Windows 10: Do I need antivirus?

From my question you will doubtless realize I'm new to virtual machines.

I've just installed VMWare Player and W10 TP.

On my host system I have Emsisoft Internet Security running. I have no idea whether this will also protect my VM setup or if I need separate firewall and virus protection on this. And if I do, what would you recommend? I'm happy to stick with Defender but equally happy with Malwarebytes. Not wanting to purchase anything more though.

:)

 

it says i need an email program? were do i get it from?

it tells me there is an email program needed that i dont have. were do i get it from

 

do i need a new controller or i need to fix some thing??

so i just got a new gaming laptop for Christmas i wasant really used to the mouse so i decided to plug in my Xbox one controller but when i did it told me that windows did not recognize this device so i watched some YouTube videos and read forums and did
almost everything but still same stupid message and am getting really annoyed!! so please can someone help me or tell me that my controller is broken and and i need a new one

 

Are you sharing files with the host OS? For just testing defender and malwarbytes should be good. Well, in my opinion that is.

 

In Win10TP there are very few AV's that work or have been verified to work in the new OS. So, sticking to defender for now is the best bet.

 

It is probably easier to think of a VM as a completely separate machine. As such your host system AV will not protect your VM at all, so yes, assuming you connect to the internet, you do need AV. Same as any other machine.

I use defender and malwarebytes on 10 (and on 8 also) - works fine for me.

 

Defender should suffice. Make a copy of the VMware Folder of your W10 to another drive.

Then you can always pull that in when there is trouble. This is like an image, only faster and easier. All you need to do when you pull that in is to "Open a Virtual Machine", navigate to the folder you brought in and double click on the VMX file.

The old defunct folder you can then delete. Also the old entry in the VMware control panel. Copy the running folder from time to time replacing the previous one so that you always have the up-to-date version.

 

Hi there

Can't see what possible use Malwarebytes is these days -- Defender on W10 is probably enough. You need it on a VM as well.

Most danger these days IS NOT from viruses etc but things like PUPS and SCAMS which no software can defend you against. Opening strange archive format files, links in emails or attachments, Fake web sites offering what seem to be "legitimate services" and when downloading BE VERY CAREFUL to check the right box - download sites are deliberately designed to confuse you so you click the wrong download. Avoid "Installers" and Tool bar offers like the plague and NEVER use those programs that offer to scan your registry or fix drivers. Don't give out info on social media sites either that could lead to either your identity or passwords being compromised (or both).

I saw a case recently when a whole load of wedding invitations were sent out via the Internet. Guess what -- some of the houses of the "attendees" were burgled during the wedding -- some undesirable people had got the idea that all these people would be away from their homes during the wedding and reception !!!!.

Take as much care when using the Internet as you would trying to get to the other side of a Los Angeles Freeway ON FOOT. !!! AV software won't save you against most of these types of problems.

Cheers
jimbo

 

Thank you for all the advice.

I'll stick with Defender then.

I'm using W10 to get to know the new OS (it will be a big difference to actually be familiar with an OS before installing it as the main one), so mostly playing around with things, but I won't be using it for any personal things like banking or email, nor for social media.
@whs: thanks for the suggestion about making a copy of the VM file. I did watch your videos when I set up the VM so I have no excuse for NOT doing this *Wink.


@Jimbo: thanks for this. I am pretty cautious around social media and downloads already. But always worth restating I think.

 

Yep I really wouldn't do any banking.... on 10tp
Defender is really no different than mse which is one of the poorest antivirus programs,
Mbam premium marginalizes that allot but I wouldn't use premium in 10tp either and the freebie doesn't have any real time protection so :/

 

Hi there

Oh dear -- you are very wrong about MSE and Windows defender -- the GUI looks the same but the working is TOTALLY different. Windows defender is actually a part of the OS rather than simply being another task just running in the OS and it DOES have real time protection.

As to whether one AV system is better than another comparative statistics are WORSE THAN USELESS -- since the statistics are invariably out of date and in any case another virus could appear AT ANY TIME rendering any previous stats totally meaningless anyway.

As I said in my previous posts - these days most Internet and Computer Fraud isn't caused on the whole by Viruses but by poor USER habits. There's no way on this planet for example to get infected with RANSOMWARE if you simply observe sensible precautions when using the Internet - especially when downloading files or opening emails.

Even if you use torrents for downloading a movie file (mkv / mp4 / avi) or music (mp3 / flac ) in it's native format won't give you any problems since these files will be opened by your native music / video player so any "nasties" in them will just be ignored, render the file unplayable or just be treated as "Noise".

Problems are with "installers", .exe files, zipped files / files of unknown format etc or data files (including say Office files like .DOC or EXCEL (XLS) or power point (ppt) especially if they have embedded macros in them.

The AV industry needs to move on away from simple Viruses - there's far more money to be made in scamming which is far far harder to control against by simply using software no matter how intelligent. PUPS are another one problem area.

If you simply observe sensible precautions and just use the bog standard Windows defender on W10 you'll never have a Virus problem - even if you use Torrents.

Note Mse was used on W7 -- the whole security layer is totally different on W7 than in W8/W10. It's far superior in W8 and even better on W10.

Cheers
jimbo