Safezone protection and essential questions...

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

  1. If i am in safezone using the browser, is it possible to obtain a virus/spyware infection while browsing the internet? If this is possible, how would i rid of an infection since the safezone environment is separated from my system?

  2. On this note, what is the proper way to remove a virus if one is found? Is just submitting the infection to the virus chest a good fix or does more need to be done?

3.Is it recommended to use a secondary antivirus program to scan your system if an infection is found?

4.Also, if i were to opt in the avast community can i still opt out at any time? What detailed information is collected from users that participate in the avast community?

Sorry for the many questions but these are answers i would really like to know.

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  1. SafeZone does not allow any malware to get in it. It’s an isolated environment to browse (without a malware running side by side with your browser). The Sandbox is what avoids anything to get out of it and infect your computer.

  2. General cleaning procedures:

  3. Clean your temporary files.

  4. Schedule a boot time scanning with avast with archive scanning turned on. If avast does not detect it, you can try DrWeb CureIT! instead.

  5. Use Comodo Cleaning Essentials (CCE), or MBAM, or SUPERantispyware to scan for spywares and trojans. If any infection is detected, it is better and safer to send the infected file(s) to quarantine (Chest), rather than simply deleting them.

  6. Test your machine with anti-rootkit applications. I suggest avast! antirootkit or Trend Micro RootkitBuster.

  7. Read these instructions and provide more info with the logs generated. But, please, do NOT post there, open a NEW thread for your specific problem and help us to help you.

  8. Clean your Hosts file (replacing it) with HostsMan tool.

  9. Disable System Restore and then reenable it again.

  10. Immunize your system with SpywareBlaster.

  11. Check if you have insecure applications with Secunia Software Inspector.
    If the infection avoids booting the computer, take a look here http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=79107.0

  12. You can run on line antivirus, but you should never install a second (full) antivirus side by side with avast or they will conflict.

  13. Check the avast settings for the Community. The information collected are just technical, not private. Infected files and suspicious ones could be analyzed.