Antiviruses and scripts

This is basically a link to another thread that has ended up in a somewhat dark corner, it's relevant, because it's about antiviruses. I hope this link is allowed.

Especially my last post, (I'm not sure if it's about cross-site scripting), my hated McAfee uses a script for protection against malicious scripts. At first glance, it seems cool.

Comments ?

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=201350&page=2

 

Next time, just do a *BUMP*

 

Fly,

IMO, you should paste here your last post from the other thread for better understanding

 

On your request :

I'd be the last person to promote McAfee (I 've been waiting for VIPRE, but McAfee Virusscan Plus hasn't caused any serious problems lately), but if you go to the security center, advanced menu, computer and files, configure, you will see a script scanning feature. Someone stated that McAfee does not have a http scanner, but this ability to scan for malicious scripts seems very nice. McAfee actually managed to catch a piece of malicious javascript that tried to installed a trojan. Both were detected in real-time and their installation was prevented. (This was the ONE infection in two or three years).

I have no idea if it was really cross-site scripting. (The McAfee SiteAdvisor marked the webpage as safe). Scanning for scripts is a major, if not THE major, way McAfee 'protects' your computer. The script scanning feature suggests that it's at least partially heuristic.

With infection by malicious scripts being one of the major attack vectors, using a script to catch malicious scripts seems actually cool. (I'm very conservative regarding downloading programs, ActiveX etc, and I don't P2P).
For as far as I know, McAfee runs two scripts on my computer, one being the SiteAdvisor, the other the main (?) real-time protection feature of McAfee.
(I got that information from the Spy Sweeper)

I'm not aware of any other 'antivirus' programs that use scripts as a major part of their real-time protection. Does anyone know ? What do you think of that approach ?

 

Well, Macstorm, it seems noone has any interest in an antivirus/antimalware product that uses scripts as the main (?) form of protection. Or noone has anything to contribute.

I'll leave it at this if nobody will reply.

 

Fly, though i'm not familiar about av programs that utilize real-time script protection, i remember reading somewhere here in wilders something regarding to Avast utilizing this feature, IIRC.
Could anyone please confirm

 

I think that there's a little misunderstanding going here. No AV uses scripts as any form of protection.

 

Protection against dangerous scripts?

 

That's a different thing. AVs DO protect against scripts (browser-based or WSH-based) but they don't use scripts to give that protection.

 

The Feb 2008 comparative (AV-Comparatives.org) tested for 14,284 script viruses. Not sure if this is what interests you.

 

I think i've made a mispelling error in my previous post
I was talking about 'protection against malicious scripts'. Now i see it's not what OP was asking for

 

ALL av prog have protection against scripts. the only problem is that most of them have low (very very low) detection % of script malware. u can check 4 your self at http://www.av-comparatives.org/ in the retrospective tests..

 

Actually, you may be right.

I may have misinterpreted. Although I've read something about McAfee running scripts on your computer quite some time ago.

I could disable all scripting on my machine and give it a try, but I'd rather not

 

Why use it then?

 

Again , "Retrospective/Proactive" = detection of new malware without a signature update.

 

I'm not sure what you mean, I've already discontinued their 'auto-renewal'.

Now I'm getting ads all over the place offering a HUGE discount for the McAfee Security Suite. I'm sure that's not coincidence.