AVG AntiVirus 2013 User Manual Document revision 2013.10 (30.11.2012) C opyright AVG Technologies C Z, s.r.o. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. This product uses RSA Data Security, Inc. MD5 Message-Digest Algorithm, C opyright (C ) 1991-2, RSA Data Security, Inc. C reated 1991. This product uses code from C -SaC zech library, C opyright (c) 1996-2001 Jaromir Dolecek (dolecek@ics.muni.cz).
Contents ........................................................................................................................ 5 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 6 2. AVG Installation Requirements 6 2.1 Operation .......................................................................................................... Systems Supported 6 2.2 Minimum &....................................................
........................................................................................................................ 36 7. AVG Security Toolbar ........................................................................................................................ 38 8. AVG Do Not Track .......................................................................................................... 38 8.1 AVG Do Not Track interface ...............................................................................
.......................................................................................................... 115 12.4 Online Shield findings .......................................................................................................... 117 12.5 Event history log 118 13......................................................................................................................... AVG Updates 118 13.1 Update....................................................................................
1. Introduction This user manual provides comprehensive user documentation for AVG AntiVirus 2013. AVG AntiVirus 2013 offers real-time protection against today’s most sophisticated threats. You can chat, download and exchange files with confidence; play games and watch videos without worry or interruption; d ownload, share files and send messages safely; enjoy your life on social networks, or surf and search with of a real-time protection.
2. AVG Installation Requirements 2.1. Operation Systems Supported AVG AntiVirus 2013 is intended to protect workstations with the following operating systems: Windows XP Home Edition SP2 Windows XP Professional SP2 Windows XP Professional x64 Edition SP1 Windows Vista (x86 and x64, all editions) Windows 7 (x86 and x64, all editions) Windows 8 (x32 and x64) (and possibly higher service packs for specific operating systems) Note: The Identity component is not supported on Windows XP x64.
3. AVG Installation Process To install AVG AntiVirus 2013 on your computer, you need to get the latest installation file. To make sure you are installing the up-to-date version of AVG AntiVirus 2013, it is recommended that you download the installation file from the AVG website (http://www.avg.com/). The Support / Downloads section provides a structured overview of the installation files for each AVG edition.
3.2. Welcome: License Agreement The Welcome to AVG Installer dialog provides then the full wording of the AVG license agreement: Please read the entire text carefully. To confirm that you have read, understood, and accept the agreement press the Accept button. If you do not agree with the license agreement press the Decline button, and the installation process will be terminated immediately.
3.3. Activate your license In the Activate Your License dialog you are invited to enter your license number into the provided text field: Where to find the license number The sales number can be found on the CD packaging in your AVG AntiVirus 2013 box. The license number will be in the confirmation email that you received after purchasing your AVG AntiVirus 2013 online. You must type in the number exactly as shown.
Cancel - click to exit the setup process immediately; AVG AntiVirus 2013 will not be installed! Back - click to go one step back to the previous setup dialog. Next - click to continue the installation and go one step further. 3.4. Select type of installation The Select type of installation dialog offers the choice of two installation options: Express and Custom Install: Express installation For most users, it is highly recommended that you keep the standard Express installation.
confirm you want to use the AVG Secure Search engine that closely cooperates with the Link Scanner Surf Shield for your maximum security online. Installs the AVG Security Toolbar to protect your computer from dangerous websites - keep checked to have installed AVG Security Toolbar that guards your maximum security while browsing the Internet. If you decide for this option, a new section called Destination Folder appears in the dialog.
Highlight any item in the Component Selection list, and a brief description of the respective component will be displayed on the right side of this section. For detailed information on each component's functionality please consult the Components Overview chapter of this documentation. To revert to the default configuration pre-set by the software vendor use the Default button.
3.7. Installation was successful The Installation was successful dialog confirms that your AVG AntiVirus 2013 has been fully installed and configured: AVG Product Improvement Program and AVG Privacy Policy Here you can decide whether you want to participate in the Product Improvement Program (for details see the chapter AVG Advanced Settings / Product Improvement Program) that collects anonymous information on detected threats in order to increase the overall Internet security level.
4. After Installation 4.1. Product registration Having finished the AVG AntiVirus 2013 installation, please register you product online on the AVG website (http://www.avg.com/). After the registration you will be able to gain full access to your AVG user account, the AVG Update newsletter, and other services provided exclusively for registered users. The easiest way to register is directly from the AVG AntiVirus 2013 user interface. Please select the upper line navigation / Options / Register now item.
