Email Scanning

[D. Spencer Hines]

Email scanning in any antivirus must be disabled, for reasons
explained here:

<http://thundercloud.net/infoave/tutorials/email-scanning/index.htm>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Email Scanning has never given me any problems.

This fuss about the supposed evils of email scanning is a tempest in a
teapot as well as bum dope.

I keep email scanning on for both send and receive and have an extra layer
of protection...

If others want to strip off that layer of protection that's their loss --
and their problem, when something goes wrong.

AND I don't send out infected files to my contacts.

Benefits All Around...

For Both Me & My Correspondents.

It's quite foolish not to email scan if your AV/IS software incorporates
that feature -- and I wouldn't want a program that did not have it.

I don't want the virus, trojan, worm, or whatever, to even GET to my hard
drive unannounced -- much less for me to open it.

Further, email scanning doesn't slow me down at all.

Emails open quickly and securely in Outlook Express, Outlook, Windows Live
Mail, Thunderbird and Forte Agent.

DSH
Lux et Veritas et Libertas
Vires et Honor

 

[FromTheRafters]

<http://thundercloud.net/infoave/tutorials/email-scanning/index.htm>

Me neither, because I don't use it.

This fuss about the supposed evils of email scanning is a tempest in a
teapot as well as bum dope.

I partially agree with that. Timeouts can be adjusted, and corruption
issues are problems with a particular scanners and e-mail clients.

I keep email scanning on for both send and receive and have an extra layer
of protection...

True, but it is like calling a handkerchief an extra layer of blanket on
your
bed. Unless the scanning engine for the e-mail scanning is different than
the one you use for 'on access' file scanning, you only get the benefit of
another look using the same eyes.

If others want to strip off that layer of protection that's their loss --
and their problem, when something goes wrong.

Having that 'first look' would be beneficial if the malware was a
software exploit aimed at a vulnerability in the e-mail client. That
is to say that the malware would execute by infecting the already
executing client software - without 'on access' ever having a file
created to scan.

In that case you have substituted the internet facing e-mail client
with a proxy client that scans for malware. It has happened that
scanning software itself created an internet facing vulnerability.

AND I don't send out infected files to my contacts.

The worthiness of outbound scanning depends on your ability to
harbor malware on the system that only your outbound scanner
can detect. This begs the question; "How did it get on the system
in the first place?".

Benefits All Around...

For Both Me & My Correspondents.

Overkill followed by the "warm fuzzies" all around.

It's quite foolish not to email scan if your AV/IS software incorporates
that feature -- and I wouldn't want a program that did not have it.

A marketing ploy so that one AV can be percieved as 'rising above' its
contemporaries. Others' followed suit so as to not lose marketshare.
Same as with crud detection.

I don't want the virus, trojan, worm, or whatever, to even GET to my hard
drive unannounced -- much less for me to open it.

Just where do you suppose the scanning takes place with e-mail?

Further, email scanning doesn't slow me down at all.

Emails open quickly and securely in Outlook Express, Outlook, Windows Live
Mail, Thunderbird and Forte Agent.

That's good, but that is no reason to discount the experiences of others'.
They are not foolish just because *you* haven't experienced problems.

 

[H Brown]

Hi D. Spencer Hines
I see merit to both sides of the argument. For a little over two years I've
been running
Vista HP using Avast. I felt as you've felt and scanned email and as far as
I can tell scanning email
never caused me a problem. About 4 months ago I stopped scanning email and
the only benefit
was a slight speed gain, nor has not scanning emails caused a problem. In
the 20 months I was
scanning emails I never received any alerts of any threats. I have had the
Servers of my ISP(s) block
incoming emails ,attachments and/or imbedded images. It does seem that one
school, the don't scan
email have seen many problems caused by some scanning software and they must
feel that it can
cause more problems than problems scanning will prevent. I don't know if
their stats represent the vast majority or not.
I can understand how some virus scanning software will cause problems.
I know that there are those that clam to be experts who promote the idea
that anyone can get a virus by just opening an email.
There seems to be a larger number of experts who promote that that's not
possible or most unlikely. I can see where both can be wrong and right.
But that could all depend on what kind of network and how sophisticated it
is. Both sides of this argument maybe right to one degree or the other, but
I believe
it depends more or less on the exact circumstances of the Network being
discussed.
Most people are only dealing with "The Internet" or as they think of it "The
WWW".

