Hi! 
Can an mp3 harbor a virus even if it’s been stripped of tags? Wondering because Avast slows way down when it gets to my mp3 folders, 1/50th to 1/100th of what it runs on other files and if it’s not necessary to scan mp3’s that have been stripped of tags, I’ll just have it skip those folders.
Hi Moonbarker,
An actual virus inside an mp3 file? We haven’t heard about that yet. But the player software can harbour vulnerabilities, so you better advised there to always update to the latest software version.
If there was a virus inside MP3 files it would be a serious thing, because customers trust these kind of files more than others, see for instance why pdf files are such a dangerous malware vector.
Always scan your downloads with the DrWeb online hyperlink anti-virus scanner extension for IE, FF or Flock or Opera. Try it online here: http://online.drweb.com/?url=1
polonus
I would have thought not, as the only thing I have heard about is the redirection of playlists, tags, exploitation of the player, etc. being used to activate a program rather than a media file, etc.
If I were going to exclude them I wouldn’t exclude the folder but the *.mp3 files within it, e.g. c:\media*.mp3 where media is the folder you store them in. That way any other file in that folder would be scanned so any security hole is lessened.
Got it, thanx I use Winamp & Windows Media, both of which informs me when a new version is available, so staying updated is easy.
Got it, is settings/exclusions the right place to put 'em?
Yes, if your only concern is on-demand scans, which I would think it is.
OK, thanx Would I be correct in also thinking that video files, like .mp3’s, will likely not contain a virus? Didn’t think about that until it got to my video folder just minuites ago
I would say again that there is more likely to be an issue with the player or codecs required to view them as there are a huge number of different formats.
OK, thanx again
Your welcome.