If AVG fails to identify the EICAR test file as a virus, you should check the program configuration again! 4.5. AVG default configuration The default configuration (i.e. how the application is set up right after installation) of AVG AntiVirus 2013 is set by the software vendor so that all components and functions are tuned up to achieve optimum performance. Unless you have a real reason to do so, do not change the AVG configuration! Changes to settings should only be performed by an experienced user.
5. AVG User Interface AVG AntiVirus 2013 opens with the main window: The main window is divided into several sections: Upper line navigation consists of four active links lined up in the upper section of the main window (Lik e AVG, Reports, Support, Options). Details >> Security Status Info provides basic information on the current status of your AVG AntiVirus 2013. Details >> Installed components overview can be found in a horizontal strip of blocks in the central section of the main window.
allows quick access to scanning and updating within AVG AntiVirus 2013. Details >> 5.1. Upper Line Navigation The Upper line navigation consists of several active links lined up in the upper section of the main window. The navigation includes the following buttons: 5.1.1. Like AVG Single click the link to get connected to the AVG Facebook community and to share the latest AVG information, news, tips and tricks for your maximum internet security. 5.1.2.
o Copy to clipboard - Use this link to copy the license number, and paste it where needed. This way you can be sure the license number is entered correctly. o Renew now - We recommend that you purchase your AVG AntiVirus 2013 license renewal in good time, at least one month prior to your current license expiration. You will be noticed of the approaching expiration date. Click this link to get redirected to AVG website (http://www. avg.
code used in the product: License Agreement - The tab offers the full wording of the license agreement between you and AVG Technologies: 5.1.4. Options The maintenance of AVG AntiVirus 2013 is accessible via the Options item. Click the arrow to open the rolldown menu: Scan computer launches a scan of the whole computer. Scan selected folder... - Switches to the AVG scanning interface and allows you to define within the tree structure of your computer which files and folders should be scanned.
Scan file... - Allows you to run an on-demand test on a single specific file. Click this option to open a new window with the tree structure of your disk. Select the desired file, and confirm the scan launch. Update - Automatically launches the update process for AVG AntiVirus 2013. Update from directory... - Runs the update process from the update files located in a specified folder on your local disk. However, this option is only recommended as an emergency, e.g.
as Buy now and Activate, allowing you to buy the full version of the program right away. For AVG AntiVirus 2013 installed with a sales number, the items display as Register and Activate. About AVG - Opens a new dialog with four tabs providing data on your purchased license and accessible support, product and program information, and the full wording of the license agreement. 5.2. Security Status Info The Security Status Info section is located in the upper part of the AVG AntiVirus 2013 main window.
5.3. Components Overview Installed components overview can be found in a horizontal strip of blocks in the central section of the main window. The components are displayed as light green blocks labeled by the respective component icon. Each block provides information on the current status of protection. If the component is configured correctly and fully functional, the information is stated in green letters.
LiveKive is dedicated to online data backup on secured servers. LiveKive automatically backs up all your files, photos, and music to one safe place, allowing you to share them with family and friends and access them from any web-enabled device, including iPhones and Android devices. Family Safety helps you protect your children from inappropriate websites, media content, and online searches, and provides you with reports regarding their online activity.
AVG System Tray Icon display In full color with no added elements the icon indicates that all AVG AntiVirus 2013 components are active and fully functional. However, the icon can also be displayed this way in a situation when one of the components is not fully functional but the user has decided to ignore the component state.
Temporarily disable AVG protection - the option allows you to switch off the entire protection secured by your AVG AntiVirus 2013 at once.
scan). Update now - click the Update now link to launch the AVG AntiVirus 2013 update directly from within the gadget: Twitter link - opens a new AVG gadget interface providing an overview of the latest AVG feeds posted to Twitter. Follow the View all the AVG Twitter feeds link to open your Internet browser in a new window, and you will be redirected directly to the Twitter website, specifically to the page devoted to AVG news. Facebook link community page.
The state of any currently opened web browser. Web browsers may overload the memory, especially if multiple tabs or windows have been opened for some time, and consume too much of system resources, i.e. slowing down your computer. In such situation, restarting the web browser usually helps. Running Peer-To-Peer connections. After using the P2P protocol for sharing files, the connection can sometimes remain active, using up certain amount of your bandwidth. As a result, you can see web browsing slowdown.
6. AVG Components 6.1. Computer The Computer component covers two main security services: AntiVirus and Anti-Rootkit: AntiVirus consists of a scanning engine that guards all files, the system areas of the computer, and removable media (flash disk etc.) and scans for known viruses. Any detected virus will be blocked from taking any action, and will then be cleaned or quarantined in the Virus Vault. You do not even notice the process, as this so called resident protection runs "in the background".
