Bitdefender Total Security 2016 & Spybot Anti-Beacon

DrJones

Hello.

Fresh Win 8.1 pro x86 install. Bitdefender Total Security 2016.

When I download and attempt to apply all the options offered by Spybot Anti-Beacon (widely used and disseminated), I get the following:

"Successfully blocked infected file:

The file C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\hosts is infected with Trojan.QHost.Gen. the virus has been successfully blocked and your PC is now safe."

Like many others - I have trust in Anti-Beacon - and want to be able to use it and have it achieve its purpose.

Please help me find a solution where the changes Anti-Beacon makes are accepted by Bitdefender Total Security 2016 - but the hosts files is still protected & monitored by Bitdefender (in case there is a genuine threat in the future).

Dr Jones

Sorin G.

Hello,

You can temporarily disable the Host file security to allow Anti-Beacon to make the changes.

General Settings > Advanced > Scan hosts file

Please keep it mind that its not advisable to have more than one security solution on the same machine.

DrJones

Hello,

You can temporarily disable the Host file security to allow Anti-Beacon to make the changes.

General Settings > Advanced > Scan hosts file

Please keep it mind that its not advisable to have more than one security solution on the same machine.

Thank you for your reply,

I'm not running the full spy-bot search and destroy - I am simply using anti-beacon to gain privacy buy running it once.

If this is still considered to be having "more than one security solution on the same machine", then please provide an alternative suggestion.

You'll understand the functions Anti-beacon provides - can you suggest an alternative way to get the same results - that is compatible with bit-defender 2016 please.

Sorin G.

Hello,

While I'm sure you understand I cannot advertise another solution, might I suggest an browser add-on.

I personally use Firefox with the Do Not Track feature enabled along side Adblock plus, combined with the Web Protection from Bitdefender I never had any issues. I'm sure there are a lot of combinations and applications to assist in this matter and many of the community members can provide their configuration.

As for the matter at hand, if the Host file is clean, Bitdefender will make sure it stays that way, with the Scan Host File feature enabled if anything tries to make any changes to the Host file Bitdefender will automatically undo those changes.

DrJones

Ok - let me start again.

If I want to use a windows privacy tool - as recommended by many many mainstream news outlets and tech blog websites - what do I need to do with Bitdefender Total Secuirty 2016 - to successfully achieve this goal:

Here are some of the privacy apps I am discussing:

http://www.ghacks.net/2015/08/14/comparison-of-windows-10-privacy-tools/

Or - can you please state - that Bitdefender is incompatible with windows privacy apps? Many many of us would like to know.

Dr. Jones

tags: Anti Beacon, Privacy apps, privacy

DrJones

Hello,

You can temporarily disable the Host file security to allow Anti-Beacon to make the changes.

General Settings > Advanced > Scan hosts file

Please keep it mind that its not advisable to have more than one security solution on the same machine.

Hi Sorin,

I have tried your approach.

I ran Spybot Anti-Beacon - with the hosts file in BT turned off.

Once I restart the pc and turn the setting back - during normal use of the machine - BT still sees these changes as some sort of trojan.

I am seeking some help resolving this situation.

BT is an effective and thorough anti-virus.

It has a different jurisdiction to Spybot Anti-Virus - and does not address these separate and independent areas.

My goal: I would like the privacy outcome that Anti-Beacon provides, then I want to use a Anti-Virus suite.

I am asking for help, on how to meet both needs please.

Sorin G.

Hello,

While I personally understand your request its not as easy as it sounds. Bitdefender does not have a policy to be compatible with any other security solutions.

I have forwarded your request to our devs.

mdgboxx

Hi Sorin,

I have tried your approach.

I ran Spybot Anti-Beacon - with the hosts file in BT turned off.

Once I restart the pc and turn the setting back - during normal use of the machine - BT still sees these changes as some sort of trojan.

I am seeking some help resolving this situation.

BT is an effective and thorough anti-virus.

It has a different jurisdiction to Spybot Anti-Virus - and does not address these separate and independent areas.

My goal: I would like the privacy outcome that Anti-Beacon provides, then I want to use a Anti-Virus suite.

I am asking for help, on how to meet both needs please.

Having used, in the past, McAfee, Windows Defender, AVAST, Malwarebytes, Trend Micro and a few others, what they have in common is that they ALL recommend that: ONLY ONE AV Program be installed on my machine to prevent "grey areas" that would allow malware to slip through.

I know and understand the value of Anti-Beacon, but the solution IMHO, would be for Bitdefender to build a similar or better option to it's own, already great, program.

I believe that allowing any compatibility with a competitor would be counter productive....At best.

I have/use CCleaner, and I regularly scan with Malwarebytes and Trend Micro Housecall. But I do not keep these last two on my machine. I delete them after each use.