TSGL: AVG Free AV vs. Avast AV ???

[Lee Bunyard]

Hi, Don.  Thanks for the comments.  I pretty much follow the same 
program you do with regard to AV and spyware/malware.  In addition to 
Spybot S&D and AdAware, I also use SpywareBlaster, Advanced Windows Care 
V2 Personal, AVG AntiSpyware.  I try to avoid programs that are resident 
and running all the time in favor of programs that I can start up when I 
want, update the definitions files and run scans when I choose to do 
so.  I check all of these programs daily for updates and usually run 
scans if a new update is installed.  Based on your recommendation, I 
just installed SuperAntiSpyware and am running a full scan right now.  
I've used the Free version of ZoneAlarm firewall for over 10 years.  
Actually, on my new desktop pc, I've been activating and running the 
built in firewall that is part of Windows Vista along with the ZoneAlarm 
firewall--so far I have not had any conflicts running two firewalls nor 
noticeable impact on performance.  Actually, I've never had a virus or 
malware infection that has shutdown or degraded the performance of my pc 
(so far as I know anyway), nor have my son or daughter who follow the 
same prevention program I do.  But I have known a number of people who 
have had SERIOUS system problems with their pc's due to virus and 
malware infections when they weren't using any AV product nor 
antispyware product.  I've helped them get their systems cleaned up and 
running well again using the programs mentioned above and most of them 
have followed my approach in preventing further problems.  But I still 
have the uneasy feeling that the whole thing is a crapshoot to a great 
extent, no question.

BTW, I do think that Avast does a proactive type of AV scan BEFORE a 
file is downloaded, or at least it does on the webpage http traffic as 
it downloads.  I've check the Avast monitor several times as webpages 
are loading and I can see the names of the various http components as 
they load and the Avast monitor indicates it is scanning each of them.   
The unresolved question for me is how necessary is it to do this 
thorough a scan, especially when it significantly slows down the loading 
of webpages.  For the time being, I've decided to leave the WebShield 
module of Avast Free AV active and scanning, even if it does slow down 
webpage loading.
Lee in the Mountains of Northern California (where it is finally raining 
again--Hopefully it will stop early in the a.m. tomorrow as I'm leading 
a group of motorcycle riders on a ride to Mount Diablo in the S.F. Bay 
Area). 


Don Penlington wrote:
> H.Davis wrote:
>   
>> It's not clear to me if AV programs detect this type of infection or if
>> Anti-Malware software does it. (Or maybe nothing detects it.)
>>
>> Can anyone else illuminate this area better?>>
>>     
>
>
> Perhaps I can add my miniscule grain of understanding here.
>
> As you have already surmized, the boundaries between malware, spyware, and 
> viruses are indeed very undefined.
> It depends who's doing the defining. Last time I looked, one of the site 
> newsletters (McAfee I think) had something like 28 distinct  classes of 
> malware alone.
>
> Some software will define a certain item as a virus, while another might 
> define the same thing as malware, trojan, or spyware. Others might regard 
> it as harmless and not flag it at all.
>
> Let me give you an example of what I mean.
>
> For years I've used Download Accelerator Plus as my download 
> manager/accelerator. It works very well, and really does accelerate 
> downloads.  There's a free version and a paid version. I use the free 
> version. It flashes banner ads which change every 20 seconds or so. They 
> aren't intrusive. I don't even notice them. I regard it a small price to pay.
>
> Spybot sees these ads as spyware (because the program is loading something 
> without my express approval) and therefore flags DAP, whereas AdAware 
> disregards it entirely.
>
> There are two distinct types of antivirus software---proactive, and 
> reactive. Proactive (of which Nod32 is the only one I'm aware of) scans 
> files before you download them. That could explain why Avast is slowing 
> down Lee's browsing, though I doubt it. Reactive (which is most of the 
> others) scan files as they get downloaded onto your hard drive, but before 
> they can be activated. Personally, I don't think it makes much difference, 
> unless you are in a very high-risk environment. Others will disagree, and 
> are willing to pay for a proactive system.
>
> It's a good idea to have at least 2 anti-virus programs---one running 
> actively, the other just for running an occasional scan when you see 
> something that might be suspicious, or checking something you've downloaded 
> from a dubious site.  As well, you should have at least 2 or 3 anti-spyware 
> programs. Spybot and AdAware are the usual standards.  I'm also most 
> impressed by Superantispyware which is receiving very good reports. 
> (Incidentally, it also includes a free online check of all your running 
> applications).   www.superantispyware.com/
>
> All are free. I use ZoneAlarm Pro as my active anti-spyware, and run 
> occasional scans with the others. They hardly ever find anything, never 
> anything of any consequence, so I guess ZA Pro is doing its job OK. The 
> free version of ZA does not have this facility.
>
> When you're near the borderline, it's very much in the eye of the beholder 
> as to what's allowable, what's not, and how it's defined.
>
> Which explains why most of us, myself included, live in a state of 
> perpetual confusion.
>
> Don Penlington
>  From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland.
> Computer tutorials, local scenery,  and other things at my website:
> http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Tech Support Guy Mailing List
> http://www.tsgserver.com/list/
>
>