Enabled / Disabled - The button may remind you of a traffic light, both in appearance and in functionality. Single click to switch between two positions. The green color stands for Enabled, which means that the AntiVirus security service is active and fully functional. The red color represents the Disabled status, i.e. the service is deactivated. If you do not have a good reason to deactivate the service, we strictly recommend that you keep the default settings for all security configuration.
Dialog controls To switch between both sections of the dialog, you can simply click anywhere in the respective service panel. The panel then gets highlighted in a lighter shade of blue. In both sections of the dialog you can find the following controls. Their functionality is the same whether they belong to one security service or another (Link Scanner Surf-Shield or Online Shield): Enabled / Disabled - The button may remind you of a traffic light, both in appearance and in functionality.
- Use the green arrow in the upper left section of the dialog to get back to the main user interface with the components' overview. 6.3. Identity The Identity protection component runs the Identity Shield service that is constantly protecting your digital assets from new and unknown threats on the Internet: Identity Protection is an anti-malware service that protects you from all kinds of malware (spyware, bots, identity theft, ...
means that the Identity Protection security service is active and fully functional. The red color represents the Disabled status, i.e. the service is deactivated. If you do not have a good reason to deactivate the service, we strictly recommend that you keep the default settings for all security configuration. The default settings guarantees the optimum performance of the application, and your maximum security.
Dialog controls To switch between both sections of the dialog, you can simply click anywhere in the respective service panel. The panel then gets highlighted in a lighter shade of blue. In both sections of the dialog you can find the following controls. Their functionality is the same whether they belong to one security service or another (Email Scanner or Anti-Spam): Enabled / Disabled - The button may remind you of a traffic light, both in appearance and in functionality.
Details - Click the button, and a brief description of the highlighted service appears in the bottom part of th dialog. - Use the green arrow in the upper left section of the dialog to get back to the main user interface with the components' overview. 6.5.
Control buttons Analyze now (displayed before the analysis stars) - press this button to launch the immediate analysis of your computer Fix now (displayed once the analysis is finished) - press the button to get to the AVG website (http:// www.avg.
7. AVG Security Toolbar AVG Security Toolbar is a tool that closely cooperates with the LinkScanner Surf-Shield service, and guards your maximum security while browsing the Internet. Within AVG AntiVirus 2013, the installation of AVG Security Toolbar is optional; during the installation process you were invited to decide whether the component should be installed. AVG Security Toolbar is available directly in your Internet browser.
Do Not Track - the DNT service helps you identify websites that are collecting data about your online activities, and gives you the choice to allow or disallow it. Details >> Delete - the 'trash bin' button offers a roll down the menu where you can select whether you want to delete information on your browsing, downloads, online forms, or delete all of your search history at once.
8. AVG Do Not Track AVG Do Not Track helps you identify websites that are collecting data about your online activities. The AVG Do Not Track that is a part a AVG Security Toolbar shows the websites or advertisers collecting data about your activity and gives you the choice to allow or disallow it. AVG Do Not Track provides you with additional information about privacy policy of each respective service as well as a direct link to Opt-out from the service, if that is available.
collect data about your online activity while you are logged-in. Examples of Social buttons include: Facebook Social Plugins, Twitter Button, Google +1. Ad Networks (some block ed by default): Services that collect or share data about your online activity on multiple sites, either directly or indirectly, to offer you personalized Ads unlike of contentbased Ads. This is determined based on the privacy policy of each Ad network as available on their website. Some ad networks are blocked by default.
8.3. Blocking tracking processes With the lists of all Ad Networks / Social Buttons / Web Analytics you have now the option to control which services should be blocked. You can go two ways: Block All - Click this button located in the bottom section of the dialog to to say you do not wish any data collection activity at all.
Block the following - In this section you can see a box with a list of known data collection services that can be classified as Ad Networks. By default, Do Not Track blocks some of Ad Networks automatically and it remains up to your decision whether the rest should be blocked as well, or left allowed. To do so, just click the Block All button under the list.
9. AVG Advanced Settings The advanced configuration dialog of AVG AntiVirus 2013 opens in a new window named Advanced AVG Settings. The window is divided into two sections: the left part offers a tree-arranged navigation to the program configuration options. Select the component for which you want to change the configuration (or its specific part) to open the editing dialog in the right-hand section of the window. 9.1.
