Manual Scan Packing Parameters

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

As I recall, in the previous versions of avast 5.0 and 5.1, the Packing Scan Parameters area had only the top 3 selections checked by default. Those were:
Self-extracting DOS Executables
Self-extracting Win32 Executables
Droppers

And I remember that area was greyed out to where we couldn’t change the parameters.
Now with 5.1.889, the parameters in that area ARE available for tweaking.
Should those top 3 parameters be enough on a Manual Scan?
Or would any of the others be recommended to be checked too?
Last night I checked CABs since I had heard of them before.
Didn’t 4.8 used to check those?

2

Yes because they are special archives in that they are self extracting so they do present a risk and aren’t inert like other archives. Other than these leave the all packers option unchecked.

Aside from increasing the scan duration scanning archives is a waste of time as they don’t present an immediate risk. ,cab is just a different way of packing files together into a ‘cabinet(.cab)’ file.

3

Okay, next time I’ll go with the default top 3 then.

Yeah, it did increase my Manual Scan’s time from the usual around 46 to 49 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes by having the CAB selection checked.

Thanks, David.

4

You’re welcome.

Had you selected all packers, you would probably still be waiting now ;D