email

[ckernaghan]

[I am only able to send or receive emails when Avast is disabled.  How do I correct this?]

[DavidR]

What is your firewall ?
Does it allow ashMaiSv.exe internet access ?

[ckernaghan]

I am not very familiar with a firewall... I believe there is an integrated firewall on our modem.  I can also tell you that when I installed Avast, I did disable Nortin Anti Virus software as I was told I can use both.  After installation it told me that because there is another system detected, it disabled my P2P shield and my Instant Messaging Shield..  I am able to browse, it does updates, but cannot access my email.   

[Lisandro]

I did disable Nortin Anti Virus software as I was told I can use both.

It's not enough... they won't live togheter.
Please:
 1) Remove NAV through Add/Remove programs from Control Panel. Boot.
2) Use Symantec removal tool following the three steps defined in the SymNRT tool info or here.
3) Boot.
4) Install avast! Boot.
5) See what you get.

Believe me... they won't live togheter... sooner or later: troubles.

[ckernaghan]

Thank you for your quick response.  This is helpful. 

[DavidR]

I can also tell you that when I installed Avast, I did disable Nortin Anti Virus software as I was told I can use both.

Whoever told you this did you a disservice, I would advise you don't get your technical advice from. Norton is one of the worst if not the worst when it comes to living with another AV, even when disabled or uninstalled it can still leave remnants to trip other programs up. The SymNRT tool mentioned by Tech should clear any possible remnants.

A hardware modem/router/firewall combo doesn't provide protection against unauthorised outbound connection. Any malware that manages to get past your defences will have free reign to connect to the internet to either download more of the same, pass your personal data (sensitive or otherwise, user names, passwords, keylogger retrieved data, etc.) or open a backdoor to your computer, so outbound protection is essential.

- Zone Alarm free http://www.zonelabs.com works fine with avast and has a reasonably friendly user interface. There are others, Comodo, Sunbelt Kerio, Jetico, etc.
See some firewall tests for comparison, some are freeware but many are paid for versions http://www.firewallleaktester.com/tests.php. Also see http://www.thefreecountry.com/security/firewalls.shtml

Welcome to the forums.

[iddoy]

Related question:
I have ZoneAlarm as a firewall, monitoring my outgoing mail.
I see that ashMaiSv.exe is trying to send emails to various addresses, unknown to me.
When I denied ashMaiSv.exe permission to send emails, I could not send any emails myself.
Can anyone explain this to me?
Thx!

[Lisandro]

ashMaiSv.exe is the Internet Mail provider of avast and should be allowed to connect in order to scan your mail.

[iddoy]

But why is ashMaiSv.exe sending out emails on its own?

[Lisandro]

But why is ashMaiSv.exe sending out emails on its own?

It's not doing so... it's scanning the outbound mail.
Your email program > ashMaiSv.exe > firewall > Internet 

[iddoy]

Tech, thx for your quick responses!

[DavidR]

But why is ashMaiSv.exe sending out emails on its own?

As Tech said it isn't sending but monitoring.
However, if you weren't sending or receiving email then it could be you have a Trojan SpamBot on your system.

Were you sending or receiving email at the time ? What were you doing at the time ?

[Lisandro]

Tech, thx for your quick responses!

Be used to avast forums speed 
Welcome 

[ckernaghan]

I purchased a new computer and was not able to use NAV because of a SSL connection.  It would not allow me to send or receive emails.  So, after I completely uninstalled it, I again downloaded Avast.  I would have thought it would be working fine as there was no other program to interfere with.  Well, once again, I am still not able to access my email incoming or outgoing unless I disable Avast.  What is wrong?  It was suggested that no other virus program should be on my system when I downloaded Avast.  It didn't matter.

[alanrf]

ckernaghan,

we will be very happy to try to assist you further with your email problem if you will first confirm that you have completely followed the advice given to you by Tech earlier in this thread and completely removed all traces of Norton AntiVirus from your system.

Unless this has been done then to try to assist you further would be a waste of effort by you and by us.

However, please understand that no antivirus product can scan email as it is retrieved on an SSL connection.  Trying to make it do so is an exercise in futility (it's like asking someone to inspect the flow as you retrieve your bank statement) and the effort is likely to cause you more headaches.

One of the best known SSL emails is GMail, it like many others these days has already been scanned at the mail server, so the need for further scanning by your antivirus product is questionable.  Nevertheless, if you do want mail that has been retrieved via SSL further scanned by avast we can provide recommendations to assist.

Awaiting your confirmation ...