Suggestions For Bitdefender Free

Hello,

We are working on these issues, some of these features will be available in the next product update.

Thanks for feedback.

Alex

Traffic light not yet, all of the above, yes.

I think it would be beneficial for all if the developers could add some form of exclusions to the BD free, on install of BD free I was asked to remove Malwarebytes Pro ( don't know why as it's not an AV ) I said no thanks and continued to install BD which is running ok but quite heavy in it usage due to not being able to exclude Malwarebytes, "note" that BD free runs extremely light and efficient with MBAM Pro disabled but I would rather have the option to have it run alongside.

I also want usb immunizer integration with bitdefender free edition

I think it would be beneficial for all if the developers could add some form of exclusions to the BD free, on install of BD free I was asked to remove Malwarebytes Pro ( don't know why as it's not an AV ) I said no thanks and continued to install BD which is running ok but quite heavy in it usage due to not being able to exclude Malwarebytes, "note" that BD free runs extremely light and efficient with MBAM Pro disabled but I would rather have the option to have it run alongside.

On my W7-SP1 x64 computer I am using BD AV Free along with Malwarebytes Pro.

I installed BD AV Free first then Malwarebytes Pro and there were no problems with the install of MBAM Pro and I haven't noticed any subsequent problems since both have been running together. I have not entered a BD AV Free exlusion in MBAM Pro.

Try uninstalling MBAM Pro using their uninstall utility. It will remove the product completely along with your ID and Key numbers. The name of the file is MBAM-Clean. Then install BD AV Free first followed by MBAM Pro and enter your ID and Key in the appropriate place. Good luck

This was brought up in January, have any of these features since then been implemented? Any estimates as to when they might be? I too would love to have the ability to restore quarantined files or add them to an exclusion list should anything ever go wrong. The ability to start a full scan easily would also be nice instead of clicking drives separately.

I understand the logic behind hiding all the features and customization so that no one has to make any decisions but I fail to understand why ALL features have been removed for those who would like to use them. This really isn't new to antivirus software (basic vs advanced mode). A quick customization menu (1 page) under an advanced option to set default action when virus is detected, update checks and automatic scan frequency would be great.

Agreed. I'd like to see more config and an easier way to remove from quarantine.

There is a way to remove them.

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.ph...p;postcount=916

"L.E. The "Quarantine" in BDAVFree works differently than a "normal" one:

- files are not "moved to a safe location"

- but renamed (in the same folder/path)

- and locked (by gz file system driver) for read/write/execute

- the files are not encrypted

So, one can "simply"

- turn off real time protection

- go to safe mode and

- rename the file (actually, remove the gzquar extension)"

I also want usb immunizer integration with bitdefender free edition

Why do you need it, when this feature is useless...

I've tested bunch of similar autorun.inf immunize products and i found out that this feature is useless...

This "immunize" feature will only protect you from Autorun.inf spreading based malware, but there is still many more methods malware using to trick user and infect the system...

You should use programs that scan and remove malware from removable drives...

hi,

i have win 8 with sidebar.

i think it is cool to have a gadget for the status of Bitdefender Free.

greatings

Are there settings now? I don't see any. Bitdefender just deleted data that I wanted to keep, and I don't see a way to get it back (it edited a file, removing a part inside).

I'm uninstalling Bitdefender now, as deleting my data and not even giving me a chance to intervene is a total and immediate deal breaker. I would love to return to Bitdefender if this gets fixed, as otherwise it seems to be a fine product. Please let me know if it's already there and I just didn't find it, or let me know when I can expect this to be fixed.

(I was using version 1.0.20.1083 on Windows 8 Pro 64 bit)

Curious -

1. Did the deletion occur during an auto-scan or manual scan?

2. Could you post the BD AV Free log that shows the deleted file's name, if not what was the file extension of the file?

Thanks

Auto-scan. I was using WinMerge to compare folders/files (with the affected file) and suddenly Bitdefender interrupted and said it had done something. Looking at the events log, I found out it had deleted a part of that file.

I'm guessing the log was deleted when I uninstalled Bitdefender.

It was a .txt file

Sounds like you were comparing two *.txt files with WinMerge and some of the text within "one" or "both" of the *.txt files was deleted.

