Avast! 5.x file scan on mouse hover

[Joseph A]

I would like to know if it is possible to inhibit scanning of certain files on mouse hovering over them, just to see the file properties.  If the file is a large one, it takes a little but annoying time to get the file properties.  This hiccup sometimes takes place more than once for the same file, even if "use transient & persistent caching" are both checked.

I think that such scan is not really needed since the file is not actually being opened or executed so I don't see any risk of malware action.  In any case, if there is a valid reason for such scan it could at least be made optional.

This kind of behaviour did not happen in version 4.8, at least I did not I notice it then.

[DavidR]

I don't know what your settings are for the File System Shield ?

I can hover the mouse over a file, it shows the tooltip for the file properties, that doesn't cause avast to scan it unless the file is one that is at risk of infection and an immediate threat e.g. an .exe .com .dll .sys .jpg .vbs .doc .xls files, etc.

I can even highlight (single click) a file and avast doesn't scan it unless it is at risk of infection and an immediate threat (as mentioned above), my File System Shield is set to Normal Heuristic sensitivity (the default setting).

So can you give some examples of the file types being scanned when you hover over them ?

[Joseph A]

My File System Shield is also set to Normal and the file types are the ones you mentioned (.exe .com .dll .sys, etc.).  Although the mentioned files might be "at risk of infection and an immediate threat", such risk only shows if they are opened or executed, not when just hovering the mouse tip over them to see the file properties.  That is why I do not think they should be scanned at such time.

[DavidR]

avast, as an on-access scanner has to get a head start to prevent infection, now waiting only until you attempt to run them might be too late if there happens to be something protecting them when run.

Personally on my system this overhead is totally unnoticeable, so my only concern would be if it was causing some sort of performance issue, What you also haven't seen is that once scanned, if you hover over it again it won't be rescanned as it is now in the temporary cache of clean files.