A new dialog pops-up informing you that in order to change the language of the application, you need to restart your AVG AntiVirus 2013 Press the Restart the application now button to agree with the program restart, and wait a second for the language change to take effect: System tray notifications Within this section you can suppress displaying system tray notifications on the status of the AVG AntiVirus 2013 application. By default, the system notifications are allowed to be displayed.
o Update notifications (on, by default) - decide whether information regarding the AVG AntiVirus 2013 update process launch, progress, and finalization should be displayed. o Component change notifications (off, by default) - decide whether information regarding the component's activity/inactivity, or its potential problem should be displayed.
o AVG Advisor notifications (on, by default) - decide whether information upon AVG Advisor activities should be displayed in the slide panel on the system tray. Gaming mode This AVG function is designed for full-screen applications where any AVG information balloons (displayed e.g. when a scheduled scan is started) would be disturbing (they could minimize the application or corrupt its graphics).
situations when it might be disturbing (see also the Gaming mode section of the Advanced settings/ Appearance chapter in this document). Control buttons Browse - having selected the respective event from the list, use the Browse button to search your disk for the desired sound file you want to assign to it. (Please note that only *.wav sounds are supported at the moment!) Play - to listen to the selected sound, highlight the event in the list and push the Play button.
How to disable AVG protection Tick the Temporarily disable AVG protection checkbox, and confirm your choice by pressing the Apply button. In the newly open Temporarily disable AVG protection dialog specify for how long you wish to disable your AVG AntiVirus 2013. By default, the protection will be turned off for 10 minutes which should be sufficient for any common task such as installing new software etc.
In the Resident Shield Settings dialog you can activate or deactivate the resident protection completely by checking or unchecking the Enable Resident Shield item (this option is switched on by default).
Scan files referred in registry (on by default) - this parameter defines that AVG will scan all executable files added to the startup registry to avoid a known infection being executed upon next computer startup. Enable thorough scanning (off by default) - in specific situations (in a state of extreme emergency) you may check this option to activate the most thorough algorithms that will check all possibly threatening objects in-depth. Remember though that this method is rather time consuming.
9.4.2. Anti-Rootkit In the Anti-Rootkit settings dialog you can edit the Anti-Rootkit service configuration and specific parameters of anti-rootkit scanning. The anti-rootkit scanning is a default process included in the Whole Computer Scan: Scan applications and Scan drivers enable you to specify in detail what should be included in anti-rootkit scanning. These settings are intended for advanced users; we recommend that you keep all options switched on.
9.4.3. Cache Server The Cache Server Settings dialog refers to the cache server process designed to speed up all types of AVG AntiVirus 2013 scans: The cache server gathers and keeps information on trustworthy files (a files is considered trustworthy if signed with digital signature on a trustworthy source). These files are then automatically considered to be safe, and do not need to be re-scanned; therefore these files are skipped during scanning.
9.5.1.
Report Potentially Unwanted Programs and Spyware threats (on by default) - check to activate scanning for spyware as well as for viruses. Spyware represents a questionable malware category: even though it usually represents a security risk, some of these programs can be installed intentionally. We recommend that you keep this feature activated as it increases your computer security.
By default, the certification text consists of just a basic information that states No virus found in this message. However, this information can be extended or changed according to your needs: write the desired text of certification into the Email certification text field. In the Language used for the email certification text section you can further define in which language the automatically generated part of the certification (No virus found in this message) should be displayed.
The Attachment filter dialog allows you to set up parameters for email message attachment scanning. By default, the Remove attachments option is switched off. If you decide to activate it, all email message attachments detected as infected or potentially dangerous will be removed automatically. If you want to define specific types of attachments that should be removed, select the respective option: Remove all executable files - all *.exe files will be deleted Remove all documents - all *.doc, *.docx, *.
In this dialog you can set up a new Email Scanner server using the POP3 protocol for incoming mail: POP3 Server Name - in this field you can specify the name of newly added servers (to add a POP3 server, click the right mouse button over the POP3 item of the left navigation menu). For automatically created "AutoPOP3" servers this field is deactivated. A V G A ntiV irus 2 0 1 3 © 2 0 1 2 C opyright A V G T ec hnologies C Z, s .r.o. A ll rights res erved.
Type of login - defines the method for determining the mail server used for incoming mail: o Automatic - login will be carried out automatically, according to your email client settings. o Fixed host - in this case, the program will always use the server specified here. Please specify the address or name of your mail server. The login name remains unchanged. For a name, you may use a domain name (for example, pop.acme.com) as well as an IP address ( for example, 123.45.67.89).
SMTP Server Name - in this field you can specify the name of newly added servers (to add a SMTP server, click the right mouse button over the SMTP item of the left navigation menu). For automatically created "AutoSMTP" servers this field is deactivated.
In this dialog you can set up a new Email Scanner server using the IMAP protocol for outgoing mail: IMAP Server Name - in this field you can specify the name of newly added servers (to add a IMAP server, click the right mouse button over the IMAP item of the left navigation menu). For automatically created "AutoIMAP" servers this field is deactivated. A V G A ntiV irus 2 0 1 3 © 2 0 1 2 C opyright A V G T ec hnologies C Z, s .r.o. A ll rights res erved.