1. Which did you do? Create or download the *.txt file that had the data deleted?

1. Was the data deleted from both *.txt files WinMerge was comparing?

2. Did the deleted data contain a non-text characters, symbols, photos or a hypertext link to a URL or another file?

3. Was the deleted data program code?

thanks

Suggestions for improving BitDefender Antivirus Free

The following essential features are missing from BitDefender Antivirus Free:

1. The user should be able to select a desired action for Fille System Shield:

Fille System Shield Settings Actions

Virus (Ask | Quarantine | Delete | No Action)

PUP (Ask | Quarantine | Delete | No Action)

(Potentially Unwanted Programs)

Suspicious (Ask | Quarantine | Delete | No Action)

(based on heuristics logic)

2. FullScan should be restricted ONLY to Windows/Boot partitions, not to other (data) partitions !!!

3. The user should be able to disable Email Client protection.

Email Client Protection ON | OFF

4. The user should be able to disable Web Access Protection.

Web Access Protection (URL address management) ON | OFF

5. The user should be able to exclude folders/files from AutoScan!

Exclusions from AutoScan

Folder 1

Folder ...

FIle 1

File ...

File ...

6. The user should be able to override AutoScan default frequency.

AutoScan Frequency

QuickSweep 2 days (default)

FullScan 2 weeks (default)

I agree with BDFreeUser, I am uninstalling BitDefender until there is an option for accessing settings and configuring the program. It is also somewhat disturbing, and makes me very hesitant to go with BitDefender, when these settings' changes where promised in January, 2013 and have not been implemented 19 months later

...

Many of our clients are poorly educated about internet security ... We often change what they are currently using to something better ... scores ... memory usage

...

That replacement will not be BitDefender until there is an option to configure the product.

Hi Tranquility:

You are surely talking about:

Hello,

We are working on these issues, some of these features will be available in the next product update.

Thanks for feedback.

Alex

replying to:

Bitdefender Antivirus free is great, but it has absolutely no settings. For example we can't configure AVC and IDS's agressivness. We can't restore items from the quarantine, we can't configure scans, on-demand scans always scan <critical system areas>, not only the selected target. Also, you can integrate Traffic Light in Bitdefender free.

There have been plenty improvements in Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition since January, 2013. You can check within the updates. Many improvements have to do with the internal settings of the program, e.g., the schedule for automated scans, yet it is true these settings are yet out of the reach of the user. Other improvements are on the handling of quarantine files, e.g., restoring files. And some improvements have to do with scanning HTTP addresses. Please pay attention to the word some in alex z's reply.

On regard of your clients, I will quote from Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition's page:

Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition has been engineered to enable you to enjoy your computer to the max, without having to worry about viruses and other e-threats.

That is precisely why it is probably a better solution for someone without much knowledge about computer security. I am not a computer security expert but I have enough years and education to see how Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition's configuration settings are necessary and sufficient for an antivirus: Either you are protected or you are not. As simple as that. So just one switch for the Virus Shield (there is an additional switch for Auto Scan, which I would rather not have!). Everything else are bells and whistles, or compromising your system. The only additional switch is for logging the service since registration is required beyond the trial period.

Policies and actions are described in the User's Guide:

When an infected file is detected, Bitdefender tries to disinfect it by removing the malware code. If disinfection fails, Bitdefender alerts you that the infected file could not be disinfected. Files that cannot be disinfected are quarantined in order to contain the infection.

...

You have the option to Delete (Out of Quote: or Restore/Exclude) the files in quarantine. Bitdefender scans the quarantined files after each malware signature update. Cleaned files are automatically unblocked and you can access them normally.

Be aware that disinfecting by removing malware code could mean deleting bad code inside a compressed file or an installer, there is no quarantine for files inside files, but only the malware is removed. Also note that PUP inside installers are not Viruses, thus they are not necessarily detected at all.

From what I've read in this forum there are only two concerns about this product:

1. Some computer games may cause a crash. I think only the interface crashes and I believe it has to do with changing to very low screen resolution. I would rather exit the interface before playing any games and the system remains protected.
2. There had been some reports of deleting outlook files. I have little information on that, but I strongly suspect the user may had done something wrong for this to happen.

I once had a conflict with my firewall but it was due to an update in my firewall that was later corrected with no need of help from Bitdefender's support, although they helped me regarding the issue.

Regards,

--graciliano

p.s. I believe Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition may not be as accurate as their paid product unless the system is logged to their servers (connected the Internet). But this is OK for me since I do not think I may get any computer virus unless the computer is connected to the Internet (of curse, I have to be aware of any external device I plug in my system while it is not connected).

Are you BitD team going to make this product work or should I remove it?

What do you mean by work? I have it on 3 systems with 3 different Windows versions and it works fine on all of them.

From January 24. 2013. they did not change anything.

Of course that I uninstall him. This version is pure amateurism.

Antivirus is very good. But the UI is useless.

Their position is that you don't need any more of a UI than what you get. I tend to agree with them. You're either protected or you're not. It's that simple.

