Immunet Protect (Free Antivirus)

[26Dolphins]

Hi,

I stumbled upon this yesterday:
http://www.immunet.com/
The site doesn't give much insite to the app. It's still in beta.

There've been couple of reviews on it but from the early days it came out and a rather lengthy discussion over at Wilderssecurity forum, where the Engineering VP stepped in:
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=251402

Interesting thing is that it can run alongside with other security apps.

Anyone heard of it? Any thoughts about it?

[MidnightCowboy]

Very poor results to date, and I wouldn't recommend using this at all. I've had some direct contact with these people myself and as yet I'm not impressed.

[vasa1]

Solid plug here:

SEPTEMBER 16, 2010
Immunet Protect 2 – A Leader In Community Driven Cloud Based Antimalware

I have no hesitation in recommending this application. I can’t think of another security application that has enjoyed a seven fold increase in users in the last six months, like Immunet Protect has. That’s no accident.

[MidnightCowboy]

And yet you can see readily enough on Languy99's video of just two months ago that the system he was testing it on ended up with one of the heaviest infestations he's ever demonstrated. I know this was only a small sample but you can't argue with what you see. The good thing about Immunet is that it is still improving and will (mostly) support already installed main steam applications. As a complimentary tool therefore it's fine but I still wouldn't trust it as sole protector.

[kendall.a]

MC, I take it from your earlier post that you are not using it, nor do you personally recommend that folks use it?

On a personal note, I am becoming more and more convinced that "simple" is better. What I mean is that if you use CloudDNS (or Norton), run behind a hardware firewall (like most DSL or cable modems), use Sandboxie, and a free antivirus (Avira, Avast, or MSE), along with maybe WinPatrolFree, then you are pretty well protected. (Assuming the use of Windows firewall within either XP or Windows 7). You can supplement this simple setup with on-demand scanners like SAS or MWB or even HitmanPro, but I'm no longer convinced that they are necessary.

[MidnightCowboy]

Originally Posted by kendall

MC, I take it from your earlier post that you are not using it, nor do you personally recommend that folks use it?

On a personal note, I am becoming more and more convinced that "simple" is better. What I mean is that if you use CloudDNS (or Norton), run behind a hardware firewall (like most DSL or cable modems), use Sandboxie, and a free antivirus (Avira, Avast, or MSE), along with maybe WinPatrolFree, then you are pretty well protected. (Assuming the use of Windows firewall within either XP or Windows 7). You can supplement this simple setup with on-demand scanners like SAS or MWB or even HitmanPro, but I'm no longer convinced that they are necessary.

I agree entirely. A security biased DNS service and Sandboxie pretty much cover the majority of threats on their own leaving the other apps to take care of anything which might appear via shared media etc.

Immunet is still worth the space it takes up for anyone this way inclined if for no other reason that to support the obvious hard work being put into it. The more community feedback they get so the better they will be able to improve its performance. No, I would not recommend it at all as a single solution nor would I risk partnering it with an unofficially supported AV. There are plenty of choices which are officially supported though including Avira, Avast!, AVG and MSE so pairing with one of these is the obvious choice.

[kendall.a]

Immunet is still worth the space it takes up for anyone this way inclined if for no other reason that to support the obvious hard work being put into it. The more community feedback they get so the better they will be able to improve its performance. No, I would not recommend it at all as a single solution nor would I risk partnering it with an unofficially supported AV. There are plenty of choices which are officially supported though including Avira, Avast!, AVG and MSE so pairing with one of these is the obvious choice.

Other than the reason you state above "to support the obvious hard work being put into it", I see no reason to add Immunet to even the supported AV's if you are using the simple setup mentioned above. I guess it doesn't hurt anything, but I'm not sure that it adds all that much either? For me, I'd rather save my system resources for something else (for me it is gaming), rather than add something to my system that I'm not sure adds a whole lot to my overall setup.

P.S. Let me just add that this is a new way of thinking for me. In the past, I was almost paranoid about my security setup. I always wanted the greatest and best. Maybe it's old age, but I just want a simple setup that I can just forget about and not have to worry. No more uninstalling and installing and trying out new stuff just for the heck of it. I guess if I had a decent system to "play around with", then maybe I'd think differently. But, having gone through enough OS re-installs and spending hours trying to fix my computer, I'd just rather opt for simple and effective.

[MidnightCowboy]

Originally Posted by kendall

P.S. Let me just add that this is a new way of thinking for me. In the past, I was almost paranoid about my security setup. I always wanted the greatest and best. Maybe it's old age, but I just want a simple setup that I can just forget about and not have to worry. No more uninstalling and installing and trying out new stuff just for the heck of it. I guess if I had a decent system to "play around with", then maybe I'd think differently. But, having gone through enough OS re-installs and spending hours trying to fix my computer, I'd just rather opt for simple and effective.

Fits in with my evolving outlook on virtual life too
If only we had two lifetimes we could use the experience gained from the first to have a hell of a time during the second
I also think you need quite some years on the planet to fully appreciate how many manipulative influences there are trying to affect our daily lives. Security software vendors have to be towards the top of the list. By example, I urge anyone who hasn't seen it yet to watch "The Joneses"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1285309/

Billed as a comedy but not very funny for anyone connected with a real life example of this and believe me there are plenty.

[vasa1]

Originally Posted by kendall

...
P.S. Let me just add that this is a new way of thinking for me. ... I always wanted the greatest and best. Maybe it's old age, but I just want a simple setup that I can just forget about and not have to worry. ... I'd just rather opt for simple and effective.

Looks like you've managed to step off the Hedonic treadmill!

[torres-no-tan-magnifico]

After having problems with Immunet on my LT (Immunet Quarantine Folder) I continued using it on my DT as it wasn't causing any problems and appeared to be working fine.

However, not long ago the same thing that happened to my LT also happened to my DT. ie it copied the entire contents of my HD which then took a long time to delete.

Suffice to say I uninstallled Immunet and therefore, will no longer use this software.