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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: Add-Aware on April 15, 2007, 04:56:08 AM

Title: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: Add-Aware on April 15, 2007, 04:56:08 AM
Does avast! have heuristic?
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: mouniernetwork on April 15, 2007, 05:44:33 AM
Hi and welcome to the Forum  ;),

No, currently Avast Antivirus does not contain heuristic exept for mass mailers; however Avast 5.0 is expected to have heuristics. Please be aware that even though Avast does not have heuristic it still performs very well in detecting malware.

Al968
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: Add-Aware on April 15, 2007, 05:52:31 AM
Thanks you very much  ;)
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: mouniernetwork on April 15, 2007, 05:56:17 AM
I would like to give you the date  it will be released but currently it is unsure, maybe Vlk or Igo will tell us  ;D

Al968
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: Add-Aware on April 15, 2007, 07:24:31 AM
Good  ;) Thanks again :)

P.S. Sorry for my bad English :)
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: DavidR on April 15, 2007, 03:14:01 PM
No, currently Avast Antivirus does not contain heuristic exept for mass mailers; however Avast 5.0 is expected to have heuristics.
<snip>

The features for avast 5 haven't been fully announced (they have been very tight lipped about avast 5), there is a topic or two in the forums, but they don't directly call it heuristics as that has some sort of clear definition but a behaviour blocker would be closer to the HIPS definition. There is also meant to be more generic signature detections and anti-kill to prevent it from being disabled.

An advanced forum search for "avast 5" by User: vlk,igor returns many hits, but it is still a job to find any the features.
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: Lisandro on April 15, 2007, 05:09:03 PM
Quote
however Avast 5.0 is expected to have heuristics.
For Standard Shield (on-access scanning)? I don't think so...

Edit: David, don't worry that much about quotes  :-*
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: DavidR on April 15, 2007, 06:21:24 PM
Tech, I don't know how you quoted that, but it was said by al968 and quoted in my post, but most certainly not said by me as my comments in the rest of the post attest.
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: Vlk on April 15, 2007, 07:17:03 PM
I sort of like this kind of speculations... carry on, this is so inspiring... :P
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: DavidR on April 15, 2007, 08:28:23 PM
You could always end the speculation with a couple of hints ;D

Quote from: DavidR
The features for avast 5 haven't been fully announced (they have been very tight lipped about avast 5)
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: Lisandro on April 15, 2007, 08:55:46 PM
I sort of like this kind of speculations... carry on, this is so inspiring... :P
They're based on your comments about heuristics and avast 5...
Like David said, you can stop all speculations if you say a little more about avast 5 and then, we'll shut up 8)
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: Vlk on April 15, 2007, 09:10:25 PM
We have many things written on the paper; however, not too many things actually implemented. I'm sorry but I don't think it's a good idea to promise (or even disclose) a feature until it's more or less certain that it's going to make it to the final product.

What I can promise is that you guys will be one of the first to know.

Cheers
Vlk
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: Lisandro on April 15, 2007, 09:15:01 PM
What I can promise is that you guys will be one of the first to know.
We're proud of this. Thanks.
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: RejZoR on April 15, 2007, 09:31:03 PM
I could cope with anything you guys have in mind. So far i've supported every decision even though it wasn't looking that well from users perspective. Some were even improved, mostly generic detections which i'd like to see even more. After all, if you don't have the heuristic engine, generic ones can do almost as good. Not in detecting new malware but at least countless variants of existing ones which are usually the most problematic anyway regardless of all the outbreaks.
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: Add-Aware on April 17, 2007, 06:47:57 AM
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Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: Marc57 on April 17, 2007, 08:34:26 AM
 Heuristics are OK if done right, But I've run some AV programs that had so many FP they were pretty much useless. So Vik, if you and the team are going to add this to Avast, Please take your time and make sure it's right. ( I already know you will :) )
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: Lisandro on April 17, 2007, 02:25:05 PM
But I've run some AV programs that had so many FP they were pretty much useless.
Which ones?
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: Marc57 on April 17, 2007, 08:25:26 PM
But I've run some AV programs that had so many FP they were pretty much useless.
Which ones?

