What is wrong with Avast?

What,s wrong with Avast on VT and Jotti.
Each time I scan there, many many files are missed by Avast while detected by AVG. On the other hand al AV tests show almost same detection rates for both. Is it really missing so much or there is somthing wrong with VT/ Jotti.

I am installing Avast for my friends but now seriously thinking to change to AVG free but it lacks spyware/ adware that are also real threat for ordinary users.

Any avast users especially?

Thanks

 

I remember people saying that just because it doesn't detect files on virustotal or jotti does not mean it will miss them in reality.

 

It could have to do with the program version Jotti or VT is using, and/or it could have to do with how current Jotti and VT are with the available definitions. I have seen BitDefender flag something on my computer and it doesn't show on the Jotti or VT because their BD defs are not new enough.

 

Yep, I wouldn't rely on AVG, I'd stick with Avast if I were you.. I think it's better all around. Just my humble opinion...

 

Jotti is using Linux version of antiviruses. avast! has some limitations on that platform. Windows version doesn't have such limitations.

 

Yea, you know that the problem of the majority of anti-virus or anti-spyware programs is that their DB are out of date. Consider this every second somebody creates one or even more spy programs, and it will be included in DBs only in a day or even more. So you know what I mean you can never be sure for 100 percent. So for that reason I think Avast is one of the best free application.
But if you would like to fortify your protection there are anty-spy software which don't have signature bases, they use algorithms instead. I don't know all of them but here are some that I like.....

anti-keylogger
spy sweeper
spyware doctor

 

I have recently switched from nod32 to avast and so far I have ffound only one thing that bothers me. That there isn't any self-protection. The program can be easily terminated from the task manager which makes it an easy target to disable!

 

SS and SD are signature based and SD has some crappy Heuristic capabilities. SS?

 

SS and AD are signature based and Anti-Keylogger is not anti-spyware.

 

Hello Thanasis159,
are you saying that avast is easy to stop via task manager?
if thats what your saying then ill tell you that nod32 is easy to disable via task manager.
lodore

 

Can somebody tell me why Avast still doesn't work with WinXp Security Center? Even after you install Avast, Security Center reports that there is no anti-virus installed. SP2 has been out for what, 2 years now. This is ridiculous. Add to this the annoying registration & detection rates that are about the same as AVG & this is why I switched to AVG.

 

Something is obviously borked in your system. Avast works fine with XP Security Center here..

 

I like Avast, and believe that if malware is able to penetrate and disable it via the TM I am already in a "Heap of trouble."
I don't think that is reasonably going to happen, but if it does, the I will deal with it then. I trust Avast to prevent the infection.

As my signature shows I am not using it, but do from time to time.

Best,
Jerry

 

I had an XP box where Security Center said I was protected and up to date with McAfee...when in fact McAfee was un-installed and had AntiVir so is that AntiVir, McAfee or Security Centers fault ?

This solution is generic http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=23457.0

As for the Avast registration, maybe pure statistics ? who using Avast in what region ? who's still using Avast after expiration ?

BTW I don't think regular free AVG has as good detection as Avast, IMO thats worth an Avast renewal after 14 months

 

One route you can go is to use a separate HIPS program to protect Avast from termination. Myself, I use System Safety Monitor to protect it. Even the old free version of Process Guard can be used for that purpose. It is not a fullproof protection, but in reality there is no fullproof method. But it gives you the option. I also switched from NOD32 to Avast, simply because right now, for me, it is the most trouble-free AV. Anyway, hope I've provided some food for thought.

 

Hi,

The thing I like about avast is that it is the only AV of which the free version offers the same scope as the paid (AV + AS).

Other goodies:
- it has several modules which checks incoming data of threatgates (P2P, Internet, mail, etc).
- this means you can set the regular file protection to check at write only (makes it faster)

Only thing I should add with Avast is ThreatFire free, because the rootkit detection of avast is not as good as Antivir. Then you still have the "weak" self protection.

Aigle knowing, he will also set up GeSWall free. GW is so strong (as a first layer from the web), that I could live with the relative weak self protection of Avast.

Just my thoughts.

 

Rarely anyone targets avast! specifically and by the time more will do it, they'll have a self protection system in place.

 

Works fine with the security center here, and when I boot into a snapshot I haven't been in for several days security center even warns me it is out of date, likewise when I disable it to do copy/updates.

 

I have to disagree with you my friend. When I had nod installed, every time I tried to terminate the nod processes from the task manager another nod process, the same one I had terminated, started... the only way I could stop nod from working was the button in its user interface!

 

I miss the command line scanner. But yes, Avast free is a full featured AV.

 

Either ProSecurity (PS) or System Safety Monitor (SSM) would be superb companions for Avast. Both of these can protect any process (including Avast) from hostile termination.

I still hold back from suggesting Threatfire. The proponents of that program give basically ZERO information about what it is analyzing and protecting. PS & SSM, on the other hand, hide nothing.

 

but you can do that with avast as well.
if you go to control panel,administive tools,services.
then you find the avast service.
right click it and go to the recovery tab.
then under first failure use the drop down box and put restart the service.
as default with nod32 services all three failures are restart the service.
thats why if terminated it comes back.
you can do the same affect with avast if you want to.
lodore

 

Whether a process can be terminated from the task manager means nothing. There are other ways to terminate a process, including stuff that does not show up in task manager.

 

Oh my friend, thank you very much! I didn't know this feature and I was looking for a way to do this! Thanks again!

I know that there are other ways but this is a very easy target! Anyway, I feel a little safer now!

 

In reply to the comments on AVG, I have been running AVG free on an old P3 900 w/128mb ram used solely by kids aged 4-11 for the entire summer under a limited user account and have had 0 infections. I myself was very surprised at this fact and have run scans with VBA32, of coarse, and KAV, neither have found a thing.

The best thing with AVG is its lack of an annoying 'pop-up', that seems to eat up more and more screen "real estate" as time progresses, and it's lightness. It runs very well on the system specified.

In relation to the Opost about AVAST! I had tried it on the same system after I was fed up with Avira and it nealy killed it. I know this is a relic but still it is only an AV, as always though;

USE WHAT IS BEST FOR YOUR SYSTEM.