Type of login - defines the method for determining the mail server used for outgoing mail: o Automatic - login will be carried out automatically, according to your email client settings o Fixed host - in this case, the program will always use the server specified here. Please specify the address or name of your mail server. You may use a domain name (for example, smtp.acme.com) as well as an IP address (for example, 123.45.67.89) for a name.
are accessed. Known malicious site connections and their exploitative content are blocked as they are accessed by the user via a web browser (or any other application that uses HTTP). Add 'Secured by LinkScanner'... - (off by default): confirm this option to make sure that all messages sent from the Facebook / MySpace social networks that contain active hyperlinks will be certified as checked by LinkScanner. 9.6.1.
In the Web Protection dialog you can edit the component's configuration regarding the scan of the website content. The editing interface allows you to configure the following elementary options: Enable Web protection - this option confirms that the Online Shield should perform a scan o the www page content. Provided this option is on (by default), you can also switch these items in/off: o Check archives - (off by default): scan the content of archives possibly included in the www page to be displayed.
absolutely sure. Remember though that this method is rather time-consuming. o Maximum part size of a file to be scanned - if included files are present in the displayed page you can also scan their content even before these are downloaded to your computer. However, scanning of large files takes quite some time and the web page download might be slowed significantly. You can use the slide bar to specify the maximum size of a file that is still to be scanned with Online Shield.
Always prompt (on by default) - when a threat is detected, you will be asked whether it should be moved to quarantine to make sure no applications you want to run are removed. Automatically quarantine detected threats - mark this checkbox to specify that you want to have all possibly detected threats moved to the safe space of the Virus Vault immediately.
Scan settings The Scan settings section offers a list of scanning parameters that can be optionally switched on/off: Heal / remove virus infection without asking me (on by default) - if a virus is identified during scanning it can be healed automatically if a cure is available. If the infected file cannot be healed automatically, the infected object will be moved to the Virus Vault.
cannot get infected will not be scanned, for instance some plain text files, or some other nonexecutable files), including media files (video, audio files - if you leave this box uncheck ed, it will reduce the scanning time even more, because these files are often quite large and are not lik ely to be infected by a virus). Again, you can specify by extensions which files should always be scanned.
All parameters set up in this configuration dialog apply only to the areas selected for scanning with Scan of specific files or folders! Note: For a description of specific parameters please consult the AVG Advanced Settings / Scans / Whole Computer scan chapter. 9.8.3. Shell extension Scan Similar to the previous Whole Computer scan item, this item named Shell extension scan also offers several options for editing the scan predefined by the software vendor.
The list of parameters is identical to those available for the Scan of the whole computer. However, the default settings differ (for instance, Whole Computer scan by default does not check the archives but it does scan the system environment; vice versa with the Shell Extension Scan). Note: For a description of specific parameters please consult the AVG Advanced Settings / Scans / Whole Computer scan chapter.
9.8.4. Removable device scan The editing interface for Removable device scan is also very similar to the Whole Computer scan editing dialog: The Removable device scan is launched automatically once you attach any removable device to your computer. By default, this scan is switched off. However, it is crucial to scan removable devices for potential threats since these are a major source of infection.
Next, the text field called Name (deactivated for all default schedules) states the name assigned to this very schedule by the program vendor. For newly added schedules (you can add a new schedule by right-click ing over the Scheduled scan item in the left navigation tree) you can specify your own name, and in that case the text field will open for editing. Try to always use brief, descriptive, and apt names for scans to make it easier to later differentiate the scan from others.
icon: A new AVG system tray icon then appears (in full color with a flash light) informing a scheduled scan is running. Right-click on the running scan AVG icon to open a context menu where you can decide to pause or even stop the running scan, and also change the priority of the currently running scan. On the Settings tab you will find a list of scanning parameters that can be optionally switched on/off. By default, most parameters are switched on and the functionality will be applied during scanning.
that increases your computer security even more, however it may block legal programs, and is therefore switched off by default.
Set additional scan reports Click the Set additional scan reports ... link to open a standalone dialog window called Scan reports where you can tick several items to define what scan findings should be reported: Computer shutdown options In the Computer shutdown options section you can decide whether the computer should be shut down automatically once the running scanning process is over.
dialog the displayed tree structure activates and you can specify the folders to be scanned. 9.9.2. Definitions Update Schedule If really necessary, you can uncheck the Enable this task item to simply deactivate the scheduled definitions update temporarily, and switch it on again later: Within this dialog you can set up some detailed parameters for the definition update schedule.
immediately after the Internet connection is restored. Once the scheduled update is launched at the time you have specified, you will be informed of this fact via a pop-up window opened over the AVG system tray icon ( provided that you have k ept the default configuration of the the Advanced Settings/Appearance dialog). 9.9.3.
