Kaspersky Anti-Virus: Free Online Virus Scanner

[MangoTBG]

Well since this was dugg back up, and coincidentally I just happened to run it I have to tell you guys I wasn't impressed with how long it takes to scan. I'm on my laptop w/ a 100 GB hdd and it took 2 hours and 45 minutes. It only has 60 GB of info. Granted I picked the most thorough scan, but c'mon 3 hours? I had no other programs running. Glad it came up empty, though. Just dissapointed in the time.

 

[CKent]

Originally posted by: episodic
wtf - internet explorer only? I would've thought greater things. . .

Requires activeX... generally too insecure for my tastes, but for this sort of thing you usually need it.

OP - Thanks!

 

[WildHorse]

One user's experience:

The free online scanner reported detecting 2 bad files.

So I uninstalled McAfee VirusScan & installed the 30 day trial of the whole Kaspersky AV shebang.

Once Kaspersky was on my computer, even with its more stringent scanning database selected in "settings," Kaspersky did not detect any bad files. Not one. It did not find the 2 that the online scanner reported.

That left me suspecting a false positive report by Kaspersky online scan. So I don't believe it any more.

After the 30 day trial of Kaspersky I removed it & went back to McAfee VirusScan.

 

[Vikesrock]

Kaspersky is the most thorough online scanner I have come across. Let's clear this up once and for all though, Kaspersky Online Scanner will not clean infected files, it will let you know what and where they are so you can deal with them yourself. Panda is another good online scanner which will disinfect viruses. The only major online scanner that will take action with spyware and adware is Trend Micro. I have not experienced any false positives with any of these scans except for a known issue with Panda and Hosts files. Panda will sometimes flag custom hosts files as malware when in fact they block malware from functioning. They are currently working on this issue.

 

[WildHorse]

Originally posted by: Vikesrock
Kaspersky is the most thorough online scanner I have come across. Let's clear this up once and for all though, Kaspersky Online Scanner will not clean infected files, it will let you know what and where they are so you can deal with them yourself. Panda is another good online scanner which will disinfect viruses. The only major online scanner that will take action with spyware and adware is Trend Micro. I have not experienced any false positives with any of these scans except for a known issue with Panda and Hosts files. Panda will sometimes flag custom hosts files as malware when in fact they block malware from functioning. They are currently working on this issue.

Please note, I did not say anything about the subject of REMOVAL which you launched into talking about; I only mentioned DETECTION.

After Kaspersky online reported detecting 2 infections, then as a double check my fully updated McAfee VisusScan was run but did not detect them. As a triple check, then the free McAfee online Stinger scanner was run and did not detect them either. I re-ran the Kaspersky online scan a couple of times, results same.

So it appeared McAfee was failing to detect infections reported by Kaspersky. Obvious indication: better dump McAfee & install Kapersky AV instead (the online scan report convinced me to switch brands). That's exactly what I did.

However, once Kapersky was installed and set to use it's most stringent detection criteria, it ALSO did not DETECT the 2 infected files which Kapersky online had reported.

I was left thinking that either:
a) Kapersky's marketing people have tweaked their online scanner to report detection of nonexistent infections, to alarm people into buying their product, or
b) Kapersky's online scan is invalid, false, worthless.

After my 30 day free Kaspersky trial expired I went back to McAfee since I already paid for its license, and I feel confident in it.

 

[Vikesrock]

One thing about messgae boards is they are organized into threads with each post organized by time posted. You jumped in and assumed I was repsonding to you and only you and not any one above you or the thread in general. Yes, I addressed your comment about false positives, but my other comments actually weren't directed at you, but at other questions posed in the thread which I did not believe had sufficient answers.

I stand by my position that the only false positives I have seen reported by either Kaspersky or Panda have to do with the Hosts file. It is a known fact that Online Scanners differ from regular virus scanners it is why they are used by malware removal boards to help clean systems. If you would like to post your Kaspersky log here or email me a copy of the files it flagged I would be glad to investigate.

 

[WildHorse]

Originally posted by: Vikesrock
One thing about messgae boards is they are organized into threads with each post organized by time posted. You jumped in and assumed I was repsonding to you and only you and not any one above you or the thread in general. Yes, I addressed your comment about false positives, but my other comments actually weren't directed at you, but at other questions posed in the thread which I did not believe had sufficient answers.

