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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: nospmas1939 on January 14, 2007, 10:33:42 AM

Title: "Suspicious Messages"
Post by: nospmas1939 on January 14, 2007, 10:33:42 AM: Hi, I am a newbie so please be patient.

I run:

Win XP Pro with SP2 and all the updates, Hotfixes etc.
avast Home Edition Build Oct 2006 (4.7.892)
VPS file compilation date: 13/01/07, File version: 0703-0
Mailwasher Pro 5.3
S&D
Ad-Aware
Thunderbird
Firefox

When I check my email through Mailwasher Pro and mark all the SPAM and unsolicited emails as 'blacklisted' and process the email, I get an <avast> window saying that this message is a "Suspicious Message" and the options are "Continue" and "Don't Send". I always select "Continue".

Is this the correct way of handling these messages?

Also, it would be good to be able to search "Threads" for a query like mine, so as not to duplicate [or more] the same queries.

Thanks for your help.

Regards to all.
Title: Re: "Suspicious Messages"
Post by: alanrf on January 14, 2007, 10:35:32 AM: There is a Search button at the top of the forum page.
Title: Re: "Suspicious Messages"
Post by: nospmas1939 on January 14, 2007, 10:43:25 AM: I did <alanrf> but came up with nothing. Thanks anyway
Title: Re: "Suspicious Messages"
Post by: alanrf on January 14, 2007, 11:13:42 AM: I did too ... suspicious brings up a lot of hits.

Since you tell us this is affecting mail that is being sent the advice from Tech in this thread could well be a good place to start looking for a match to the exact details of the message you are seeing.

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=24737.0

If it does not, it would assist if you can capture the error pop-up and report it back here.
Title: Re: "Suspicious Messages"
Post by: DavidR on January 14, 2007, 02:38:43 PM: I use MailWasher Pro and I have it ignored in the email scanner.

By editing the avast4.ini file, [MailScanner] section using a text editor like notepad. It is best to save a copy of avast4.ini to another location in case of any problem, you can then copy the original back.

MailWasher doesn't download the complete email to do its analysis, it only downloads the headers, a small part of the body, it doesn't download images or attachments and it views what is downloaded in text only. Based on this I personally don't feel that any negligible risk worth scanning duplication, but the choice is yours.

[MailScanner]
IgnoreProcess=MailWasher.exe add this line if you don't already have an IgnoreProcess line.
Title: Re: "Suspicious Messages"
Post by: nospmas1939 on January 15, 2007, 01:18:52 AM: Thank you all for the advice. <DavidR> I have taken your advice and will see what happens. Trouble is, I'm still on dial-up and it takes forever to get anything done.

I'll be 'converting' very soon, though!!!

Again, thanks to all.

Cheers.
Title: Re: "Suspicious Messages"
Post by: DavidR on January 15, 2007, 01:44:57 AM: No problem, I'm also on dial-up MW helps ditch the spam at the server so you don't have to download it ALL to filter it.
Title: Re: "Suspicious Messages"
Post by: nospmas1939 on January 16, 2007, 08:55:37 AM: <DavidR>, I tried attaching a screen dump of that message I get after each and every email that I "blacklist" through MW Pro, but it just would not work. I tried this morning and then just now - but same result.

Each Avast message is accompanied by a verbal "Caution".

It looks like my Yahoo email address has somehow been compromised and I get an average of 40 SPAM/Bulk/"Not to me" emails on a daily basis - for the last 8 months!!!!
Title: Re: "Suspicious Messages"
Post by: DavidR on January 16, 2007, 03:11:51 PM: If you have successfully excluded mailwasher.exe then you shouldn't be getting them, the mail scanners shouldn't be monitoring mailwasher traffic ?

Suspicious messages are usually accompanied with why avast thinks it suspicious, what reason was given ?
Check the avast! Log Viewer (right click the avast icon), Warning section, this contains information on all avast detections.

Blacklisting individual email addresses is a waste of effort as they are most frequently faked and a moving target.

Why wouldn't it work, what happened, errors, etc. ?
What exactly are you trying ?
Alt + PrintScreen should copy the active window to the clipboard, past that into an image editor (freeware irfan view is basic but works, there are others) and save it as a .jpg, .gif or even a .png file. Click the Additional options text and that allows you to attach images and text files.
Title: Re: "Suspicious Messages"
Post by: nospmas1939 on January 20, 2007, 09:59:23 AM: Sorry for not replying sooner, but am having minor PC probs.

Have tried doing a screen dump of the window/message I receive but for some reason it won't let me do it.

Opened it in MSPaint and saved it as <*.jpg> and tried to attach it, but the 'post reply' will not let me do it!!! Have tried several times.

Will resolve my probs and will get back to you.

Thanks for all your help, to all, to date.
Title: Re: "Suspicious Messages"
Post by: Lisandro on January 20, 2007, 11:18:34 AM: Quote from: nospmas1939 on January 20, 2007, 09:59:23 AM
Opened it in MSPaint and saved it as <*.jpg> and tried to attach it, but the 'post reply' will not let me do it!!! Have tried several times.
Allowed file types: txt, jpg, gif, png, log
Maximum attachment size allowed: 200 KB, per post: 4

Please, save the file like *.gif and you'll have a smaller size.

To know how to post a screenshot, see http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=8982.0
You can use WinSnap to get a screenshot (http://www.ntwind.com/software/winsnap.html).
Title: Re: "Suspicious Messages"
Post by: DavidR on January 20, 2007, 03:02:40 PM: I assume like Tech that the problem is one of size, you didn't say what the error was.

If you use the Alt + Print Screen keys together it only copies the active window.

If you crop the image to show only what is relevant will reduce the size.