Scan for PUP and suspicious files

What does scanning for pup’s and suspicious files mean in expert file settings in Avast 5.0 free?
Is is better to enable this setting?

pup means possibly unwanted programs… (like spyware, etc.)
suspicious files relates 2 that and further 2 files dedected by the heuristics…
asyn

Thansks for your answer. This setting is disabled by default , is it better to enabled it? And as it is disabled does that mean that Avast cannot detect spyware?

just enable it, doesn’t really slow ur scans 2 much. and brings more security.
asyn

Thank you, I shall enable it. Is it usefull to enable “ignore virustargetting” also and does that slow down scanning?

u’re welcome. :slight_smile:
don’t forget u can enable it with different scanners, so look, where u need it.
asyn

Just to clarify : PUP = Potentially Unwanted Program. It means that it is no malware itself, but it can be used maliously.

Greetz, Red.

Leave that option at the default setting, unchecked.

If you don’t then it could scare you if you have any other security based software as some of them loads their virus signatures into memory (some are worse and they are unencrypted) and avast will detect that and alert. Yes it can also increase scan duration, but for most people won’t notice it on a reasonable system.

Take that, ASK toolbar. If it doesn’t catch that after all the publicity, shame on Alwil!

Because ASK tool bar is NOT a malware

Right; just a widely known potentially unwanted program.