Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: GoodUser on October 22, 2012, 06:07:42 PM
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I understand that having exclusions for Real-Time scan can expose the computer to extra risk. However, unlike some of the other antivirus programs I have used in the past (e.g., Microsoft Security Essentials), Avast Antivirus 7 Free completely ignores all used-specified exclusions for Real-Time scan!
For example, when I start Firefox, the Avast icon spins about 20 sec before Firefox begins to start. In this case, the exclusion is for the File System Shield. Is there any way to fix this problem???
If Avast were to fix this nasty bug, it would be a very good antivirus program.
Note: Microsoft Security Essentials provides for not only exceptions for files/folders, but also for processes. And unlike Avast, it does does not slow down your computer.
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You can't exclude what a program does only specific files can be excluded from real-time scans. Simply excluding the firefox executable won't stop avast scanning other files that firefox runs, opens or modifies.
Excluding everything that a process does is leaving a hole in security, the avast tray icon only rotates because avast is scanning a file that is being accessed.
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I understand that having exclusions for Real-Time scan can expose the computer to extra risk. However, unlike some of the other antivirus programs I have used in the past (e.g., Microsoft Security Essentials), Avast Antivirus 7 Free completely ignores all used-specified exclusions for Real-Time scan!
For example, when I start Firefox, the Avast icon spins about 20 sec before Firefox begins to start. In this case, the exclusion is for the File System Shield. Is there any way to fix this problem???
If Avast were to fix this nasty bug, it would be a very good antivirus program.
Note: Microsoft Security Essentials
provides for not only exceptions for files/folders, but also for processes. And unlike Avast, it does does not slow down your computer.
MSE and Windows defender are an absolute JOKE!!!
I can't begin to count how many times I have had a customers pc come in INFECTED and they were using microsoft security essentials and windows defender!!
When I disabled both programs and installed AVAST and MALWAREBYTES ANTI MALWARE I was always able to find ALL the bad guys and get them removed, then I would uninstall MSE and disable windows defender and leave on avast and malwarebytes and they don't have any more problems. PERIOD!!
Do yourself a favor and get off the microsoft bandwagon because their security software is not all that and a bag of chips!!
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Well reaching to conclusions from tests where avast free was not being included to test against Microsoft Security Essentials.
So where do you get that opinion from?
Just like the first magician to pull a rabbit out of a hat, Louis Comte, trying to deny he had put it there in the first place.
Link info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hat-trick_(magic_trick)
If you wanna reach certain conclusions, you can arrange for getting to certain conclusions, see: http://dennistechnologylabs.com/reports/s/a-m/2012/DTL_2012_Q3_Home.pdf
polonus
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Note: Microsoft Security Essentials provides for not only exceptions for files/folders, but also for processes. And unlike Avast, it does does not slow down your computer.
Maybe that is because Microsoft Security Essentials is not doing anything?
If you have your antivirus set to not check the veracity and validity of files being called and run, then of course it will not slow your system down.
You might just as well do without in that case.
Seems to be a case of not being able to strip the functions of an antivirus down to the bare bones; Avast! is not set up to enable that function, as it has protective modules built in that will hinder or prevent that.
Is that what you consider to be a (nasty) bug?
Is the bug there because Avast! will protect itself when Microsoft Security Essentials will not? See pages 5-8 of the pdf link Polonus kindly provided. You will see that MSE was compromised the most often of the antivirus programs tested; in some cases it was rendered completely inoperative.
A more important criteria of antivirus operation, one that applies to your point of view, is does it interfere with the proper operation of legitimate programs? On this one criteria, MSE does very well. MSE produces very few false positives, but then again, does it detect enough malicious malware compared to the other antiviruses tested?
Is it protection you demand, or is it seamless operation?
So, which is it?
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Even with avast enabled, firefox takes around 8-10 seconds to load on my system from first start. Firefox is notoriously slow at starting, but I don't see that as a problem if you only start it once and leave it on all day. I have 26 add-ons enabled and 7 pinned pages to load. The more add-ons you have the longer it is likely to take.
If I try to start it very soon after boot then the system is very active anyway so it would take a little longer.
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@ DavidR,
It takes 20-25 seconds for FF to fully load when using Sandboxie here.
It is a trade-off, security and safety vs. the time taken to repair an infected system and/or having to do a clean install.
Same is true of running an active resident antivirus program. I could do without and have my system be lightning fast, but for how long? And what about possible identity theft and other threats out there? The only way to avoid these problems and threats is to not put a system on the Internet, and even then....
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I don't use sandboxie on this XP Pro system as I use DropMyRights which runs the browser on limited user rights, so it limits any potential damage, plus I have other measures in place including a robust backup and recovery strategy; in a word I don't need sandboxie on my XP Pro system.
I have it on my win7 netbook, but very rarely use it as it slows things greatly.
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At gooduser: I would try the following to see if it is an extension or theme that may conflict with avast. If starting firefox in safemode reduces the startup time then you may need to look at things you have changed from default. Are you using any extensions in firefox?
http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/troubleshoot-firefox-issues-using-safe-mode
http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/troubleshoot-extensions-themes-to-fix-problems