Author Topic: More secure to access gmail on the web or thru mail client and Avast?  (Read 11174 times)

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balm

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my understanding is when accessing gmail directly thru the IE,  with the gmail settup as https (instead of http) Avast has nothing to do with it, thus we rely on gmails own webmail scanning before it arrives - i assume also this applies if the mail is not downloaded, thru "work offline"

also i understand if we set up gmail in the mail client (Windows Mail) and access it there, the mail is downloaded to the computer, and thus Avast goes to work on it (with proper configuration,mail shield, and maybe file shield)...


1. are my understandings above correct?

2. my question is a basic, is it better (safer) to access my email directly on the web, or thru Windows Mail (with Avast running of course)?

thanks



http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=66536.0
« Last Edit: November 28, 2010, 04:04:54 AM by balm »

The Dude 321

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Re: More secure to access gmail on the web or thru mail client and Avast?
« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2010, 05:56:51 AM »
link=topic=66695.msg562714#msg562714 date=1290913338]
my understanding is when accessing gmail directly thru the IE,  with the gmail settup as https (instead of http) Avast has nothing to do with it, thus we rely on gmails own webmail scanning before it arrives - i assume also this applies if the mail is not downloaded, thru "work offline"

also i understand if we set up gmail in the mail client (Windows Mail) and access it there, the mail is downloaded to the computer, and thus Avast goes to work on it (with proper configuration,mail shield, and maybe file shield)...
[/quote]

You assumptions are correct. Web-based mail is scanned my Gmail security software, and mail that arrives at your address via a web-mail client is scanned by avast.

It is safer to access mail from free clients via the web, clients such as hotmail or Gmail, because they are liable for the security of the attachments, and that is why they make sure that they are no viruses, because if there were, it would damage their credibility.

Hope that helps.

Cheers
The Dude 321.

YoKenny

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Re: More secure to access gmail on the web or thru mail client and Avast?
« Reply #2 on: November 28, 2010, 02:06:55 PM »
@ The Dude 321

Please go to PROFILE then Modify Profile then Forum Profile Information then select your country in Please select your country: then update your Signature: with information like my signature as this helps the helpers offer pertinent advice.

@ balm

You need one more post to enable you to update your PROFILE

balm

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Re: More secure to access gmail on the web or thru mail client and Avast?
« Reply #3 on: November 28, 2010, 03:51:56 PM »
thanks Dude,

ok YoKenny, here it is then 8)


1.so if someone sends me an attachemnt and i access it thru gmail, that attachment is more secure than if avast had scanned it?

2. also, why then do i read that for any mail information of personal nature its better to NOT use webmail, or is this another issue?

thansk
« Last Edit: November 28, 2010, 03:53:41 PM by balm »

YoKenny

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Re: More secure to access gmail on the web or thru mail client and Avast?
« Reply #4 on: November 28, 2010, 05:00:57 PM »
I would get rid of McAfee Site Advisor as it is not very good and even rates sites with known malware as safe. ::)

Finjan Secure browsing is much better. :) 
http://securebrowsing.finjan.com

1. True

2. This is another issue and webmail is as secure as Gmail or Hotmail provide.

Dch48

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Re: More secure to access gmail on the web or thru mail client and Avast?
« Reply #5 on: November 28, 2010, 05:34:39 PM »
To me it's 6 of one and a half dozen of the other. I think both ways would be equally secure. I prefer to centralize my email accounts with an email client. I use Outlook Express but Outlook, Windows Mail or Thunderbird (if you can get it to work, I never could) are other alternatives.

Offline DavidR

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Re: More secure to access gmail on the web or thru mail client and Avast?
« Reply #6 on: November 28, 2010, 06:34:41 PM »
I believe there is a gmail add-on for thunderbird, here are a few of them from a little search, https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/search/?q=gmail.
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balm

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Re: More secure to access gmail on the web or thru mail client and Avast?
« Reply #7 on: November 28, 2010, 08:49:58 PM »
Quote
This is another issue and webmail is as secure as Gmail or Hotmail provide


im a little confused,

1. so how is NOt using webmail, more private ?

2. what is the safest, most private then, is this using (logging into) your ISP account?

3. what about the mail client, does accessing Gmail thru there any safer when compared to any of the above?

4. so whats the point in ever using Mail Shield?

so many questions i know, so much to learn thanks


Gargamel360

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Re: More secure to access gmail on the web or thru mail client and Avast?
« Reply #8 on: November 28, 2010, 09:05:33 PM »
1: A question of keeping your data local or cloud based, and which you prefer.  Some would say web mail is an invitation for corporate snooping.  Others would say this is just more FUD spreading.

2: Infinitely debatable.  No clear answer.

