Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: Walker on October 28, 2003, 07:01:24 PM
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Can anyone tell me if there are any considerations when changing some of my Pop3 settings to Imap4?.
I'm continuing to use Pop3 for most of my accounts but am changing to Imap on others.
Do I need to change anything in Avasts setup to protect both types of protocol?.
Thanks for any info.
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It should work the same. The only catch is that IMAP is widely used with SSL authentication (much more often than POP) but this does not work with avast. Only the basic (enuncrypted) authentication/communication is supported by the avast mail scanner.
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It should work the same. The only catch is that IMAP is widely used with SSL authentication (much more often than POP) but this does not work with avast. Only the basic (enuncrypted) authentication/communication is supported by the avast mail scanner.
sad but true... :'(
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It should work the same. The only catch is that IMAP is widely used with SSL authentication (much more often than POP) but this does not work with avast. Only the basic (enuncrypted) authentication/communication is supported by the avast mail scanner.
Will this feature implemented in the future? ;)
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The only catch is...
Thanks Vlk,
So far, my IMAP accounts *seem* to work without ssl security protocols. In this case is Avast giving the same protection as with Pop3?
Could you enlighten me ;). Are these encryption issues related to Avast limitations or technicalities with IMAP.... ie should I hop over to the 'wishlist' :) ;)
Walker.
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Could you enlighten me . Are these encryption issues related to Avast limitations or technicalities with IMAP.... ie should I hop over to the 'wishlist'
No, I don't think it's (technically) doable, at least in the way the mail scanner works now. SSL is all about security and preventing things like man-in-the-middle and this is exactly how the avast mail proxy behaves...
IMHO it is possible to make a SSL-enabled scanner but it would require a complete rewrite, and a lot of other nuisance stuff (such as access to the keys/certificates etc)..
Vlk
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Yes, Avast does not support SSL, but with Stunnel You can easily encrypt all email traffic.
My pop "chain": Outlook- K9-Avast-Stunnel(SSL)-ISP with SSL supported pop3 server.
My smtp "chain": Outlook-Avast-Stunnel(SSL)-ISP with SSL supported smtp server.
Stunnel is GPL, and I have used it about one year with no problems!
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Stunnel is GPL, and I have used it about one year with no problems!
Could you please post a link to this application? ;)
Will it encript the traffic just for the sender or either for whom the email was sent (I mean, decript)? ;)
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http://www.stunnel.org/
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Thanks Vlk, thanks Pekka,
Vlk, is Imap without ssl getting the same protection with Avast as it is with Pop3?. Am I allowed to put it on the wishlist... just for the long winter days, when you guys have got nothing to do :) ;)
Pekka, never really had much to do with Imap, it's just been a check box I've left empty when using Pop3 ;). Am I right in thinking that the only function of ssl is to encrypt the login details (username/p'word) during transmission?. Also, do you use a normal ISP that has implimented ssl on pop servers?.... sorry to be curious... :)
Walker.
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With SSL all traffic between You (Your email client program that is) and Your ISP's email server is encrypted. I don't use IMAP myself, but I think that Stunnel does the SSL trick (with Avast) for You.
Stunnel decrypts the data for Avast to scan (and encrypts the login /password when sending to ISP through Avast scanner).
I can use pop/imap/smtp with or without SSL, my ISP has both systems working.
This is very common, at least here in Finland.
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Thanks pekka, I'll take a look on Stunnel... ;)
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With SSL all traffic between You (Your email client program that is) and Your ISP's email server is encrypted.
Thanks Pekka,
I did check Stunnel and think you are spot on with your description.
It comes to my mind that it is good to have, say your login encrypted but not too much other use if message content is only encrypted between the local and remote hosts.. ie apart from the login, the text of any message is still travelling around the rest of the network (internet) un-encrypted.
When I really need to, I use PGP, I suppose SSL just adds the login security.
Thanks very much for the info., it's interesting.
Walker.
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With SSL all traffic between You (Your email client program that is) and Your ISP's email server is encrypted.
Thanks Pekka,
I did check Stunnel and think you are spot on with your description.
It comes to my mind that it is good to have, say your login encrypted but not too much other use if message content is only encrypted between the local and remote hosts.. ie apart from the login, the text of any message is still travelling around the rest of the network (internet) un-encrypted.
When I really need to, I use PGP, I suppose SSL just adds the login security.
Thanks very much for the info., it's interesting.
Walker.
Hey Walker, do you suggest any application(s) to encrypt all the message (not just a login security as you said)? Remember that a Freeware is better... ;D
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Hey Walker, do you suggest any application(s) to encrypt all the message (not just a login security as you said)? Remember that a Freeware is better... ;D
Tech,
The standard for many years has been PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) and in most cases this is a freeware application.
Try looking at www.pgp.com or www.pgpi.org alternatively a google should find you many references.
Walker.
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Hey Walker, do you suggest any application(s) to encrypt all the message (not just a login security as you said)? Remember that a Freeware is better... ;D
Tech,
The standard for many years has been PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) and in most cases this is a freeware application.
Try looking at www.pgp.com or www.pgpi.org alternatively a google should find you many references.
Walker.
I could not found a link to download it except by purchase way... :'(
How do I download products?
Upon completion of transaction and credit authorization, you will receive an email confirmation from PGP Corporation of purchase, which will include a link to download purchased product. You will be able to download products immediately upon receipt of their purchase confirmation. Please make sure your email address on the order form is valid.
If you see this link (http://pgp.com/products/freeware.html) you´ll see it does not provide plug-in integration with Outlook, Outlook Express, or other email applications on any platform :'(
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I could not found a link to download it except by purchase way... :'(
Tech,
You will find the freeware on both sites... in pgp.com lokk under <products> <freeware> http://www.pgp.com/products/freeware.html
I think pgpi.org is fairly straightforward to find the link.
[edit] sorry Tech missed your last sentence... must remember to scroll down ;)
Ah yes forgot your on Outlook, it goes straight into my mail client pegasus.
Try the pgpi.org I think there are outlook plugins for different versions of pgp.
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I prefer GnuPG (http://www.gnupg.org/), it is free software.
I myself use Nullify "version" (http://www.nullify.org/) together with GPGshell (http://www.jumaros.de/rsoft/index.html).
And for Outlook my plugin is GDATA (http://www3.gdata.de/gpg/).
Everything is free / GPL software, and works like a charm!
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I prefer GnuPG (http://www.gnupg.org/), it is free software.
I myself use Nullify "version" (http://www.nullify.org/) together with GPGshell (http://www.jumaros.de/rsoft/index.html).
And for Outlook my plugin is GDATA (http://www3.gdata.de/gpg/).
Everything is free / GPL software, and works like a charm!
Thank you for the links. I´ll give a try and, probably, if they were as good as you are saying, I'll collect them at my major list of links here (http://www.avast.com/forum/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=1509;start=0). ;)
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I prefer GnuPG (http://www.gnupg.org/), it is free software.
Thanks pekka,
Those sound like good alternatives, I'll give them a try as well. Where are the public key servers ... reliable???.
Walker.
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I think that GnuPG copes with any valid public keyserver.
Back to the original question (IMAP and Avast):
Did some testing: Outlook Express-Avast-Stunnel-ISP with SSL IMAP,
and yes it does work.
Avast deleted Swen from a message!
So no need to port SSL support into Avast, when You can use free /GPL software that is already here.
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Thanks pekka for all the information and testing.
Really great of you... have a karma on me ;)
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Just wondering why people use or even think about using that PGP/GPG thing when X.509 PKI is the better, more common and more supported signing/encrypting solution.