Jessk2

I tried both and now use BitDefender. For me, the choice is really between a good AV and a pretty good AV. I stopped using ESET a while ago because I discovered BitDefender had a faster startup time with machines. I have no issues with either product. In terms of "guard at the gates," I believe both will be equally secure. It will come down to price and who has the best performance in your environment.

Along with MalwareBytes, I keep SuperAntiSpyware in my arsenal. It's possible that it's redundant with the other apps already mentioned. (I've never used Combofix; I'll keep it in mind for the 'next time.')

This is a scenario in which malware escapes a container like a wild animal. I would recommend isolating the device you are working on from the network and other systems until you have rolled back the image to a known good state. You still have a small chance of it being present somewhere, but it is far less likely than a vm escape. I typed all of that, but it's really a risk management scenario. Do whatever makes you feel at ease. You'll never be able to anticipate every possibility.