Check the Run the update again as soon as the Internet connection is available option to make sure that if the Internet connection is interrupted and the update process fails, it will be launched again immediately after the Internet connection is restored.
the computer regularly, at least once a day! Post update memory scan Mark this checkbox to stipulate that you want to launch a new memory scan after each successfully completed update. The latest downloaded update might have new virus definitions, and these could be applied in the scanning immediately. Additional update options Build new system restore point during each program update - before each AVG program update launch, a system restore point is created.
9.10.1. Proxy The proxy server is a stand-alone server or a service running on a PC that guarantees safer connection to the Internet. According to the specified network rules you can then access the Internet either directly or via the proxy server; both possibilities can also be allowed at the same time.
Automatic configuration If you select automatic configuration (mark the Auto option to activate the respective dialog section) then please select where the proxy configuration should be taken from: From browser - the configuration will be read from your default Internet browser From script - the configuration will be read from a downloaded script with the function returning the proxy address Autodetect - the configuration will be detected automatically directly from the proxy server 9.10.2.
9.10.3. Manage The Update management dialog offers two options accessible via two buttons: Delete temporary update files - press this button to delete all redundant update files from your hard disk (by default, these files are saved for 30 days) Revert virus database to previous version – press this button to delete the latest virus base version from your hard disk, and return to the previously saved version (new virus base version will be a part of the following update) 9.11.
The chart in the dialog displays a list of exceptions, if any have been already defined. Each item has a checkbox next to it. If the checkbox is marked, then the exception is in effect; if not, then the exception is just defined but not currently used. By clicking a column header, you can sort the allowed items according to the respective criteria. Control buttons Add exception - Click to open a new dialog where you can specify the item that should be excluded from AVG scanning.
9.12. Virus Vault The Virus Vault maintenance dialog allows you to define several parameters regarding the administration of objects stored in the Virus Vault: Limit Virus Vault size - use the slider to set up the maximum size of the Virus Vault. The size is specified proportionally compared to the size of your local disk. Automatic file deletion - in this section define the maximum length of time that objects should be stored in the Virus Vault (Delete files older than ...
9.13. AVG Self Protection The AVG Self Protection enables AVG AntiVirus 2013 to protect its own processes, files, registry keys and drivers from being changed or deactivated. The main reason for this kind of protection is that some sophisticated threats try to disarm the antivirus protection, and then freely cause damage to your computer. We recommend keeping this feature turned on! 9.14.
Within the dialog, the following setting options are available: I'd like to help AVG improve their products by participating in the AVG Product Improvement Program (on by default) - If you want to help us further improve AVG AntiVirus 2013, keep the checkbox marked. This will enable all encountered threats to be reported to AVG, so we will be able to collect up-to-date information on malware from all participants worldwide, and in return improve protection for everyone.
Most common threats Nowadays, there are far more threats out there than plain viruses. Authors of malicious codes and dangerous websites are very innovative, and new kinds of threats emerge quite often, the vast majority of which are on the Internet. Here are some of the most common: Virus is a malicious code that copies and spreads itself, often unnoticed until the damage is done.
9.15. Ignore error status In the Ignore error status dialog you can tick those components that you do not want to get informed about: By default, no component is selected in this list.
unique attributes of the network (specifically the MAC address), and will not display the notification next time. Each network that you connect to will be automatically considered the known network, and added to the list. You can delete individual entries by pressing the Remove button; the respective network will then be considered unknown and potentially unsafe again.
10. AVG Scanning By default, AVG AntiVirus 2013 does not run any scans, as after the initial one (that you will be invited to launch), you should be perfectly protected by the resident components of AVG AntiVirus 2013 that are always on guard, and do no let any malicious code get into your computer. Of course, you can schedule a scan to run at regular intervals, or manually launch a scan according to your needs any time.
In the Scan Options dialog, you can see three main scan configuration sections: o Manage schedules scans - Click this option to open a new dialog with an overview of all scan schedules. Before you define your own scans, you will only be able to see one scheduled scan predefined by the software vendor listed in the chart. The scan is turned off, by default. To turn it on, right-click on it and select the Enable task option from the context menu.
