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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: Jack421 on January 20, 2011, 02:56:53 AM

Title: Compromised Avast
Post by: Jack421 on January 20, 2011, 02:56:53 AM
How do I know if malware has compromised Avast?  If somehow the malware has secretly rendered the scan engine inoperable or unable to remove malware.

Rootkits, viruses spyware etc ect
Title: Re: Compromised Avast
Post by: Gargamel360 on January 20, 2011, 03:11:41 AM
Ideally, you would see a yellow exclamation point or red X over Avast! icon in the system tray, either constantly or intermittently. 
Title: Re: Compromised Avast
Post by: Jack421 on January 20, 2011, 03:39:51 AM
Is there anyway avast can be compromised showing its operating normally or any other scan engine such as malware bytes and Super Anti Spyware!
Title: Re: Compromised Avast
Post by: wonderwrench on January 20, 2011, 04:21:25 AM
Sure it's possible. I have seen Norton disabled several times over the years. It looks like it scans but finds nothing. The PC's in question were being operated by dangerous users that did not follow common sense and most likely help infect their PC's with malware that disabled norton. I have yet to see Avast get disabled, fingers crossed.

Bill
Title: Re: Compromised Avast
Post by: Jack421 on January 20, 2011, 05:23:58 AM
Ok but how would one know if the system is compromised if it operates normally as if it had not been compromised by malware?  Would this come up in a OTL log or some other type of utility!  If it is compromised how could it be fixed and how can you find out?
Title: Re: Compromised Avast
Post by: Gargamel360 on January 20, 2011, 06:35:57 AM
Ultimate goal of much malware is to be stealth.  That is one reason for frequent program/virus database updates. 

Logs like you speak of are effective to see what others can not, if you know how to read the results.  They do nothing to prevent initial infection, though.

Best prevention of this doomsday scenario is layers of protection from separate sources.
Title: Re: Compromised Avast
Post by: Jack421 on January 20, 2011, 07:32:34 AM
What do you suggest I know avast covers spy ware and you can only run one anti virus at a time, I have avast and online Armour!  I use House Call and Eset Online Scanner as well as combo fix, Malware bytes, Spyware Blaster and Super Anti Spyware!
Title: Re: Compromised Avast
Post by: Gargamel360 on January 20, 2011, 07:42:04 AM
Ok, that is a lineup.  I would say for me that would be more than good enough.  But more?  Something like Threatfire.....maybe some kind of HIPS (OA have something like that?).... Sandboxie (or a full VM like VMware or Virtualbox).....Winpatrol......Prevx......all good things to check out.