I stand by my position that the only false positives I have seen reported by either Kaspersky or Panda have to do with the Hosts file. It is a known fact that Online Scanners differ from regular virus scanners it is why they are used by malware removal boards to help clean systems. If you would like to post your Kaspersky log here or email me a copy of the files it flagged I would be glad to investigate.

YES!

On Wednesday, 28 Dec 2005, I simultaneously ran BOTH Kaspersky free online virus scan and McAfee VirusScan Professional Edition, on ONLY my entire drives C: and D:, other drives excluded. The computer OS is Windows XP Professional, SP 2, fully updated.

Results:

McAfee reported 0 infections.

Kaspersky Free Online scan reported 3 viruses plus 20 infected files. It then lists 20, and not the expected 23, infected files.

The Windows XP ?search? utility finds NONE of 20 infected files.

NONE of 20 infected files appear to exist based on visual inspection of the reported file locations.


The Kaspersky Online Scanner results are posted here [click on image to enlarge]:
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/scott/28Dec05Scan_Pgs1_and2.jpg

The McAfee VirusScan Pro results are posted here:
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/scott/28Dec05McAfeeScan.jpg

Portion of Kaspersky Online Scanner actual report here [click on image to enlarge](run 3 days in a row w same results):
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/scott/29DecKaspScan.GIF

Since the images are sort of hard to see on the web board, I will also PM the text version of the Kaspersky report to you here at Anandtech.

Please let us know what you determine! m And Thank YOU!

 

[mechBgon]

scott, did you notice that all the stuff Kaspersky's showing there is inside your email? Try saving those files from your emails onto your hard drive, and then you should see McAfee freak out and nuke 'em. McAfee won't have a problem detecting Netsky and Bagle variants with the current engine and DATs (4.4.00 and 4650ish or later). Not to detract from Kaspersky, but I think McAfee's just following the "rules of engagement" here

 

[WildHorse]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
scott, did you notice that all the stuff Kaspersky's showing there is inside your email? Try saving those files from your emails onto your hard drive, and then you should see McAfee freak out and nuke 'em. McAfee won't have a problem detecting Netsky and Bagle variants with the current engine and DATs (4.4.00 and 4650ish or later). Not to detract from Kaspersky, but I think McAfee's just following the "rules of engagement" here

mechBgon,

Thank you for your comment. Yes you are right about them supposedly being e-mail files.

I don't understand what you mean about saving those files to hard drive. All the inbox mail is already on the hard drive, in Thunderbird.

But
(1) I can't see the files Kaspersky is detecting in Thunderbird's inbox.

(2) Windows search can't find them there either, searching by their file names.

Also the Text version of the Kaspersky report (which I will PM to you here on Anandtech) gives a long description of each detected file, and I searched for various string fragments in those descriptions. Nothing found.

(3) I opened a command prompt window (DOS-type search, "outside" of Windows XP) & could not see the files reported by Kaspersky that way either.

(4) I set McAfee VirusScan (engine 4.4.00, dat file 4.0.4661) to scan just that location on the hard drive, and it detects nothing there.

(5) Previously I installed Kaspersky on my computer, and after installation and dat update it also did not see the files reported by Kaspersky online scan.

So either those files don't really exist, or they are very artfully hidden.

If they are lurking invisibly, I want to learn how to destroy them!

Any further ideas will be appreciated.


EDIT: It'd be interesting if YOU ran Kaspersky online scanner & it detected the same file names as it reported for me! Then we'd know it was a marketing ploy.

 

[Mem]

Thank you for your comment. Yes you are right about them supposedly being e-mail files.

I don't understand what you mean about saving those files to hard drive. All the inbox mail is already on the hard drive, in Thunderbird.

But
(1) I can't see the files Kaspersky is detecting in Thunderbird's inbox.

(2) Windows search can't find them there either, searching by their file names.

I had similar problem that I fixed,AV was saying virus in Thunderbird Email Inbox but nothing was showing,both Bitdefender,Panda were saying a virus was in there while KAV,Trend Micro was saying nothing found.

