Questions about avast!

#1: Is avast! free antivirus safe? Some people claim that it doesn’t shield your system properly (they say that basically if you don’t pay you are not protected. I don’t believe them though).
#2: How many scans should I do per month? Is it better to do many quick scans or few thorough scans?
#3: How often should I update this AV? Or is it an automatic thing?
#4: Is it safe to leave for a while (e.g. 1 week) an infect file/virus in the virus chest?
#5: Whenever avast! finds an infection, should I send the information about it to the virus lab?

Thanks for the info
(p.s. when you answer please write the number of the question you are replying)

  1. Avast Free is enough for private use. If you want you can use a Firewall-Program with Avast together.
  2. A quick Scan every week is enough. Can be sceduled in Scan Settings.
  3. It updates automatically via stream updates every few minutes and database updates 2-4 times a day.
  4. Thats absolutely safe.
  5. No need to do that. But good if youre encountering a false positive or an undetected malware sample. (Mail is virus@avast.com)
  1. The protection is the same in the free version as it is in the Paid versions. What you are paying for are the additional items
    like, firewall, spam blocking, etc
  2. I did one Boot Time Scan when I installed the latest release of avast!. After that, I let the on demand scanners take care of anything new or changed.
  3. VPS updates are automatic. Program updates are manual and you’re informed that there is a program update available.
  4. Infected files in the chest are out of harms way. so you can leave them there till you are ready to delete them and you’re sure they aren’t a false positive.
  5. Yes that’s how new protection gets to everyone else.

Other 2 questions:

1: How can I schedule the scans? (I can’t find the option)
2: When you try to send something to the virus lab there’s a “form” to fill in. Looks complicated and maybe it’s better not sending anything if I don’t do it properly?

  1. Open the interface and choose scan on the left. Then choose the scan you want to scedule. Then click on settings
    right to the description. There is an option scedule on the left.

  2. You can contact Avast over this form: http://www.avast.com/contact-form.php

Or…if the file is in the chest right click>select “send to virus lab”. :slight_smile:

No need to send whats in avast chest to avast lab as it is already detected :slight_smile:
However if you think the detection is wrong then you should send it so that they can correct it

How to use avast chest http://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB21#artTitle

Thank you all guys and enjoy this happy new 2014 ;D