Understanding avast4.ini file

[RejZoR]

Half of tweaks relied on default entries in avast4.ini file.
Now almost all were removed. So i was unable to detect current/default settings since there is no entries. For example AAVM section is now gone,but was there in avast! 4.1

[Lisandro]

Now almost all were removed. So i was unable to detect current/default settings since there is no entries. For example AAVM section is now gone,but was there in avast! 4.1

This occurs very often... A lot of settings (the default ones) are not on the default avast4.ini file (clean installation).

But, my question is where avast reads the default values when they're not written on the avast4.ini file?  

[igor]

Now almost all were removed. So i was unable to detect current/default settings since there is no entries. For example AAVM section is now gone,but was there in avast! 4.1

This occurs very often... A lot of settings (the default ones) are not on the default avast4.ini file (clean installation).

But, my question is where avast reads the default values when they're not written on the avast4.ini file?  

The default values are hardcoded in the program executables - so that these values can be used if they are not present in the .ini file (that's why they're default ). As for 4.1 --> 4.5 update - the default values may have been removed from the clean .ini file (don't know, but it's possible) - but the keys and the default values should be the same, as far as I know.

[wanidoob]

But, I could not configure - and I think it won't be possible - avast to scan a outbound mail encripted to be sent through a SSL connection.

hum, but gmail smtp is TLS, not SSL protected !

In my thunderbird I can choose one or other, so it seems not to be the same, even if some email providers are saying "SSL" for outbound emails, it is TLS...

What I have found about :

- "Based on Netscape’s SSL 3.0, TLS supercedes and is an extension of SSL. TLS and SSL are not interoperable." (link)

- "The encryption protocol SSL is now named TLS, resulting in two names for the same protocol. Current software will negotiate TLS version 1 or SSL version 3 automatically. Humans, on the other hand, have to decide between using the more recognizable SSL term versus the official TLS designation." (link)

- and in fact : TLS v1.0 ~ SSL v3.1, but differences made them inoperables (link)


But I have succeed to use smtp gmail with avast scan, through stunnel (SSL). When I send a mail to myself (gmail), I received one with avast outbound checked and avast inbound checked !

Be sure to configured one smtp server for gmail and another for others. And try this before to add your spami...


My smtp server for gmail :
- login "nick@gmail.com" (don't forget it, in addition to pop login)
- server "127.0.0.1"
- port "11025"
- security protocol : none

My stunnel conf :

Code: [Select]

[gmail-smtps]
accept=127.0.0.1:11025
connect=smtp.gmail.com:587
protocol=smtpI'm not sure that "protocol=smtp" is really usefull (?)

My Avast conf :

Code: [Select]

[MailScanner]
Log=20
ShowTrayIcon=1
AutoSetProtection=0
PassThrough=1
Trust=127.0.0.1
AutoRedirect=1
StartSmtp=1
StartPop=1
StartImap=1
StartNntp=1
PopRedirectPort=110,11110
SmtpRedirectPort=25,11025
ImapRedirectPort=143
NntpRedirectPort=119
IgnoreLocalhost=0
IgnoreAddress=

[lukor]

Hello Technical and others, here is some info about Web Shield configuration changes:

Since the version 4.6.613 Web Shield can handle the filtering in two modes.

1) First one is the same as in original release. We call it Opt-out. In this mode of operation Web Shield filters all outgoing traffic from all processes, except those that are explicitly know to cause troubles. Some of these are hardwired into avast's owns databases, other's are configurable via avast4.ini settings.

2) Second mode we call Opt-in. Only processes that are know _not_ to cause troubles are filtered by Web Shield. These include common browsers and many other tools already identified as compatible with Web Shield. Users are encouraged to add their own process names to be filtered via avast4.ini settings.

----
Opt-out mode in avast4.ini:


[WebScanner]
OptIn=0
IgnoreProcess=badapp1.exe,badapp2.exe,very_evil_app3.exe


Opt-in mode (default since version 4.6.613)

[WebScanner]
# the following line is optional, if missing the default value is 1
OptIn=1
OptinProcess=goodapp1.exe,goodapp2.exe,my_very_friendly_proxy.exe

[Lisandro]

Lukas, if I understood, both methods can't be used at the same time, can they?

You've wrote that in the Opt-out mode Web Shield filters all outgoing traffic from all processes. Were you trying to say inbound?
In the Opt-in mode users must add the process or they won't be scanned. Is it right?

[lukor]

Technical, thanks for your comments.

