Are on-demand scans with your antivirus redundant?

Discussion in 'polls' started by PEllis, Jul 16, 2017.

?

If your antivirus running in real-time, is it pointless to run on-demand scans with it?

  1. Yes

    8 vote(s)
    21.6%
  2. No

    26 vote(s)
    70.3%
  3. Depends on the antivirus

    3 vote(s)
    8.1%
  1. PEllis

    PEllis Guest

    Is it pointless to run on-demand scans with your antivirus if it is running in real-time? Wouldn't malware detected in a on-demand scan be detected in the real-time protection?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 16, 2017
  2. Krusty

    Krusty Registered Member

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    I agree that AV Real-Time Protection should detect any running malware.

    Can malware lay dormant?
     
  3. gorblimey

    gorblimey Registered Member

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    I voted "No". I have never been convinced that any AV, especially Avast, actually pings all malware on arrival. And then of course, what if the current signatures don't have the latest villainy?

    Yes, ideally it should. But. A number of times I've seen Avast ping something I've had for cen\\\decades, but when I do an On-Demand nothing shows.

    IMHO, an effective AV is a necessity, but a good anti-Executable--VS :)-- must always be my first layer.
     
  4. TairikuOkami

    TairikuOkami Registered Member

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    Not with fileless malware. As AV signatures gets updates, on-demand scan might detect, what realtime has failed to detect before. I have seen something like this in WD's presentation.
     
  5. Krusty

    Krusty Registered Member

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    ... Backup is mine. :)
     
  6. PEllis

    PEllis Guest

    Assuming the product is fully up to date, is it redundant?
     
  7. blacknight

    blacknight Registered Member

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    Totally agree, I voted No.
     
  8. aztony

    aztony Registered Member

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    I voted no because no AV is infallible. A 2nd opinion scanner is a prudent contingent.

    Edit @06:52: I misread the title with my initial reply.

    It doesn't make a lot of sense to me running an on demand scan with the resident AV for something that might've already got by it. A 2nd opinion scanner like MBAM makes more sense to me.
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2017
  9. RockLobster

    RockLobster Registered Member

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    If you are performing recovery from a virus that infected your computer before your AV had the definition files to detect it, you might want to use on demand scans when the AV is updated.
     
  10. illumination

    illumination Guest

    If real time does not have signatures for something that lands on the system but is not executed, signatures added a few days after the fact and a manual scan with your product may detect it then. Not to mention traces left can be found this way as well.

    Then you have your generally default quick scans that only address common areas where as a deep scan will dig through the whole system.
     
  11. Minimalist

    Minimalist Registered Member

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    IMO it's not redundant.
     
  12. itman

    itman Registered Member

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    Depends on the AV.

    Some have an option to perform continuous scanning during periods of idle system activity. In this case, normal on-demand scanning is redundant. However, it is still a good idea to run an "in depth" scan with admin privileges where all files on your boot drive are scanned occasionally.
     
  13. ArchiveX

    ArchiveX Registered Member

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    I use only on-Demand scanners; no Resident (Rea-Time) ones. :cool:
     
  14. Trooper

    Trooper Registered Member

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    I said yes because I feel it is redundant. As @itman stated a lot of av's run idle scans etc. Once in awhile I run a full scan but it always comes up clean.
     
  15. PEllis

    PEllis Guest

    This is where I was getting at then I created this thread. Assuming everything is up to date, can on-demand scans pick something up that the RT protection just missed or if it is worthless to do the scan.
     
  16. bjm_

    bjm_ Registered Member

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    I read the question: If your antivirus is running in real-time, is it pointless to run on-demand scans with (the same antivirus) it?
     
  17. PEllis

    PEllis Guest

    Yes
     
  18. mercurie

    mercurie A Friendly Creature

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    It has been my understanding that dormant malware can lay until either launched remotely or perhaps come in two parts. Real time may only detect active malware. While a scan may catch and destroy before malware launches, but I could be all wrong.
     
  19. anon

    anon Registered Member

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    1. A PC is protected with"abc" AV which not detects the "123" malware today.
    2. "123" malware gets into PC and stays there undetected.
    3. Tomorrow, "abc" AV detects the Malware "123" and a new signature released.
    4. PC with"abc" AV gets the new signature.
    5. Now the "123 malware will be detected:
    (a) on execution or (b) during a scan (on-demand or a scheduled one).
     
  20. anon

    anon Registered Member

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    ^ +1
    -------------
    It's not so wise to rely only on it.
    Exactly.
     
    Last edited: Jul 23, 2017
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