Question Windows Defender ?

[cAllen]

So as not to hijack, can someone please explain to me "real life" how Defender has changed/improved since the Vista/WIN7 days, because it is/was junk then. It has NEVER caught or blocked anything on my old 7 box. Running Kaspersky and Malwarebytes Premium has stopped everything the squishy thing between our ears has missed. Serious and respectful question. Thanks.

 

[punkncat]

The best A/V is you, of course and where you surf and what you download. I am not sure how to answer your question as to "how" it changed, but it got some nice reviews in regard to it's functionality and in particular it being free with Windows.

Defender works hand in hand with UAC as well. According to how high you set the slider, a pop up will inform you when system changes and such are being made.

I use Defender on all my machines save one laptop I use for work on "public" access internet. I use Endpoint for that one, but have not had an incident on one of my own machines for likely over a decade now. My kids, on the other hand....lol, well....

 

[USAFRet]

Products improve.
The only ones who the exactitudes are the dev team.

In multiple tests and reviews, Defender has shown to easily be the equal of all the other ones.

 

[cAllen]

Hi USAFRet. Earlier you mentioned occasionally manually running mbam free. Has it caught anything the new and improved Defender missed?

 

[USAFRet]

Hi USAFRet. Earlier you mentioned occasionally manually running mbam free. Has it caught anything the new and improved Defender missed?

In my realm, no.

 

[cAllen]

Expand please.

 

[USAFRet]

Expand please.

My current main system was built up in Jan 2022. Win 11 Pro.
This is literally the second time I've run MBAM on this system.

Defender:

I simply don't download dodgy software, or frequent dodgy sites.
The squishy thing is my best protection.

 

[cAllen]

Interesting. In the last year KAS has stopped 570 events and mbam stopped 8....Defender 0. Not sure if that's because the other 2 caught them first...or if my included version of Defender is outdated because Windows 7 support stopped a while back. I have a very clean/safe old box though. That said, I might be willing to try the new Defender on the new box (with mbam premium) for a while to see. As for the squishy thing...my worst bite ever came from a legitimate legal business website...who I did notify. Never went back to see if they fixed it though. That one did require reformatting.

 

[USAFRet]

What were these "570 events"?

There are multiple levels of things. Some a hazard, some VERY dangerous, some of little or no consequence.

 

[cAllen]

After a short quarantine, I delete those found by mbam, but KAS this year alone stopped 544 Trojans under malicious, 3 adware under applications, 23 malicious urls under internet. All but 3 were classified as very dangerous.

 

[USAFRet]

After a short quarantine, I delete the found mbams, but KAS this year alone stopped 544 Trojans under malicious, 3 adware under applications, 23 malicious urls under internet. All but 3 were classified very dangerous

To me, that indicates the squishy part of the AV suite is malfunctioning.

 

[cAllen]

Perhaps, but either way...the bugs WERE exterminated. Sometimes we ALL need a little help...hence Defender...or what ever one's favorite flavors are. I'm not a fanboy or anti this or that...I just want something that reliably has my back.

We ALL do.

 

[USAFRet]

If you do a scan with Kaspersky, and it find things.
And then you delete those things.
There is nothing left for Defender to find.

 

[punkncat]

Properly installed, Defender defaults to whatever 'other' A/V solution you are using. When I open "Windows Security" on the PC with Endpoint, both Virus and Threat protection and Firewall and Network Protection references the installed solution. It is not a very good idea to use multiple antivirus programs at the same time, excluding products that offer different solutions or methods.

 

[cAllen]

So, then the consensus "here" is not to install KAS on my new build with the new Defender? MBAM Premium is happening either way. I bought 3 each lifetime licences for that before they went to "renew subscription".

 

[Bob.B]

So as not to hijack, can someone please explain to me "real life" how Defender has changed/improved since the Vista/WIN7 days, because it is/was junk then. It has NEVER caught or blocked anything on my old 7 box. Running Kaspersky and Malwarebytes Premium has stopped everything the squishy thing between our ears has missed. Serious and respectful question. Thanks.

Win def on w7 and vista was not an AV product.
It was an anti spyware product.

 

[Deleted member 14196]

I can’t even remember the last time my AV found anything. At the rate you’re getting Trojan attacks you must be doing some real dodgy stuff on the Internet.

