Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: midway on August 10, 2005, 05:46:15 PM
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I have received an e-mail with a notice in the Attach: line. I assume if I click, or double-click I will open the attachment. Is there a way for Avast to scan that attachment before I open it? I tried right-clicking and there was no option for scanning it with Avast, as there is with right-clicks on some items. Thanks.
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If I understood right Avast scans your email with or without attachaments automatically and delete virus part from it if you have chose that option from email settings. But if you open the attachament by right- clicking (open), Avast will scan it again. Have you seen the blue "a" word spinning when you´ll tried to open it ?
I didn´t noticed before that your operating system is WIN98. So now somebody else should help you. Sorry !
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For Outlook Express and Win98 do the following:
Completely close your Outlook Express (I assume you're using OE). Start Mail Protection Wizard (Start -> ALL PROGRAMS -> Avast! antivirus -> Mail Protection Wizard)
When you finish and close Mail protection wizard, just open avast! On-Access scanner, go into Internet Mail Provider and click on CUSTOMIZE.
Put checkmars on SCAN INBOUND MAIL as well as INSERT NOTE INTO CLEAN MESSAGE... same for SCAN OUTBOUND MAIL... for all of them - POP, SMTP, IMAP...
That's pretty much everything... Let us know what's happening...
For Incredimail (I see you use it as well) I have no clue since I never used it myself...
Cheers !
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Boy, do I owe you two an apology! I realized I haven't changed my signature for ages--not since I changed to a Compaq Deskpro EN with Win XP Pro. I also dropped IncrediMail. Let's see if I understand correctly: Since 4.5, Avast has automatically scanned not only incoming and outgoing Outlook Express e-mail for XP, but also attachments. Right? So I don't have to do anything with Mail Protection Wizard. Right? So I can open an attachment without fear. Right? Thanks.
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You can never open an attachment without fear, you should always exercise caution or the day will come when a new or variant of an existing virus (that won't be detected) will get past.
1. Don't open email attachments from unknown sources, or are unexpected, or don't fit the pattern of previous emails from those you know.
2. If you feel that are safe to be opened, never open them directly from within the email, save them to a folder, 'attachments' sounds fine, this would have it scanned by default by standard shield (depending on your settings), better still you can also do a scan (right click on the file) from the attachments folder.
This way if for some reason the email scanner is disabled for any reason, it will get scanned. It would also be scanned when you tried to open it by standard shield, so belt and braces and a healthy dose of common sense.
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Boy, do I owe you two an apology! I realized I haven't changed my signature for ages--not since I changed to a Compaq Deskpro EN with Win XP Pro. I also dropped IncrediMail. Let's see if I understand correctly: Since 4.5, Avast has automatically scanned not only incoming and outgoing Outlook Express e-mail for XP, but also attachments. Right? So I don't have to do anything with Mail Protection Wizard. Right? So I can open an attachment without fear. Right? Thanks.
No need to appologize midway ;) Everything is fine !
Yes, you're right... after avast! 4.5 came out, scanning of e-mails under Windows XP is done automatically. Mail scanning is so called "transparent".
Don't forget to do another thing... go to your INTERNET MAIL provider, and click on CUSTOMIZE button. Chose ADVANCED tab and put a checkmark on SHOW DETAILED INFO ON PERFORMED ACTION. Also, while you are there, you can increase the number for the TIMEOUT FOR INTERNET COMMUNICATION(s) to some higher value... for example, you can set it as 300...
By putting a checkmark on SHOW DETAILED INFO ON PERFORMED ACTION, you'll be much more aware what's going on when your Outlook Express fires up and starts to scan (or not) e-mails... You'll see nice notification at the bottom of the screen and then at least, you are sure avast! is canning those mails... if you already enabled that option and you don't see above mentioned notification, then you can be sure that something is wrong... in any case, you'll sleep much better.
No additional action is required to activate mail scanning for OE under Windows XP ;)
Cheers !
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Thanks for the great advice. I'll do everything that was suggested!
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Thanks for the great advice. I'll do everything that was suggested!
My advice was too "feel free to open every attachaments" :( Sorry ! I didn´t realized neither myself that even if we are using Avast there is still risk exist to have variants of viruses with email attachaments.
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There will always be a risk whilst there are virus writers trying to circumvent your security, the biggest part of your defence is common sense, don't open attachments without applying the checks outlined above.
Hopefully you and others who read this in the future will learn a lesson rather than get caught up in the deceptive tactics of the malware writers.
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Yes I´d learnt my lessons :) Thank you David !