More protection for avast! ?

[Adek022]

Hi all. I registered today, but I'm using avast for a long time (version 4.5). I'm a big fan of this program and I would be happy if avast! the newer version was able to block annoying pop-ups. Like all of us know, a lot of sites display advertisements without consent. Another idea to improve avast! would add the ability to detect malicious registry entries and repair them. This method is known, for example, the malwarebytes. Currently, most of the viruses leave an entry in the registry and avast! is not enough to cure our computer. I realize that avast would lose a minimum of lightness, but I think it would be a good choice for us all. Of course this is only a modest proposal. Join the discussion.

Sorry for bad English, I'm from Poland.

[Lisandro]

Welcome to forums!
Which browser do you use?

The registry cleaning/repairing is an old wish of all of us.

[Adek022]

Currently I use google chrome alternating with Firefox. Of course I know that I can install plugins that block pop-ups, but it often slows down browser.

[YoKenny]

Use the HOSTS file to block annoying pop-ups.

Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts File

You can use a HOSTS file to block ads, banners, 3rd party Cookies, 3rd party page counters, web bugs, and even most hijackers. This is accomplished by blocking the connection(s) that supplies these little gems.

http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm

The HOSTS file is browser independent and does not slow down the browser.

[Lisandro]

I don't think they decline that much the speed. On contrary, make me concentrate

[Adek022]

Ok, pop-ups will no longer cause problems. And what do you think of another idea? I mean the detection of infected registry keys. To me, this option would definitely improved avast!

[DonZ63]

More like, include HIPS to protect critical registry keys and system components so you don't get infected in the first place.

[Lisandro]

And what do you think of another idea? I mean the detection of infected registry keys. To me, this option would definitely improved avast!

The keys aren't the problem. The infection is always on the files the keys point to.
avast will detect the files. Will clean the files.
The job will finish and be better if it removes the key (or the value pointing to the infected file) also.

More like, include HIPS to protect critical registry keys and system components so you don't get infected in the first place.

Oh Oh... wait a moment... There is a huge difference in a HIPS program and clean registry keys. HIPS technology is considered "noisy" and avast philosophy is to keep security quiet for the user.

[DonZ63]

HIPS technology is considered "noisy"

Only if designed as such. PC Tools Threatfire and Softsphere's Defensewall for example are totally silent for the most part. Even Comodo's Defense+ has been reconfigured in recent versions to be silent for the most part at default settings.

To bad Symantec appears to be letting Threatfire die a "slow death." No surprise there.

[Lisandro]

PC Tools Threatfire

It's not a HIPS program but a behavior blocker.

Even Comodo's Defense+ has been reconfigured in recent versions to be silent for the most part at default settings.

Indeed, but even in this case, it's not avast philosophy: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=64382.msg546016#msg546016

[Adek022]

The job will finish and be better if it removes the key (or the value pointing to the infected file) also.

That would be good if avast remove remnants of the infection. Deleting the same files or services are often not enough.