Avast Free 5 - Full Scan Sensitivity

[sevendy]

I just installed Avast Free 5.0.396.  Playing around with the settings, I noticed that the Pre-Defined Scans "Quick", "Full system" and "Removable media" do not have scan setting options for "Sensitivity" and "Packers"--is this intentional?  If so, what are the (hidden, default) settings, heuristic levels, etc.?

[DavidR]

The default settings are the best balance between performance and protection.

Archive, a.k.a. packers (zip, rar, etc.) files are by their nature are inert, you need to extract the files and then you have to run them to be a threat. Long before that happens avast's Standard Shield should have scanned them and before an executable is run that is scanned.

[Gohoos81]

I just installed Avast Free 5.0.396.  Playing around with the settings, I noticed that the Pre-Defined Scans "Quick", "Full system" and "Removable media" do not have scan setting options for "Sensitivity" and "Packers"--is this intentional?  If so, what are the (hidden, default) settings, heuristic levels, etc.?

The heuristics engine is partially, but not completely implemented yet in avast! 5 free.  Even if sensitivity option were available, it wouldn't have the desired impact.  That being said, you can create your own custom scan and set your sensitivity level and packers to scan to whatever you want them to be.

[olddog]

...The heuristics engine is partially, but not completely implemented yet in avast! 5 free.  Even if sensitivity option were available, it wouldn't have the desired impact .  That being said, you can create your own custom scan and set your sensitivity level and packers to scan to whatever you want them to be.

Sorry Gohoos81, I have a problem with what you have said, and I wonder what your statement is based on.

IF the heuristics engine is partially but not completely implemented and IF that currently would result in a sensitivity option if available not having the desired effect" then it would strongly infer that the heuristics sensitivity settings that are available in all the other options would be in the same boat. The specific mention of Avast!5 free also perhaps infers that this is not the case for the Pro version.

Is what you have posted based of an official statment of fact somewhere by Awil, or is it just your own opinion?

[Gohoos81]

Is what you have posted based of an official statment of fact somewhere by Awil, or is it just your own opinion?

It came from my inference from a response given to a question I asked earlier today.  There is no official statement from ALWIL regarding "partial" heuristics that I am aware of.  You are right, I did intend to communicate that setting heuristics to high in a customized scan in avast! 5 (free, pro, IS) wouldn't very helpful at this point in time.  I mentioned the customized scan option so that if someone was so inclined to set heuristics to high, the option is still available, irrespective of whether the option is useful.

The link to the thread mentioned above is here: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=55406.msg468217#msg468217

[olddog]

Thank you for the background Gohoos81,

After reading the comment from Administrator Kubecj that "Regarding heuristics: the engine is in there and is being tested. The detections for now are still done in the standard way. Code emulator works and is able to catch some modified samples", it does appear that the present benefits of the heuristics engine to the user are perhaps somewhat questionable.

"In there and being tested" is fine for a beta test or even prelease version, but not what you would really expect for a fully released product, particularly the paid for versions.
 

 

[coolsilver]

Basically you still have 4.8 type detection while the new stuff is still turned down or off until other code can be done... my thought is more x64 support.