Virus/Trojan sitting on computer

Viruses and worms
1

Hi I now have a fresh Vista install so no worries there.

There is some concern. I wanted to test out Avast Internet Security 5.0 in the real world. I visited some dodgy websites which siteadvisor infomed me hosted many nasty viruses and trojans.

Good news is that Avast blocked them and alerted me. Bad news it still let me surf the Website.

Avg would inform me before I opened the website.

I downloaded some viruses/trojans through torrents. I downloaded many files which users reported as hosting viruses/trojans.

Avast did not report anything wrong with the downloads. The downloads were .rar and sitting on my omputer.

Only when I opened them did Avast delete/block the extracted files but still ignored the .rar file.

Can Avast detect data in incoming .rar files or those that are just on the desktop?

Even full scan did not report them.

2

I think the deafult settings is to not scan compressed files to save scan time and they are not dangeorus before you open, it will scan when you open it
you may find some info in the help file ( top right corner )

3

I think that explains it. I would prefer to have it scan compressed files rather than detect when extracting.

4

you can change the scan settings so it will scan packers, not sure about the shield ( i am not at my avast comp now)
but studie the help file and you find a pdf.doc here http://www.avast.com/en-eu/download-documentation

you can also test with the different EICAR test files
http://www.eicar.org/anti_virus_test_file.htm

5

You can enable the scanning of archives even for the resident shields - but it’s a bad idea; for bigger archives, it will pretty much kill your computer for significant amounts of time (and since the malware is detected when unpacking the archive, it’s not really necessary).

6

I did test Avast with EICAR, it prevented me from downloading.

7

I download lots of files which are .zip or .rar. I do not back up large archives on my computer, they are stored on external HD.

My computer has been infected 5 times in the last 3 years. 3 times it was when extracting a file and once a direct .exe file passed through AVG.

And last was when I bought a MP3 Player on Ebay and arrived from China with a “Drivers” CD which gave me the Fujack virus.

Id rather have my computer working its horses off than be sorry.

I have done many scans using Quick and Full Scan. I decided to do a Custom Scan with everything selected and the Full Scan on many other products takes minimum 45 mins. Snce I selected everything including all packers and PUP, I thought it would take around 1 Hour.

I left it on scan went out came back after 3 hours and it only took 18 Minutes to complete!!!

I find it hard to believe that it takes so little time. Is Avast the fastest Anti Virus Scanner in the World?

8

http://blog.avast.com/2010/04/25/how-to-make-the-full-system-scan-6x-faster-in-10-days/

9

Please read:
How to make the Full System Scan 6x faster in 10 days
http://blog.avast.com/2010/04/25/how-to-make-the-full-system-scan-6x-faster-in-10-days

I do not believe Siteadvisor as it is hopelesly out of date and even rates sites with known malware as safe.

I hope you fully removed AVG with its installer before switcing to avast! ???

10

a little trick…if you download many files…
upload to VirusTotal www.virustotal.com and have it scanned by 40 virus scanners before you run it
then you know ( nothing is 100% ) what it is

you also have www.virscan.org and http://virusscan.jotti.org/en

recommended additional scanner www.malwarebytes.org

11

Pondus (or any other user), can you compare virustotal with the other on-line scanners?
I mean, reliability, update frequency, etc.

12

I have done a full clean Vista Install with Avast Internet Security 5.0. I have over the years tried many products.

Worst:1 MCAFEE
2 NORTON
3 AVG

Best: Avira
Kaspersky

I dont know whats the real difference between anti virus and anti spyware. But these 2 software picked up what Avira/Kaspersky has missed

Love: Spyware Doctor
Spyware terminater

I now need to decide if I need a adware/spyware/malware software or is Avast good enough?

I have only had Avast for a few weeks already in love with it. I need more time to compare it with others. Some points a clear that Avast is very light and fast compared to others.

13

Both antispyware could alert you for clean files (false positives) or inert ones (cookies).
I’ll try MBAM instead of both and run it on-demand from time to time.

14

Thats very good advise for small files. I normally download Media and Games which are around 800MB to 2GIG. Its not practical to upload large files which is why I want Avast to scan archive files even if they are large.

15

I have used spybot and adware both are decent. I prefer Spyware Doctor and Spyware Terminator. I have never tried SuperAntiVirus.

What sort of infections would SuperAntiSpyware prevent that Avast Internet Security 5.0 would miss?

16

Bad detection rates imho.

Never heard about it. Take care with rogue applications.

Cookies ;D
Seriously, they can have a better detection someday… avast is not perfect.
But I think you don’t need to buy SuperAntispyware and use it as resident. On-demand is enough imho.

17

Cookies ;D
Seriously, they can have a better detection someday… avast is not perfect.
But I think you don’t need to buy SuperAntispyware and use it as resident. On-demand is enough imho.
[/quote]
I have set Firefox to delete all data when closed also use CCLEANER before shutting down.

The only reaon I upgraded from Free Avast to Paid version is to enjoy other benefits instead of having other software as back up. Windows Defender is a decent back up with malwarebytes.

18

I am guessing that the update frequency ( virusdef ) is the same
VirusTotal seems to be the one that update to the newest virus engines quickest, i think virscan still have AVG 8,5, jotti don`t no
virscan have less traffic

@CaSPeRr
i think the file limit to upload is 20mb… :cry:

19

@CaSPeRr
If only one i would take Malwarebytes as an extra scanner bc it is the one with the best detection and the best rogue remover
There is a hole comunity of malware hunters supplying MBAM with fresh samples daily ( it is almost like a competition )
you can see here:
Research Center Subforums http://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?s=204539dec13ccacf640befd608ca3246&showforum=44

Forum http://forums.malwarebytes.org/

20

Windows Defender is not required with XP and should be kept up to date on Vista and Windows 7 through its portal:

Latest definition version: 1.81.1407.0
http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/Definitions/ADL.aspx

It has not found anything on my Windows 7 system.

Malwarebytes Pro has protected my system many times from rogue site with its Website Blocking and its one time license it well worth the additional protection it provides to avast!

List of rogue malware removers:
Malware Removal Guides and Self Help Guides
http://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?showforum=39