Questions

[codexaenir]

I have a few questions about Avast! 4.

Does Avast! 4 use heuristics? As in looking at a code and determining whether it is malicious or not.

When will the next major version of Avast! 4 be released?

Can I hide the tray icon?

Is Avast! 4 a relatively fast program?

Is it stable?

How does it currently compare to Avast32?

How does it compare to other programs?

[Vlk]

codexaenir,

thanks for your interest. I'll try to answer your questions.

Does Avast! 4 use heuristics? As in looking at a code and determining whether it is malicious or not.

Yes and no. The avast! engine traditionally didn't use any heuristics (in the classical sense of word). However, some of the scanning methods, that could be called 'heuristics', were added to the engine couple of years ago. These are used primarily for generic malware and Trojan detection.

The mail scanning module in avast! 4 also provides some kind of heuristics, e.g. it is able to warn the user if a suspicious message is found (double extensions, <iframe>'s, content-type different from actual file type etc. etc.).

When will the next major version of Avast! 4 be released?

The next release (avast! 4.1?) is scheduled (approx.) for April-May.

Can I hide the tray icon?

Sure, see this thread: http://www.avast.com/forum/index.php?board=2;action=display;threadid=78;start=0

Is Avast! 4 a relatively fast program?

Yes it is . With default settings, it is very fast. With all the options turned on (test-full-files, ignore-virus-targeting etc.), it is still relatively fast (faster than most others).

Is it stable?

I'd say it's pretty stable on NT/2000/XP (unless you have some other AV program up and running, which is like a suicide). We have a number of server installations with uptimes in the magnitude of months, without any mejor problems. We have also attended most of the testing events in the Microsoft campus in Redmond to make sure that our software (and most importantly, our device drivers) play nicely with the rest of the Windows world.  

As for Win9x, it's much worse (as is the whole system, though). There are really no legal interfaces for doing the stuff an AV needs to, so it's kind of hack. Surprisingly, it (most of the time) works, though...  

How does it currently compare to Avast32?

avast! 4 has many improvements over avast32. See http://www.avast.com/avast4/new.html for more info...

How does it compare to other programs?

This is the hard one . I think we can either say "it's the best" and hope you'll trust us, or we can say "try it for yourself".
As with any other thing, there is no way to make it the way that everyone will like it. It depends on your personal taste.

For the detection rates, you can use some (quasi-) independent sources, such as the Virus Bulletin http://www.virusbtn.com .

Hope this helps,
Vlk

[MWassef]

regarding the new release, would you mind correct the spelling of the word "taskbar" at the last line of the Service setting(avast4! Mail Protection Wizard),it is written:

"Show takbar icon when processing mail".

Edit:
also kindly add the following info to the on-demand scanner:

- ? % done
- scan time remaining
 ;

BTW, how could I post a file or attache a picture to my post??

[MWassef]

Regarding the new release:
kindly make the def updates available to be downloaded manually from your website as the for the following AV (as I asked months ago):

PC-Cillin
http://www.trendmicro.com/download/pattern.asp

NAV:
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/download/pages/US-N95.html

F-Prot:
http://www.f-prot.com/download/index.html

AVG6:
http://www.grisoft.com/html/us_updt.php?session=b38f0297245b1d45b93bdcb388aa0c49#AVG60FREE

notice that the available update on your web site is only for version 3

http://www.avast.com/latest.htm

[codexaenir]

I'm a little confused about the heuristics that Avast! 4 uses. Could you explain a little more in detail?

[kubecj]

Regarding the new release:
kindly make the def updates available to be downloaded manually from your website

Manual update: 800-900 kb.
iAVS update (also may be manual but internet connection needed): 20-70 kb.

What's your point?

[MWassef]

Regarding the new release:
kindly make the def updates available to be downloaded manually from your website

Manual update: 800-900 kb.
iAVS update (also may be manual but internet connection needed): 20-70 kb.

What's your point?

not the iAVS update  but a zip file to be downloaded manually as this
http://www.avast.com/files/latest/vps30.zip

[Vlk]

"Show takbar icon when processing mail".

Slightly off-topic  , but thanks, it's gonna be fixed in the next update.

kindly make the def updates available to be downloaded manually from your website as the for the following AV (as I asked months ago):

Hey, as I said multiple times, the manual update can be downloaded from http://www.avast.com/iavs4pro/vpsupd.exe . Just download the file whenever you want to do the update, and run it on the target (which doesn't even have to be connected to the Internet, of course).

I'm a little confused about the heuristics that Avast! 4 uses. Could you explain a little more in detail?

Please start a new forum thread. This "universal" thread is not good - it makes it very hard to search for info for other users.

About your question, did you mean the "engine heuristics" or the "mail heuristics"?

Thanks,
Vlk

[kubecj]

not the iAVS update  but a zip file to be downloaded manually as this
http://www.avast.com/files/latest/vps30.zip

I understand what you want but I don't understand why do you want it. Why do you want to download 800-900 kb instead of clicking on an icon and download maximally 80 kbs?

[MWassef]

Hey, as I said multiple times, the manual update can be downloaded from http://www.avast.com/iavs4pro/vpsupd.exe . Just download the file whenever you want to do the update, and run it on the target (which doesn't even have to be connected to the Internet, of course).

when I ran it I received this error:

Can't install the VPS update. Please, report the following errorcodes:

Ver 4.0.172
SI: 0x00000005
ST: 0x20000011
LE: 0x00000000

could you pls explain this?

[kubecj]

Too many things could have happened. We need to see
1) setup.ini file
2) setup.log file (zipped)
3) contens of directory setup (dir *.* >x.lst)

4) check the version of vps file - maybe it got updated anyway.

You won't get in similar situation when using iAVS.

[MWassef]

Too many things could have happened. We need to see
1) setup.ini file
2) setup.log file (zipped)
3) contens of directory setup (dir *.* >x.lst)

4) check the version of vps file - maybe it got updated anyway.

You won't get in similar situation when using iAVS.

most likely it is the 4th reason, the configuration  was t automatic updating the def file.
BTW, How could I attach a file (jpeg for example) to my post??

[MWassef]

Hey, as I said multiple times, the manual update can be downloaded from http://www.avast.com/iavs4pro/vpsupd.exe . Just download the file whenever you want to do the update, and run it on the target (which doesn't even have to be connected to the Internet, of course).

Thanks,
Vlk

could you please guide me to how to reach this update file directly from the website? as I cannot find a link to it(to bookmark it, instead of openning this thread each time I want to download the file)

thanx in advance

[raman]

? Move your arow key to that Link http://www.avast.com/iavs4pro/vpsupd.exe

Push the right mousebutton and choose "Bookmark these Link"(using Mozilla/Netscape). Maybe with IE it is the same. I do not use an english IE