Newbie questions

"Ray K" <raykosXXX DeleteThis @optonline.net> wrote in message
news:476f3931$0$13884$607ed4bc@cv.net...
> After a virus program is first installed, I can understand the need
> for a full system scan. But after that, if the program is constantly
> monitoring every possible input (floppy, CD-ROM, email, downloads from
> websites, USB ports, etc.), why would I ever need a full scan again?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ray

New infections that it doesn't know about yet that may already be on
your machine.

Eric

--
Remove the dross to contact me directly
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie questions 

Leythos wrote:
> In article <476f3931$0$13884$607ed4bc@cv.net>, raykosXXX.RemoveThis@optonline.net
> says...
>> After a virus program is first installed, I can understand the need for
>> a full system scan. But after that, if the program is constantly
>> monitoring every possible input (floppy, CD-ROM, email, downloads from
>> websites, USB ports, etc.), why would I ever need a full scan again?
>
> Because of Virus Definition Updates - since the scanners normally only
> monitor Memory and Files accessed, if you don't do a full scan you might
> not catch something sitting in a file you've not used in a while.
>

But the program, iolo System Mechanic 7 Professional, is supposed to be
continuously monitoring all inputs, besides checking Memory and Files
accessed. And why wouldn't the full scan performed when I installed the
virus program detect problems in a file I haven't used in a while?

Thanks,

Ray
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie questions 

In article <476fcaa0$0$9083$607ed4bc@cv.net>, raykosXXX RemoveThis @optonline.net
says...
> Leythos wrote:
> > In article <476f3931$0$13884$607ed4bc@cv.net>, raykosXXX RemoveThis @optonline.net
> > says...
> >> After a virus program is first installed, I can understand the need for
> >> a full system scan. But after that, if the program is constantly
> >> monitoring every possible input (floppy, CD-ROM, email, downloads from
> >> websites, USB ports, etc.), why would I ever need a full scan again?
> >
> > Because of Virus Definition Updates - since the scanners normally only
> > monitor Memory and Files accessed, if you don't do a full scan you might
> > not catch something sitting in a file you've not used in a while.
> >
>
> But the program, iolo System Mechanic 7 Professional, is supposed to be
> continuously monitoring all inputs, besides checking Memory and Files
> accessed. And why wouldn't the full scan performed when I installed the
> virus program detect problems in a file I haven't used in a while?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ray

You're pretty much right, Ray.
I don't do a full scan but maybe twice a year.

MM
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie questions 

MoiMoi wrote:
> In article <476fcaa0$0$9083$607ed4bc@cv.net>, raykosXXX.TakeThisOut@optonline.net
> says...
>> Leythos wrote:
>>> In article <476f3931$0$13884$607ed4bc@cv.net>, raykosXXX.TakeThisOut@optonline.net
>>> says...
>>>> After a virus program is first installed, I can understand the need for
>>>> a full system scan. But after that, if the program is constantly
>>>> monitoring every possible input (floppy, CD-ROM, email, downloads from
>>>> websites, USB ports, etc.), why would I ever need a full scan again?
>>> Because of Virus Definition Updates - since the scanners normally only
>>> monitor Memory and Files accessed, if you don't do a full scan you might
>>> not catch something sitting in a file you've not used in a while.
>>>
>> But the program, iolo System Mechanic 7 Professional, is supposed to be
>> continuously monitoring all inputs, besides checking Memory and Files
>> accessed. And why wouldn't the full scan performed when I installed the
>> virus program detect problems in a file I haven't used in a while?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Ray
>
> You're pretty much right, Ray.
> I don't do a full scan but maybe twice a year.
>
> MM

Look at the 3:14 p.m. post I just made to the thread "Where to find
viruses to download."

Ray
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie questions 

On 23 Dec 2007, Ray K <raykosXXX.RemoveThis@optonline.net> wrote in
alt.comp.virus:

> After a virus program is first installed, I can understand the
> need for a full system scan. But after that, if the program is
> constantly monitoring every possible input (floppy, CD-ROM, email,
> downloads from websites, USB ports, etc.), why would I ever need a
> full scan again?

An on-demand scanner only checks files when they are accessed. You may
download a virus or trojan today that won't be detected by your scanner
until next week. If you don't mind a virus living on your hard disk
waiting to drop it's payload, don't bother to scan.
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie questions 

Ray K wrote:
> After a virus program is first installed, I can understand the need for
> a full system scan. But after that, if the program is constantly
> monitoring every possible input (floppy, CD-ROM, email, downloads from
> websites, USB ports, etc.), why would I ever need a full scan again?

well, lets say you get a new piece of malware on monday and then a
signature for that malware is released 5 days later... your scanner
wouldn't have detected the malware when you first got it because there
was no signature for it yet, and once the signature is available the
malware will only be detected by the on-access scanner if the malware
gets accessed while the on-access scanner is active and if the malware
doesn't use stealth...

hence the need for full system scans, preferably from an environment
where one can be reasonably sure that any suspected malware *won't* be
active... you want to do regular full system scans because what your
scanner can detect will change over time and because on-access scanners
only scan things that are accessed and only detect things when stealth
is not effective...

--
"it's not the right time to be sober
now the idiots have taken over
spreading like a social cancer,
is there an answer?"
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie questions 

Ray K wrote:
> Leythos wrote:
>> In article <476f3931$0$13884$607ed4bc@cv.net>, raykosXXX.DeleteThis@optonline.net
>> says...
>>> After a virus program is first installed, I can understand the need
>>> for a full system scan. But after that, if the program is constantly
>>> monitoring every possible input (floppy, CD-ROM, email, downloads
>>> from websites, USB ports, etc.), why would I ever need a full scan
>>> again?
>>
>> Because of Virus Definition Updates - since the scanners normally only
>> monitor Memory and Files accessed, if you don't do a full scan you
>> might not catch something sitting in a file you've not used in a while.
>
> But the program, iolo System Mechanic 7 Professional, is supposed to be
> continuously monitoring all inputs, besides checking Memory and Files
> accessed. And why wouldn't the full scan performed when I installed the
> virus program detect problems in a file I haven't used in a while?

because the signature for the malware may not have been released until
*after* you did that first full scan...

--
"it's not the right time to be sober
now the idiots have taken over
spreading like a social cancer,
is there an answer?"
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie questions 

kurt wismer wrote:
> Ray K wrote:
>> After a virus program is first installed, I can understand the need
>> for a full system scan. But after that, if the program is constantly
>> monitoring every possible input (floppy, CD-ROM, email, downloads from
>> websites, USB ports, etc.), why would I ever need a full scan again?
>
> well, lets say you get a new piece of malware on monday and then a
> signature for that malware is released 5 days later... your scanner
> wouldn't have detected the malware when you first got it because there
> was no signature for it yet, and once the signature is available the
> malware will only be detected by the on-access scanner if the malware
> gets accessed while the on-access scanner is active and if the malware
> doesn't use stealth...
>
> hence the need for full system scans, preferably from an environment
> where one can be reasonably sure that any suspected malware *won't* be
> active... you want to do regular full system scans because what your
> scanner can detect will change over time and because on-access scanners
> only scan things that are accessed and only detect things when stealth
> is not effective...
>

Thanks, Kurt, for the insight.

Ray
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie questions 

On 29 Dec 2007, Ray K <raykosXXX.RemoveThis@optonline.net> wrote in
alt.comp.virus:

> Thanks, Kurt, for the insight.

You're welcome.
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie questions