Software:Immunet
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| Developer(s) | Cisco Systems |
|---|---|
| Stable release | 7.5.10,[1]
/ June 9, 2023 |
| Operating system | Windows 7 and later |
| Type | Antivirus |
| License | Freemium |
| Website | www |
Immunet was a free, cloud-based, community-driven antivirus application, using the ClamAV and its own engine. The software was complementary with existing antivirus software. In January 2011 Immunet was acquired by Sourcefire.[2][3]
The application was free-of-charge, although a commercial version is available. It claimed to be lightweight and provided up-to-date protection against the threats.[4] Virus signature files[disambiguation needed] were stored in the cloud, not on individual computers, so signature downloads were not required. Once a virus was detected and blocked for one user, all other Immunet users received the same protection almost instantly. The software was noted for its ability to allow individual users to easily author their own signatures.[5]
Immunet ceased services on January 1, 2024.
Products
Immunet was previously provided by Sourcefire in two editions, Free (for personal use),[6][7][8] and Plus (for commercial use). As of June 10, 2014, the commercial version was discontinued, though Cisco (having acquired SourceFire) continued to support the free version.[9]
At version 3.0 as of 2014[update], Immunet Free offers protection based upon the virus definitions in the cloud, and an option to include the ClamAV off-line virus definitions for use when not connected to the Internet. Immunet advises that the free version be used alongside another antivirus program, and supports several particular such programs in the sense that they co-install properly and work in tandem during normal operations without any obvious interference or resource drag.[10] This is a significant difference between Immunet and other contemporary antivirus products.[11]
Effectiveness
While independent testing has been performed, PCMag, in 2010, rated the product to be fair in its effectiveness.[12]
Immunet's virus definitions are stored on servers available over the Internet, requiring less memory and system resource than antivirus programs that reside on the user's computer. Cloud protection has been known to give better protection and detection, on the other hand, offline protection is not particularly good. Overall, the effectiveness of the Free product is average; the company recommends that users employ the Free product as an additional protection, rather than using it alone.
Discontinuation
On January 1, 2024, Immunet ceased its services.[13] The product will no longer have a connection to the cloud servers. According to its main website, Cisco aims to continue contributing to cybersecurity through Talos threat intelligence, but Immunet does not fit this purpose. The Immunet Forum also shut down all operations on February 1, 2024.[14]
References
- ↑ New Release : Immunet 7.5.10
- ↑ Friedrichs, Oliver. "Immunet Acquired by Sourcefire". Immunet. http://blog.immunet.com/blog/2011/1/5/immunet-acquired-by-sourcefire.html.
- ↑ "Sourcefire Announces Acquisition of Immunet". Business Wire. Columbia, MD. 5 January 2011. http://investor.sourcefire.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=204582&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1513329&highlight=.
- ↑ "Free Antivirus Software Download and Endpoint Security". Immunet. http://www.immunet.com/index.
- ↑ Kerner, Sean Michael (9 February 2011). "Sourcefire Immunet 3 Lets You Write Your Own A/V Signatures - eSecurity Planet". http://www.esecurityplanet.com/news/article.php/3924236/Sourcefire-Immunet-3-Lets-You-Write-Your-Own-AV-Signatures.htm.
- ↑ "Immunet". Immunet. 2015-06-27. http://www.immunet.com/main/index.html.
- ↑ "Clam Anti-Virus FAQ". Clamav.net. 2014-09-11. https://github.com/vrtadmin/clamav-faq/blob/master/faq/faq-win32.md.
- ↑ "Immunet AntiVirus". http://www.immunet.com/eula/index.html.
- ↑ "Immunet Plus Antivirus". 27 June 2015. http://www.immunet.com/plus/a/index.html.
- ↑ "Immunet Frequently Asked Questions". Immunet. http://www.immunet.com/faq.
- ↑ Rosenblatt, Seth (17 June 2010). "Cloud security upstart Immunet aims for antiviruses | The Download Blog - CNET Download.com". CNet. http://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/cloud-security-upstart-immunet-aims-for-antiviruses/.
- ↑ Rubenking, Neil J.. "Immunet Protect Free 2.0". PC Magazine. https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2365103,00.asp#fbid=bpkKrAsRi0U.
- ↑ "Immunet antivirus software being discontinued; use Windows Defender for personal devices" (in en-US). https://it.rutgers.edu/alerts/2023/09/22/immunet-antivirus-software-being-discontinued-use-windows-defender-for-personal-devices/.
- ↑ "Immunet AntiVirus". https://www.immunet.com/index.
External links
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