Resident Protection Providers

  • Standard Shield. It checks the applications being run and documents being opened. It will not allow an infected application to start or an infected document to be opened, thus possibly protecting you, the user from activating/spreading a virus
  • Outlook/Exchange. It checks incoming and outgoing e-mail messages processed by MS Outlook client (it is part of the MS Office package - it is not the same as the simpler Outlook Express!) or MS Exchange. It will refuse to accept or send a message containing a viral code
  • Internet Mail. It checks incoming and outgoing e-mail messages processed by clients other than MS Outlook or Exchange, such as Outlook Express, Eudora etc. Again, it will refuse to accept or send a message containing a viral code
  • Instant Messaging. It checks the files downloaded by common communication programs, such as ICQ or MSN Messenger
  • P2P Shield. It checks the files downloaded by common P2P (file sharing) programs, such as Kazaa and others
  • P2P Shield. It checks the files downloaded by common P2P (file sharing) programs, such as Kazaa and others
  • Network Shield It is meant as a protection against known Internet worms/attacks. It analyses all network traffic and scans it for malicious contents. It can be also taken as a lightweight firewall (or more precisely, an IDS (Intrusion Detection System).

Profession Edition includes also:

  • Script blocking. It checks scripts contained in the web pages you look at, thus avoiding infection due to potential bugs in your web browser

Next version of avast will have:

  • Web Shield provider: It is a proxy that filters the communication of a web browser, looking for viruses. It also makes it possible to block certain files by URL or MIME type. HTTP Scanner should deal with all network traffic such as spywares, adwares, toolbars, BHOs, hijackers and other malicious scripts. It will work as a real time network-based antivirus firewall, it will filter HTTP (web) traffic before it reaches the browser.