Avast never finds anything...

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Hello,

I’m wondering, if everything is alright with Avast, because it never detects anything. Is it really reliably scanning everything? I only ever got one message, telling me a website was trying to load a virus onto my computer (or something similar), but that was quite an obvious website! Can I be sure I haven’t got anything on my computer?

El

2

To see if avast! is scanning emails, check one of these points:

  1. Is the avast icon (the special one of email scanning) be shown in the system tray?

  2. Is your email header with the lines X-Antivirus: avast! (VPS XXXXXX-X, XX/XX/2007), Inbound message and X-Antivirus-Status: Clean? (Right click the message, choose Properties and Details)

  3. Are clean notes added at the bottom of the email? (Internet Mail provider settings)

[b]You can test the security of your email system here: http://www.gfi.com/emailsecuritytest/[/b]

To see the Standard Shield and other protection:

  1. Is the ‘a’ blue icon swirling?
  2. Right click the icon once and see what are the ‘last scanned files’…
  3. Use eicar virus test.

But, if you surf safely, why are you worried of not seeing anything wrong?

3

Try ESET Online Scanner (NOD32).

NOD32’s scanner always confirms avast! does a good job on my computer.

4

Well what makes you think that avast should be finding stuff on your system ?

The avast icon will rotate when it is actually scanning something and as you are aware all hell will break loose if it does detect something.

You can look at the on-access scanner, detailed view and you will see that the Scanned total: increases and the Last scanned: file name is also changing.

If you wish, enabling this option, ‘Show detailed info on performed actions’ would actually show the files names and location as they are scanned. Some find this very intrusive this is why this option is off by default.

So there are many things that you can check to ensure avast is scanning, is it so surprising that you aren’t infected ?

5

I was just wondering. Because sometimes, we get things, that the computer slows down, or we get difficulties. And I was wondering if it was a bug. But it seems that I can rest assured that Avast is doing everything just fine :wink:

Thanks

El

6

Don’t you use other security programs? Remember to not trust all the eggs on the same bag…

7

Your welcome.

You can use other tools to compliment avast, like an anti-spyware if you don’t already have one. If you haven’t already got this software (freeware) try one, download, install, update and run it periodically.

  1. If using winXP SUPERantispyware On-Demand only in free version. Or AVG anti-spyware (formerly Ewido) Resident scanner during trial On-Demand after trial ends. Or Spyware Terminator Resident scanner. Or a-Squared free On-Demand only with free version(if using win98/ME).

You can use an on-line scanner as rdmaloyjr suggested as a back-up scanner or to confirm. Established connection to the on-line scanner of your choice and just before you do the scan, pause Standard Shield, enable after completion.

On-line Virus Scanners and other useful Links Security-Ops.eu.tt

8

I’m already using AVG Antispyware Pro in addition to Avast Pro. AVG only finds tracking cookies (medium risk).

El

9

I believe the SuperAntiSpyware has a better detection rate, it is also on-demand so shouldn’t interfere with the resident (on-access) function of avg-as pro. So you could use that as on-demand AS scanner.

Though, with avast and avg-as running resident I think you can be reasonably sure your system is clean.

10

I haven’t been hit by a virus or worm for over a year, and that’s a good thing! It means that ISP’s are finally getting their heads out of the holes and start fighting back!

And to test if your AV is working properly, all you need to do is test it with the eicar file.
http://www.eicar.org/anti_virus_test_file.htm

11

I don’t feel that the reason that you haven’t been hit by a virus or worm is down to ISPs at all, that is down to the user, the browser and security software and proactive measures taken.

There is little that ISPs can do in this regard, they only provide you with internet access, they don’t control internet content, they don’t monitor or filter content before it is received by your browser.

They certainly can’t control malicious sites set-up with the sole intention to infect those visiting. They can’t control phishing attacks, that is primarily the common sense of the user, the browser, etc.

12

Like David, I think the user has much more responsibility than the ISP to keep clean…

13

You can always take a scan with NOD32/BitDefender/Kaspersky online scanner when in doubt (to doublecheck the avast! work).