Turning off e-mail scanning

[jc55]

New member, first post.  Have been using {and recommending} the free Home 4.7 version.

Can I disable e-mail scanning?  If so, how?  I looked for - but didn't see the option.  Is this an option not available on the free home version - but, available on a 'purchase version'?

James

[DavidR]

Why would you want to disable email scanning ?

Double click the avast icon, on-access scanner screen, select Internet Mail, Terminate and answer Yes to persist the change.

Personally I think you are ill advised to do this.

If you don't see an image like mine, click the details button at the bottom of the windows that pops-up.

[jc55]

DavidR,  I'm not able to locate a screen such as the one you displayed.  Is your's the 'Pro' {$$} version?  I don't find it on my free 'Home' version. 

You ask:  "Why turn it off?"  I've been in contact with Microsoft regarding several OE6 issues.  In addition to assisting me in 'fixing' OE6, they almost categorically recommend what I've copied and pasted in immediately below - james   


Turn off email scanning in your antivirus software.

    Antivirus software invades the Outlook Express program to try and intercept (incoming and, in some cases, outgoing) messages that might contain virus. The problem with this approach is that the antivirus software can trigger the destruction of an entire message folder or the entire message store, when it attempts to remove a message containing a potential virus.

    Because of the fragility of the OE message store structure and its propensity for destruction, this applies to just about any antivirus program that touches the OE message store. So its best to follow these instructions regardless of what antivirus program you use. This suggestion also extends to anti-spamware programs that interfere with the operations of OE. Such software should be disabled with respect to OE mail, or uninstalled.

    To prevent the possibility of such destruction occuring, turn off email scanning in your antivirus software. You will still be protected against infection. If you attempt to open a message attachment containing a potential virus, then your antivirus software will recognize that your are attempting to infect your system, and will block you from doing so.

[Bluesman]

DavidR,  I'm not able to locate a screen such as the one you displayed.  Is your's the 'Pro' {$$} version?  I don't find it on my free 'Home' version. 

What happen when you double click the avast icon in the systemtray?

If you don't see what David show you in the pic, click on the button "Details", and the window should expand.

[jc55]

Thank you Bluesman.  Now, I see the same screen DavidR posted.  I didn't think to dble-clk on the Sys Tray Icon.  I was clicking the Desktop Icon.  It didn't lead me to that screen.

Now, all that remains is: 'how strongly do I want to believe the recommendations' to turn-off e-mail scanning.

Thanks,  james

[DavidR]

DavidR,  I'm not able to locate a screen such as the one you displayed.  Is your's the 'Pro' {$$} version?  I don't find it on my free 'Home' version. 

You ask:  "Why turn it off?"  I've been in contact with Microsoft regarding several OE6 issues.  In addition to assisting me in 'fixing' OE6, they almost categorically recommend what I've copied and pasted in immediately below - james   

Turn off email scanning in your antivirus software.

<snip>

Sorry, what they have told you is absolute bo*****s I have been using avast for almost 3 years alongside  OE6 and no problem deleting

It invades OE, god what tripe, not all anti-viruses are the same and avast is capable of operating with a very large number of different email programs and probably best with OE because it does understand the .dbx folder structure.

What they are talking about is not what happens, avast Internet Mail scanner doesn't scan the dbx folders, it scan incoming and outgoing email, but it does that outside the .dbx folders in a local proxy so emails are intercepted outside folders and don't touch the .dbx folder.

Now the on-demand scanner, does depending on the scan settings you give scan the .dbx folders (these are simply files containing multiple emails that are in an email folder), it is possible that an old email could be found that is infected and it can remove it in the case of OE without corrupting the file/folder.

I notice they don't once mention backing up your email folders, which should be a regular part of your system maintenance, backing up files, favourites, address book, emails, basically anything you don't want to lose. You should do this at least weekly and preferably daily. If you don't want to lose it back it up.

God they haven't got a clue about avast. They are talking in generalisations and they simply can't tar all AVs with their same outdated brush (ideas) of what AVs do. Sorry about the rant but they make me mad.

OE6 is a bloody minefield without an AV, full of potential holes and vulnerabilities and it needs all the help you can give it.

[jc55]

DavidR,  Thanks for your lively reply.  I will give it considerable thought before clicking off avast's e-mail scanner.

One question: The MS OE6 evangelicals contend e-mail scanning is NOT necessary for protection - that you're still protected against infection.  True or false?

You are indeed an avast! Evangelist.  I appreciate that - james

[alanrf]

I have to second the concerns expressed by David.

Microsoft is playing the "fear uncertainty and doubt" card for all it is worth in this case.

How does avast work?

It scans the email between being retrieved from your mail server and before it is delivered to your mail client (OE6).  At the time avast scans your inbound email messages they have never yet reached OE6 and certainly it has absolutely nothing to do with the "delicate" message store of OE.  The avast mail scanner has the chance to scan the message inbound and its attachments before they ever reach OE.  If the message is found to be infected avast will ask what you want to do.  You can have avast remove the infected attachment (in which case the message is amended before it reaches OE) or you can override avast and tell it to just deliver the email to OE.     

The old rule "one ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" applies here.  It is by far the best to prevent an infection from ever reaching your mail store in the first place.  Its a bit like stopping someone from breaking into your house in the first place rather than attacking him once he is in.

There is far more danger to your mail store if an antivirus program detects a virus in the mail store and tries to perform a quarantine of the whole mail store or worse performs a botched attempt at removing the virus from the mail store and leaving it unusable. Either way you have lost every message in the mail store.

I find it hard to understand how the MS team puts out such rubbish.

[DavidR]

DavidR,  Thanks for your lively reply.  I will give it considerable thought before clicking off avast's e-mail scanner.

One question: The MS OE6 evangelicals contend e-mail scanning is NOT necessary for protection - that you're still protected against infection.  True or false?

You are indeed an avast! Evangelist.  I appreciate that - james

No problem, welcome to the forums.

MS and security, two words not often found in the same sentence, almost like military intelligence

Email is still one of the major means of infection and for MS to say email scanning isn't necessary for  protection is absolute rubbish and clearly false. OE6 is like the proverbial leaking sieve when it comes to protecting you. Their contention is totally wrong, yes an AV should be able to catch it even if the email weren't scanned (as Alan said prevention rather than cure), but that puts you right into their first scenario an AV working within the .dbx files trying to remove an infected email and not the complete folder, total rubbish.

So for them to come out with that clap trap and not to suggest how you are to protected yourself is total lunacy. I'm afraid they hold themselves in high regard and think their customers are stupid enough to swallow their spoutings.