TESTED "x64" security software..

The FAQ on x64 "support" and x64 "NATIVE" applications. I will keep updating the thread with latest info when available.

Last update: May 18, 2008 - 14:41 EST

NOTE by Brink : Even though some of these programs use processes that run as 32 bit instead of 64 bit does not mean that they are not compatible with the 64 bit version of Vista or that they are not safe to use. It just means that they are not completely true 64 bit programs if they use 32 bit processes. That's all.

NEW FEATURE: for easy reading updates only, I put them in red. Once per week, I will clear the old red text.


COMPLETE SECURITY SUITE (AV, FIREWALL, ANTISPYWARE, etc.)

BitDefender 2008 - a TRUE x64 bit app. $24.95 - 59.95 1 user / year.

Kaspersky Security 7.0 claims x64 support and runs on Vista x64, but is a *32 bit application. It also "calls home" by port-scanning your gateway. Scary. $79.95 3 users / 1 year.

Sophos Business and Sophos Home claims x64 support and runs on Vista x64, but is a *32 bit application. $332.50 (complete suite) $247 (computer security) $190 (antivirus) 5 users / 1 year. Home version $ ?? (anyone know?)

NOD32 SUITE / ESET Smart Security (authorization required) claims x64 support and runs on Vista x64, but is a *32 bit application. (Reported as a true x64 app, yet to verify, waiting for link.) I just downloaded the "64 bit" version again. And as before, it is the identical product I downloaded before. The ESET GUI runs on x64, however, the kernel, ESET SERVICE, runs as *32. A little disappointing as I favor this suite for its power, ease of use, and minimalistic resource hogging.

AVAST claims x64 support and runs on Vista x64, but is a *32 bit application.

AVG claims x64 support and runs on Vista x64, but is a *32 bit application.


eTrust (CA) ??? Anyone know? TBD.
MS Live OneCare ??? Anyone know? (Reported as "assumed" 64 bit.) TBD.
McAfee ??? Anyone know? TBD.
Norton ??? Anyone know? TBD.



FIREWALL (standalone)

Lavasoft Personal Firewall 3 - a TRUE x64 bit app. $29.95 1 user / 1 year. ** Beware, although this is a x64 bit app, it EATS MEMORY. Devours it. Running it for about a week, with no reboot, on a 4 GB RAM system, I couldn't launch VirtualPC. Checking the task manager, I noticed this firewall ate 2.5 GB. Ouch. Cycled networking, cycled the firewall, size went down to normal. I guess it's a serious bug. Too bad, since I really like this firewall. But, considering it's 30 bux and chewes through memory like a mulcher through branches, I've decided to give COMODO another try, even though it's a pain in the royal to configure (YET FREE!).

COMODO - a TRUE x64 bit app. $FREE / forever. This is one of the BEST firewalls I have used. When enabled in complete control, it has quite a learning curve. However, it blocks EVERYTHING, and allows total control of your system. For example, with an empty configuration, it asked 5 questions for TaskManager to be launched. It asked 3 questions for the START menu to come up. Extremely thorough and an "ultimate control tool." I love it. One of, if not THE BEST. And, it's free.

Sunbelt Personal Firewall (formerly KERIO) not YET available.

Zone Alarm x64 (no longer available).



ANTISPYWARE (standalone)

Ad-Aware 2007 - claims x64 support and runs on Vista x64, but is a *32 bit application.

AVG Antispyware Guard - claims x64 support and runs on Vista x64, but is a *32 bit application.

Sunbelt CounterSpy - claims x64 support and runs on Vista x64, but is a *32 bit application.

Not having educated myself on the ins and outs of the various security suites, I have some questions:

From a purely functional POV, does native support for X64 really matter? Or more gently - is there some aspect of a 64 bit OS that prevents, or hinders a 32 bit app from performing it's job? Is there some inability inherent in a 32 bit app preventing it from doing it's job effectively when it's running on a 64 bit OS instead of a 32 bit one?