Granted it's been a few years so things may have changed. One was AVG, I had many FP's with it and their almost total lack of support made turning off Heuristics easier than trying to get help. Another was several early versions of NAV, but at least with NAV you could turn down the sensitivity.
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: Lisandro on April 17, 2007, 09:31:53 PM
My personal experience:
AVG: few false positives, poor support.
NAV: rarely, very few, false positives, extremely poor support.
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: sergofun on April 17, 2007, 11:38:18 PM
Hi, all.
I think that if heuristic would be added in avast! it's will be good to make "Heuristic" as one of resident. In this case users can swith it off if they really don't need it (or for some other reasons).
On another side it's great idea if avast! could control all processes in OS (but there could be some problems with firewalls, like Outpost), imho.

2Add-Aware, take a look - you are in the DavidR's signature! What are you doing there?
(DavidR, I'm sorry, it's just a joke ;))
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: Lisandro on April 18, 2007, 12:52:06 AM
On another side it's great idea if avast! could control all processes in OS
What do you mean?
avast! already monitors (scans) them...
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: .: Mac :. on April 18, 2007, 04:01:27 AM
I sort of like this kind of speculations... carry on, this is so inspiring... :P

I think you would enjoy reading some of the Apple discussion forums around the web. All we do is sit and speculate about what Apple will do next!

Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: sergofun on April 18, 2007, 11:21:26 PM
Quote from: Tech
What do you mean? avast! already monitors (scans) them...
Ok. I mean that is some program tryes to modify Windows regedit, IE start page or to enter some BHO in Explorer, etc, then it would be great if avast! could stop them and ask user what to do.
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: Lisandro on April 18, 2007, 11:38:14 PM
Quote from: Tech
What do you mean? avast! already monitors (scans) them...
Ok. I mean that is some program tryes to modify Windows regedit, IE start page or to enter some BHO in Explorer, etc, then it would be great if avast! could stop them and ask user what to do.
Yes, an antispyware/BHO module would be great... but we're crying and are they listening to us?
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: Add-Aware on April 19, 2007, 01:58:04 AM
Quote
but we're crying and are they listening to us?
Maybe they can use some opensource antispyware-proactive shield like WinPooch? (winpooch.free.fr)
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: sergofun on April 19, 2007, 10:30:06 PM
Add-Aware, then avast! must be opensource to use WinPooch's code ;)
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: Lisandro on April 19, 2007, 10:42:20 PM
Add-Aware, then avast! must be opensource to use WinPooch's code ;)
avast is (and I think it will be...) a freeware, not an opensource.
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: Add-Aware on April 20, 2007, 02:04:13 AM
Quote
Add-Aware, then avast! must be opensource to use WinPooch's code
Quote
avast is (and I think it will be...) a freeware, not an opensource.
Who know about it? You, me, Tech and who else? Let it will be our small secret :)
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: mouniernetwork on April 20, 2007, 04:06:42 AM
Quote
Add-Aware, then avast! must be opensource to use WinPooch's code
Quote
avast is (and I think it will be...) a freeware, not an opensource.
Who know about it? You, me, Tech and who else? Let it will be our small secret :)

I also know about it  ;D

We have to respect the OpenSource community as it is an enemy of Microsoft and an enemy of Microsoft can only be good  ;D

Al968
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: Add-Aware on April 20, 2007, 07:57:56 AM
Quote
I also know about it
Sorry, but to me will have you to kill.  ;D

Russia also respect opensource Microsoft  ;)
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: sergofun on April 21, 2007, 10:13:56 PM
Quote from: Tech
avast is (and I think it will be...) a freeware, not an opensource.
Yes, avast! HE is freeware, but WinPooch is an opensource. And if ALWILL will use a piece of WinPooch's code in avast! then avast! must be opensource too due to rules of GNU license.
Quote from: Add-Aware
Russia also respect opensource Microsoft
Yes, Microsoft are to open it's sources! It must be opensourced!!! :)
Title: Re: Avast! Heuristic
Post by: Add-Aware on April 22, 2007, 10:35:36 AM
Quote
Yes, avast! HE is freeware, but WinPooch is an opensource. And if ALWILL will use a piece of WinPooch's code in avast! then avast! must be opensource too due to rules of GNU license.
Oh, those prevented on licenses englishmans :)