So, please for all those who feel as you do, or are not sure which way to go
please share the information about your setup.
What Virus scanning software you use, your OS and the hardware you feel a
person should conceder using to
avoid slow downs that scanning emails may cause. How often has your virus
scanning software alerted you when scanning emails?
What have the threats been that you have received but avoided by scanning
email?
What problems have you had in the past that you feel were caused by not
scanning your emails? Both incoming and out going emails.
What virus have you had that were caused by opening emails?
Have you had any virus that slipped by your email virus scanning software
and made it on to your system when you did open them?
The make model and aka of any virus would also be nice to know.
In the past have you used any virus scanning software that did cause you
problems (what were the problems?) and therefore caused you to switch to
another or the virus software you currently run?
How often do you recommend doing a through virus scan of a system? Using
your virus scanning software what changes to the default setting do you
recommend?
Do you have any tips or other precautions you would recommend being used
when it comes to security and emails in particular?

I Remain Security Conscious,
H Brown

 

[D. Spencer Hines]

I appreciate your concerns and yours is an intelligent post.

I'm using XP Pro SP3 and Norton Internet Security 2009, among other things.

Beyond that, I choose not to go in responding to your questionnaire.

I use other software to counter threats as well as other techniques,
schedules and habits.

I've had some experiences that have educated and tempered me as to how to
handle viruses, Trojans and worms. I've eliminated some from computers I
own -- by myself.

But to go into details about that in this medium would be as stupid as
prominently hanging my house key on my mailbox.

Don't forget about the Chinese Hackers, et alii.

I'll still be scanning my email -- among many other precautions.

I've already expunged five threats this very morning.

Cheers,
--
DSH
Lux et Veritas et Libertas
Vires et Honor

Hi D. Spencer Hines

 

[H Brown]

Your time and timely reply is greatly appreciated.
You're a talented Wordsmith and with a great name like D. Spencer Hines I'm
sure to find
writings' by you. Your name and writing seem to fit hand in glove.

I remain appreciative
H Brown

 

[...winston]

History(search the net) and that response should tell you there is more charade than accuracy when receiving a response like
that..I.e. Imo, not worthy of believing a single word.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

It's quite foolish not to email scan if your AV/IS software incorporates

that feature -- and I wouldn't want a program that did not have it.

Caveat emptor! The email scanning function is in the AV product
because all the competitors include it, and it makes for another bullet
on the box for gullible buyers.

Even Symantec (Norton), the originator of the email scanning concept
admits that it is redundant and unnecessary:

"Is my computer still protected against viruses if I disable Email Scanning?
Disabling Email Scanning does not leave you unprotected against viruses that are distributed as email attachments. Norton AntiVirus Auto-Protect scans incoming files as they are saved to your hard drive, including email and email attachments. Email Scanning is just another layer on top of this. To make sure that Auto-Protect is providing the maximum protection, keep Auto- Protect enabled and run LiveUpdate regularly to ensure that you have the most recent virus definitions."

See http://tinyurl.com/bhsva or
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...88256c7500723cf0?OpenDocument&src=bar_sch_nam

 

[Bruce Hagen]

Viral Irony: The Most Common Cause of Corruption:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/community/columns/filecorruption.mspx#EOAAC

Why you don't need your anti-virus to scan your email:
http://thundercloud.net/infoave/tutorials/email-scanning/index.htm

 

[Peter Foldes]

He is a Crossposting Troll . Knows nothing but good at pretending by posting other
posters errors after translating it to his own words

 

[H Brown]

Thank you Winston,
Ill take what you say into consideration, but you must admit the man is a
wordsmith.
I will admit it seems your experience concerning this subject is deeper than
anything
I could possible aeration at this point in time due to my very limited
exposure.

I will say that I have received a lot of benefit from your posting
(usefulness) over time and want to thank
you for your willingness to share your knowledge. In that regard it seems
the hardest part of being able to help people
is figuring out the question. Many times when searching for information on
these newsgroups I understand the answers, but many
times I am totally confused by the questions.

