Avast! 5 beta 1

Are you referring to the suite or the AV? In the case of the AV, I THINK the only changes made were bringing in a more workable behavior shield. Other than that, the AV is almost the exact same as 4.8 was, only nicer looking and laid out a bit better. In the case of the suite, I don't know much of it, but I suspect it contains basically the same sort of things every other vendor is putting in their suites.

 

I'm also pretty sure they redid the detection algorithm and improved heuristics.

 

Yes, that's true, but that wouldn't really count as far as an argument claiming they are trying to "be it all". That's just bettering their detection.

 

I suppose you have a point. I think as far as AVs go the only thing they're really missing is protection against rogues which is the only thing that's kept me from using or recommending their AV. Other than that, Avast is fantastic.

 

The web shield has been effective for me against rogues as far as drive by attacks, but I have always considered rogue protection more of a common sense defense by the user. Meaning I have only picked up a rogue when being careless or trying to get infected. Besides wouldn't "rogue protection" be protection against PUP's because Avast 5 has this feature

 

I think MalwareBytes is a good program for detecting rogues, from what I've heard. That being said, I have to agree that I see little reason to add such protection. As you said, it's more of a common sense thing, "scamware" and not truly malware. There is such a thing as a second opinion, and, if you think your trusty AV/AM might be giving you strange results, free scans from reputable vendors such as MalwareBytes, SuperAntiSpyware, and, even Panda are a mere download away.

 

IME, Avast as most AVs ain't good in detecting the fraudloaders. I don't know about the true installer though. However, its web shield has merit since it mostly blocks the rogue site (script redirect).

Can you use vpsupd.exe to update v5 BETA?

 

Yeah MBAM is good in detecting rogues. The main problem with avast is that it is not capable to detect rogues and though web Shield blocks most of them but if it doesn't then your computer will definitely be infected. But in terms of rogue detection I don't really care as what dcrowe0050 I too believe on common sense and though I was never infected by a single rogue unknowingly

 

Yes i do use MBAM a lot for on-demand scans and it is the best I have used for cleaning just about any infection. Avast has the option to scan for Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUP's) is that not qualified as rogue protection.
I definitely agree with the second opinion. If I run a scan that detects something 9/10 times I will run another scan with MBAM or Dr. Web Cure It just to make sure I got everything.

 

Thanks ..using spamihilator at present but would be nice to use an all in one.
ellison

 

A [Tentative?] Release Date

I just read this on the avast! blog:

http://blog.avast.com/2010/01/08/file-infectors-part-2/#comment-2071

So avast! v5 will definitely be out before the end of January. But judging by this post, it will probably be out sometime in the 4th week of January (next week, perhaps).

Of course, that is if everything goes according to plan over at Alwil, and no catastrophes occur. Keep your fingers crossed, and maybe soon we'll all have a new toy to play with!

 

That is good to see that they will be releasing the AV soon. First AV of this year

 

Sorry I guess I was partly wrong. Thelp file suggest that the antispam filter uses whitelist/blacklist analysis, and then every email that isn't triggered by the lists goes through content analysis to further identify mail that should be treated as spam. I suspect the content anlaysis is some advanced heuristics scanning or testing. So it is not a bayesian brain but this is not all bad.
Bayesian filters have a few drawbacks anyway, number one being the time it takes to train them. You should download AIS and try it while it is still free so you can test it, It is very stable, and you will probably like it well enough.

 

Reading through this it is astounding that people still think rogues installs are predominately foolish users "trying something new" . The VAST majority are installed by exploits and trojans .

In the seven years I did IT I don't think I even once removed a rogue where the user was upset that I removed the new app they were trying out .

 

From my experience most people get Rogues through exploits on unsafe pornographic websites. I've had many people come to be complaining about messages coming from the tray saying their PC is unsafe and to buy some product after visiting such a website.

 

LOL. I don't think I have ever had someone tell me they were trying out software when they got infected. Infact most I clear off were just surf the web normally and one of the sites they visit frequently got compromised and so did there computer.

 

Opening this to all AVs , how many of you have seen the following :

user : Why is this rogue not detected ?

AV support : rogues are not malware/viruses

OR

AV support : you should be more careful about what you install

 

This is pretty much Eset's excuse to anything they don't detect.

As for the other one, I don't think I have ever got that response from support normally just the Sorry we did not detect it lets fix the system.

 

First of all, a lot of peole who get infected by rogues are predominantly foolish users, who like the warez sites and xxx, or they just didn't give a hoot. But Ive have never even heard of some one installing a rogue to try it out. That is just crazy.

 

Foolish applies to the real dumb stuff but making sure to update and JRE and acrobat are not common knowledge and for a lot of malware that is all it takes to get whacked by a drive by install .

 

What is being forgotten is that not all rogues are of the "click the big warning button"-exploit type. You can just as easily have a user who doesn't know any better want to search for an antivirus/antimalware app on Google, and Google will readily send them to god knows where and what. Rogues don't necessarily have to be malicious in the sense that they take over your system and do damage. Rogues can just as much be plain scamware, guilty of doing nothing more than parting you with your cash.

In a case like that, no, an AV or AM can't really do much for you nor should they be expected to. Eventually you have to use the computer you were born with.

 

Yes this is sad but true. My grandfather has used computers for a long time but never bothered to try and learn, I go make sure he is up to date on everything once a week. Now he is 80 years old and uses the internet for email and weather and CNN. another words he uses it very little. But usually twice a month i will find a virus on his computer. I've tried to teach him but it goes in one ear and out the other.

Ellison64- I found more information on the antispam tachnology in AIS. It turns out it is a Bayesian Filter with Whitelist/Blacklist capabilities. Mailshell is the name of the client integrated into Avast. Here is a link:
http://www.mailshell.com/mail/client/oem2.html/step/howitworks

 

Build 5.0.363 has just been released:

 

good deal, one step closer I guess

 

Release shoud be close i guess. No more BETA tag on top, athough it's still a beta.