I have Outlook 1998 running under Windows 2k and a SMTP/Pop3 email account (not SSL). Version 4.8 of Avast. Eset antispam (the antispam module only) active. Comodo firewall.
When the Avast Internet Email Shield is running no email downloads, but Outlook thinks that it has successfully completed a send/receive. When I stop internet email shield, Outook downloads email as usual.
Interestingly when the Outlook/Exchange email shield is running everything downloads as normal.
Will the Outlook/Exchange email shield suffice? If not how can I solve this problem?
The best provider for you is that of the Outlook/Exchange provider as that integrates into MS Outlook using a plug-in. So whilst this provider and the avast plug-in in MS Outlook are running then the Internet Mail shouldn’t get involved.
I still wouldn’t disable the Internet Mail provider, in fact I would suggest setting it to High as this can block outbound email not using your email client (spam) and an indication you have an undetected/hidden spambot trojan on your system.
Then there is something wrong, either the outlook/exchange provider isn’t enabled or the avast plug-in in MS Outlook is disabled. As if both are enabled then the Internet Mail would have nothing to do if you are initiating the email receipt from MS Outlook.
If you are going to disable inbound protection then you are effectively disabling the protection, but then again you don’t say which avast provider you are considering doing that in.
Have you checked that the avast plug-in isn’t disabled in MS Outlook ?
Yes Outlook/Exchange shield is enabled. (NB I have Outlook 1998 - quite early)
I’ve disabled inbound protection in the Internet Email Shield.
Now I can receive email OK. Re-enable inbound protection in Internet Email Shield and nothing is received.
Anyway of validating if the Outlook plug-in is working?
(I’m wondering whether this complex behaviour might not be caused by the fact that Outlook was formerly used as an exchange client on this system. Or perhaps there is an interaction with ESET antispam. (Though disabling ESET antispam module does not resolve)).
By monitoring the avast outlook/exchange provider’s Detailed view, Last scanned: and Scanned count: values if it is being scanned then these values should be changing/updated.
I don’t use MS Outlook, so I can’t say from experience, if old versions are supported, but you will have to check wherever it is in MS Outlook that plug-ins are shown. If avast is present and not disabled then you can assume it is supported.
I would say there is a likelihood there may be interaction from the eset anti-spam. Presumably that has some set-up that uses a proxy or something like that to pre-scan emails for spam. However if it uses the normal email protocols, e.g. port 110, then avast’s Internet Mail would scan that traffic too.