Author Topic: Want to take no action when scanning ZIP archive  (Read 2570 times)

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Offline Harlequin

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Want to take no action when scanning ZIP archive
« on: December 06, 2018, 06:20:21 PM »
When doing an on-demand scan of a specific ZIP archive, I do not want Avast to take any automatic action if it finds a virus.

I am not sure how to set my Avast 10.4 to do this.  Is it sufficient to uncheck the box for "Automatically apply actions"?  See the image below.


http://www.imagebam.com/image/553a6e1054220814.jpg
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Offline Pondus

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Re: Want to take no action when scanning ZIP archive
« Reply #1 on: December 06, 2018, 06:27:50 PM »
Quote
Avast 10.4
Are You using a Mac ?

Offline DavidR

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Re: Want to take no action when scanning ZIP archive
« Reply #2 on: December 07, 2018, 12:07:55 AM »
Quote
Avast 10.4
Are You using a Mac ?

Not according to his Signature below his posts, just can't use later Avast versions because of non SSE2 enabled CPU.

@ Harlequin
If you are talking about a "specific ZIP archive" why not add the path to that specific ZIP archive in the exclusions ?

Personally I feel:
- With a resident (on-access) scanner the need for on-demand scans is much depreciated. For the most part dormant/inert files are being scanned, the other active files are going to be scanned by the resident shields when they are activated.

If you still feel you must scan, archive files the option in your image is the safest, I'm not saying best.  I never allow autonomous actions to be carried out so I would never check that option.
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Offline Cluster-Lizard2014

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Re: Want to take no action when scanning ZIP archive
« Reply #3 on: December 07, 2018, 03:07:50 PM »
Agree with the last thing 100%. I stop AVAST from doing anything automatically except update the definitions.

Adding every .zip or .rar archive you download to the exclusion list would be just too much hassle. It is really impractical to suggest that, particularly with AVAST's clunky global exclusion list system.

What is needed, if it has still not been done yet with the latest versions, is to give the user the choice to add it to the exclusions list at the end of the on demand scan. That means the excluded file itself and not just the path because in the case of a download that will almost certainly be changed.

I've often come across zip/RAR files I've just downloaded which AVAST has not blocked or flagged any warning  but on demand scans report as a problem. Compressed file formats may be flagged simply because they "could not be scanned' and some highly compressed archives are reported as possible zip bombs too.

Yet if I ignore those warnings ie. because I've elected to do nothing thankfully AVAST will still 'allow' me to move and unpack them without issue. But surely what this indicates is that the resident shields and the on demand scans are effectively at odds. The resident shields are allowing something on to your PC, for it to be copied or moved and unpacked which on demand scan of that same file will be reported as a problem.

Even if you don't want AVAST interfering in your choice to do that, and I certainly do not, doesn't that suggest there is still a good reason for using on demand scans for any download most of which will be zipped or RARed archives?

     
« Last Edit: December 08, 2018, 02:20:49 PM by Cluster-Lizard2014 »

Offline bob3160

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Re: Want to take no action when scanning ZIP archive
« Reply #4 on: December 07, 2018, 03:35:36 PM »
I'm a bit puzzled but I thought that compressed files by default, aren't scanned till accessed ???
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Offline Pondus

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Re: Want to take no action when scanning ZIP archive
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2018, 03:50:37 PM »
Manual scan  >>  https://support.avast.com/en-ww/article/Antivirus-scan-settings

Quote
By default, Self-extracting archives, Droppers and NTFS streams are ticked for new custom scans. Other archive types do not need to be scanned because unless they are extracted, they cannot harm your PC. If you tick All packers, the scan analyzes all archive files, which significantly increases the scan duration.


for shields it does not say what default setting is  >>  https://support.avast.com/en-ww/article/Antivirus-shield-settings



EDIT: yes it does here
Webshield  >>  https://help.avast.com/en/av_free/17/settings_sh_web_basic.html
Quote
By default, All packers are ticked.

File shield  >>  https://help.avast.com/en/av_free/17/settings_sh_std_on_exec.html
Quote
By default, Self-extracting archives, Droppers and NTFS streams are ticked. Other archive types do not need to be checked because unless they are extracted, they cannot harm your PC. If you tick All packers, the Shield analyzes all archive files.

Mail shield  >>  https://help.avast.com/en/av_free/17/settings_sh_mail_basic.html
Quote
By default, All packers are ticked.





Quote
Default settings are optimal for most systems, so we do not recommend to make changes unless you find that there is a problem.




« Last Edit: December 07, 2018, 04:03:55 PM by Pondus »

Offline bob3160

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Re: Want to take no action when scanning ZIP archive
« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2018, 04:35:30 PM »
@Pondus,
Self Extractors aren't your normal compressed files.
I'm talking about compressed that need to be uncompressed before they can be used.
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Offline DavidR

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Re: Want to take no action when scanning ZIP archive
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2018, 04:56:17 PM »
I'm a bit puzzled but I thought that compressed files by default, aren't scanned till accessed ???

The OP is talking about on-demand scans and in particular "When doing an on-demand scan of a specific ZIP archive" Hence my Reply #2
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Offline Pondus

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Re: Want to take no action when scanning ZIP archive
« Reply #8 on: December 07, 2018, 07:01:25 PM »
@Pondus,
Self Extractors aren't your normal compressed files.
I'm talking about compressed that need to be uncompressed before they can be used.
Did you Read the FAQ ?




Offline bob3160

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Re: Want to take no action when scanning ZIP archive
« Reply #9 on: December 07, 2018, 09:24:28 PM »
I'm a bit puzzled but I thought that compressed files by default, aren't scanned till accessed ???

The OP is talking about on-demand scans and in particular "When doing an on-demand scan of a specific ZIP archive" Hence my Reply #2
If it does nothing, will it let you know if the zip file contains something dangerous ???
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Offline DavidR

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Re: Want to take no action when scanning ZIP archive
« Reply #10 on: December 07, 2018, 10:00:41 PM »
I'm a bit puzzled but I thought that compressed files by default, aren't scanned till accessed ???

The OP is talking about on-demand scans and in particular "When doing an on-demand scan of a specific ZIP archive" Hence my Reply #2
If it does nothing, will it let you know if the zip file contains something dangerous ???

Well you should get the results of the scan at the end, if you had chosen what actions to take then it would have taken them.  If you have chosen do nothing in those results you can make a selection of the action to take.

But the whole point in this is the OPs request:
When doing an on-demand scan of a specific ZIP archive, I do not want Avast to take any automatic action if it finds a virus.
<snip>

To which I suggested just exclude the specific zip archive, rather than all zip archives.

So out of all of the various suggestions, the Op can choose which best suits his needs.
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security