PC Matic: What's the good (or bad) word?

PC Matic is flooding the TV with lots of ads on how they can boost your computer's performance.  The CNET reviews are generally good, though I'm skeptical.

Is PC Matic good, bad, or can you get the same results with the free utitlies discussed on these boards? 

Edit 01/19/16: I have modified my original assessment of PC Matic after representatives (including the CEO and VP of Cyber Security) have taken the time to visit Bleeping Computer (see here), explain their product in more detail, answer specific questions and allow some of our members to test it. Since the PC Matic web site did not offer specific details, especially in regards to malware detection and removal...all I had to base my opinion on was the information provided on their web site, the high number of consumer complaints, the high rate of false positive detections and TV commercials.

If you are willing to dig around the PC Matic web site, you eventually will find information about Super Shield, the proprietary real-time technology component to PC Matic. That page also goes into a little more detail about their use of a "white list" (short good list of applications and processes that are authorized to run) approach in addition to a "black list" (long bad list of potential malware). CEO Rob Cheng and other well known security experts explain the benefits of whitelisting, especially in regards to protecting against ransomware.

• Whitelisting: Why and How It Works
• Whitelisting: The one security technology that actually works
• SANS Institute Reading Room Paper: Application Whitelisting

PC Matic's new VP of Cyber Security (Dodi Glenn) has been in the security industry for over 15 years, was one of the developers of VIPRE and at one time the Product Manager for VIPRE. For those who remember, Sunbelt Software (the vendors who originally made VIPRE and CounterSpy) was among the early pioneers in security development. On January 5, 2016, PC Matic was awarded the ICSA Labs Anti-Virus Certification and they score very high in VVirus Bulletin's Comparative Review for Reactive and Proactive (RAP) tests.

• VB100 Comparative Review on Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit

The PC Matic team is in the process of making changes to their web site and provide more information in regards to the security/detection/removal features of their product based on feedback from BC members. From my contact with them, it is apparent that the vendor is more serious-minded than their original TV advertisement would lead some consumers to believe.

While I have reevaluated my original assessment, I am still somewhat skeptical about the high rate of false positives and still do not recommend the use of it's registry cleaning/optimization features (see here). While some of the optimization features are certainly useful (i.e. disk defrag, junk file cleaning, disabling what startups I don't want, etc), I prefer to have manual control of my system by using similar stand-alone products or Windows built-in tools. I would never use or recommend registry cleaning and driver updating utilities in any product, not just PC Matic. However, PC Matic allows you to uncheck any optimization feature you do not want to use as part of it's scan...see the section on Cleaning Options in the PC Matic User Guide.

Dodi explains the high false positive detection rate in this post. When a legitimate program is blocked (a false positive) that the user has attempted to run, they have two options.

• Override the whitelisting technology with seven mouse clicks, or
• Wait 24 hours for proper categorization...the blocked application is automatically sent to PC Matic's malware research team and is tested within 24 hours. It is then categorized as either safe or malicious.

After a year (02/15/17), my revised assessment above is still essentially the same...see my comments in Post #150.

Edit 03/08/17: To address the registry cleaning concerns...PC Matic Removes Registry Cleaning Functionality From Default Scans
.

Since I'm done watching TV until football season starts back up again I had to search on what the heck this is.  This review from Amazon pretty much sums it up.  Yes, you could probably do just as well with free products.

@ admin ... ok guys time to close the site pc matic is here and if we use it we will never get another virus.

Super Shield is here goodbye viruses. 

This is a false misleading and downright dangerous advert

NO Antivirus can claim that, Well they can but it would be a LIE

Edited by NickAu1, 06 February 2014 - 12:33 AM.

Does Cryptolocker even exist, or is the B.S. that PC Matic claims to prevent it? 

I never really pay attention to those TV commercials showing off their "great" software for cleaning your PC.

I have seen this software on other people's computers and it just causes more problems from what I can tell.

Yes, Cryptolocker exists, and there is a very long thread about it here.  The problem is which version of Cryptolocker will it prevent as it is well supported by its creators.  Last I heard they made over $40 million.

Personally I don't believe PC Matic can deal with any version of Cyptolocker or any other serious threat for that matter. They don't care...it's all about marketing and sales to those who don't know any better.

*video here*

@ admin ... ok guys time to close the site pc matic is here and if we use it we will never get another virus.

 

Super Shield is here goodbye viruses. 

 

 

This is a false misleading and downright dangerous advert

NO Antivirus can claim that, Well they can but it would be a LIE

Jesus, is this a real ad?

Are they really selling their product on TV with that?

Edit: Removed embedded video to save space

Edited by Datcoolguy, 12 February 2014 - 02:57 AM.

Jesus, is this a real ad?
 
Are they really selling their product on TV with that?

Man, it's so cheesy it feels like a parody. 

Glad i don't really watch TV, or any sort of ads for that matter (Thanks adblock!)