Mail Shield Help

[Ronaldo9]

I have read many posts regarding the use of mail shield in Avast 5.0.  The issue is with SSL, etc...

I use Windows Live Mail to grab my gmail.  I have been told that AV's do not need mail shield.  So, I have turned off mail shield in Avast by unchecking both Scan inbound and outbound messages.

I was not comfortable changing port settings in Windows Live mail to 25 and 110 and unchecking my servers require authentication.

I never use Gmail web mail.  I always use Windows Live mail.

Can someone assure me I am OK with my current set up and am OK....Are my emails still getting scanned?  I have Windows 7 too.

Or should I dump avast and go to MSE?

Please help!

Thank You!!

[DavidR]

How can your email be scanned if a) you won't change the settings to enable it to be scanned and b) you disable inbound and outbound email scanning. See ~~~~ below.

I don't know if windows live mail scans email at source, but one thing for sure it isn't going to be scanning email that leaves your system, so what is going to block any spam should you ever end up with a hidden/undetected spambot trojan.

~~~~
- see http://support.avast.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=458 for an explanation of why this is required and that avast handles the secure communication.

[Ronaldo9]

Understand, but I have been told not to mess with settings in the Windows Live Mail client?
I also have read that mail shields are unnecessary today.

I have no idea if Windows Live Mail scan email?

I guess I am concerned about changing these settings in Live Mail?  Or should I dump this all together and go with MSE?

 

[DavidR]

Well you will be going with something that doesn't offer the same level of protection.

There are many avast users who also use Windows Live Mail and they are surely using the Mail Shield in conjunction with WLM without and disastrous consequence having 'messed with' the WLM settings.

Avast has one of the best levels of protection against web based malware, hijacked sites and the different shields for specific functions, P2P, Network Shield, etc. etc. so the choice is entirely yours.

[Ronaldo9]

I know Avast has one of the best levels of protection.  I do like it!
I will change my setting in Live Mail and let Avast control.

All I am saying is I have read from many that AV's do not require email scanners because it is the attachments we open that causes viruses if the attachment is infected???

And, I have been instructed by many not to change settings in Live Mail, however, I do understand the link that Avast support puts out to let the email scanner work on its own...

I do like the report Avast gives on emails and I can see the reports which is intuitive!

Any other input is greatly appreciated.  I consider myself knowledgeable in the PC arena, but not when it comes to security.  I chose Avast because of the reviews after my Norton subscription ended.  I do hear many good things about MSE too.

[DavidR]

What you hear isn't completely correct, attachments aren't the only issue. The act of just opening an email could trigger a driveby download. HTML emails can have iframe tags in them, which are normally found in web pages and they are often used to import dynamic content into that frame. So that same tool could just as easily try to run a malicious remote file, just as they can on a hacked website.