I just started using Avast home version yesterday. After years of using Antivir, the latest release (version 7) and some of the recent updates have started causing Windows Explorer to freeze and Internet Explorer to malfunction. I spent hours trying to figure out what was wrong and finally began to realize after restoring the operating system on one of the computers three times, that the problems were non-existent while the Antivir was not re-installed onto the system. The instant I set it back up, the problems began. Uninstalled the Antivir, and everything worked great again.
I really liked Antivir. I saw Avast recommended by some former Antivir users who were encountering the same problems I had with Antivir.
There was a feature in Antivir called “Guard.” It was running all the time, protecting and finding viruses or trojans trying to come in the gate so to speak.
Are Avast’s web shield and standard shield the same kind of thing? What is the difference between the web shield and the standard shield?
Thanks for your help.
ETA: I wanted to add that I used the Antivir Guard as a sort of firewall. I would run anti-spyware programs like Spybot, Ad-Aware and Spyware Blaster once a week, and they would find a handful of spyware programs.
Just since yesterday when I installed Avast Home on our three computers (one runs Windows XP, one runs ME and the other 98SE), I have run the anti-spyware programs twice on each computer. The programs have found three times as many problems in ONE DAY on each computer than I would find just running them once a week!
Firewall? avast! is an antivirus. It also depends what they’ve found. Cookies don’t really count as “problems”.
Quick providers description:
Standard Shield
Scans files in realtime as they are accessed, equivalent to Guard in AntiVir.
Network Shield
Scans all network traffic coming to your computer on TCP level preventing worms like Sasser and MSBlaster from affecting your PC.
Web Shield
Scans all HTTP traffic coming to your PC (browser) preventing exploits from affecting your browser and or system even before they can actually do anything.
Internet Mail
Scans all POP3/IMAP/NNTP (email and newsgroup services) traffic coming in and out of your PC.
MS Outlook/Exchange
Scans emails that go through IMAP protocol (MS Outlook)
P2P Shield
Scans all files transfered through P2P programs in a bit more through way than Standard Shield.
Instant Mesaging
Scans all the files transfered through Instant Messaging programs in a more thorough way than Standard Shield.
Thanks so much. I thought I saw the Network Shield in the list with the other things you mentioned, but now I don’t see it. How do I access that to make sure it is running?
Did you follow the standard installation or you’ve unchecked the NetShield provider while installing a custom one?
You can go Control Panel > Add/Remove programs > Change/Remove > Change option and see if NetShield is marked for installation.
Network Shield is 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). Network Shield protects you from internet worms that spread themselves via various security holes in your system. Typicaly these kind of viruses don’t infect files but instead they attack running processes on your PC (either Windows components or some server programs like SQL Server, IIS etc.). These kind of attacks are not easily catched by ordinary antivirus during file or mail scanning. It is not a duplicate work with Standard Shield.
Thank you for describing what the Network Shield does. I really want to be sure it is running.
Did you follow the standard installation or you've unchecked the NetShield provider while installing a custom one?
You can go Control Panel > Add/Remove programs > Change/Remove > Change option and see if NetShield is marked for installation
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I followed your directions and saw a window titled “Configuration.” All the options I listed above i.e. P2P, Web Shield, Standard Shield, etc. are listed with little boxes with little check marks inside them. You can also uncheck these boxes and you will see an “X” which I did not do because I want all those options to be installed and running.
Network Shield is listed, however there isn’t even a box to check! Something called The Bat! is listed, but again no box besides it like all the other parts of the program.
Is it possible that the version I downloaded a few days ago from the Avast official website, no longer offers the Network Shield in the free home program? Or, perhaps the Network Shield isn’t available for computers running Windows Millenium? I can’t remember if the other two computers we have here have the Network Shield running or not. The other two computers run Windows XP and Windows 98SE.
I know I saw the Network Shield on at least one of the computers…
Any ideas why there isn’t the option to check a box next to Network Shield so I can install it?
I am fairly certain I just did the standard installation on all the computers.
