Windows 10: Is there still any reason to use Windows Defender?

simply put of running computers since 1995 and building more than my fair share for myself and others

 

Even if you have built hundreds or even thousands of computers, it would be miniscule compared to the trillions worldwide.
What has 1995 got to do with the latest Windows Defender Anti Virus development only just released with its anti exploit built in beside many other safety features.
Unless you have built hundreds within the last month and can prove to have found lots infected, your opinion is baseless.

 

No, it was not obvious... you could have elaborated on your statement. I'd like to know why as dencal

 

For those that are running the Enterprise Win10, WD should be even better with the fall creators update. It’s like Defender overdosing on steroids *Smile

Search for its features, you will be amazed, but for Enterprise only...

 

And I've been running computers since 1985. I've recovered several friends' computers from major virus and malware infections. They all had the same thing in common. They were all running multiple anti-everything programs.

The best defense against virus and malware is not on the computer. It's between the user's ears. Don't click on links you don't know where they go to. Examine links to make sure they are going where you think they are going. Never click on any popup window that wants to optimize or somehow fix your computer. Close especially nasty unwanted pop-up windows by using CTRL-ALT-DEL and killing the browser in task manager rather then clicking on the pop-up Window itself. Do a thorough disk cleanup regularly (weekly) - I just use the cleanmgr command staged as a .bat file on my desktop. Keep everything up to date. Stay behind your router's NAT firewall.

All the anti-everything programs out there will just slow your computer down by taking up resources, and they won't replace common sense user habits. I could double check my computers as virus and malware free with other programs, but after years of not finding anything, I just don't feel the need to anymore. I just let WD do it's thing on it's default settings.

But hey - if you want to use your computers' resources to run whatever anti program you want - it doesn't affect me in any way. Just be warned - don't let those programs replace safe user habits.

 

You hit the nail on that one. Good job. Right on.

I see these security presentations from MS about for example, the new advanced WD application guard features.

Ok that’s great, but why?? I’m not that stupid to click on any links from emails that I don’t trust. So why with enough common sense should bother to even enable that?

I just get a kick out of these MS security Ignite presentations on how to mitigate attacks when all it takes is common sense.

User education should be the top first priority in every home and business setting.

 

Hi,
It's not just links in an email
These corrupt links could be anywhere on the any website even here *Smile

 

For Years I've used Avast Antivirus on various computers, but nowadays slowly adjusting to Windows Defender, Windows Firewall and Malwarebytes Free, Working very well so far it seems, hopefully It keeps going well, and System keeps performing well, do my system images weekly now, along with some manual backups, thinking i'm pretty safe now or I hope.

 

I have no interest in pointless and irrational arguments about anti-malware software, but I will say that I've tried a very large number of them, many times, over many years. I have had serious issues with most of them. Often, I found third-party anti-malware software to be as bad as the type of malware it supposedly protected against.

After much consideration, I switched to Windows Defender recently. It never appears to slow down my system (I would not use any software that did). I don't have constant false-positives with it. I don't have to pay extra for it. And I don't ever have to worry about compatibility issues.

But the main reason I feel comfortable with this choice is that Windows Defender now protects as well or better than many third-party solutions, according to the rating organizations I tend to keep an eye on. These ratings are likely not perfect, but consulting them seems preferable to me than using faith, emotion, and baseless advice to decide which anti-malware software to use. I'm not saying WD is perfect, but to me, it has a lot more going for it than anything else.

Please note that I truly don't care what anyone else uses or how awesome they think that software is, and that I will not be checking for replies. No offense is intended, but I have no interest in arguing about faith-based computing.







http://chart.av-comparatives.org/chart1.php?chart=chart2&year=2017&month=9&sort=1&zoom=4

https://www.av-test.org/en/antivirus...ws/windows-10/

 

Hi,
Not sure anyone can avoid defender anymore it's getting more and more intertwined into 10 and harder to turn off completely.

 

sorry but i've permanently disabled Windows Defender since windows 10 installation... *Sad using ESET & Malwarebytes since 2009 and yet to be faced any malware/virus issue... *Smile

yes, i'm visiting any website (including clickbaits) and running any pendrive from friends... but still i can breath fresh *Tongue

 

I have been using Defender only with a scan of MBAM about every two weeks and I have been fine for over two years.

 

It's about horses-for-courses... Sunday stroll? Windows Defender... going for a spin?...not so much - surfing savvy is a given...

 

I think Defender is as good as anything else out there. I started building and owned my first computer in the 80's and have run pretty much every av out there. Defender works well and efficient on 10, I typically run malware bytes also but I got a free couple of years of zemana so I am running it right now. None of that makes me an expert but I do know defender has evolved into a very efficient, quick av.

As has been stated the majority of virus avoiding on windows is between your ears as none are perfect and the difference in the top ones is pretty slim.

It typically falls to me to maintain a number of family and inlaw computers and right now its defender and Malwarebytes or something similar like zemana. In the past it was the free av du jour. Right now I see nothing really needed that any of them do any better than defender. You can put the same apps on different people's computer and some with be full of junk and some will be clean. It's between the ears.

 

Been trying to decide between my 10 years of using Avast and Defender, I don't mind it on my fast quick newer I7 system, but totally dislike Defender on slower AMD A6 Quad Core for some reason, thinking just slow full scans lol, and especially on my older WIndows 7 Home Premium system with MSE that takes about 4-5 hours to scan the thing lol.

But Decision almost made, just have to make up mind fully and then stick to it lol