What is the critical areas we should always scan with?

I have BitDefender 8 and ClamWin Anti-virus as a back-up on demand virus scanners. I found out that ClamWin is very slow, and it takes about 3 hours to finish scanning my 40Gig HD. I can used to scan BitDefender 8 once a week as it only takes about 1 hour full system scan, but I can’t take to use my ClamWin to have it do a full system scan anymore because of its very slow speed (no wonder they call it Clam). But, I could not rid ClamWin as it’s the only one that can finds some Trojans hidden in some downloaded wallpapers and clip arts.

Maybe, I can use ClamWin AV to scans only those “critical areas” prone to infections aside from the suspected newly downloaded files to reduce the time it takes when it is scanning.

In your technical opinion, what do you think is the most critical areas that we should always check for possible infections?

 

ALL files need to be scanned.
Skipping ANYTHING puts you at risk.

 

3 + 1 = 4 hours on scanning ? Wow that's a very long time and still not sure your computer is cleaned, because you still have to run all your other AS/AT/AK scanners and even this doesn't guarantee a clean system.
Why don't you use a clean snapshot of Rollback Rx/FD-ISR to clean your system for 100% ?

 

Actually, most of the time even if I have 3 anti-virus on my system (1 resident, and 2 on-demand scanners) I just use the quick scanner option by right-clicking and scanning the "suspected" files fast.... ..that's why to minimized time spent on full system scans (once a week) I want to know what really is the so called critical areas that we should not miss off and are prone to infections.

 

Well probably because not everyone uses your imaginary setup or has your imaginary habits and discipline. Some people actually install and keep software *gasp*, and their systems do change with time, so they probably need an Antivirus to scan.

 

As long I install legitimate softwares off-line and I take a clean snapshot every time after that, I can change my system anytime and restore it anytime. What is wrong with that ?
I never said my setup is finished, I'm just looking through the possibilities and softwares, including scanners, which I don't like and trust, but that's my problem.
All the rest is Devil's imagination. He has the talent to read people's minds.

 

Peter2150,

Suppose I separate my winXPproSP2 + MS Applications + MY Applications FROM my folder "Documents and Settings".
(MS Applications = legitimate softwares, that come with winXPproSP2)
(MY Applications = legitimate softwares, I installed myself)

In that case I have two partitions :
1. System partition = winXPproSP2 + MS Applications + MY Applications.
2. Personal partition = Documents and Settings, where all variable objects of MS Applications/MY Applications are stored, including my personal files created with all these MS/MY Applications.
So the only partition, that changes all the time is the Personal Partition.

If I protect my System Partition against any change by using ShadowUser OR FD-ISR OR RollbackRx OR DeepFreeze OR ... I always can restore my System Partition in a clean state by reboot or restoring a clean snapshot.

Are there any good reasons why I would allow changes in the System Partition, except for Windows Update, new softwares and updating of softwares ?

 

Nothing wrong, except it requires discipline, something as I pointed out numerous times, you don't know if you possess yet, hence currently imaginary.

But you also don't always mention your setup is imaginary either when advising/lecturing people. No wonder so many people think you are finished already.

That's the best comeback you can do?

Anyone with the ability to read, knows what you think about security. You aren't exactly shy about flaunting them in the strongest possible way.

.

 

Thanks for the reply.
Technically everything is indeed possible, but you can say this about any security setup.
So that remark has no value anymore, because it is common for all security setups.
You seem to assume, that I'm looking for 100% security. Do you really think, I'm that stupid ?
Anything that was ever made by mankind, FAILED more than once and history has proven this over and over again.
Don't ask me for examples of these failures, because Wilders will be too small.
So it's a waste of time to talk about 100% security, because it doesn't exist and it will never exist.

Image backup on my external harddisk is my very last hope to restore my system and personal files.
And one day some sneaky malware on my internal harddisk will be waiting for the moment, I connect my external harddisk and then destroy my image backup on my external harddisk.
To make the disaster complete, the same malware will destroy all my snapshots and make all my system/personal files useless.
Or a hardware virus that infects all my hardware components and make them useless.
Or my internal harddisks and external harddisk have a crash at the same time, not even caused by a malware.
After all everything is technically possible and I can create such disaster scenarios until my fantasy is dead.
Well, it's my assumption that such disaster scenarios will never happen on my computer and if it happens, I have just bad luck.
Nothing serious, because I'm still alive and kicking, only my computer is dead and can be replaced.
Even in my newbie time, when I surfed on the most dangerous websites and downloaded/installed everything, I was always able to restore my computer.
Was I lucky ? Of course I was lucky. I'm 57 and I'm still alive. Am I lucky ? Of course I'm lucky. Many people died alot sooner than me.
I've noticed this several times, when members suggest a new security setup, other members come up with the worst scenarios and when you talk about these scenarios without mentioning a new security setup, they will tell you that these scenarios are very rare.
These scenarios can happen on any computer and what can happen on any computer, isn't worth to talk about.

You call separating my system from "Documents and Settings" complicated ? You could be right.
I know at least two softwares to execute that separation easily, including the additional registry changes.
1. TweakUI, created by Microsoft (Powertoys).
2. Folder Mover, created by the same company of Rollback Rx.
So that part must be easy.

Will it work in practice for every software ? That's what I'm worried about.
That depends on where a software keeps its variable objects :
- registry ?
- its installation folder ?
- the folder "Documents and Settings ?
- maybe somewhere else, I don't know about.
For me to find out, when my new computer is ready.
Nevertheless, several members at Wilders are doing this already.
I understand, that you don't like to do this, but that doesn't mean it isn't possible.
That's a matter of opinions, opinions, opinions, ... I can't listen to everybody's opinion, because my computer is too small to handle them all.

Of course separating my system from "Documents and Settings" is a start and it doesn't solve my security problems. It's just a preparation.