Web scnner as server?

[joe-lee]

Since I updated, I get the following message from Zone Alarm.
Do I want Avast web scanner and components to act as a server. Its Ashwebsv.exe

I believe there is one for the email component to act as server also.

Am I suppose to click yes to these questions?
Thanks
Joe

[Eddy]

Yes, ashwebsv.exe is the new provider in Avast.

[stevejrc]

They dont need to act as server, only as client/access. Server means incomming connections not incomming data from which you have requested through client/access. Not allowing Server is like barring incomming calls on a mobile phone, you can still call out and listen to others but they cant call you.

I have nothing in zonealarm acting as server and everything works fine, IE, outlook, avast/windows updates, avast webshield etc.

[Vlk]

joe-lee & stevejrc, both ashMaiSv.exe and ashWebSv.exe are by design server-type applications. They act as a (proxy) server for your mail client and Internet browser (i.e. "pick up incoming calls" from these programs). They then re-route the request to the real servers on the Internet and return the result to your mail client / browser.

This is a classic concept of a proxy. You may find more about this on the Internet.

Thanks
Vlk

[stevejrc]

I understand that, a local proxy doesn't need server rights, see following thread:

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,7223955~mode=flat~days=9999

webshield scans fine without "act as server".

[Vlk]

It needs LOCALHOST server right (in the parlance of that dslreports thread), whatever that means for ZA.

[errenay]

Does it mean that I should give web scanner server rights in Trusted Zone only (Zone Alarm Pro, newest version)? Or also in Internet zone?

[Jarmo P]

I understand that, a local proxy doesn't need server rights, see following thread:

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,7223955~mode=flat~days=9999

I think the same as you Steve.

As far as I can see it goes like this.
Browser makes contact outbound through that WebShield, or rather webshield then makes the contact.  WebShield then controls the incoming data cause of that outbound happened connection.
Scans the files etc. before allowing them to the browser.

So WebShield does not need to listen constantly for any requests from the internet.
It is not anyways a server program in a sense like instant messengers or a file server. When using a firewall Webshield only needs a client right.

Same goes for ashMaiSv.exe. It does not need a server right in a firewall rule, only a client right specifically for ports TCP 25110,119 .
I have noticed this though. I can close my Thunderbird email/newsclient but ashMaiSv still remains connected to the email/news servers. But it is connected through that outbound connection that was first established by starting Thunderbird.

Jarmo

[stevejrc]

yea, at the end of the day its trial and error, if the webshield scanned count goes up its working. 
I dont have anything with server rights.

[sded]

But as Vik pointed out, the Avast! mail and web scanners are constantly listening to the localhost ports.  There is no mail or web client up in the attached picture (from Kerio) and the avast! processes are waiting for a client request on the appropriate ports.  Sounds like servers for mail and web clients to me.

[stevejrc]

could be "automatic allowance of inbound loopback traffic on localhost 127.0.0.1" see:

http://outpostfirewall.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8790&page=1&pp=15

[lukor]

Oh gyus, lets make this clear: WebShield and Internet Mail provider both LISTEN on localhost. They OPEN their respective ports and they WAIT for connections on these ports from localhost. You might call it server rights, LOCALHOST server rights, Allow loopback communication or "whatever-your-favorite-junkie-monkie-firewall-software-likes-it-to-be-called".

So these components act as servers on localhost. This so called server is accessible only from localhost so it is NOT ACCESSIBLE from the internet.

[sded]

Unfortunately, if your firewall asks you if you want ashmaisv or ashwebsv to act as a server, it thinks that they have asked to act as a server, logic and science aside.  If you say "no", things may or may not work right, depending on your firewall.  Since they are inaccessible from the internet anyway, you can say "yes".  Or say "no" and change it if things don't work.
They are localhost servers and internet clients, but your firewall thinks they are acting as servers if it asks you.