I know that a native 64 bit app would be the choice for a 64 bit OS because it should run best. (I say 'should' because well written 32 bit code is always going to be better than garbage dumped into a 64 bit compiler)

Anyways - I would simply like to better understand if there's some 'hole' if a given user is running a 32 bit Anti Virus suite on their 64 bit system.

Nice thread idea GINTER.

Here is a couple of corrections and ideas.

NOD32 does indeed offer native x64 software. Both their AV and security suite are offered in both x86 and x64.

I'm pretty sure Microsofts Onecare is offered in a x64 flavor, but I cant swear to it as I really don't have any faith in it.

Norton and McAfee...who cares.

A great native x64 firewall is Comodo. It now has H.I.P.S. And has been rated one of the best. Also consider Vistas built in firewall. It is acctually very good, and combined with the Vista firewall control(offered in both x86 and x64 and free) it has great potential.

I have been looking for good antispyware software for a year. Pretty much emty handed at the moment but I do use the old trustworthy Spybot Search and Destroy along with the free version of A-Squared and SuperAntiSpyware.

I'm sure there is alot more out there that I havent had time to find since I do a lot of hardware and network repair and setup. Surpriseing as it always is so many networks still depend mostly on hardware rather then software for security. But your average home user(many computer illiterate) need a helping hand in the right direction when it comes to security.

Keep up the good work. I like it and will post any news or links if I find them.

Thanks for the kind words Joel.

I personally tested nod32 and found that it runs *32 processes. Perhaps you could point me to a direct download of a 64 bit version that I could verify..

I love COMODO. Used it for quite a while on XP. I did not realize they had a 64 bit version. I will certainly give it a try, since it is free, and what I am currently using (Lavasoft) is a 30-day trial, at which end, I will have to pay for, if I still like it.

One of the BEST firewalls that I used on XP was the Sunbelt personal firewall (originally Kerio, but was sold to Sunbelt). However, a year and a half into Vista being out, there is still no Vista support. I am eagerly waiting for that one.

Cheers.

Just as you said, all 32 bit programs that OFFICIALLY SUPPORT Vista x64 DO RUN and FUNCTION properly. There is no reason to believe that a 64 bit OS which natively supports 32 bit apps would hinder or prevent them from doing their job.

And just as you said, a native 64 bit app would be the choice for a 64 bit OS, because not only it would run best, but would also run fastest and be most efficient.

To me, it's just cleaner. When I see all of the processes in the Task Manager without *32, I know that they are native 64 bit applications and are doing their 64 bit processing the right way.

I hate the fact that Adobe, 2 years after Vista x64 beta was released, still doesn't have a 64 bit FLASH plugin for IE or Firefox. This really blows.

I,m running NOD32 now since nov 2007.
Seems to do its job good and never had any problem with it of any kind.
something I can't say from many other applications, like Adobe and even Microsoft programs running on Vista 64. I run Vista Ultimate X64.
its placed in the map with X64 program files.
I presume it wouldn't be there if it was a 32bit program.

Avast 64 is free and works well.

Sorry for taking so long to respond to you Ginter.

Here is Comodos X64 free firewall.

http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.c..._firewall.html

And here is ESETs NOD32 AV X64.

Purchased Software Downloads Page - Business Users

Still looking for native x64 spyware protection. If anyone knows of any please let us know.

With regard to Ginter's comment that Lavasoft's Ad-Aware Pro 2007 supports Vista x64, is this correct.

Can someone please direct to the section on Lavasoft's website that mentions this.

Although I don't use this program anymore (I personally liked Ad-Aware SE Professional much better), when I did test it, sure it ran a scan on everything except the registry which I had to disable in the settings configuration.

Neil

That purchased software page asks for a user / pass. I'd like to try the TRUE x64 bit version before I buy. And thus, trying from the link I gave above, I maintain that it is NOT a true x64 bit application, as it shows up as *32 in the task manager.