Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: fdm2000 on March 16, 2004, 02:10:58 PM
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I visit numerous newsgroups and download both text and binary images. Will free Avast identify/intercept viruses contained in these downloads? And if so are there special settings that need to be configured?
Thanks for any guidance.
Frank
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In many ways avast! can handle it, specially if you configure the Standard Shield to scan created/modified files (better including the extensions for text and image files).
You can always add the following line to your download manager (if and when you use any):
C:\Program files\Alwil Software\Avast4\Ashquick.exe
without any other parameter. When the download finishes, the file will be scanned by avast! ;)
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Much obliged for the timely assistance. Now I have to determine the file extensions found in most newsgroup text postings - .doc,.txt ? or others - anyone have suggestions - I'm not familiar with many of the formats.
Frank
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Much obliged for the timely assistance. Now I have to determine the file extensions found in most newsgroup text postings - .doc,.txt ? or others - anyone have suggestions - I'm not familiar with many of the formats.
Frank
At the begginning, why don't you select 'all files' or write an * in the text box?
After you get more information, you can release some resources of the system, lowering the scanning just for the 'needed' files... 8)
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Thanks once more Technical
As suggested I have checked Scan Created/Modified Files and selected All Files under it. What are your thoughts on also selecting Scan Files on Open and not selecting any extensions - would that mandate that all files that are opened be scanned? Or would I need to specifically identify the extensions to scan. Not sure where you suggest putting the *
Frank
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Thanks once more Technical
As suggested I have checked Scan Created/Modified Files and selected All Files under it. What are your thoughts on also selecting Scan Files on Open and not selecting any extensions - would that mandate that all files that are opened be scanned? Or would I need to specifically identify the extensions to scan. Not sure where you suggest putting the *
Frank
Better to say:
On open text box for extensions write this: WS?,VBS,VBE,JS,JSE,HTA,WSF,WSH,SHS,SHB,HTM*,PIF
Created and modified:
Select the default selection set and:
ACE,ARC,ARJ,BZIP2,CAB,COM,GZIP,PST,RAR,TAR,ZIP,ZOO,ECE
This will be enough in 99,9% of the cases and it won't consume too much resources of your computer. Hope this help :-*
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Followed your advice, Technical. Not sure what many of the extensions you listed are/do. Would these broadly include some of the more common image files like gifs, jpgs and jpegs as well as some of the more common video files like mov,avi wmv, and mpeg?
Thanks for your time and patience with this newbie. i am climbing the learning curve with difficulty.
Frank
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Not sure what many of the extensions you listed are/do.
Most common extensions to be infected ;D
Would these broadly include some of the more common image files like gifs, jpgs and jpegs as well as some of the more common video files like mov,avi wmv, and mpeg?
They do not include anything else than themselves.
You can add that extensions if you want or use wildcards * or ?. ;)
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Would you suggest I add the common image file and video file extensions in both the Scan Files on Open and Scan Created/Modified Files or just in the Scan Created/Modified extension field?
Your advice is greatly appreciated.
Frank
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Honestly, why would you need to scan image and video files? These files cannot be infected... so asking the resident scanner to scan them only slows down your system (it may affect displaying the moves, for example) - and doesn't bring any security benefit.
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Would you suggest I add the common image file and video file extensions in both the Scan Files on Open and Scan Created/Modified Files or just in the Scan Created/Modified extension field?
Your advice is greatly appreciated.
Frank
Igor was faster than I... But he's right: don't worry about the image/video files ;)
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Igor and Technical - OK guys thanks for the information.
Didn't know image and video files were not infectible.
Frank