AVG unreliable detection of Netsky virus

  • Thread starter Thread starter Euclid
  • Start date Start date
E

Euclid

I received an email with the Netsky virus in Outlook Express v6 today. AVG
6.0.717 free version did not detect it immediately although I have the OE5
plugin active. I also saved the virus email to a regular folder on my
desktop, and scanned it with AVG, but it could not detect the virus that
way.

I deleted the virus email from OE6, then when I clicked on the Deleted Items
folder, it announced that the virus was detected.

This was with the latest AVG updates installed.

Possibly some of this can be explained because I read incoming email in
plain text only, while the virus may require reading html mode to activate.
I don't know. However I see no excuse for failure to detect the virus when
it was saved to a regular folder on my desktop, then scanned manually with
AVG.
-E
 
I received an email with the Netsky virus in Outlook Express v6 today. AVG
6.0.717 free version did not detect it immediately although I have the OE5
plugin active. I also saved the virus email to a regular folder on my
desktop, and scanned it with AVG, but it could not detect the virus that
way.

I deleted the virus email from OE6, then when I clicked on the Deleted Items
folder, it announced that the virus was detected.

This was with the latest AVG updates installed.
Click to expand...
Clue...

Outlook Express FIVE plugin

and you're using Outlook Express SIX.

AVG has been known to have issues when you use the OE5 plugin in OE6.
 
Conor said:
Clue...

Outlook Express FIVE plugin

and you're using Outlook Express SIX.

AVG has been known to have issues when you use the OE5 plugin in OE6.
Click to expand...

What else is there for OE? Nothing. It says the OE5 plugin is good for OE5
or later, i.e. OE6 too. Issues? Yes, for sure! This is a case in point.

Even without the OE plugin, saving a virus to a regular folder on the
desktop or elsewhere (outside of OE) then scanning it manually should find
the virus. It didn't.

Actually with a properly functioning anti-virus, just the act of saving a
virus to a folder on the desktop or elsewhere should be automatically
detected, and a manual scan shouldn't be necessary. But not so.

Maybe it was a new variation of the Netsky virus, not easily detected, but I
don't know. AVG said it could NOT move it to the virus vault, so I just
deleted it. Then a complete scan of the computer with AVG came up clean, but
not with much confidence. I'm going to have to go to the trouble of scanning
with something else, to be sure, one of the free online scans, I suppose.
-E
 
Euclid said:
I received an email with the Netsky virus in Outlook Express v6 today. AVG
6.0.717 free version did not detect it immediately although I have the OE5
plugin active. I also saved the virus email to a regular folder on my
desktop, and scanned it with AVG, but it could not detect the virus that
way.

I deleted the virus email from OE6, then when I clicked on the Deleted Items
folder, it announced that the virus was detected.

This was with the latest AVG updates installed.

Possibly some of this can be explained because I read incoming email in
plain text only, while the virus may require reading html mode to activate.
I don't know. However I see no excuse for failure to detect the virus when
it was saved to a regular folder on my desktop, then scanned manually with
AVG.
Click to expand...

consider the possibility that what you received *wasn't* a complete
working sample of netsky... it's not unheard of for email worms to be
neutered in transit...
 
I received an email with the Netsky virus in Outlook Express v6 today. AVG
6.0.717 free version did not detect it immediately although I have the OE5
plugin active. I also saved the virus email to a regular folder on my
desktop, and scanned it with AVG, but it could not detect the virus that
way.

I deleted the virus email from OE6, then when I clicked on the Deleted Items
folder, it announced that the virus was detected.

This was with the latest AVG updates installed.

Possibly some of this can be explained because I read incoming email in
plain text only, while the virus may require reading html mode to activate.
I don't know. However I see no excuse for failure to detect the virus when
it was saved to a regular folder on my desktop, then scanned manually with
AVG.
-E
Click to expand...
I dont have AVG anymore but doesnt the email scan use the same sort of scan
(shell extension) as the rightclick "scan with avg" function?.I believe this
scan is not as in depth a scan as the resident shield scanner.If i remember
correctly its possible for a shell extension right click "scan with avg"
scan not to detect anything but if you then clciked the file or try to run
it , the resident shield would actually detect it.
me
 
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