Avira Proactiv - What Is It?

I've read this page several time now, and I still don't understand what ProActive actually does.

http://www.avira.com/en/proactiv

Can someone explain in "plain english" please?

I'm debating is whether it's worth installing and enabling it or not (large environment, several hundred PCs).

I'm assuming it still isn't available for x64 in v12.

Thanks.

 

Behavior analysis/blocking

 

As RejZoR said, my understanding too is that it analyses the behaviour of running applications on your system and sends a small amount of information to the cloud for checking if suspicious behaviour is encountered. As it doesn't rely on virus definitions, it is intended to supplement signature-based detection.

 

It is still not available for x64 systems?

I wonder if anyone can confirm this information.

If yes, is there another feature that is not available for x64 systems?

 

System Requirements for Business PCs
Avira Professional Security Virus Protection:
http://www.avira.com/en/for-business-avira-professional-security#tab3


System Requirements for Home PCs
Avira Antivirus Premium 2012:
http://www.avira.com/en/for-home-avira-antivirus-premium#tab4

Avira Internet Security 2012
http://www.avira.com/en/for-home-avira-internet-security#tab4


NOTE:
Only Windows XP SP3 (64-bit) Is Not Supported (32-bit) Is Supported
Only Windows XP SP2 (32-bit) Is Not Supported (64-bit) Is Supported

EDIT:
Avira End-user License Agreement (EULA)
http://www.avira.com/en/license-agreement


HKEY1952

 

The nice feature of Proactive Protection Technology, as explained very well by RejZor and pegr, is that the Defense
against Malware and Suspicious Activities do not have to relay on an Database of Definitions to provide Protection
against such vectors. Even though the Virus Database may be Temporarily Outdated the Proactive Protection is still
there, also, Proactive Protection aids the deficiency of an Database of Definitions.

EDIT: spelling


HKEY1952

 

Was supposedly Avira's Behavior Blocker but i feel it has turned into vaporware

 

Ah, ProActive... It is nothing... don't worry is not working

 

I have watched quite a few infomercials in my lifetime because I come home early in the morning after work. Avira Proactiv reminds me of Proactiv Solution the not so unique acne treatment for teens and many female/male celebrities over the years. (Vanessa L. Williams, Alyssa Milano, Ryan Sheckler, Jessica Simpson, Michala Banas, Delta Goodrem, Kelly Clarkson, Justin Bieber, Julianne Hough, Alicia Keys, Avril Lavigne, Jenna Fischer, Mandy Moore, Sean Combs, Katy Perry and Caroline Wozniacki).

Either Proactiv Solution gave them cease and desist orders or told them to water down their own formula and make it confusing for consumers to understand how it works. I just hope Avira doesn't use the powers of benzoyl peroxide to block new and dangerous threats from the net.

Maybe it just gives us peace and mind via powerful advertisements and celebrity endorsements that keeps us all safe.

 

In my experience with Avira version 10, ProActiv was actually slowing down the system and making start ups longer. It got better with time, and with version 12 I see no slowdowns anymore. I would try it with a few computers and see if it is affecting their speed. It is hard to tell its real effectiveness (as it is not a daily occurrence to run into real malware), but Stefan Kurtzhals (an Avira virus analyst) said lately (September) that they were going to work on a new version:

 

Proactively Missing, but dont worry it should be picked up eventually by the OD Scan if you run one.To be fair Avira is not alone either,Many fall short in this area.

 

On my main, I have had no issues with ProActiv

 

ProActiv is the webguard? Or no?

Sorry for noobish question.

 

Nope, ProActiv was Avira attempt on a Behavior Guard.
I say attempt because i consider it completely Vaporware.

 

Thanks Noob.

 

Yeah. Failure at an attempt for a Behavioral blocker. Actually slowed down my system so I don't use it. I like Comodo/OA HIPS and Avast's better. Avira should step-up on this one. When I first tried out Avast's it was something like an "urban-legend" now it's functioning better/improved. Avira's Proactive is still...hmmm..so so..

 

Comparing Avira's whatever to Avast's whatever is not a good idea given the rules of this forum, but after the catastrophic results of Avast in the latest tests it becomes farcical to even mention Avast in a direct comparison with Avira.

 

The current detection/blocking level of Avira ProActiv is far too low for my taste, but it is not vaporware. I am doing the design for the next version of it, it will have a much better detection ratio and also be 64 bit compatible.

Keep in mind we currently focus with ProActiv on catching certain malware families that are infecting many users out there. Such as the notorious BKA ransom trojans or FakeSysDef rogues. Cycbot seems to get caught often aswell. I can see the files that are uploaded to it's backend server every day, that is quite alot. But the current version is too limited because of it's available system sensors.

 

Avira developer?
Nice to hear that you're working hard on it.

 

Well Anyway the thing is this people Unless your a up to all kinds of no good, and are bassically a devious bastard, then theres no need for it really

 

Thanks Stefan, we didn't enable it because we use a lot of weird/uncommon software in our environment so I didn't want to take the risk.

So far Avira 12 seems pretty nicely done. I'll be rolling it out to a few dozen more machines this week to help test it in our environment.

I do wish the help files were a little more thorough though - there are a few settings in there where the help just doesn't make clear what those settings actually do i.e. registry protection. According to technical support it only protects the keys of Avira itself yet we sometimes see it pop up with a notification that access to the registry was blocked when we do a gpupdate on a machine?