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Free Avast Question....

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  Free Avast Question.... mark_t@phffft.com - 2019-02-12 12:33 -0600
    Re: Free Avast Question.... "s|b" <me@privacy.invalid> - 2019-02-12 21:49 +0100
      Re: Free Avast Question.... mark_t@phffft.com - 2019-02-12 15:33 -0600
        Re: Free Avast Question.... "s|b" <me@privacy.invalid> - 2019-02-13 13:22 +0100
          Re: Free Avast Question.... mark_t@phffft.com - 2019-02-13 11:35 -0600

#5999 — Free Avast Question....

In an effort to have at least a backup safety measure in addition to my sandbox, I decided
to find a freebie AV program.   I'm now testing out Avast Freebie.  One thing I notice is
that it does not load on boot.  I remember in years past I had tried Avast 2 or 3 times.
I had the same 'problem' (?).  Is this another attempt by Avast at getting you to
subscribe to the paid program?  It's kind of strange that the same 'problem' has always
happend in the past.  

Anyone else using Avast Freebie and has the same 'problem' (?).

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#6001

On Tue, 12 Feb 2019 12:33:17 -0600, mark_t@phffft.com wrote:

> Anyone else using Avast Freebie and has the same 'problem' (?).

Yes. No. I've never seen this behaviour. If I'm not mistaken there's a
setting where you can choose to have Avast loaded last when booting.

-- 
s|b

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#6002

On Tue, 12 Feb 2019 21:49:47 +0100, "s|b" <me@privacy.invalid> wrote:

>On Tue, 12 Feb 2019 12:33:17 -0600, mark_t@phffft.com wrote:
>
>> Anyone else using Avast Freebie and has the same 'problem' (?).
>
>Yes. No. I've never seen this behaviour. If I'm not mistaken there's a
>setting where you can choose to have Avast loaded last when booting.

If that setting is there they're hiding it pretty good.  I don't see
it.  It doesn't matter.  I don't care to have it running during boot
or on full time.  I wanted it only to run scans once every day or so
to see if anything has snuck onto my comp.  The TimeFreeze sandbox is
enough to protect me while online.

It is strange though that this has always happened each time I've
tried Avast through the years.

SuperAntiSpyware is behaving itself nicely, though.

I did find something interesting.  I keep seeing those 'programs' to
disable the plug'n play of USBs.  Doing so protects against having an
infected USB drive that uses plug'n play to load the virus/malware
onto your machine. I found how to do it without adding another program
which could possibly be new problem.

Yes, I'm aware that the more informed comp users already know this.

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/10-tips-safely-run-windows-xp,news-18571.html

8. Turn off automatic opening of files on a USB stick. A USB stick is
a great way to spread malware, especially in Windows XP, which opens
files on a USB stick as soon as it's plugged in.

Stop this by using the Group Policy editor. From the Start menu,
select Run, type in "gpedit.msc," and hit OK or the return key.

You'll see a pop-up window with two panes: in the left-hand pane,
select Administrative Templates under Computer Configuration (NOT User
Configuration). Then, in the right-hand pane, double-click System.

Scroll down to Turn Off Autoplay and double-click it. Another pop-up
window will appear; under Turn Off Autoplay, select the Enabled radio
button, select All Drives in the "Turn off Autoplay on" menu and close
the window.

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#6008

On Tue, 12 Feb 2019 15:33:20 -0600, mark_t@phffft.com wrote:

> If that setting is there they're hiding it pretty good.  I don't see
> it.  It doesn't matter.  I don't care to have it running during boot
> or on full time.

I had to look for it too, but here it is:
<https://www.getavast.net/support/performance>

>  I wanted it only to run scans once every day or so
> to see if anything has snuck onto my comp.  The TimeFreeze sandbox is
> enough to protect me while online.

I don't know if that can be done with the free version.
 
> It is strange though that this has always happened each time I've
> tried Avast through the years.

On a rare occasion one of the so-called Shields doesn't load, but in
that case there's an error.

-- 
s|b

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#6009

On Wed, 13 Feb 2019 13:22:33 +0100, "s|b" <me@privacy.invalid> wrote:

>On Tue, 12 Feb 2019 15:33:20 -0600, mark_t@phffft.com wrote:
>
>> If that setting is there they're hiding it pretty good.  I don't see
>> it.  It doesn't matter.  I don't care to have it running during boot
>> or on full time.
>
>I had to look for it too, but here it is:
><https://www.getavast.net/support/performance>
>
>>  I wanted it only to run scans once every day or so
>> to see if anything has snuck onto my comp.  The TimeFreeze sandbox is
>> enough to protect me while online.
>
>I don't know if that can be done with the free version.

Yes it can. There's no problem having active protection while online.
You can even scan individual files with the Right Click function.  The
functions missing from the free version are the Ransomware Shield,
Real Site (avoiding fake websites), Sandbox, Firewall, Data Shredder,
Webcam Shield and Sensitive Data Shield
 
I'm greatly surprised at how comfortable using Avast is.  It's not the
least bit intrusive.  Kaspersky in that department is horrible.  Every
page according to them has either a bad certificate or some other
problem. There were some other bad habits that I don't remember at
this time.  It was the freebie version I had been using.  It would
allow me to download headers from Usenet but not allow me to open the
message bodies.  I had to turn Kaspersky off to do that.  However, let
me state that it was for Windows 7, and I am still using XP.  Avast is
also for Windows 7 and up, but I'm having absolutely no problems with
it yet on my XP comp.  The only problem I'm having with Avast is that
I don't like the Menu layout.  It could be much simpler.  Kaspersky is
very good with their Menu creation.

>> It is strange though that this has always happened each time I've
>> tried Avast through the years.
>
>On a rare occasion one of the so-called Shields doesn't load, but in
>that case there's an error.

Right now I think I'm doing well in the protection area.  Run
TimeFreeze and keep Avast and SuperAntiSpyware running while in the
sandbox.  That'll make sure if I do download a certain file and save
it to one of my external drives, which are outside the sandbox, that
file will be scrutinized by Avast or SAS.  There is another sandbox
named  Shadow Defender. It can be set to sandbox all of your drives.
However, it is shareware. Not that I wouldn't pay the $35 price, but
the trial I have installed and am keeping sitting by is counting down
the 30 day trial period.  I don' t know if it can be used after that
because I cannot get any email reply from the author.  So if it is no
longer 'in business', after the thirty days,  it will be dead.  If
not, I will consider alternately using it with TimeFreeze. Having all
drives sandboxed is pretty neat.  Also, I figure software for XP will
no longer be available or that easily found.  My wife does  have a
Windows 7 Ultimate comp,  but what I think of Windows 7 we won't get
into. As far as I'm concerned, MS just took XP and complicated it to
hell and back.

And if all that fails, there is always Acronis True Image to come to
the rescue with its saved images of the C:. Ya' can't beat that. The
real problem would be stuck watching TV for those 6 hours it took for
the Acronis recovery.  That would be hell.  That's what I think of the
brainless matter on over a hundred channels of DirectTV.
Entertainment no longer exists, unless you like listening/watching
upskirted whores pretending they have a brain, or watching people get
beaten, maimed and killed.  And people wonder why society is so
violent these days.  Hell, it's what they enjoy.  They pay big bucks
each month to watch and enjoy it.

But then, there's too much snow out there to do anything else.

Now, that it's done, I'm bored again.  I think I'll go hunting around
for some ransomware protection.   That's right, I don't wannacry.

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