Why I am a proud user of avast....

General Topics
1

Hi malware fighters,

Recently we see a trend on the increase and that is websites that are infected with malicious code.
We see more and more that users of avast report in the “virus and worms” that avast prevented them from connecting to a particular site and they had to "disconnect, and most important of all have not been infected that way!

This is an example of the fact that avast does what it should do and protect the user from possible malicious vectors, iFrames, redirects, injections, scripts, etc. etc., while surfing the world wide web.

Avast has a very good detection rate here, and is even getting better still. So I am glad to be part of the avast community, grateful for what the forums have taught me security wise, and proud of the improvements that avast is realizing all the time. Chapeau!

Remember here that for the biggest av vendors the situation is a bit worse, because malcreants test their malware against these scanners all the time to be able to pass “under the radar”.

For a survey of these attack signatures, and an oversight of what threats lure out there:
http://www.symantec.com/business/security_response/attacksignatures/index.jsp

That is why having Secunia PSI running in the background is a good advice for all security aware PC users: download this background tool from here: http://secunia.com/PSISetup.exe
If you do not believe the necessity then do the online scan: http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/online/ ,and see what third programs you have forgotten to update or patch…

Some of these threats like this one (that avast blocks perfectly), described here: http://www.symantec.com/business/security_response/attacksignatures/detail.jsp?asid=50118
are only when you browse with IE. So it is IE-specific vulnerability, or you have patched it.

But there are also vulnerabilities that are specific for Firefox.
The best protection to use on top of having avast at the background is installing the NoScript add-on for your Firefox browser: http://noscript.net/?ver=1.8.9.7&prev=1.8.9.2
I have not seen any browser related vulnerability that NoScript did not protect against, and it even protects against 0-days and things that have not been detected yet, so better install that extension.

Keep safe and secure online,

polonus

2

Good suggestion. It’s out of beta now and seems to work very well. I installed it last month. It tracks 74 of my installed programs and has let me know right away when any of them needs a security update. Flash, Adobe Reader, Apple QuickTime, and Sun Java are my apps where PSI’s timeliness is most helpful.

3

I have just tried it (I set to Advanced) and I feel it could have done with some more work it is as slow as molasses and my system isn’t slow. When I clicked on an Ignore application it took ages for the save rule to complete. There were times when I though it had frozen and was about to end the process when it came back to life.
It was able to track 112 programs, so it had a good rummage round in my system.
But the one thing that really gets up my nose is its constant attempts to connect to the internet (dial-up user), yet in the Settings there is nothing to say why this happens much less how to disable it.

So for me it is now disabled from startup and monitoring programs and will start it and run a scan periodically. The only reason I even decided to download it today is the on-line site has been a problem area for me also (this has been happening since going to update 10 beta and if anything is now worse) with me having to refresh the web page to try and get the JAVA applet running and now it failed every time today.

4

Hi DavidR,

Weren’t you better of with the Secunia PSI online scanner in the first place, my friend?
You can do that at times you like, and safe the downloaded version to give it a swirl every fortnight, because the monthly cycle is a bit tooooo sloooow for update kings/
When broadband comes to your door we will have a party!

pol

5

You mean the Secunia OSI (not PSI which is the off-line incarnation) - I was up until it no longer works, see image1 as it cycles through trying to get the applet to load and image2 as it fails. Clicking OK to continue (as I know I have a higher version) and it frequently fails.

Now I have no idea if this is a dial-up thing or not, but I have just managed to get it to work this time out at a little after 1:35am.

6

David,

I must confess here to being a leech (no doubt others I have encountered in this forum might think I am flattering myself … but nevermind).

And while I admit no small shame in posting the following in a thread so named and with which I am entirely happy to ally myself … other products have come to the fore.

In earlier recommendations of the Secunia monitor I tried it. It told me I was a one point release out of date with Wireshark - hmmm and the value being??. Nevertheless, given that I browse these forums daily, it is hard to miss the information on the latest update of almost any utility associated with security matters from the folks posting here.

So, Secunia as a start-up program - at least on my system - met the great bit bucket in the sky. I hate - with a passion - those non-resident programs that insist on running 24x7 (without asking my permission) just to look for their updates at start up. Secunia is just another one.