3: Possibly you are getting a little more safety this way.  Gmail scans with 2 engines, last I checked, adding Avast! mail shield would be a little more protection.  More of the same type.  Treading the line of unneeded redundancy, perhaps.

4: To protect yourself if you choose to use mail client software.


Follow the old gold standard of not opening any unknown mail, especially unknown attachments.  Common sense and learning from others misfortunes are still your best defense, whatever you choose.

balm

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Re: More secure to access gmail on the web or thru mail client and Avast?
« Reply #9 on: November 28, 2010, 11:52:13 PM »
if your interested this explains the complexities of the security no matter waht method:

Quote
The Lack of Security in Email

Email is inherently insecure. In the following sections, we will see just how insecure it is. At this stage, it is important to point out the insecurity in the email delivery pathway just discussed:

•Webmail: If the connection to your Webmail server is “insecure” (i.e. the address is http:// and NOT https://), then all information including your username and password is not encrypted as it passes between the Webmail server and your computer.
•SMTP: SMTP does not encrypt messages (unless the servers in question support opportunistic TLS encryption).  Communications between SMTP servers may send your messages in plain text for any eavesdropper to see. Additionally, if your email server requests that you send your username and password to “login” to the SMTP server in order to relay messages to other servers, then these are also sent in plain text, subject to eavesdropping. Finally, messages sent via SMTP include information about which computer they were sent from and what email program was used. This information, available to all recipients, may be a privacy concern.
•POP and IMAP: The POP and IMAP protocols require that you send your username and password to login; these credentials are not encrypted. So, your messages and credentials can be read by any eavesdropper listening to the flow of information between your personal computer and your email service provider’s computer.
•BACKUPS: Email messages are stored on SMTP servers in plain, unencrypted text. Backups of the data on these servers may be made at any time and administrators can read any of the data on these machines. The email messages you send may be saved unexpectedly and indefinitely and may be read by unknown persons as a result.
« Last Edit: November 29, 2010, 04:32:27 AM by balm »

balm

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Re: More secure to access gmail on the web or thru mail client and Avast?
« Reply #10 on: November 29, 2010, 05:00:05 AM »
Yokenny


Quote
Finjan Secure browsing is much better.   
http://securebrowsing.finjan.com



when i tried downloading it doesnt work witth Windows 7?

YoKenny

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Re: More secure to access gmail on the web or thru mail client and Avast?
« Reply #11 on: November 29, 2010, 12:05:43 PM »
when i tried downloading it doesnt work witth Windows 7?
It works fine for me on Windows 7 with IE9.

Offline Vladimyr

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Re: More secure to access gmail on the web or thru mail client and Avast?
« Reply #12 on: November 29, 2010, 12:33:01 PM »
my understanding is when accessing gmail directly thru the IE,  with the gmail settup as https (instead of http) Avast has nothing to do with it, thus we rely on gmails own webmail scanning before it arrives - i assume also this applies if the mail is not downloaded, thru "work offline"

also i understand if we set up gmail in the mail client (Windows Mail) and access it there, the mail is downloaded to the computer, and thus Avast goes to work on it (with proper configuration,mail shield, and maybe file shield)...


1. are my understandings above correct?

2. my question is a basic, is it better (safer) to access my email directly on the web, or thru Windows Mail (with Avast running of course)?

thanks

I use Thunderbird (IMAP) for all my accounts, including GMail, and I don't see how it can be anything but safer to have avast! scan incoming mail as it is accessed by the client in addition to the protection inherent in GMail.
There is a way that seems right to a man,
       but in the end it leads to death
.” - Proverbs 16:25

Offline Asyn

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Re: More secure to access gmail on the web or thru mail client and Avast?
« Reply #13 on: November 29, 2010, 01:10:13 PM »
...it is accessed by the client in addition to the protection inherent in GMail.

Says all, doesn't it...
asyn
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balm

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Re: More secure to access gmail on the web or thru mail client and Avast?
« Reply #14 on: November 29, 2010, 04:34:50 PM »
YoKenny,


from finjan:

Quote
Q: How do I know if my browser and operating system are supported by Finjan SecureBrowsing?

A: Finjan SecureBrowsing supports the following:

Operating System

•Microsoft Windows XP Home (Service Pack 2)
•Windows 2000 (Service Pack 4)
•Windows Vista

Web Browser

•Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or 7.0
•Mozilla Firefox 1.5 and above


so i assume this is outdated....

when download it gave me a similar message, some attempts it would tell me to retry if unsuccessfull with recommended settings???, finally i saved to desktop, then ran it, after 2 attempts it seemed to work

in the browser it acts strange, each time i change pages, it adds more and more of the rating icons up to 6 of them, and the more information option is always blank??? not giving me much confidence its working.
« Last Edit: November 29, 2010, 04:36:51 PM by balm »