Winston, Having read this thread do you have any thoughts concerning
scanning email?

My most sincere thanks for your concerns Winston,
H Brown

 

[H Brown]

Thank you, Bruce Hagen
There is a lot to be said for having Esperance
Thanks for the links very interesting to say the least.

I remain willing to listen.
H Brown

 

[...winston]

HBrown,
You're welcome.
I appreciate your kind comments.

Any personal thoughts on scanning email ?
Absolutely...uncheck it during install if an available custom option and/or disable in the AV program.

Even Mr. Peabody(Rocky and Bullwinkle) and Lisa Simpson are quite capable wordsmiths, but no amount of eloquence will ever make
them (or some other perceived wordsmiths) anything more than they are....cartoons.

 

[D. Spencer Hines]

VanderMolen is having quite a bit of trouble understanding the important
concept of ...

Redundancy...

In Cybernetic Security Systems.
--
DSH
Lux et Veritas et Libertas
Vires et Honor

It's quite foolish not to email scan if your AV/IS software incorporates
that feature -- and I wouldn't want a program that did not have it.

Caveat emptor! The email scanning function is in the AV product
because all the competitors include it, and it makes for another bullet
on the box for gullible buyers.

Even Symantec (Norton), the originator of the email scanning concept
admits that it is redundant and unnecessary:

"Is my computer still protected against viruses if I disable Email Scanning?
Disabling Email Scanning does not leave you unprotected against viruses
that are distributed as email attachments. Norton AntiVirus Auto-Protect
scans incoming files as they are saved to your hard drive, including email
and email attachments. Email Scanning is just another layer on top of this.
To make sure that Auto-Protect is providing the maximum protection, keep
Auto- Protect enabled and run LiveUpdate regularly to ensure that you have
the most recent virus definitions."

See http://tinyurl.com/bhsva or
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...88256c7500723cf0?OpenDocument&src=bar_sch_nam

 

[Bruce Hagen]

H Brown.
See this recent thread in microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support.

http://groups.google.com/group/micr.../9c8ffe0c07eb7fbb?hl=en&q=author:[email protected]

 

[D. Spencer Hines]

Banks use redundant and overlapping security systems.

CIA, DIA and NSA use redundant and overlapping security systems.

Submarines use redundant and overlapping security systems

The Federal Gold Depository at Fort Knox [think James Bond and _Goldfinger_]
uses redundant and overlapping security systems.

The New York Fed uses redundant and overlapping security systems.

Home Security Systems should employ redundant and overlapping security
systems.

Cybernetic Systems, both institutional and domestic, should employ redundant
and overlapping security systems -- contra the untutored wailings of little
rampant pogues such as "winston"...

Some rampant, semi-hemi-quasi-educated technician pogues in these newsgroups
are very much ANTIS when it comes to Email Scanning because they have seen
it lead to corruption of Outlook Express DBX files in the past on the
systems of equally ignorant and careless rampant pogues who do NOT regularly
Clean Up and Compact their files.

So they rant rigidly, rapturously and craniorectally inverted about the
Terrible Evils of Email Scanning...

Amusing little fellows they are.

Suitable For Public Pillorying...

 

[Äìèòðèé Èâàíîâè÷]

It's quite foolish not to email scan if your AV/IS software incorporates
that feature -- and I wouldn't want a program that did not have it.

Caveat emptor! The email scanning function is in the AV product
because all the competitors include it, and it makes for another bullet
on the box for gullible buyers.

Even Symantec (Norton), the originator of the email scanning concept
admits that it is redundant and unnecessary:

"Is my computer still protected against viruses if I disable Email Scanning?
Disabling Email Scanning does not leave you unprotected against viruses
that are distributed as email attachments. Norton AntiVirus Auto-Protect
scans incoming files as they are saved to your hard drive, including email
and email attachments. Email Scanning is just another layer on top of this.
To make sure that Auto-Protect is providing the maximum protection, keep
Auto- Protect enabled and run LiveUpdate regularly to ensure that you have
the most recent virus definitions."

See http://tinyurl.com/bhsva or
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...88256c7500723cf0?OpenDocument&src=bar_sch_nam