Scan configuration editing You can edit the Whole computer scan configuration in the Scan whole computer - Settings dialog (the dialog is accessible via the Settings link for the Whole computer scan within the Scan options dialog).
the scanning for spyware as well as for viruses. Spyware represents a questionable malware category: even though it usually represents a security risk, some of these programs can be installed intentionally. We recommend that you keep this feature activated as it increases your computer security.
o Computer shutdown options - decide whether the computer should be shut down automatically once the running scanning process is over. Having confirmed this option ( Shutdown computer upon scan completion), a new option activates that allows the computer to shut down even if it is currently locked (Force shutdown if computer is locked).
the option of having a specific folder scanned while all its sub folders are excluded from this scan; to do that write a minus sign "-" in front of the automatically generated path (see screenshot). To exclude the entire folder from scanning use the "!" parameter. Finally, to launch the scan, press the Start scan button; the scanning process itself is basically identical to the Whole computer scan.
Heal / remove virus infection without asking me (on by default): If a virus is identified during scanning it can be healed automatically if a cure is available. If the infected file cannot be healed automatically, the infected object will be moved to the Virus Vault. Report Potentially Unwanted Programs and Spyware threats (on by default): Check to activate scanning for spyware as well as for viruses.
o Computer shutdown options - decide whether the computer should be shut down automatically once the running scanning process is over. Having confirmed this option ( Shutdown computer upon scan completion), a new option activates that allows the computer to shut down even if it is currently locked (Force shutdown if computer is locked).
Warning: These scan settings are identical to the parameters for a newly defined scan - as described in the AVG Scanning / Scan scheduling/ How to Scan chapter. Should you decide to change the default configuration of the Scan specific files or folders you can then save your new setting as the default configuration to be used for all further scans of specific files or folders.
avgscanx for 32 bits OS avgscana for 64 bits OS Syntax of the command The syntax of the command follows: avgscanx /parameter ... e.g. avgscanx /comp for scanning the whole computer avgscanx /parameter /parameter .. with multiple parameters these should be lined up in a row and separated by a space and a slash character if a parameter requires specific value to be provided (e.g.
/EXT Scan these extensions /for example EXT=EXE,DLL/ /NOEXT Do not scan these extensions /for example NOEXT=JPG/ /ARC Scan archives /CLEAN Clean automatically /TRASH Move infected files to the Virus Vault /QT Quick test /LOG Generate a scan result file /MACROW Report macros /PWDW Report password-protected files /ARCBOMBSW Report archive bombs (repeatedly compressed archives) /IGNLOCKED Ignore locked files /REPORT Report to file /file name/ /REPAPPEND Append to the report file /REPO
/HIDDEN Report files with hidden extensions /INFECTABLEONLY Scan files with infectable extensions only /THOROUGHSCAN Enable thorough scanning /CLOUDCHECK Check for false positives /ARCBOMBSW Report re-compressed archive files 10.4. Scan Scheduling With AVG AntiVirus 2013 you can run scan on demand (for instance when you suspect an infection has penetrated your computer) or based on a scheduled plan.
Location On each tab you can simply switch the "traffic light" button and switch it on again as the need arises: to deactivate the scheduled test temporarily, 10.4.1. Schedule In the upper part of the Schedule tab you can find the text field where you can specify the name of the scan schedule that is currently being defined. Try to always use brief, descriptive, and apt names for scans to make it easier to later differentiate the scan from others.
Controls in the dialog Save - Saves all changes you have performed on this tab or on any other tab on this dialog, and switches back to the Scheduled scans overview. Therefore if you wish to configure the test parameters on all tabs, press the button to save them only after you have specified all your requirements. - Use the green arrow in the upper left section of the dialog to get back to the Scheduled scans overview. 10.4.2.
Report enhanced set of Potentially Unwanted Programs (off by default): mark to detect extended packages of spyware: programs that are perfectly ok and harmless when acquired from the manufacturer directly, but can be misused for malicious purposes later. This is an additional measure that increases your computer security even more, however it may block legal programs, and is therefore switched off by default.
Computer shutdown options - decide whether the computer should be shut down automatically once the running scanning process is over. Having confirmed this option (Shutdown computer upon scan completion), a new option activates that allows the computer to shut down even if it is currently locked (Force shutdown if computer is lock ed).
Click the Set additional scan reports ... link to open a standalone dialog window called Scan reports where you can tick several items to define what scan findings should be reported: Controls in the dialog Save - Saves all changes you have performed on this tab or on any other tab on this dialog, and switches back to the Scheduled scans overview. Therefore if you wish to configure the test parameters on all tabs, press the button to save them only after you have specified all your requirements.
o C:\Program Files\ o in 64-bit version C:\Program Files (x86) My Documents folder o for Win XP: C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\My Documents\ o for Windows Vista/7: C:\Users\user\Documents\ Shared Documents o for Win XP: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\ o for Windows Vista/7: C:\Users\Public\Documents\ Windows folder - C:\Windows\ Other o System drive - the hard drive on which the operating system is installed (usually C:) o System folder - C:\Windows\System32\ o Temporary Files folder
10.5. Scan Results The Scan results overview dialog provides a list of results of all so far performed scans.
Dialog controls View details - Click the button to see detailed information about a selected scan (highlighted in the chart above). Delete results - Click the button to remove a selected scan result information from the chart. - Use the green arrow in the upper left section of the dialog to get back to the main user interface with the components' overview. 10.6.