 

[cAllen]

@Mandark Outstanding! You don't even need security s/w then. However, not everyone was born with your superior intuition and wisdom as it relates.

I am not now, nor did I come from a heavy computer background...or the other side. Most of us out there in the real world use security so we don't have the worry "as much" about dodging bullets with every click of the mouse or keyboard. That's what it's for. Even some of the heavy hitters here have had to do a clean wipe.

The point of my thread is to determine if Defender is better "now" (based on comments here) and if it's "better" than what I've been using all these years since to actually catch all those bugs. FTR...the one time we did get bit was from a legitimate local business website around the time we crossed over from Vista to 7...using only Defender then...because we didn't know any better. It hasn't happened since.

I'm going live with my new Box Sunday and have a lot to do. Respects, but if you have nothing constructive to add to the topic, you're wasting both my time...and yours.

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

For what it's worth, I've only had Windows Defender installed as my malware protection since I finally switched to Windows 10 five years ago and I've never had reason to regret it.

 

[USAFRet]

The point of my thread is to determine if Defender is better "now" (based on comments here) and if it's "better" than what I've been using all these years since to actually catch all those bugs.

Tests:

Advanced Threat Protection Test 2022 - Consumer

AV-Comparatives' Advanced Threat Protection Test 2022 for Consumer security products released, testing the protection against advanced attacks

www.av-comparatives.org

Best Antivirus Software for 2025

Stop hackers and malicious software in their tracks with the best device protection. Here are CNET's top picks for antivirus software to improve your digital security.

www.cnet.com

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-antivirus,review-2588.html

 

[cAllen]

Thank you both.

Likely going to do a test run with Defender only. Will talk to my regular computer buddy (after his kid gets out of the hospital) about throwing some of his "collection" at it in a controlled environment and see if it rubs my warm and fuzzy right.

...and I apologise for being a little blunt in my last post, but I came here looking for sincere advice and conversation, not to measure dip sticks like on car and political forums...or social media.

 

[paulbasel]

I followed a blog by an ex-Microsoft developer who worked at the company for 20 years. He only ran Defender on his machines saying it was as good if not better that most of the anti-virus software. It gets critized mainly for its lack of features and interface but not for his ability to detect viruses.

I go back to the era of Prodigy and Compuserve in the late 70's and have run software from Microsoft since MS-DOS. Before Defender I used antivirus software but I didn't rely on it, I employed the principles and practices of being safe online; never install software from dodgy sites, backup files, create periodic system images, don't modify UAC settings, don't use an admin account, and on and on. This to me is your best protection.

In all my 45 years online I have never had an incursion except for the occasional PUP. Something tells me that in addition to giving Defender a whirl, you ought to be asking yourself how did I get 544 trojans.

Good luck with your test of Defender.

 

[cAllen]

Thanks. FTR with a correction...that was the TOTAL SUM of "blocked attempts" to bite us since the last reformate when we did get bit running "only" the old Defender...right after the swap from Vista to W7. Have not been hit once since on 3 boxes using the KAS/MBAM method.. The new Defender is likely better, but you can understand my inquiry/hesitancy. Using Son's old College laptop right now while completing final work on the new box as we speak. Also...I have the "lifetime" MBAM Premium and 2 years left on KAS. Will have it up and live tonight or tomorrow. I've worked graveyards for 27 years and even on my days off I sleep during the day. If all is good I'll run some temp/performance benches before installing the Contact Frame with the lapped CPU...though that might not be until after Christmas. Between that, the Torrent and a little voltage tweaking that KS will be very happy running with a D15. We'll run my guys collection of "bad boys" using both methods before I make the final decision.

 

[randyh121]

Think about it this way. Who do you think is going to patch the latest virus? Some third party company or Microsoft themselves?
MS obviously.

 

[cAllen]

So I got together with one of my high-end IT buddies at work and he ran some tests on my new box...most of which I do not fully understand. The goal was to determine how the "new" Defender rated against my now updated KTS/MBAM solution. This was done without "corporate" filters and myself as the admin. Results from this testing...no virus got through either. The new Defender is now much better than before, but still got bit by 8 ransonwares and 2 malewares. Subsequent runs failed the same. KTS/MBAM only got hit by one maleware, but was caught and killed on the second run.

My take...use care and common sense while poking keys and pay for extra protection. YMMV.

Thanks again to all of you that helped me make my new box happen. 👍