Is running windows defender with malwarebytes safe?

Question

In previous versions of windows, windows defender could safely be run with any other AV.

However, with Windows 8, Windows Defender is essentially MSSE, which is an actual AV. Can they be run together like in previous versions?

Solution

Is running windows defender [security essentials] with malwarebytes safe; can they be run together like in previous versions?

I don’t see why not, though it depends on what you mean by “together” as well as which version of Malwarebytes you are using.

Technical

The primary problem with running more than one antivirus or firewall or any other security program is in having them all running at the same time, specifically if they have real-time scanning functions because they will interfere with each other and cause problems with locked files, driver conflicts, and such.

Other than that, you should be able to have multiple antivirus programs installed at the same time and run a manual scan with whichever one you want (just avoid scanning the same volume with more than one at the same time).

Application

The paid version of Malwarebytes includes a real-time scanner but the free version does not. As such, the free version is more like what you think of Defender while the paid version is more like what you think of Security Essentials.

If you are running the paid version of Malwarebytes, then you’ll need to turn of the real-time scanner of either Malwarebytes (figure 1) or of Security Essentials (figure 2).

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Figure 1: Malwarebytes’ real-time settings

Figure 2: Security Essentials’ real-time settings

Comments

[avirk]

But why is that article say so Good bye MSSE ;)

[avirk]

IMHO we should not use two AV at the same time while they both have real time scanning function is on. And believe me MSSE is very slow AV which I have seen ever but of course its from Microsoft without any cost if you have genuine windows. :)

[Synetech]

That article doesn’t make it clear if Microsoft is still supporting MSSE or not. Either way, I wouldn’t be surprised if they discontinue it. Keeping up with malware is an insurmountable task because of the sheer volume and variety. (Some vendors actually remove detection for “obsolete” viruses, but that’s usually a bad idea because old viruses can still exist and potentially even resurface.) Staying on top of all the new malware requires specific, active effort and resources and MSSE is free, so there’s no benefit in it for Microsoft. Unless they start charging for it, they may just cut it.

[Synetech]

As for multiple AV programs, you can run manual scans without problem, and in fact, if you aren’t downloading and running lots of suspicious files from bad sites, then you can probably even survive with any real-time scanning active. You can install a few different anti-malware programs, and with even little bit of safe browsing habits, you can turn off the real-time scanner of all of them and just run a manual scan once in a while, especially if you stay behind a router with a built-in firewall.

[Synetech]

(What’s really odd is that Windows Defender was around for XP and was replaced/superseded by Security Essentials. Then they go and replace MSSE with a new version of Defender which is basically just MSSE. It seems like Microsoft is becoming schizophrenic in its old age.)

[Ramhound]

@Synetech - Windows Defender was Microsoft "Malware" scanner until Windows 8. It still existed even when MSE was released both in a paid and free variation. The two products are entirely different. Windows Defender on Windows 8 merged both products into one, my guess, because the name Windows Defender was liked more then MSE in testing.