Cloud Based Protection?

[stray-cat]

As with any security suite I have installed on my computer I am always curious as to what features it has and how it works. Please remember that I am new to McAfee (I'm even marked as a newcomer), so I'll be asking quite a few questions in the beginning. I'd like to know if McAfee uses any kind of cloud type protection/detection in addition to just the signature updates, a hybrid protection if you will? The only thing I could find on the website was the mention of Active Protection and Net Guard. Appreciate your help.

[exbrit]

The only time the Cloud is involved is if you use Online Backup, all your protection is installed with the software onboard your machine.

[stray-cat]

Hello Ex_Brit, thanks for your, as always, fast response. This answers my question. I am not for or against cloud type protection, I was just wondering if McAfee worked on this principle as I couldn't find anything on the website.

[Hayton]

stray- cat wrote:
... if McAfee uses any kind of cloud type protection/detection in addition to just the signature updates
... I was just wondering if McAfee worked on this principle as I couldn't find anything on the website.

Actually, yes. Peter's answer was correct as far as it went, but was incomplete. There are learned White Papers and blog entries a-plenty on the McAfee site that deal with the role of cloud-type detection of malware and how it feeds back into the client-side protection. That's what heuristic detections are all about, after all. ** And the most visible sign of feedback from the cloud is when NetGuard or SiteAdvisor suddenly blocks a website or an IP address.

The McAfee site organisation is such that finding the relevant information requires some patience and persistence, plus it helps to bookmark anything relevant as soon as you come across it. Which is why I have hundreds of unsorted bookmarks and can never find anything

But it's there somewhere. I'll ferret around later and see what I can come up with, or you can set off on a journey of exploration ...

**  Er, no, I think heuristic detections are something else. I'll have to look this up.

Message was edited by: Hayton on 01/10/13 17:31:08 IST