Which F-Secure solution do you consider to be your all-time favorite?

Ukko

In the days of total decisions, it is always useful to grab a cup of something you love and talk about an interesting topic.

I think F-Secure has created, implemented or used some very interesting ideas, products, solutions and tools over the years. And I became interested - which of them do you remember, which ones do you consider your favorites, and which ones in your opinion are the best?

And although I don't really have the feeling that a big conversation will result here, I would be happy to read any opinion from all community F-Secure users (and to be honest, it would also be interesting to know the feelings of developers and official representatives of F-Secure teams and Community staff; perhaps from their professional point of view, based on what it's like to work on a product or what it's like to support it). Thanks in advance for any response.

When I thought about it, I couldn't even decide right away. Because so many things came to mind. And even more so if you look at it from the potential point of view of all users (or a large number of users).

Would it be:

• the original F-Secure AV / Internet Security during the years of adding DeepGuard (2006-2014),
• the breakthrough F-Secure FREEDOME (aka F-Secure VPN, Privacy VPN),
• the transient F-Secure SENSE,
• the infamous F-Secure Booster
• or maybe something else?

Like Ultralight concept (2014+), or the little-noticed F-Secure Buddy, or things like F-Secure Online Scanner (current and old Java-based; or was it Easy Clean or Health Check based on Java), or maybe even F-Secure Search (note on the topic: I found today in the F-Secure Free tools list - a very fine one - called F-Secure Link Checker, but some tuneups are still required as for my understanding).

Although someone might also remember F-Secure Online Backup (by the way, this was a good cooperation). And a real connoisseur would declare his sympathies for the wonderful and innovative F-Secure Blacklight! And, by the way, I am not sure if F-Secure XFENCE left with business-oriented branch or remained integrated into F-Secure solutions for MacOS.

Or maybe someone adores a certain design or way of designing a thing? Like a quite unique F-Secure Launch Pad (the one that was for Windows based F-Secure AV/IS; or maybe it was a multiplatform thing). Or, for example, at one time, I was very impressed with the Network Installer process, the whole concept of use and its appearance (simplicity, functionality, reliability). Or a dedicated portal / service to submit samples (F-Secure SAS portal). Or, rather, something fresh, since there have been a lot of fine additions to the products lately. And so on. Including, vintage things like introduction of dual AV engine (multi-engine AV) as something which was very 'innovative' (Counter­Sign(?) maybe it is called originally).

Of course, I meant F-Secure directly, but nevertheless I meant both Data Fellows (just to remember F-Secure SSH Server/Client; a lot of useful micro tools and utilities; different cooperation campaigns with Nokia and others; and even much more, not to mention - stunning Captain F-Secure superhero's "have no fear, Captain F-Secure is here!") and the current WithSecure companies too. Which, especially taking into account the good and very promising acquisitions, have in their portfolio simply indescribably cool solutions, tools and software. As well as contribution to the open source community (both as a result of this and in parallel with events of acquisitions, demerging and other things). Which makes the list of possible favorites simply extremely large.

All in all, it has always been (if you were lucky enough to learn about the company at that particular moment) interesting to study and get acquainted with what the company has to offer. What are they doing now, what developments do they have, and so on. And even digging back archive pages, resources and blogs to find out about previous achievements. These are some things that are known and remembered to this day. And also, there are many small (but useful) things, as well as some attempts and implementations of things in one or another side direction or context (which are most likely difficult to remember; but, which probably became part of subsequent decisions. Or they simply showed their maximum during the years of demand). Taking important steps, as shown there on their website (Our story | F‑Secure (f-secure.com)), to produce something like Data Fellows's Vineyard, NameSurfer, mobile devices oriented FileCrypto. And then things like F-Secure Lokki or F-Secure Riddler. Almost each of which could have become even greater than it was.

Thanks!

Ukko

So,

for me - I think that aside from my original and initial perception of their old fashioned 'corporate' look of the company (how would I characterize it at the time and what I would have expected from a company with that background and location) and a less glossy approach (than it is now), then the most impressive back then and still memorable thing for me is younited by F-Secure. I was very enthusiastic about this solution. Almost in all its aspects. And despite the fact that such type of cloud solutions were already relatively commonplace at that time, I did not use them. And Younited was the first experience of such an approach directly (and being not just old time file sharing and hostings thing). After losing younited by F-Secure, my love for such services disappeared (I did not switch to any other similar one as to something used on a regular basis).

I still think this was a great F-Secure solution and adds a lot to the current ones. And also ahead of the functionality of some competitors (at the time). For example, I think that checking downloaded files using AV was the first (or one of the very first) in such solutions.

Another solution was F-Secure KEY (early beta). I don't know why, but the first releases of F-Secure KEY and the beta itself made a lot of impressions on me. Maybe, since I saw how it changes from one early build to another early build. Then the beta was wrapped up a bit and... I think F-Secure KEY and F-Secure ID Protection were then a useful program for many years. However, I think that users dream of having some functionality from the very beginning (which, for example, was not something essential for me as a user), so, likely it is not the best possible Password Manager. But I would still regard it as a useful tool and quite useful for storing passwords. Even in a form integrated into F-Secure TOTAL's Password Vault.

I singled out these two for myself, because in general they influenced me to become interested in looking at such solutions in general (otherwise I would have simply passed by).

// by the way, looking at old screenshots is a lot of fun. so maybe someone likes some of the old logos or, on the contrary, the current one.
I think there were only four more or less serious concepts to be surely called brand logo (in the terms of "F-Secure" logo).

• the original logo, probably often accompanied later by the words "BE SURE.";
• the classic logo, usually accompanied by "Protecting the irreplaceable";
• modern logo, developed and began to be used at the time of Freedome, younited, Ultralight-design and accompanied by campaign "SWITCH ON FREEDOM"
• current logo, after demerging with WithSecure and accompanied by digital moments (making every digital moment secure, for everyone).

I like a combo of them. all four look pretty together!

TVC15

What I'm now currently using, F-Secure Internet Security. I do like the fact that F-Secure still beta tests the AV suites. Back in the day, I used Blacklight on and off. Wasn't it a free scanner used from the website? I thought it was a pretty nice development on F-Securer's part.

Cheers :)

Ukko

Hello,

Thanks for your response! :)

What I'm now currently using, F-Secure Internet Security. I do like the fact that F-Secure still beta tests the AV suites.

l like it too!

Back in the day, I used Blacklight on and off. Wasn't it a free scanner used from the website? I thought it was a pretty nice development on F-Securer's part.

Yes, I think it was at some point freely available as a tool/scanner on the website or their ftp (and, actually, 'outdated' fsbl.exe is still available). Before that there were also free beta versions (including GUI and command-line versions), basically at the time when rootkits were on the rise (and some things were much more easy: News from the Lab Archive : January 2004 to September 2015 (f-secure.com)).

Being a rootkit scanner, I think it was part of F-Secure AV/IS later. In particular, before actual installing the product, there was a quick system scan, which included an antirootkit / rootkit elimination stage by F-Secure BlackLight. Or, even more, perhaps it was a stage of "Virus Scan" (as it called now) at any time after installation; or… was it only in Full Scan.

Thanks!