Author Topic: avast doesnt use heuristics?  (Read 8512 times)

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Offline Vladimyr

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Re: avast doesnt use heuristics?
« Reply #15 on: September 20, 2009, 11:15:29 AM »
I use PC Tools "Threatfire" together with Avast 4.8.
Threatfire is solely heuristic if I understand the program correctly (and free.)
No compatability problems on a Vista 32 laptop.
N.B. PC Tools recommend you do not register Threatfire with Windows Security Centre. This is the default loading setting.
My Firewall is Comodo (of course  ;D) They all seem to get on well together.
Hope this is helpful.


Old ground I know but... heuristic analysis = guess.
By contrast, Threatfire's detection is primarily by analyzing behaviour, not by fuzzy matching/guessing.

Confusion partly comes from products, even some otherwise reputable ones, using the word heuristic as a buzzword for sophisticated detection method.
E.g. ESET coined the term "Advanced Heuristics" for their behaviour analysis technique.
There is a way that seems right to a man,
       but in the end it leads to death
.” - Proverbs 16:25

Offline RejZoR

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Re: avast doesnt use heuristics?
« Reply #16 on: September 20, 2009, 11:29:36 AM »
Actually "Advanced Heuristics" isn't ESET trademark :P ThreatSense is and means the same thing by ESET terminology. And this one is their trademark.
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Offline Vladimyr

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Re: avast doesnt use heuristics?
« Reply #17 on: September 20, 2009, 11:59:29 AM »
Actually "Advanced Heuristics" isn't ESET trademark :P ThreatSense is and means the same thing by ESET terminology. And this one is their trademark.

Thanks for the clarification RejZor. (It's that early-onset Alzheimer's again! :-[)

This page is the one I was trying to remember, specifically:
"ThreatSense also uses an advanced heuristics engine to dramatically extend detection capabilities - far beyond those of conventional signatures. It actually decodes and analyzes executable code in a protected virtual environment. Doing so allows it to identify the intended behavior of today's continually evolving threats - not just viruses and worms, but bots, rootkits, and other trojans. This finely tuned engine catches an outstandingly high proportion of new malware missed by vendors relying on signature updates and less advanced proactive detection. You can learn more about heuristics and other detection techniques from this ESET white paper."
There is a way that seems right to a man,
       but in the end it leads to death
.” - Proverbs 16:25

Offline Vladimyr

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Re: avast doesnt use heuristics?
« Reply #18 on: September 23, 2009, 06:56:01 AM »
At the risk of going slightly off-topic, now PC Tools is "muddying the waters":

"Heuristics - Psychology 101?

No, this isn't an introductory Psychology lesson! Heuristics is a term used to describe the different types of anti-malware technology. Anti-Malware technology comes in two main forms, signature and behavioral based protection.
"

There is a way that seems right to a man,
       but in the end it leads to death
.” - Proverbs 16:25