11. Virus Vault Virus Vault is a safe environment for the management of suspect/infected objects detected during AVG tests. Once an infected object is detected during scanning, and AVG is not able to heal it automatically, you are asked to decide what is to be done with the suspect object. The recommended solution is to move the object to the Virus Vault for further treatment.
The following control buttons are accessible from the Virus Vault interface: Restore - removes the infected file back to its original location on your disk. Restore As - moves the infected file to a selected folder. Details - for detailed information on the specific threat quarantined in the Virus Vault highlight the selected item in the list and click the Details button to call a new dialog with a description of the detected threat.
12. History The History section includes information on all past events (such as updates, scans, detections, etc.) and reports about these events. This section is accessible from the main user interface via the Options / History item. Further, the history of all recorded events is divided into the following parts: Scan results Resident Shield detection Email Protection detection Online Shield findings Event history log 12.1.
removed! Each icon can either be solid or cut in half - the solid icons stands for a scan that was completed and finished properly; the cut-in-half icon means the scan was canceled or interrupted. Note: For detailed information on each scan please see the Scan Results dialog accessible via the View details button (in the bottom part of this dialog).
Within this warning dialog you will find information on the object that was detected and assigned as infected ( Name), and some descriptive facts on the recognized infection (Description). The Show details link will redirect you to the online virus encyclopedia where you can find detailed information on the detected infection, if these are known. In the dialog, you will also see an overview of available solutions on how to treat the detected threat.
For each detected object the following information is provided: Detection name - description (possibly even name) of the detected object and its location Result - action performed with the detected object Detection time - date and time the threat was detected and blocked Object Type - type of the detected object Process - what action was performed to call up the potentially dangerous object so that it could be detected Control buttons Refresh - update the list of findings detected by Online Shield Export -
12.3. Email Protection detection The Email Protection detection dialog is accessible via the Options / History / Email Protection detection menu item in the upper line navigation of the AVG AntiVirus 2013 main window. The dialog provides a list of all findings detected by the Emails component.
12.4. Online Shield findings Online Shield scans the content of visited web pages and possible files included in them even before these are displayed in your web browser or downloaded to your computer. If a threat is detected, you will be warned immediately with the following dialog: Within this warning dialog you will find information on the object that was detected and assigned as infected ( Name), and some descriptive facts on the recognized infection (Description).
For each detected object the following information is provided: Detection name - description (possibly even name) of the detected object, and its source (web page) Result - action performed with the detected object Detection time - date and time the threat was detected and blocked Object Type - type of the detected object Process - what action was performed to call up the potentially dangerous object so that it could be detected Control buttons Refresh - update the list of findings detected by Online Shiel
12.5. Event history log The Event history log dialog is accessible via the Options / History / Event history log menu item in the upper line navigation of the AVG AntiVirus 2013 main window. Within this dialog you can find a summary of important events that occurred during AVG AntiVirus 2013 operation.
13. AVG Updates No security software can guarantee true protection from various types of threats unless it is regularly updated! Virus writers are always looking for new flaws that they can exploit in both software and operating systems. New viruses, new malware, new hacking attacks appear daily. For this reason, software vendors are continually issuing updates and security patches, to fix any security holes that are discovered.
13.3. Update levels AVG AntiVirus 2013 offers two update levels to select from: Definitions update contains changes necessary for reliable antivirus protection. Typically, it does not include any changes to the code and updates only the definition database. This update should be applied as soon as it is available. Program update contains various program changes, fixes, and improvements.
14. FAQ and Technical Support Should you have any sales or technical trouble with your AVG AntiVirus 2013 application, there are several ways to obtain help. Please chose from the following options: Get Support: Right within the AVG application you can reach a dedicated customer support page on the AVG website (http://www.avg.com/). Select the Help / Get Support main menu item to get redirected to the AVG website with available support avenues. To proceed, please follow the instructions on the web page.
on removing viruses, spyware, and advice on how to stay protected. Discussion forum: You can also use the AVG users discussion forum at http://forums.avg.com. A V G A ntiV irus 2 0 1 3 © 2 0 1 2 C opyright A V G T ec hnologies C Z, s .r.o. A ll rights res erved.
