Antivir or Avast: packer virus

[Antigen]

Hi to all, I have read tha Avast can detect packer virus and Antivir PE no. Is true? I have read that this can be very dangerous to Antivir PE users. My friend are using antivir and I suggest to them to use Avast. My frien has tell me that Antivir has not this problem and Antivir PE can use Heuristic scan that Avast don't have.
If this problem is true (packer virus) I suggest to my friend to use Avast again.
Thanks for the explanation.

Bye.

[Lisandro]

Hi to all, I have read tha Avast can detect packer virus and Antivir PE no. Is true?

avast! can detect virus into packed archive files. But, as far I know, Antivir PE could do it too.
Maybe the strenght and power of detection would be different between one and another...

Antivir PE can use Heuristic scan that Avast don't have.

That's right. avast! has only email heuristic detection, not for the standard shield resident.

Anyway, Antigen, avast! seems better than Antivir for me: fast updates, configurability, features, appearance, number of providers, etc. etc.
You can use avast! with Antivir (this one without the Antivir Guard installed) in the same computer.

[Antigen]

I use Avast! because I prefer some function. But after read this information about packed virus.... I'm allarmed for my friend.... Heuristic in some case is not so good. It can increase false alarm.

[RejZoR]

Packers (UPX,AsPack etc) are supported by both,but avast! certanly leads when it comes to number of supported packers.

[Antigen]

Avast can detect/scan into more format?

[RejZoR]

Yup. I belive FSG and MEW are just one of packers that AntiVir doesn't support,but there could be more (afaik).