Mse

Does M.S. Security Essentials need Zone Alarm for protection, or will its own firewall be ok?
I read that altho the Windows firewall broadcasts, MSE works with it to provide security.
Another opinion was that Windows firewall was ok with a router involved.
Also, will a third party such as Zone Alarm work with MSE?
Thank you

 

After my experience with an infected MSE + PCTools firewall protected PC a few days ago, where I was manually tagging potential threats via Explorer and seeing MSE flag them some 15 - 30 minutes later, I'd use a firewall and HIPS-type protection (Comodo or x firewall+Threatfire, for example) as a bare minimum for a careful surfer.

I think that there is some tardiness in MSE's response to new threats, the uploading of potential threats for 'cloud' scanning seems very slow in being initiated sometimes. It really does need a more efficient heuristic component + greater manual control of it's features (but it would then probably only rate as average for false positives).

Most, if not all, firewalls should work fine with MSE but you ought to consider white/black-listing methods like OpenDNS, PeerBlock/iBlocklist.com, SpywareBlaster, Spybot's immunisation, FX+NoScript, WOT as well as setting your router correctly and having tools like the SysInternals suite installed and ready. Even then, at best you will be 1-3 days behind the bad guys.

 

>>I am only the average user. I reseached MSE well and it seemed ok. I added Zone Alarm and it works well together.
I have Norton free as a Comcast customer but I found it difficult to use.
I may go back to it for security if what you say about the fragility of MSE is true. Maybe I need to practise with the Norton Security center.
Thaank you for the information.