Hi all :
Perhaps those that regularly recommend Jotti will cease
based on Vlk's Info on their use of Linux-based Versions ?
No doubt that most, I think, test orgs are not really independent. I do not trust magazines and such that test or have it done. I believe they are influenced by advertisers.
The only one that I place much stock in is AV Comparatives.
I also agree that detection rates are not the single criterion with which to make a selection. An AV that does not run well on your system is almost worthless. I could name one that is considered a top rung AV that has so many issues on some systems that it is useless. I personally experience that problem.
But the reason I have any security application is to provide protection from malware. Accordingly, if several AVs run well on my systems, and if money is not a problem then I select the one with the best detection rates. I will also say that support is an important consideration.
I do not have any special dedication to any software, and so if it does well for me, I keep it. If it does not suit my criteria, then I dump it.
As we have discussed before, layering is very important. I just re-installed Avast Home on my laptop. I do not use it on the internet much except when I travel in our RV and such.
While I would not trust Avast alone as much as a few other AVs, the amount of use it gets, and the other applications I use; Ewido plus, SuperAntiSpyware, Win Patrol Plus, Kerio 2.1.5, UnHackMe, and Snoopfree, give me the security I think I need.
While I would not want to trust any one AV alone, there are some better than others.
Best,
Jerry
Well I normally also give virustotal and in most cases where we give the references to Jotti and VirusTotal it is more for confirmation of a false positive detection or otherwise. So if more AVs also record it as infected it is less likely to be a false positive.
So for this purpose (FP confirmation, etc) I don’t see the Linux engine being a problem, that backed up by the windows engine of virustotal.
Had the insufficient protection of avast! I have installed the AntiVir (better in heuristic) and the Kaspersky online (better in on-demand). The evaluation made for the AV-Comparatives me does not seem true in relation on-demand
In all the tests that I made in the Virustotal the VPS had become available of the following way:
Kaspersky some hours
AVG of one the two days
AntiVir of two the three weeks
Avast never … 
Only now avast! it is reacting: one week
I asume you are no longer using avast ?
As both antivir and avast being resident scanners will clash with avast disabling elements to avoid conflict.
Yes, only one is active (avast! ) with the other ( AntiVir )I make scan.
Another thing, today (thursday) and tuesday avast! it did not have VPS. Yesterday (wednesday) the VPS was of only 9 KB. AntiVir and AVG (except saturday and sunday) have VPS every day. Tthis always occurs…
avast! it goes badly !!!
Avast never ... Only now avast! it is reacting: one week
I must have been very lucky using such a terrible AV program for the past 3 years and still have a
clean uninfected system. ;D
I installed Avast Home on my laptop today, and I thought that it did update later in the day. It happens so fast that I am not sure what has happened. The updates seem small, and I suppose that is to prevent long download times on dial-up.
I’ll have to be more diligent and see what the updates are, and how often.
I had F-Secure on the laptop, but I did not like the way it updated. KAV updates at startup, and as often as I schedule it. The updates are very fast also, as are the scans. However, F-Secure would indicate that it checked, but it might be an hour or so before the update really took place. It also does not update on weekends.
When I travel, and use the laptop I will be on dial-up, and I did not want to spend a lot of time updating. Accordingly I removed F-Secure.
I am not sure whether I will leave Avast Home on or go to KAV6 which I have on my PC. Newegg has KAV6 for $24.99. I might go that route, but I want to look at Avast some more. I have used it in the past, and it always ran well.
Regards,
Jerry
Me too. ;D
I must have been very lucky using such a terrible AV program like avast! that…
- lacks of heuristics
- not update daily
- not trying to detect everything
- not on #1 at AV-Comparatives.org
- not on #1 at Virus Bulletin Award
- no West Coast Labs certification
- not detect almost all virus samples/junk files at Jotti and VirusTotal online scanner
- it has ugly skins
- it takes almost 20+ MB of memory
…
I must be a very few people that very lucky for the past 2 years and still have a clean uninfected system with terrible AV program like avast!.
Very lucky? It is because they had not made downloads of risk sources…
And more! Kaspersky has two or three VPS daily (also weekend).
It is because they had not made downloads of risk sources…I suppose you're watching everything we do and all the place we go on the net ???
