I used Avast! for the first time using the thorough mode, and scan results included some 11,000+ files labeled “Unable to scan: Archive is password protected[sic]”. In searching this particular result in the avast! WEBforum, I have repeatedly seen the suggestion that I should simply ignore such files since they are simply files which software developers did not want users to be messing with.
But while this may be the case with most of this collection of unscannables, it is certainly not the case for those which even I can eyeball as executable spyware from our good friends Gator and BargainBuddy, e.g. exul.exe, gmt.exe, etc. God only knows whether far greater but lesser known evils lurk within the ranks of these 11,000 unscannables.
Do you still say that I should simply ignore the whole lot of them?
No it is an application of common sense, I think that you will find that all the refences are to Spybot and Adaware files. If you suspect they are spyware as Gator is then you need a spyware programme to remove them as they are not classified as viruses. Avast cannot scan password protected files because it does not know the password. I would suggest you run eirther Ewido, Spybot S&D, Adaware or any other reputable anti spy programme.
I doubt this to be correct, if avast can’t scan a file/s how can it categorise it as a trojan/s
These, gator, bargain buddy, may not be picked up by avast as they are Adware
A few common examples of the full path to some of the unscannable files would help identify them.
Many programs (usually security based ones) password protect their files for legitimate reasons such as AdAware and Spybot Search & Destroy, there are others (and avast doesn’t know the password or have any way of using it even if it did know it).
When you run scans with the above programs and you delete harmful entries that they detect, a copy is kept (in quarantine/restore/backup) in case you need to reverse what you did. These are usually password protected, you should do some housekeeping and delete old backup/recovery/quarantine entries (older than two weeks or so), this will reduce the numbers of files that can’t be scanned.
By examining 1) the reason given by avast! for not being able to scan the files, 2) the location of the files, you can get an idea of what program they relate to. You may need to expand the column headings to see all the text.
Files that can’t be scanned are just that, not an indication they are suspicious/infected, just unable to be scanned.