Instead of all outgoing traffic I might have written all outgoing connections. But the traffic is indeed scanned on the way from the internet to the browser - so it's the inbound data of the connections initiated by browser.

You've wrote that in the Opt-out mode Web Shield filters all outgoing traffic from all processes. Were you trying to say inbound?
In the Opt-in mode users must add the process or they won't be scanned. Is it right?

In the Opt-in mode the user must add the process if it is not already known to avast. So, there is no need to add iexplore.exe or mozilla.exe to the ini file as these are processes known to webshield and scanned (filtered) by default. On the other hand there is currently no way of determing the list of known process names. Should we add the functionality for this?

[Lisandro]

Lukas, I don't think it will be necessary a full list of known good programs because the user could choose the Opt-out mode.
But I think the help files must explain this very well or we will have problems and too many questions in forums.
Btw, the users with a local proxy will choose, in my opinion, the opt-it mode excluding conflicting programs. This worked for me. The Opt-out mode let me without connection. Of course, could be a way to configure the Opt-out but it will be too time consuming for me and, right now, thanks God, my WebShield is working perfectly 

[lukor]

Technical, as I remember correctly your setup - you are using proxy on localhost and have altered the redirected port in webshield's config - so now webshield scans the traffic between your browser and your proxy? Am I right? In your setup it is only the browser whose connections are scanned - either the new Opt-in or the old Opt-out, both should work.

[wanidoob]

Oh yeah, that's great !

I thought we were not on "Understanding avast4.ini file", for a while... and it's my fault !

thank you to give again its direction on this thread, especially with such invaluable information !

In the Opt-in mode the user must add the process if it is not already known to avast. So, there is no need to add iexplore.exe or mozilla.exe

The "known process" could be created in the ini file. In case of some users want not to scan some ones, but use OptIn mode. I don't know if this will be really usefull, but it's

On the other hand there is currently no way of determing the list of known process names. Should we add the functionality for this?

If it is just to know, it will not be really usefull (except in case of debugging : it could be usefull, at least on avast.com). But if we could change them...

And another question : does avast accept processus names with full file location text ? In case of some progs are renaming themselves to an autorised process name or to a "known process" name...
...or in my special case (not to take into account) : I keep more than one version of some programs to take advantages of all versions

[Lisandro]

Technical, as I remember correctly your setup - you are using proxy on localhost and have altered the redirected port in webshield's config - so now webshield scans the traffic between your browser and your proxy? Am I right? In your setup it is only the browser whose connections are scanned - either the new Opt-in or the old Opt-out, both should work.

Lukas, the configuration we talked about, as you know:
- Local proxy: 127.0.0.1 at port 8001
- Does not ignore local traffic
- Opt-in worked ignoring the process (local_proxy_application.exe)
- Opt-out failed miserabily... Don't know what's wrong...

[Lisandro]

Another config to only set by edit the avast4.ini file...

hence the Thread name!

Lukas, you don't know Vampiric very much 
He's complaining (as usual  joking) that we don't have a GUI to set all of this into avast.
Settings are spread all over the 'Program Settings', 'Provider Settings', 'avast4.ini' file, etc. etc.
So, he (and a lot of users) want a Central Configuration.
I know, Vlk said that the GUI won't change... It's a pity 

[lukor]

Technical, Vampiric,

Well, I also think the configuration can be a little bit more centralized - especially the provider's config pages may be too complicated and distributed for many. But on the other hand you must also understand that most of you - the frequent forum members - are very advanced users with specific needs and specific configuration requirements - at least you know exactly what you want the program to do. For others too many configuration options and too many configuration pages might mean that the program in it's entirety is too complicated to be used.

We think that those options present only in the avast4.ini file are there only for special purpose use, for debugging purposes, for overcoming unusual configuration situations and the like. During normal program usage you don't have to edit avast4.ini file. At least we hope so. 

Lukas.

[Lisandro]

Lukas, I agree and understand.
What we ask is a tab with all 'advanced' options and a reset buttom to the default ones.
Can anybody from Alwil or an avast user teach me how to programm and external application (GUI) for reading/writting the avast4.ini file?

[rdsu]

lukor: I agree with you, but exists simple settings that you can create a dialog for them, like the settings that the program maded by RejZoR have.

Ex:
[AAVM]
AnimateIcon=
SuppressUpdatedInfo=
SuppressUpdateErrorInfo=
[InetWD]
UpdatePeriod=
AlwaysConnectedWaitSeconds=

This are an examples of useful settings that all the users, experts or not, should set in the main program configuration...