As far as I know, Kaspersky Labs (the maker of Kaspersky Anti-Virus) seems to release virus signatures every 1 - 3 hours a day.
Not, I imagine… Because he is very easy to be contaminated.
I am persuaded that we tend to get sidetracked in such threads as this one.
The real question is, “Does Avast update regularly, and does it include latest malware in the updates on the first day or if not when?”
There seems to be a defensive attitude when one’s AV is criticized. But the way to solve problems is to admit they exist and attempt to solve them or get those who can solve them to do so.
The fact that one has not been infected in years does not prove that they are not at increased risk due to slow updating, and lack of detection.
Sometimes the criticism is rather harsh, but if it is legitimate then take it for what it is.
If in fact Avast has not updated today or for several days, then that is putting users at increased risk. I do not want an AV that does not update every day, and that includes week-ends. F-Secure doesn’t update on week-ends unless there is an outbreak. I do not expect to keep it, plus it scans much slower than KAV.
It is a fact that safe users do not get infected very much, and so that only proves that the AV is adequate for your use. That is what each of wants, but some are at higher risk, and need an Av with top detection rates, and frequent updates.
Most I know use AVG free, which has some of the lowest detection rates, but it evidently does a good job on email scanning, and I do not know of anyone who has gotten infected as long as they kept progams updated.
I am a very safe surfer, and never visit risky sites. However, as I have read and talked to some who have been seriously infected, I have concluded that the $25 - $50 bucks for a top AV is worth the money. Many will not agree, and that is OK.
If I am going to pay, then I want the best detection rates along with good support and smooth working on my systems.
I will probably settle for KAV on both computers, and will have confidence that I am as secure as I can be. For now, I do want to watch reports regarding Avast and a couple of others for the next few weeks or months.
Regards,
Jerry
@ JerryM,
You seem to answer your own question, why you don’t pay for something you feel happy with it. :-*
I do, but I do like to play with such things also. For that reason I have used Avast some, but in the long haul I will probably buy KAV. If it does not run well, and I feel sure it will, I would go to NOD.
It is in the area of trojan detection that many AVs fall short, as evidenced by examining AV Comparatives on-demand tests. Take a look there and notice the relatively poor showing of some of them.
The addition of a good AT probably largely offsets that disadvantage. Layering makes most AVs very satisfactory for most users. In general, I would feel comfortable with Avast Home plus Ewido.
Avast is not a poor AV. But the question here is about updates. Does it update at least daily or not, and how long does it take to include malware signatures in its updates?
Best,
Jerry
Such question has been asked and answered several times.
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=8739.msg71916#msg71916
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=6045.msg50305#msg50305
Hope this helps.
Hi Henrique - RJ :
If I were you, I would be more concerned with the no-
longer-to-be-updated-by-Microsoft Win ME OS !? The
longer you retain that OS, the more susceptible to
viruses, trojans, worms, keyloggers, etc you will become .
Hi Spiritsongs,
I dont believe…
Well, today (friday) I sent for virus@avast.com a false positive. I want to see in how much time I will have reply.
[b]>>:CHEST_ANALYZE:<<
Virus name: VBS:Malware [Script]
Original file location: C:\WINDOWS\Desktop\thekeys[1].htm
Computer name: P7K7O7
Transfer time: 27.07.2006 23:40:19
Modification time: 27.07.2006 23:37:38
Total size: 11330
Comment:
File ID: 78
Category: 2
OS:
Microsoft Windows Me
thekeys[1].htm it’s not infected by VBS:Malware [Script].[/b]
The last time I sent avast a false positive I got no reply … what I did get was a VPS update in a few hours that fixed it. Enough for me. Good heavens! Surely we do not need to get stroked by avast to tell us we are good citizens!
In the end the vast majority of us will be satisfied not by updated signature files every 8 hours but by years on years of not being infected.
This is not being defensive of avast - it is the simple experience of a group of users experiencing no infection and getting it - gratefully - from avast without payment.
AVG may have given us the same experience - but for my users and their needs avast is a little simpler to use. Every user who has years of no infection will believe their antivirus is very good. Pay what you like if it makes you feel more secure - but in the end you cannot be more secure than no infection - argue as you will.