Scanning, how often?

[Upton]

Since I'm using SAS as an on demand scanner, how often would you suggest I scan my system?

[Lasse88]

I would say atleast 1 time every month..

but it also depends on what you are doing..

if you are on alot of different sites on the internet, and download alot of things, you should do a scan more often..

[darthsideous666]

At least once a week, whether it needs it or not

[Lasse88]

If you have real-time and, allways use the same sites and you know they are clean i dont think you need to scan once every week..

But if you download (especially if you download from untrusted sources) or visit alot of different places on the internet, then i agree with the atleast once a week..

[nosirrah]

If you don't keep your JRE updated and/or don't use an alternate browser a safe site that has been hacked can attack your system with ease .

I can't tell you how many machines I disinfect that have JRE 1.4.2 installed .

Check your add/remove list and if you see any java/JRE entries that are below version 1.6/version 6Ux . Uninstall anything from the 1.4/4Ux and 1.5/5Ux families .

Version 1.6.3/6U3 is the current version .

It sucks that the version has two formats as it is confusing , not sure why they did this . For example 1.4.2 is the same as 4U2 and 5U6 is the same as 1.5.6 .

There have been exploit born infections that can use older versions of java to get in even if you have the most current version installed . Installing the new version does not remove old versions and the installer does not give you the option .

Doing a scan once a month or once a week or even once a day is not right or wrong as the decision should be based on the use your PC gets .

A PC with multiple teenage users in a house with no technically proficient users should be scanned once a day (IMO) .

A PC with a single careful user with above average technical proficiency would be safe only scanning once a month .

I bring up technical proficiency because understanding things like warning signs of infection and what software needs to be updated goes a long way in terms of keeping infections out .

Another thing I have noticed is that if you run a SAS scan and you have active antivirus running in the background the AV can catch malware as SAS checks for infected files . Its like running two scans at once .

I do this with SAS and Antivir . As the SAS scan runs Antivir will interrupt it if SAS hits malware that Antivir also detects . This is one hell of a one two punch when you combine the engines and defs of both Antivir and SAS .

[robinb9]

I tell all my clients to scan once a week with either the pro or the free.

I tell them to set a day (and stick to that date weekly as a routine) where they have about 2hrs and run through all the antispyware programs they have in this order:

CCcleaner (to clean out temporary ie files for either browser depending on which one they have)

Adaware 2007

Spybot Search & Destroy

Spywareblaster

AVG Antispyware (set up as free)

Superantispyware ( I leave this one for last because it will grab what the others miss)

It just takes 2 hours out of your time. They can let it scan and go do something else (like filing, etc)

robin

[Lasse88]

I dont think Spybot S&D and Ad-aware is worth having...

once they where good (maybe because they where the only free ones?)

but they are getting more and more behind all other AS programs..

i have also heard ad-aware use alot of resources, even when its the free version without real-time-protection and the program is closed..

[nosirrah]

I love Spybot for its extra tools in the advanced menu .

As for malware removal , I second Lasse88's opinion .

[3xist]

I would say use SUPERAntispyware and Spybot (Because Spybot caught something SAS missed!)

and you don't need Ad-aware if you have SAS )

3xist.