Can't Use HTTP Scanning in BitDefender: A Clue but No Solution!

Discussion in 'other anti-virus software' started by Ardmore, Apr 24, 2009.

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  1. Ardmore

    Ardmore Registered Member

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    I posted this on the BitDefender forum, but now realize I'd probably have a better chance of getting an answer (or a good one, anyway) here.

    I've had BitDefender AV for almost four years now (v9, v10 and now v2008 ), and have never been able to enable the Scan Web (HTTP) traffic option. If I did, most websites would come up blank; some would come up slowly with strange-looking characters and formatting; and maybe 20% would work OK. In addition, some of my Firefox bookmark icons would change permanently to weird icons unrelated to the site (e.g. squiggles for Yahoo, a bed for Weather Underground).

    Today, I finally discovered that if I turn off my Zone Alarm Pro (an older version, 6.1), everything works fine with HTTP traffic scanning enabled in BitDefender. It works fine with the Windows XP built-in firewall, too.

    But I want to continue with my Zone Alarm. As long as I have HTTP scanning off in BitDefender, they "play very nicely" together. But with the increasing number and sophistication of malware, e.g., virulent Trojans that completley bypass the browser cache, I really want to enable HTTP scanning as well.

    I have given high permission to all the BitDefender processes in ZA Pro. There MUST be some settings (probably in ZA) I could use which would permit me to continue with both programs, but enable HTTP Scanning in BitDefender.

    During my trial with NOD32, there was no such conflict.

    Any suggestions?

    Thanks!
     
  2. vijayind

    vijayind Registered Member

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    If you have ZA Pro licence you could upgrade to the latest version. Else try switching to a different firewall like OnlineArmour, Comodo, Outpost Pro, etc.

    Comodo and OnlineArmour Free edition would be my pick. Plus they have good HIPS which will add to your security setup.
     
  3. Ardmore

    Ardmore Registered Member

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    Thanks for the suggestions, but there are reasons I specifically want to stay with that firewall, and that version.

    Would greatly appreciate any suggested configuration tweaks (to my current versions of either product or elsewhere in my system) that might solve the problem. Or any suggested diagnostics.
     
  4. Ardmore

    Ardmore Registered Member

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    Hmmm, another clue:

    I've just discovered that the sites where there is NO conflict beween ZAP and BitDefender (with HTTP Scanning enabled) are secure (https) sites. Any idea why the conflict would be absent with secure sites, but present for all the rest?
     
  5. NAMOR

    NAMOR Registered Member

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    I haven't use ZA in a long time but, does that veriosn of ZA have privacy features like ad blocking, cookie blocking, etc? If it does, do you have them turned off or on? I'm just curious if the privacy setting are conflicting with Bitdefenders HTTP scanner. Just a shot in the dark...
     
  6. Ardmore

    Ardmore Registered Member

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    Great shot in the dark! Thanks! When I completely disable ZA Privacy features, pages load normally even with HTTP Scanning enabled in BitDefender.

    Actually, I had already tried disabling some of ZA's Privacy features -- there aren't many -- but I left a couple enabled that I didn't think could possibly be the culprit. I was wrong. Unfortunately, one of these -- "Remove Private Header (referer) -- is a feature I'd really like to retain, so now I have to figure out a workaround for that (if any).

    But your suggestion to completely disable ZA Privacy is what allowed me to pinpoint the issue, so thanks again.
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2009
  7. markcc

    markcc Registered Member

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    I have had a similar problem as yours using different firewall/a/v products. I found that if I have Outpost firewall block referrers I have your same problem! If you use Firefox you can download a plug in called Web Developer, in this plug in you can block referrers & not experience this problem. I don't know why Web Developer can block the referrers & the firewall can't without problems.

    This solved my problems, I hope it can solve yours!
     
  8. Ardmore

    Ardmore Registered Member

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    Thanks for the suggestion!

    Unfortunately I discovered that having HTTP scanning enabled in BitDefender makes my CPU go crazy when I am using streaming media, and I see no NOD32-like option to disable it for selected programs, such as Windows Media Player. So I may end up disabling the HTTP scanning entirely, or going to NOD or another AV.

    But the Web Developer icon may come in handy regardless. Before reading this I also found another Firefox referrer-management plug-in called RefControl. It seems effective and versatile, but I'll have to check out Web Developer too. Frankly, the more I looked into this I've discovered ZA may not have been properly blocking all referrers anyway, despite the conflict with BitDefender.
     
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