Lastest version of Avast antivirus

[Brink]

New Avast Pre-Release 5.0.668 released. See first post for more details.

 

[Brink]

New Avast Pre-Release 5.0.673 released. See first post for more details.

 

[Airbot]

September 7, 2010

Final released as 5.0.677

   Information

• solved a problem that could lead to disappearing of the avast service
• Behavior Shield: solved a minor stability issue (aswSP.sys) + solved a Win7 issue
• performance and stability improvements in the avast! sandbox
• changes in the engine allowing us to generically detect/block some new types of exploits
• speed improvements in the updater
• IS: fixed a vulnerability in aswFw.sys (Secunia Advisory SA40868)
• solved a vulnerability related to license files (Secunia Advisory SA41109)
• solved a problem with scanning of files with very long path names
• fixed the updater in East-Asian versions of avast running with Windows set to a different locale
• IS: improvements in the Outlook antispam plugin
• IS firewall: improvement in the path name matching
• IS: upgraded to the new version of antispam engine
• minor changes and fixes in the GUI
• fixes in the screen reader support
• fixed a bug where the File System Shield was scanning some files even after being disabled
• added trimming of setup.log
• added Danish, Hebrew and Urdu language packs

avast!

 

[Brink]

Thank you Aaron. First post updated.

 

[Airbot]

December 6, 2010

Avast Beta 5.1.798 Released. Changelog below.

   Information

Version 5.1.798 is a first beta of the 5.1 and it still misses a few things that will be in the next couple of days. For example, some of the Behavior Shield changes aren't there in this build yet



What's new
Most notable improvements include:
- Boot-time scanner for 64-bit OSes (finally!)
- Behavior Shield improvements - now with more sensors and able to detect exact offenders*
- Improved cleaning of infected computers
- Improved anti-rootkit engine - now capable of dealing with the latest TDL variants, for example
- Web Shield improvements (both stability and performance related)
- Mail and Web Shields not hosted in separate NT services anymore, resulting in much faster starts
- IS: new version of antispam engine
- Sound packs (more info coming later)

*The Behavior Shield functionality is still incomplete in this build. And even in the final v5.1, it will work only in "passive mode", which means that the new sensors will be active but won't be stopping the attacks, just reporting them to our backend infrastructure (unless you have opted out from the avast! community membership). This is to allow us to collect enough data before enabling the real thing in Q1 2011.

** INTRODUCING: BETA VERSION OF AVAST 5.1 [NOW 5.1.798] **

 

[Brink]

Thank you Aaron. First post updated.

 

[Brink]

December 7th, 2010

Avast Beta 5.1.803 released. See first post for more details.

 

[Airbot]

December 10, 2010

5.1.807 Beta refresh.

   Information

Things that should be fixed (compared to the last beta):
- 3rd party apps crashing on startup (e.g. OA, ATI Catalyst etc)
- broken sandbox
- other Behavior Shield related issues
- broken Firewall Ask dialog
- messed up screen-saver settings
- high CPU usage of AvastSvc.exe during download of large EXE files
- report file of the Behavior Shield
- slow start of the avast service on _most_ computers
- Network Shield sometimes not starting (and staying with Protection Status: Unknown)
- Network Lock UI problem

Still not fixed:
- Repair command (in Add/Remove Programs)
- still known compatiblity problems with a few apps
- the Secunia Psi thing discussed here (not really our fault)
- some performance related things

If you're using 5.1.803, I'd recommend updating to 5.1.807 because 5.1.803 was pretty messed up.

 

[Brink]

Thank you Aaron. First post updated.

 

[Brink]

New Avast Beta 5.1.822 version released. See first post for more details.

 

[Lorien]

Hi Brink and/or Aaron,

I've been universally recommending MSE (now MSE 2.0) as the primary AV/AM/AS program with Malwarebytes (and sometimes SuperAntiSpyware when that type of problem seems to be happening) as a backup to run ever week or two to catch anything MSE might have missed - and so have quite a few other members (in fact, almost all of the regulars here).

Is Avast a better choice than MSE? I know it is very good and would be my second choice if MSE didn't exist, but I just wonder if you think it's a better option and why?

Thanks!

 

[Brink]

Hello Lorien,

Avast and MSE are designed to work together for even better protection. Unless they have a low powered system, I would recommend to run both of them.

 

[Airbot]

I personally just use Avast. I can't use MSE. Every time I give it a chance since it's birth, even with the very latest version - MSE 2 Final Released!

It slows my system down. Although I can't ever get anyone else to confess or confirm it (not sure why), I have absolutely no doubt that it does show a clearly noticeable slow down effect on viewing folders with thumbnails, slowing icon refreshing, etc. immediately after installing and there after until it is uninstalled.

For this reason alone I can't use it personally, so I just use Avast which never gives me those kind of problems and covers what I need it to. If it doesn't slow your system down at all like mine, either one I would go with. They are both pretty good.

 

[Brink]

I had the same issue and ended up having to uninstall Avast in Safe Mode.

 

[Airbot]

Which issue Shawn?

 

[Brink]

Avast beta 5.1.822

 

[Airbot]

You've lost me. lol

 

[Brink]

LOL, sorry Aaron. I was thinking version instead of issue at the time for some reason.

It was the same issue you were having with everything slowing down and just about freezing up with the new MSE and Avast installed together.

 

[Airbot]

Oh, I wasn't talking about having them together. Think you misinterpreted my post there.

I was just telling Lorien from his questions, from my experience that I only use Avast because of the issues MSE gives me in every version of it that I've tried since it's first version came out all the way up to the current version.

Either one only installed at one given time, not both installed together. (Just MSE installed by itself and no Avast.) Avast doesn't give me any of the slowdown issues MSE does just having MSE installed.

 

[Brink]

Ah, I see.

With the new versions, either one will work fine for me if installed by itself. For whatever reason, they do not seem to want to play nice together with this latest release.