Author Topic: Avast is blocking outgoing Outlook Exp. Mail  (Read 16800 times)

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dan633

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Avast is blocking outgoing Outlook Exp. Mail
« on: July 18, 2012, 09:38:30 PM »
I am using WinXP SP3 and Avast  6.0.1367 (Don't wish to update again) until yesterday I had No problem sending mail via Outlook Express 6. Today I got an error message and mail would not go through. I checked the settings (although they should not change on their own) and the SMTP, port (587) and encryption (TLS) settings are the same as before and correct. (on Avast and Outlook).
I was able to send messages After I disabled the Mail Shield. I don't know if it soured after a Avast update or something else is amiss. There are no other virus programs installed. Any suggestions? Thank you in advance.

Offline Pondus

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Re: Avast is blocking outgoing Outlook Exp. Mail
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2012, 10:11:20 PM »
do you have a firewall?.....if so what?


Quote
I am using WinXP SP3 and Avast  6.0.1367
and why not update to avast 7?
« Last Edit: July 18, 2012, 10:23:10 PM by Pondus »

JohnnyBob

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Re: Avast is blocking outgoing Outlook Exp. Mail
« Reply #2 on: July 19, 2012, 09:28:29 AM »
Check my signature. As you can see, I run avast without the Mail Shield. Experts elsewhere tell me it's redundant because the File Shield will catch viruses in Outlook Express mail that try to activate.

I recommend setting Outlook Express security to Restricted sites zone, plus there are some other security settings you can use too if they don't interfere with your desired mail operations.

You could also forward all of your email to a gmail account (or similar external account which detects & filters viruses, phishing, spam, etc) and retrieve it from there via POP3 with Outlook Express. Everything bad should be removed before it ever arrives locally in Outlook Express. In my experience that's very effective, just a rare spam message leaks through.

But proceed this way only if you understand the risks. I think they're small, especially if you also practice safe hex! :)

dan633

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Re: Avast is blocking outgoing Outlook Exp. Mail
« Reply #3 on: July 21, 2012, 12:07:05 PM »
Hello,
JohnnyBob- Thanks for the advice, I prefer to send mail without a 'work-around'. I have other Email sites now, but many web sites have a hyper-link for Email contact and it opens Outlook. Using that directly is easiest and it should be available w/o a bug. But since you said File Shield will catch it, all's well. I'll just keep the mail shield disabled. Good Day!

Pondus, The firewall is the one that came with this Compaq/HP PC. There are no other firewalls installed. If entering an 'exception' there will allow me to use Outlook without being blocked by Avast, please direct me to the program that can be accessed via the 'Browse' button and I will add it and check the box. I suspect that the problem can be fixed by a simple 'one click' change in Outlook's Tools or an entry in the Avast settings. It's too bad that someone who has had the same problem did not see my post. If the answer did not appear within a day, it will probably just fade away.  I will just keep the Mail Shield disabled....
I have reasons for uninstalling Avast 7 and returning to the last updated version of 6, but I prefer not to debate it. I am (was) happy with Avast 6 until it decided to mess with Outlook's Send function.
Thank you for taking the time to post an initial reply. 
« Last Edit: July 21, 2012, 12:09:59 PM by dan633 »

Offline DavidR

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Re: Avast is blocking outgoing Outlook Exp. Mail
« Reply #4 on: July 21, 2012, 01:00:42 PM »
Check my signature. As you can see, I run avast without the Mail Shield. Experts elsewhere tell me it's redundant because the File Shield will catch viruses in Outlook Express mail that try to activate.
<snip>

I hate to contradict your other experts, but the file shield may not detect what the Mail Shield can, I guess that they don't know just what the mail shield can do. What you do on your system is entirely up to you.

@ dan633
The Mail Shield may give you your first indication that you have an hidden/undetected trojan spambot sending out spam from your system (it doesn't even have to be using your email client, it can use its own SMTP routine).

So far from stopping the Mail Shield I would suggest that you set the Mail Shield, Expert Settings, Sensitivity, Heuristic Sensitivity to High. I don't know why you are still using avast 6 as less of the people helping here can help as they won't have been using avast 6 for almost 6 months (and we forget the old settings).

I think that if you haven't had any problems in the past sending email with these settings in OE6 then your outbound email for that account wasn't being scanned as for secure encrypted email traffic can't be scanned.

####
You have two choices really, and here is where the avast6 memory is hazy:
1. From the Mail Shield, Expert Settings, SSL Accounts, uncheck the Automatically detect about unprotected SSL connections (I don't know if that option was in avast6).
2. Allow avast to handle the secure connection side of the connection and sending of the SSL email - this will require you change the account settings in OE6, see ~~~~ below.

~~~~
- avast! 6.x, 7.x: SSL Problems The Mail Shield may not scan some e-mails - see https://support.avast.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=842. Whilst this is an old article and mentions avast6 it is relevant for avast7 also.
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security

kd5

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Re: Avast is blocking outgoing Outlook Exp. Mail
« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2013, 02:48:53 PM »
Hate to drag this topic up, but I've been having the same issue as dan633 for the last week or so.  I'm using Avast! 8, Windows XP SP3, OE6 for my email client.  Have not been able to send emails using OE for the last few days.  This just started recently, I hadn't changed anything, my computer is squeaky clean.  I disabled the Mail Shield temporarily to send mail, the one of them that I'd kept sent just fine (I'd already deleted the other 2).  If Avast! had an update recently which fubar'd OE, I wish someone would address it and resolve the issue.

Offline DavidR

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Re: Avast is blocking outgoing Outlook Exp. Mail
« Reply #6 on: August 23, 2013, 03:14:56 PM »
You really should create your own new topic as the avast mail shield has changed considerably from when this topic was created (two major updates) so the suggestions may not be relevant.

Since you haven't changed any settings, there is a possibility that there is something else in the mix.

When you create that topic, give more information on why you can't send emails, e.g.
What error messages are you getting ?

What is your ISP/email service and does it require SSL ?
It is possible that your ISP email server is having problems, have you checked the ISP email Status reports ?
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security

JohnnyBob

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Re: Avast is blocking outgoing Outlook Exp. Mail
« Reply #7 on: August 23, 2013, 04:17:15 PM »
Hate to drag this topic up, but I've been having the same issue as dan633 for the last week or so.  I'm using Avast! 8, Windows XP SP3, OE6 for my email client.  Have not been able to send emails using OE for the last few days.  This just started recently, I hadn't changed anything, my computer is squeaky clean.  I disabled the Mail Shield temporarily to send mail, the one of them that I'd kept sent just fine (I'd already deleted the other 2).  If Avast! had an update recently which fubar'd OE, I wish someone would address it and resolve the issue.
I think my signature says it all. Dump the avast mail shield and forget it. I haven't used it for years...

Offline Pondus

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Re: Avast is blocking outgoing Outlook Exp. Mail
« Reply #8 on: August 23, 2013, 04:21:19 PM »
one workaround is to use webmail.   ;)



James Wilson

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Re: Avast is blocking outgoing Outlook Exp. Mail
« Reply #9 on: August 23, 2013, 10:37:15 PM »
I had Avast 8 blocking email down load. Disabling avast did not help. Disabling and rebooting did work.  I uninstalled and reinstalled Avast,  that solved my problem. It is worth a try.

James Wilson