Anti-Virus Throughness (?)

[R. McCarty]

Here's an interesting point about Anti-Virus Software. My main AV
is Norton Anti Virus 2004. From time to time, I use one of the web
based scans to just double-check using other vendors products.

Today, I happened to pick Panda's on-line scan. Before I started I
had left my external Maxtor USB drive turned on. On that drive is a
folder with my wife's old email .PST's from a job a few years ago.
I left it running using the scan option "My Computer" (Everything) &
had some lunch. When I came back it had found and disinfected 7
viruses in a 1997 Personal folders module.

I guess the point of this post is no matter how well you think your
Anti-Virus software is, a cross check with other vendors is a good
idea. When Norton 2004 comes up for "Renewal", I may have to
look real hard at Panda as a replacement. The "Infected" .PST had
been previously scanned with McAfee, Norton, Trend-Micro & a
couple of others. I'm not saying I'm dissatisfied with Norton, but to
"miss" those infections in a .Pst isn't a comforting thought.

 

[DaPowerK]

It could be a false reading. Or maybe it is really
infected. Who knows?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

You didn't mention if you had your external Maxtor USB drive turned on
when performing a complete virus scan using the other antivirus programs.
If the drive was not powered-up, it may not have been scanned.

Open your Norton program and click on "Scan for viruses", then double-click
on "Scan drives" and make sure there is a checkmark next to your external drive.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| Here's an interesting point about Anti-Virus Software. My main AV
| is Norton Anti Virus 2004. From time to time, I use one of the web
| based scans to just double-check using other vendors products.
|
| Today, I happened to pick Panda's on-line scan. Before I started I
| had left my external Maxtor USB drive turned on. On that drive is a
| folder with my wife's old email .PST's from a job a few years ago.
| I left it running using the scan option "My Computer" (Everything) &
| had some lunch. When I came back it had found and disinfected 7
| viruses in a 1997 Personal folders module.
|
| I guess the point of this post is no matter how well you think your
| Anti-Virus software is, a cross check with other vendors is a good
| idea. When Norton 2004 comes up for "Renewal", I may have to
| look real hard at Panda as a replacement. The "Infected" .PST had
| been previously scanned with McAfee, Norton, Trend-Micro & a
| couple of others. I'm not saying I'm dissatisfied with Norton, but to
| "miss" those infections in a .Pst isn't a comforting thought.

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

If you want to download a trial version of Panda Software, you can do from here:

http://www.pandasoftware.com/download/software/

I'm running a Beta version of 'Panda Platinum Internet Security'. It's a lot better with the integrated Firewall than running a standalone 3rd party Firewall + a standalone 3rd party AV program.

 

[R. McCarty]

I verified it & sure enough that .PST had the following in it
Virus:WM/CAP.A
Virus:W97M/Class.B
Virus:W97M/Marker.AO
Virus:W97M/Class.B

For now, I'm researching why NAV-2004 with full scanning
options couldn't detect/clean the files in the PST.

 

[Dennis Lazo]

http://www.nha.com/news/archives/mcpres.htm

 

[R. McCarty]

Carey,

Interestingly, I keep a log of when I do these alternate scans and for
Trend-Micro & McAfee the external was on. Go figure, because that
archive for old mail isn't updated or accessed - except when the tree
gets burned to DVD.

 

[D.Currie]

Here's an interesting point about Anti-Virus Software. My main AV
is Norton Anti Virus 2004. From time to time, I use one of the web
based scans to just double-check using other vendors products.

Today, I happened to pick Panda's on-line scan. Before I started I
had left my external Maxtor USB drive turned on. On that drive is a
folder with my wife's old email .PST's from a job a few years ago.
I left it running using the scan option "My Computer" (Everything) &
had some lunch. When I came back it had found and disinfected 7
viruses in a 1997 Personal folders module.

I guess the point of this post is no matter how well you think your
Anti-Virus software is, a cross check with other vendors is a good
idea. When Norton 2004 comes up for "Renewal", I may have to
look real hard at Panda as a replacement. The "Infected" .PST had
been previously scanned with McAfee, Norton, Trend-Micro & a
couple of others. I'm not saying I'm dissatisfied with Norton, but to
"miss" those infections in a .Pst isn't a comforting thought.

I haven't found any one that will catch everything, and I haven't found any
one that won't catch something the others miss. It also depends on how you
have them set to scan. Some have settings to scan within archives, zipped
files, system files, etc that can be turned on and off.

Also, some of them are detecting certain spyware programs as viruses, while
others don't detect those at all. Multiple scans with multiple products,
including spyware removers, is a good idea.

 

[R. McCarty]

I would agree and that's what prompted me to post the information
to begin with. You're right about scanning options, etc which can
account for omissions. In fact after I discovered this, I went &
checked NAV's option fields and found nothing set incorrectly or
at a less than optimal value. I suppose you can't blindly trust any
"Security" application. It would be nice if there was some type of
rating/analysis on Anti-Virus that periodically reviews each vendors
effectiveness. Next time I speak to a Symantec rep, I'll bring this
up with them.

 

[Plato]

I guess the point of this post is no matter how well you think your
Anti-Virus software is, a cross check with other vendors is a good
idea. When Norton 2004 comes up for "Renewal", I may have to

Agreed. Thats why many techs say you should have at least 2 anti-virus
programs on your computer. Keep one running 24/7 if you are into that
and use the second as a double check.

 

[Joy]

When I first got my new (XP) computer, I got a virus in it. Talked to a MS
"virus-fighter" on the phone (I have NAV) and he had me run McAfee's free
stinger.exe. He said it can catch things that NAV misses. I periodically
run it as well as NAV regularly. I'm wondering if I should delete the
stinger.exe I have on my website and download a new version, because the one
I have on my desktop is a couple of months old and I don't know how else to
upgrade it?

 

[R. McCarty]

Stinger is updated periodically, the download is at
http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/
The best way to use/access it is save to a location on your
drive C:\Program Files\Stinger.
Then create a shortcut to the desktop. Each time you download
a newer version just save it to that same location by overwriting
the previous version. When stinger is first invoked it will display
it's version # and creation date stamp in the progress window.

 

[Joy]

Thank you.

Stinger is updated periodically, the download is at
http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/
The best way to use/access it is save to a location on your
drive C:\Program Files\Stinger.
Then create a shortcut to the desktop. Each time you download
a newer version just save it to that same location by overwriting
the previous version. When stinger is first invoked it will display
it's version # and creation date stamp in the progress window.

 

[Frank]

Any anti virus software is proactive anyway.....