Was using mozilla seamonkey with avast, and noticed that the webshield wasn’t scanning anything. Just would like to know if (and when) seamonkey will be supported.
Which is the port this application connect to Internet?
Does it uses HTTP traffic?
If so… WebShield is ready for scanning it 
Just to be sure do the following:
In SeaMonkey click “Edit” and then click “Preferences”.
In the Preferences window Click “Advanced” and then click “Proxies”.
Check “Manual Proxy Configuration”,
in “Proxy” type: “localhost” and in “Port” type “12080”.
Click OK.
That will do.
No need to do this for Firefox. Right ?
I think we must know which is your operational system…
No need to change anything in XP but need in 9x and Me :
This is NOT needed on any browser, you can do it if you like but it is not necessary unless you configure WebShield NOT to catch port 80 communications.
It became clear recently that the WebShield did not scan all http traffic. It only scanned http requests of a list of processes determined by avast (at that time it did not include most email client’s http accesses). That list has recently been updated by avast and I think that only they can tell us if Mozilla Seamonkey is included.
The suggestion from por100pre1 will ensure that Seamonkey http accesses are scanned.
“WebShield did not scan all http traffic.” :o I didn’t know that! Thanks for the info.
I just installed Seamonkey and confirmed that its http accesses are not scanned by the Webshield.
An alternative to the proxy modification method to get Seamonkey accesses scanned is to edit the avast4.ini file (found in Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA).
In the [WebScanner] section add the line:
OptinProcess=seamonkey.exe
and save the file.
However since this is just another Mozilla browser I am surprised that it is not included in the Webshield protection by the avast team.
noticed multiple missing executables to be scanned
Ok i just checked and Flock “Flock.exe” http://flock.com/
not covered too
another not covered is Maxthon “max.exe” http://www.maxthon.com/
this is just special version of Maxthon (maxthon.exe) 1.5.3.18 released
to avoid MS hardcoded exe check for ActiveX changes
and this build was “withdrawn” from download as MS fixed it later
yet there are several ten-hundred thousands users using it …
another not covered is Orca “orca.exe”
this is project from author of Avant browser based on Gecko engine
what i think about these “problems” what IF avast scan detect application using http traffic and show popup
asking if add this application to scanlist for webshield ?
This seems as a rather viable solution to me. I’ll discuss this with Vlk and others as a possibility for avast5. In the meantime, I’ll try to verify and/or add the executables you are missing.
lukor.
It’s simple. “My” Web Shield PowerMode would fix this. It simply scans all HTTP traffic regardless of program. No need to wait for avast! 5…
Speaking about PowerMode (again), I have to paste a link to a discussion that took place almost a year ago: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=14895.msg125798#msg125798
As about the popup, I’m a bit skeptical about this… I still think it’s better to have it PRESET to scan only carefully selected list of applications. If course, there can be such an option (“ask”) but I’d recommend against using it as a default value.
Cheers
Vlk
I agree that it should be pre-set to scan only a carefully selected list of applications.
However, how is the user to know if his application/browser is included in this list. I see nowhere that lists these carefully selected applications, so the user is effectively in the dark unless and until they twig that the web shield isn’t scanning http content.
So if going down this carefully selected list route, the list should be available for the user to examine (and probably mentioned not duplicated/replicated in the web shield section of the help file) and what they can do if their browser, etc. isn’t on the list.
Web Shield provider protects your computer from viruses that may infect your computer when browsing the Internet - especially when downloading files from web pages.There is no mention here of any selection and as such lulling the user into a false sense of security.
Vlk, yes and no. All browsers work for me anytime i want as long as they use HTTP, but other users have to wait for you to add support.
So you think we introduced the list just for fun (remember than the first version of avast 4.6 (that introduced WebShield) used what you call “powermode” by default).
Trust me, there’re many apps out there that do some stuff on port 80, but it’s not HTTP at all, or is a bit “tweaked” version of HTTP.
No not for fun or even for scanning everything, you have the list of approved applications in the VPS can that not be extracted so a user can see what browsers, etc. are supported.
If informed on the options (and consequences) of what to do if their browser isn’t supported, they chose to either use a supported browser (which they won’t know without a list), edit avast4.ini for the OptInProcess, manually setup the proxy to use the web shield proxy.
Or they could use the AEC ‘PowerMode’ ;D which would have potentially greater consequences as they wouldn’t know what they had selected to be able to use the web shield proxy, rather than the singular modifications mentioned above.
This has been a surprise to me, because I believed WebShield was able to catch every port 80 communication. I have configured every browser I use in my computer to use WebShield proxy; Firefox, Opera, SeaMonkey, Flock and K-Meleon. Now I know this is the only way to be sure WebShield is woking with all my web browsers. Is there a topic on how to configure some less common browsers?
In case any Flock user read this, no need to worry.
The tutorial on how to configure Firefox works exactly the same with Flock:
Fully agree… There should be a list of scanned applications in the help files. 