avast e-mail scanner service

[mrckmn]

Hello,
I had asked a somewhat similar question a few days ago, but now I have a different question. Right now I'm totally confused about the avast e-mail scanner service feature. I'm using the latest beta version ( 4.6.601 ) , on a computer with windows xp home sp2. Also I have sygate personal firewall ( 5.6 build 2808 ) installed. I don't use any mail program such as outlook express , pegasus, etc. . Just web mail such as gmail, yahoo, etc.. So am I correct in saying that the avast e-mail scanner service doesn't actually do anything for me ? In my list of applications in sygate firewall, I terminated the e-mail scanner service. But when I updated to the latest beta version this morning ( 4.6.601 ) I noticed that the service was listed again in the applications in the firewall, and also in the taskmanager area of running applications. How and why is this possible ? I hope there are plans to add an updated help file that explains more about the e-mail scanner function. I did a search here in the forums, but didn't find the information I was looking for. Thanks so much.

[lee16]

Hi mrckmn,

Avast email scanner does not support webbased mail (as its on a server rather then a client app)
However the avast standard shield and webshield should pick up viruses if they try to initiate in your browser while your reading your webbased mail (hotmail etc).

But when I updated to the latest beta version this morning ( 4.6.601 ) I noticed that the service was listed again in the applications in the firewall, and also in the taskmanager area of running applications. How and why is this possible ?

When you updated to the latest BETA you reinstalled avast, so the email scanner was re-initiated.

However uninstalling the specific providers should solve this, for this go to control panel>Add/change programs>avast>change/remove>change, then uncheck the email providers that you don't want.

--lee

[mrckmn]

Dear lee16,
What you stated makes a lot of sense, and agrees with my thinking about the e-mail scanner function.
Also, you stated:
" When you updated to the latest BETA you reinstalled avast, so the email scanner was re-initiated.

However uninstalling the specific providers should solve this, for this go to control panel>Add/change programs>avast>change/remove>change, then uncheck the email providers that you don't want."
That also made sense, since I posted my original message I went into the on-access protection control area and terminated the internet mail function. When I did that, the e-mail scanner was no longer listed either in my running application in sygate firewall or the windows taskmanager area. I was confused about what you said here:
" However uninstalling the specific providers should solve this, for this go to control panel>Add/change programs>avast>change/remove>change, then uncheck the email providers that you don't want."
I think you might have been talking about the on-access protection control area I mentioned. Thanks so much for a response. Have a great weekend. 

[lee16]

I was confused about what you said here:
" However uninstalling the specific providers should solve this, for this go to control panel>Add/change programs>avast>change/remove>change, then uncheck the email providers that you don't want."

I was talking about removing the email provider, but as you correctly stopped/ terminated it, the there no need.

Thanks so much for a response. Have a great weekend. 

No problem, have a nice weekend also 

--lee

[mrckmn]

Dear Lee,
I should have tried what you had mentioned in your previous response, I guess that I got the same result by going into the  on-access protection control area  and terminating the internet mail function. I just went into the windows xp control panel, clicked on avast, change /remove tab, and much to my surprise I saw the items you had mentioned there. I clicked on the change tab, and it didn't display anything but a notice that the program had been updated. Hope this makes some sense.
David