I would just like to see a listing of everything the free version protects against. I know it covers viruses and other malware and has a web filter. I'd like to know if it filters email which actually is not really necessary but I'd just like to know. I can't find a list of the features anywhere.

So yeah. Two simple things. Manageable exception list and selectable scan types. That's all I ask.

Yes. I would be satisfied with these too. I was intending to use Comodo firewall with BitD Free, but when I saw to what UI of BitD looks like, I get back to Comodo AV (which is absolutely bellow BitD, but it has normal UI).

That sounds reasonable. A working exclusion feature should be present.

I did find sort of a list of what BD Free does and it's pretty impressive. It has heuristics and a behavior analyzer as well as web scanning and a couple of other things. If you haven't seen the write up it's here.

http://www.bitdefender.com/solutions/free.html

Look at the bottom of the page.

Oh yeah, BD free is quite impressive in what it does and how well it works. It does its job quite well, and I currently recommend it when asked what a good free AV is. That they don't advertise with it is icing on the cake, and is why I still use it rather than go back to Avast! or Avira or AVG.

I think BD is just busy with other projects or maybe it's something else. But yes, I agree this lacks features when compared to other security software.

I think BD is just busy with other projects or maybe it's something else. But yes, I agree this lacks features when compared to other security software.

It doesn't really lack features. What it lacks is the ability to configure most of it's features. That's not a problem for me.

Many of our clients are poorly educated about internet security and rely on us to make recommendations for what product to use, many of them would use nothing at all if it weren't for the free versions being offered.

Exactly!!!

I have been seeking a new AV for a while now, both for myself and others in the family. Being the type that likes to do my homework, I read all the ratings and reviews then, being unable to find any real helpful pre-installation information on either site decided to take a serious look at Panda and Bitdefender, in that order.

>>Sidebar…I HATE any product that, by default installs toolbars, or requires an email address for activation without disclosing what else the email might be used for.

So, I installed Panda on my laptop and guess what; Yahoo toolbar and email activation. Add to that the (IMO) ugly W8 style tiles, so I scrapped that idea and opted for Bitdefender. Well, guess what again; yup, email activation. I went ahead anyway and now I have no clue what the “online” features are for or if I need to spend money to find out. I’m referring to Safebox, Anti Theft etc. Absolutely no pre install information. Now, even though I am “registered” I see a clock ticking down…29 days left; 28 days left, etc. Zero information on what that is about or what happens when time runs out.

The end result; I now have Bitdefender on my PC and Panda on my laptop. I guess I have to wait a month to fully understand how both work and if I can, with some degree of comfort, recommend one or the other to family. One of my concerns, like Tranquility, is me installing one of these (with a user account) on a PC belonging to someone who is geographically remote and tech challenged.

I like the simplicity of BD and the flexibility of Panda.

I will give both a fair shot. Time will tell.

Hello Hawgwash,

This is the Bitdefender Free forum, I see you are using a trial version of one of the paid versions.

Thanks Rohugh.

How do you know what I am using???lol.

1…

Googling “bitdefender” gave me:

2…

https://www.google.ca/search?site=&sour...5.0.9orTv4wE_yI

Where I scrolled down to:

Bitdefender Antivirus Software

Award-winning antivirus software from Bitdefender. Get the best real-time security for your PC with our advanced software.

Free Antivirus

Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition over-ranks Avast and Avira in...

So I click on “Free Antivirus” which brought up:

3…

http://www.bitdefender.com/solutions/free.html

Where I downloaded and installed a "Free Edition."

Sorry, but my old eyes see nothing about “trial version of one of the paid versions.”

So, unless I am missing the obvious, you just back up my points.

Thanks again.

I figured that was how you knew but there was, at least to me, no indication I was getting a "paid" not "free" version.

I shall try the link above to see the difference and if it is really free.

My whole point was lack of info leading up to install.

Edited, right after.

Rohugh, your above link takes me right back to where I was before...the paid version.

I absolutely must be missing something.

Edited yet again.

Or, is the the scenario?

Install “Free” as per your link and just ignore the “My Bitdefender” and account creation.

If that’s the case I assume at the end of the 30 days it will become a full on free version and I may or may not be constantly solicited to upgrade

The link takes me to a page to download the Bitdefender Free Edition.

I un-installed the Free version from my laptop and re-installed. There is indeed a 30 day countdown on the interface asking you to log into My Bitdefender, if you don't do that then you will lose protection and get a constant nag to log in at the end of the 30 days. The log in is to My Bitdefender where your information is stored, once done there is no countdown and no more nags.

Ro.