytes

Here, people are talking about how they feel MBAM "might be" getting a little too big for their britches?

 

[carrcomp]

Might is a very mild word for that.

We're looking for something affordable to add to our MSP service. When I find something I'll be sure to post it.

 

[NYJimbo]

Unchecky and Adblock Plus seem to help. I put them on old machines that take too long to load with MBAM.

 

[carrcomp]

Has anyone else had good luck with unchecky?

I'm reading their website and it looks like a great way to avoid toolbars and malware

 

[Kitten Kong]

I've been using Unchecky for a while now Chris. Ever since I heard about it on TN.

Finding it working wonders on clients machines. I.e, those who never look at what they are installing, and next, next, next each time..

 

[carrcomp]

Cool.

Been talking to a number of my clients after I posted that .... those that have used it think it's great.

MAV flags it as a virus ... but that said I've researched it and it looks fine to me.

 

[PC Ops]

http://unchecky.com

helps prevent installing bundled crap. It's not perfect but works pretty damn good.

I've seen Unchecky get mentioned in a couple of threads (and elsewhere on the interwebz) but it never really caught my attention. Reading the posts in this thread got me thinking. So just installed it on one of my boxes: low footprint + seems to do the job = win-win

So, since I have plenty of customers with 'click-next-as-fast-as-you-possibly-can-without-reading'-syndrome, I know this must do good for some of them

Rep +1

 

[carrcomp]

We're also currently looking into Umbrella by Open DNS.

http://www.opendns.com/enterprise-security/

This could possibly get added to our MSP service to help reduce infections from 3% to virtually nothing, along with the unchecky service.

Lots to look into right now, but I'd be interested in the thoughts of others.

 

[Galdorf]

For ultimate protection i use virtualbox-linux and firefox with adblock plus and set it to nosave so once it shuts down anything done in browser is undone.
There is package already setup by Sirrix AG security technologies.

http://www.sirrix.com/content/pages/BitBox_en.htm

It uses vitrtualbox which is free and custom linux distro.

Another free program is ToolWiz TimeFreeze it sandboxes your system against changes when shutdown any changes made vanish.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I second setting the network up to use a safe DNS service.
OpenDNS is one of the more well known ones, but there are plenty more safe DNS services such as Nortons Connect Safe, or SafeDNS.com, Comodo DNS, GreenTeam, etc.

Complements your additional anti malware tools in providing a much more malware resistant network.

 

[AlexCa]

Of course you and I understand what causes that, but in the mind of the Client, they’re like “but you put that protection on there, why didn’t that keep this from happening again?”

I make sure to explain my clients how it happens and that normally AV's won't gonna stop those installs because they occur with the explicit consent of the user (therefore AV companies may get involved in legal troubles with companies that develop that kind of software if they simply detect and delete)...

 

[Xander]

GFI is integrating web protection into their next version (available in the RC now). Looks promising and, unless it turns out to be crap, I'll be including with my RMM packages.

 

[carrcomp]

Same here.

Testing it on the bench now, then I'm going to let my kids loose on a .... kid friendly ... computer to see if it interrupts them any more than what I intend.

If it works well, we'll likely include it in the $10/month package

 

[mrapoc]

Saw that too. Looks great .. Has anyone included cryptoprevent with gfi that can be removed as a gfi script if they don't pay up

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Also worth consideration is the AdBlock Plus extension for Chrome and Firefox. When you install it...that first popup screen that appears telling you it's installed...scroll down and turn ON the Malware Blocker component.

That gives yet another layer to complement security measures....blocking known malware distribution sites.

Combine that with a safe DNS service....there's 2x quick and easy FREE things you can do....that work well.

And another option is a UTM appliance at the edge instead of a plain old (and outdated IMO) NAT router. Sure most are "pay for"...but you can whip up FREE basic distros such as Untangle Lite, or Endian, or ClearOS, or..(the list goes on).
For businesses...of course selling a yearly subscription is in the benefit of all.

 

[mrapoc]

Great ideas all to compliment. What safe DNS has everyone had experience with? I'm only familiar with open DNS. They have umbrella for msps