avast! Web Shield not working in Iron

[rdmaloyjr]

While checking internet speed for the thread http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=42371.msg355093#msg355093, I discovered avast! Web Shield doesn't work in Iron.

While I did speed checking in the above referenced thread in Opera, it was afterwards I discovered it didn't matter if avast! Web Shield was on or off, I got the speed range in Opera with Web Shield off, so I concluded Web Shield doesn't work in Iron.

Next I went to Iron Tools (wrench icon)> Options> Networking> Change Proxy Settings & I get Internet Properties> Connections.

"Internet Properties> Connections" is for IE, so I guess a proxy can't be set for Web Shield in Iron

[rdmaloyjr]

I just thought to check Web Shield & doesn't show any change in last scanned or thread count no matter how many sites I visit, so that's a confirmation that Web Shield isn't working in Iron.

[DavidR]

I don't know if Iron is on the list of supported browsers, unfortunately there is no where that I'm aware of that you can check what is approved.

However you could opt-in Iron to use the web shield.
You need to edit the avast4.ini file [WebScanner] section and ad the executable file name for Iron.
[WebScanner]
OptinProcess=executableFileName.exe

Or you could set its proxy settings (in connections, don't use Iron so don't know the exact location) to use the web shield.

[bob3160]

I just thought to check Web Shield & doesn't show any change in last scanned or thread count no matter how many sites I visit, so that's a confirmation that Web Shield isn't working in Iron.

Maybe the picture will guide you. I have Iron as my default and it's working fine with webshield. 

Click picture to enlarge

[rdmaloyjr]

While checking internet speed for the thread http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=42371.msg355093#msg355093, I discovered avast! Web Shield doesn't work in Iron.

While I did speed checking in the above referenced thread in Opera, it was afterwards I discovered it didn't matter if avast! Web Shield was on or off, I got the speed range in Opera with Web Shield off, so I concluded Web Shield doesn't work in Iron.

Next I went to Iron Tools (wrench icon)> Options> Networking> Change Proxy Settings & I get Internet Properties> Connections.

"Internet Properties> Connections" is for IE, so I guess a proxy can't be set for Web Shield in Iron

Bob,

That's IE settings your using to get Web Shield to work in Iron.  It works.  Evidently it's a blanket setting for all browsers, even for Firefox, IE & Opera of which don't need it.  Just check "Internet Properties" in IE.

Thank you.

[DavidR]

The OptinProcess does the same without having to change any browser settings.

[rdmaloyjr]

David,

I tried the OptinProcess, but it didn't work.  iron.exe is the executable.  Maybe I should've used C:\Program Files\SRWare Iron\iron.exe

[DavidR]

Did you put it in the right section [WebScanner] ?

[WebScanner]
OptinProcess=iron.exe

I don't believe you have to put the full path in.

[rdmaloyjr]

AutoDelete=-1
[WebScanner]
AutoRedirect=1
HttpRedirectPort=80
LoadIsapiFilters=1
ISAPIFilter1=ashWsFtr.dll
IgnoreAddress=
IgnoreLocalhost=1
ZoneAlarmCompatibility=0
OptinProcess=iron.exe
[AAVM]
EventLogAnalysed=1
StartupRootkitScan=1

[bob3160]

While checking internet speed for the thread http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=42371.msg355093#msg355093, I discovered avast! Web Shield doesn't work in Iron.

While I did speed checking in the above referenced thread in Opera, it was afterwards I discovered it didn't matter if avast! Web Shield was on or off, I got the speed range in Opera with Web Shield off, so I concluded Web Shield doesn't work in Iron.

Next I went to Iron Tools (wrench icon)> Options> Networking> Change Proxy Settings & I get Internet Properties> Connections.

"Internet Properties> Connections" is for IE, so I guess a proxy can't be set for Web Shield in Iron

Bob,

That's IE settings your using to get Web Shield to work in Iron.  It works.  Evidently it's a blanket setting for all browsers, even for Firefox, IE & Opera of which don't need it.  Just check "Internet Properties" in IE.

Thank you.

When you check the "Change Proxy Settings in Iron, it brings up the IE settings properties.
Your correct, setting your proxy in IE makes it Universal if the same settings are made in avast.

[alanrf]

There is another avast option that I have used for the past couple of years - so much simpler than all this wondering.

Override (AYOR) the avast list of "acceptable" processes for http scanning - don't worry about "Optin" processes - don't worry about proxy settings ...simply in the [WebScanner] section of the avast4.ini file add the line:

Optin=0

Then all http accesses by any process (your email client, any flavor of browser, application) gets scanned by avast. 

[rdmaloyjr]

[WebScanner]
OptinProcess=iron.exe is now working.

I don't know why it took so long to start working.

Thank you, David

[alanrf]

I suspect it may take an avast restart or at least a termination and restart of the Webshield. 

[DavidR]

[WebScanner]
OptinProcess=iron.exe is now working.
<snip>
Thank you, David

You're welcome, I prefer this to having to adjust and browser settings.

Whilst Alan's suggestion works, it opts-in everything that uses the HTTP port 80 (as Alan mentioned) gets scanned, we have had some issues in the past with some programs using port 80 but not the http protocol. I think that is why the list of supported browsers was created, it also got round a weakness in some firewalls, 'sygate' that didn't challenge anything using the web shield localhost loopback proxy as ashWebSv.exe was allowed.

[alanrf]

It has always seemed to me a bit odd to scan http accesses by some browsers and yet to leave other http accesses unscanned (think how much http accessing is done now in e-mail clients) and just about every Tom, Dick and Harry application is now going out to the Web using http to see if there are updates available.

I prefer the safety of having all of them scanned by avast - if there is an application that does have a problem then there is an option in the same section to ignore that process.