Author Topic: wmv files scanning  (Read 3775 times)

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dansorin

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wmv files scanning
« on: October 06, 2010, 07:46:37 PM »
after using avast for over a year, I gave it up due to update problems. now I'm considering switching back to avast, I just have a question: is avast scanning real-time wmv files, or on-demand?

Offline scythe944

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Re: wmv files scanning
« Reply #1 on: October 06, 2010, 09:41:25 PM »
It scans everything in real time.
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Offline DavidR

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Re: wmv files scanning
« Reply #2 on: October 06, 2010, 09:52:53 PM »
Well everything considered an immediate risk or a target of infection. So does .wma present an immediate risk (if allowed to run could perform a malicious task) or the target of infection.

As far as I'm aware wma files can't be infected in the same way an exe or dll file can, but I think it is more a case of crafting it to try and exploit the media player. Personally I think it should be scanned.

If it is it doesn't appear to have any impact on my system on the very odd occasion when I play one.
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Offline scythe944

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Re: wmv files scanning
« Reply #3 on: October 06, 2010, 09:53:44 PM »
he said wmv David.
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Offline DavidR

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Re: wmv files scanning
« Reply #4 on: October 06, 2010, 10:05:43 PM »
My bad, I meant wmv, but some weird reason put wma as it is another windows media file format that can also be used to try and exploit the media player.
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dansorin

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Re: wmv files scanning
« Reply #5 on: October 07, 2010, 11:58:51 AM »
thank you guys for replying. the reason for asking this: after giving up avast (update problems with the new v5) I switched to f-secure (license available from my employer). but on large wmv files, f-secure is scanning like crazy and my computer becomes unresponsive. I now consider switching back to avast, hoping the v5 is now more polished.

... it doesn't appear to have any impact on my system on the very odd occasion when I play one.
this is what I was searching for. you meant wmv files, right? I guess that scanning a large wmv file (or any very large file) should/could have some impact on executing that file. if it's unnoticeable, maybe avast isn't scanning wmv files? is this possible?
« Last Edit: October 07, 2010, 12:08:40 PM by dansorin »

Offline DavidR

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Re: wmv files scanning
« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2010, 04:12:19 PM »
The wmv files I ran were relatively small a couple of MB and even with the file system shield open so I could see what was being scanned. However, as soon as I clicked the .wmv file in explorer the avastUI loses focus, as quick as I was switching back to it I couldn't see if the file was scanned.

Avast has been blisteringly fast in its scans (coming top in many tests for speed of scanning), so I didn't see any huge delay in the wmv file being loaded. But since I started by clicking the wmv file in explorer the media player has to be loaded (didn't take long at all as that would have a scan overhead) and still no appreciable delay in it starting.
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dansorin

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Re: wmv files scanning
« Reply #7 on: October 07, 2010, 06:06:27 PM »
I couldn't take it anymore with f-secure and the wmv files, and switched to avast. everything running as it should,  no delays on playing wmv files.
but, I checked and can say that avast is not scanning on-access the wmv files, only on-demand. this is why there is no delay in playing such files. if avast is happy with this, I'm happy too. just for information, the scanning (on-demand) of a 700MB wmv file takes around 30sec.
the only thing I will miss is the Deepguard in f-secure, I don't think the behavior shield in avast is a match for it.
thank you, David and scythe944 for your replies.

Offline DavidR

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Re: wmv files scanning
« Reply #8 on: October 07, 2010, 06:25:33 PM »
You're welcome.

Whilst not knowing what exactly deep guard does, there are upgrades to the behaviour shield in avast 5.1 which shouldn't be that far off now.
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Offline scythe944

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Re: wmv files scanning
« Reply #9 on: October 07, 2010, 06:30:47 PM »
Plus that whole, 6.0 that they're toting about.

Quote
It's closer than we think
as well!
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Offline DavidR

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Re: wmv files scanning
« Reply #10 on: October 07, 2010, 08:12:44 PM »
Yes, but 6.0 being closer than we think, isn't something that even figures on my radar, whilst 5.1 is looming large on the radar. I fancy a beta notification fairly soon.
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Offline scythe944

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Re: wmv files scanning
« Reply #11 on: October 07, 2010, 08:29:25 PM »
Yes, but 6.0 being closer than we think, isn't something that even figures on my radar, whilst 5.1 is looming large on the radar. I fancy a beta notification fairly soon.

God I hope so.
For generic computer (not avast) problems, you can also visit my forum for help: http://www.jacobytech.net/forum