User Guide

User’s Guide 115
Using the WinGuard Scanner
Figure 4-11. Advanced Scan Settings dialog box
Heuristic scanning technology enables the System Scan module to
recognize new virusesbased on their resemblance to similarviruses that
the module already knows. To do this, the module looks for certain
“virus-like” characteristics in the files you’ve asked it to scan. The
presence of a sufficient number of these characteristics in a file leads the
module to identify the file as potentially infected with a new or
previously unidentified virus.
Because the System Scan module looks simultaneously for file
characteristicsthatruleoutthepossibility ofvirusinfection, it will rarely
give you a false indication of a virus infection. Therefore, unless you
know that the file does not contain a virus, you should treat “potential”
infections with the same caution you would confirmed infections.
The System Scan module starts out without any heuristic scan options
active. To activate heuristics scanning, follow these substeps:
a. Select the Enable heuristics scanning checkbox. The remaining
options in the dialog box activate.
b. Select the types of heuristics scanning you want the System Scan
module to use. Your choices are:
– Enable macro heuristics scanning.Choosethisoptionto
have the System Scan module identify all Microsoft Word,
Microsoft Excel, and other Microsoft Office files that contain
embedded macros, then compare the macro code to its virus
definitions database. The module will identify exact matches
with the virus name; code signatures that resemble existing
viruses cause the module to tell you it has found a potential
macro virus.