7

In my experience, the current version of PSI does not bother to notify me of an update unless it contains a patch for a vulnerability. If I was a Wireshark user, I certainly wouldn’t mind being notified ASAP if a security update was available. That’s the value. YMMV of course.

And you apparently misunderstand how it works, Alan. PSI doesn’t run resident so it can look for updates at startup. It runs resident so it can do its weekly scans, to track any program installs or uninstalls in between scans, and to continually see if there are any new patches for security vulnerabilities in the installed software that it does know about. Of course PSI is still useful even if you don’t use it as a startup program – I start if from the Quick Launch bar – but it doesn’t slow down the system at all once it’s started. You’re welcome to hate PSI, even if it’s apparently based on a misunderstanding of its purpose and function, but you’re doing everyone else a disservice by spreading misinformation about a useful security program.

Edit: Grammar only

8
You're welcome to hate PSI, even if it's apparently based on a misunderstanding of its purpose and function, but your doing everyone else a disservice by spreading misinformation about a useful security program

I do not hate PSI at all (my dislike was clearly based - as I said - and, apparently missed by you, on the way it installs itself) . I do not misunderstand its purpose at all … I think I made that clear. Nor did I (despite your unfortunate assertion) spread any misinformation about it whatsoever. I simply stated what it does … I made no comment to its value … you chose to equate my concerns about the way it installs itself to its value. I want any program that intends to run (on my system) at start up to ask me for permission to do so or, at least, to explain to me its value for doing so.

I do not underestimate the value of this program at all … I do question (I believe with validity) that way it is installed and the way it seeks permission of the user.

If it stated clearly “this is the way to install PSI as an -on demand scanner-” can you imagine we would be having this discussion at all?

9

Alan Baxter ,

following your most recent edit - as of this time - I stand by my comments. Nevertheless may we, as friends, agree to differ and move on in this forum?

10

The only edit I made was a grammar one: changing your to you’re. The rest of my original post is unchanged. Yes, it’s clear to me that you and I differ, Alan, but I’m sure the discussion contains information which may be useful to others. I agree that arguing about it further would be counter-productive. Your suggestion to move on is a good one. Thank you for proposing it.

11

Wow … what a nice ending to a sort of disagreement. :slight_smile:

It would be nice to see that happen more often. Thanks for the example, guys. :slight_smile:

12

What i like about avast! the most is a direct contact with developers. Sure it’s great that avast! is free, has great detection and is loaded with features but a chance to talk to guys behind the program means a lot to me. So you know how serious is the team behind the program, what new you may expect and best of all, they actually listen to me and other users and also fix or change things if we report or suggest them. This is what most of programs don’t have and i see it as huge disadvantage for users and developers that don’t offer this kind of contact. So no matter how many programs i tried, i always returned to avast! jmostly because of this. ;D

13

RejZoR,

I could not agree with you more!

The direct contact with and participation of the developers in these forums is an outstanding feature of avast - long may it remain so.

At the same time let me add a word for the intelligent, informative and friendly user community they have attracted to these forums that I really value too.

14

In the short time I have owned a computer I have never had anything other than Avast so I have not bothered trying the others.While Avast keeps working as good as it does and does not take a huge amount of resources that I have learned on different websites some like semantic does I cannot foresee a reason to change. :wink:

15

I agree, having contact with the software developers like this is something that is getting rare. Im glad avast still offers these forums.

16

I totally agree and it is a huge breath of fresh air when compared to many other products and not just AV/Security software.

It is this type of support that is so often forgotten, but is very important and valuable, so almost 5 years on I’m a very happy avast user…

17

Yes, I agree that not only is avast! a great av solution but this forum goes a long way to inforce that feeling. In the 6 years I have used avast!, there has been no infections uncaught by avast! over the use of 2 different computers. In this forum, I have learnt so very much about computer security and am still learning everyday with the help & postings of too many of you … the users of this forum. :slight_smile:

18

CharleyO,
I’m still trying to figure out how to get to your Island. :slight_smile:

19
I'm still trying to figure out how to get to your Island.
You could use a boat or swim must of the way Bob ;) Make sure you take lots of food and etc. if you are going to hang out there ;)

Been using Avast for @5yrs now and won’t use anything else :slight_smile:

20

Hi Dan,

bob3160 might encounter Friday there, because it sure has some features of the island of Robinson Crusoe’s.
Well as it stands now he has to wait another three days,

Damian