I had show all hidden files enabled and tried a search that came up with nothing,anyway the way I fixed it was to select" compact folders" (still showed nothing in the Inbox/trash)from Thunderbird email trash/inbox and after this never got the warning of virus found even after several more AV scans.

It might of been a false alarm who knows,however both Panda and Bitdefender would remove the virus but it would appear again on next scan until I compacted the invisable file.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: scott

Originally posted by: mechBgon
scott, did you notice that all the stuff Kaspersky's showing there is inside your email? Try saving those files from your emails onto your hard drive, and then you should see McAfee freak out and nuke 'em. McAfee won't have a problem detecting Netsky and Bagle variants with the current engine and DATs (4.4.00 and 4650ish or later). Not to detract from Kaspersky, but I think McAfee's just following the "rules of engagement" here

mechBgon,

Thank you for your comment. Yes you are right about them supposedly being e-mail files.

I don't understand what you mean about saving those files to hard drive. All the inbox mail is already on the hard drive, in Thunderbird.

But
(1) I can't see the files Kaspersky is detecting in Thunderbird's inbox.

(2) Windows search can't find them there either, searching by their file names.

Also the Text version of the Kaspersky report (which I will PM to you here on Anandtech) gives a long description of each detected file, and I searched for various string fragments in those descriptions. Nothing found.

(3) I opened a command prompt window (DOS-type search, "outside" of Windows XP) & could not see the files reported by Kaspersky that way either.

(4) I set McAfee VirusScan (engine 4.4.00, dat file 4.0.4661) to scan just that location on the hard drive, and it detects nothing there.

(5) Previously I installed Kaspersky on my computer, and after installation and dat update it also did not see the files reported by Kaspersky online scan.

So either those files don't really exist, or they are very artfully hidden.

If they are lurking invisibly, I want to learn how to destroy them!

Any further ideas will be appreciated.


EDIT: It'd be interesting if YOU ran Kaspersky online scanner & it detected the same file names as it reported for me! Then we'd know it was a marketing ploy.

PM replied to.

I don't know why the emails would not visible in Thunderbird. Is there a setting where it auto-quarantines emails that have certain attachments? Just grasping at straws there, I'm not a Thunderbird user.

The online Kaspersky scanner didn't detect anything bad on my system the last time I tried it, which was about a week ago. I don't think it's a marketing ploy on their part. You might try TrendMicro's HouseCall and Panda's online scanner to see if either of them are getting far enough into Thunderbird's email database to find those files: resources page with links to HouseCall and Panda scanners

 

[Vikesrock]

I would try mem's suggestion of selecting "compact folders", I am also not a Thunderbird user and am not very familiar with the program so I can only speculate about what is happening. It sounds like Thunderbird keeps, at the very least, an index of messages from your Inbox, "Compact Folders" sounds like an option to delete all outdated references to messages which you have already deleted. Email programs do not store each email as a file which is why you cannot find them through Windows or DOS, they will have to be eliminated through Thunderbird itself.

I would tend to believe that they are not false positives, just Kaspersky looking a little deeper than many of the other scanners. In a way this just ends up being a burden as there is likely little or no way these viruses can actually infect you.

I have seen the results from literally about 100 KAV scans and I have not seen those specific results, and, in the case of Outlook e-mails, the referenced messages have always been present.

If oyu found someone who was a little more familiar with the workings of Thunderbird, they may be able to tell you why/how Thunderbird is still storing these files.

 

[WildHorse]

Thank you all.

All the comments that were made in effort to help me are sincerely appreciated.

(The "compact folder" thing within Thunderbird e-mail program didn't help. The "infected" but totally invisible files are still there according to Kaspersky online scan, and I'm still working the issue. If I ever figure it out I'll come back and post the solution for the next guy). Thanks again.

==============================
UPDATE 30 Dec 05:

The solution was to delete ALL saved e-mail from all directories.
Re-ran Kaspersky online scan, and all previously detected infections were gone. I'm clean now!

I also uninstalled, then reinstalled Thunederbird. This step was probably unnecessary.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: Only Kaspersky detected the infections.

McAfee,

Panda,

TrendMicro and

Nod32

all were run, and all FAILED TO DETECT the infections which Kaspersky reported.


NEXT: I'll be uninstalling McAfee and upgrading to Kaspersky instead! Why wouldn't everybody???