Avast which shields

If malware is detected, File Shield prevents the program or file from infecting your PC. Select the File Shield tab, then optionally tick enable or untick disable the following settings:. Behavior Shield monitors programs installed on your PC for suspicious behavior that may indicate the presence of malicious code. Select the Behavior Shield tab, then optionally tick enable or untick disable the following settings:.

Web Shield actively scans data that is transferred when you browse the internet to prevent malware from being downloaded and run on your PC. Select the Web Shield tab, then optionally tick enable or untick disable the following settings:. Mail Shield scans for threats in your incoming and outgoing email messages. Scanning applies only to messages sent or received using mail management software, such as Microsoft Outlook or Mozilla Thunderbird.

Select the Mail Shield tab, then optionally tick enable or untick disable the following settings:. For information about advanced settings for each of the Core Shields, refer to the following article:.

Worldwide English. Under Content , click JavaScript. Click the Add button next to Allowed to use JavaScript. Click the shield icon to the left of the address bar. Cookies are now enabled for all webpages that are part of the avast. If you have manually disabled JavaScript, follow the steps below to re-enable it: Ensure that the Safari window is open and active.

Select the Security panel, and ensure the box next to Enable JavaScript is ticked. JavaScript is now enabled for all websites that you visit using Safari. Enable cookies It is not possible to enable cookies for specific websites in Safari.

Adjusting settings for Avast Antivirus Core Shields. Select the File Shield tab, then optionally tick enable or untick disable the following settings: Enable File Shield : Scans any file added to or opened on your PC. To temporarily disable File Shield, untick the box, then select a time duration. File Shield automatically enables again when the specified time duration elapses. Scan auto-run items when removable media is attached : Scans files that are programed to run automatically from removable drives for example, a USB key when they are connected to your PC.

Choose file types to scan: Files with recommended extensions : Only scans file types recommended by Avast. All files : Scans all file types. Scan programs when executing : Scans programs, scripts, and libraries each time they are run. Scan files when opening : Scans each time you open a file.

Newer versions have been seen to not have exhibited the same problem. Avast is one of the numerous programs that runs as soon as your computer launches. If you have observed your computer to be lagging after booting to Windows, you might find that disabling Avast on startup can improve your OS speed. Type in msconfig. Select Startup, then click on the button that says Startup Item. This will arrange the startup applications in alphabetical order. Locate either Avast or ashDisp.

Untick the box to its left. This will disable it from running at startup. Click on Apply, then OK. The System Configuration window will then be promptly closed after. This is a different case from the one above, as this one deals with turning off the whole Avast Antivirus service, either temporarily or completely. If you also want Avast Antivirus to stop running in the background, you could follow the same steps enumerated above. Your email address will not be published.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. What is Avast Behavior Shield? There would normally be three things you could see under the Behavior Shield settings tab: Enable Behavior Shield : this is enabled by default. It allows you to temporarily deactivate or, if deactivated, reactivate Behavior Shield.

It is not recommended to disable it indefinitely. Enable advanced threat protection : this option permits Behavior Shield to automatically transfer any detected threats to the Avast Virus Chest.

Generate report file : this is also enabled by default. It authorizes Behavior Shield to produce a report of every scan result. You may likewise be prompted to offer a report file as you troubleshoot issues with Avast Support. The three possible actions are: Always ask : the program will send you a notification when it has detected a threat.

Automatically move detected threats to Chest : the program will do exactly as it says — once a threat has been identified, it will be automatically transferred to the Virus Chest.

Automatically move known threats to Chest : this option is enabled by default. The program will automatically transfer only known threats or those files which have been proved dangerous and are already part of the virus definitions database.

Exclusions for Scanning You could also choose which folders to exclude from the scanning procedure of Behavior Shield. Is Avast Behavior Shield Necessary? My Avast Behavior Shield Keeps Turning Off Many Avast users have observed and reported that they have been getting problems with this shield, particularly as it keeps on turning off.

However, it also runs in real-time, so it might be one of the culprits for your high CPU usage. To uninstall the tool, go to your Avast Antivirus user interface.

Scroll down until you find the tab for the Cleanup tool. Under it, you will find an option to Uninstall Component. Confirm by clicking OK. You will be prompted by Avast to reboot your PC so that the changes can be saved. After the reboot, there should be a decrease in the levels of memory and disk usage. Tweaking the Command Prompt : it is also possible that background scans are adding up to the CPU usage. You could set an option to make background scans happen only once; however, keep in mind that by doing this, you are also compromising the security of your computer, in exchange for fixing your disk usage.

To do this path, press both the Windows key and the R key simultaneously, then type cmd. However, while testing both anti-malware applications, Avast surprised me. On the contrary, McAfee was a bit heavy on the system performance.

All of this goes against the usual claims that Avast is the antivirus program that will definitely put a load on your system resources. Maybe the developers took these complaints into consideration?

In the whole McAfee vs. Avast debate, the pricing plays an important role. When it comes to the price, Avast is a bit less expensive option than McAfee for a short-term subscription at the moment. However, McAfee offers better 2-year deals, which makes it the cheaper option.

When your free McAfee trial expires, there comes a time to purchase a paid edition of the program. As a result, it is cheaper to buy this antivirus program for multiple years and multiple devices instead of making a one-off purchase. You can simply install it and use it indefinitely. Even though it lacks a lot of features like Remote Access Shield, Sandbox, Firewall, and Webcam Shield , Avast Free offers you real-time protection from malware and viruses, as well as both quick and full scans.

In addition, it will also protect you from ransomware. I found it easy to install McAfee. It only took a few clicks, and I was done. The biggest inconvenience was the waiting time, as I had you wait about 10 minutes for McAfee to install itself. Now, the interface of McAfee Antivirus is quite a good one.

However, I have one complaint. Once you go deeper i. You can only go back to the main screen, which I found a bit inconvenient. In comparison, Avast is a bit easier to navigate, as there is no problem to go one step back. The latter is extremely useful if you want to access the info about all the scans performed on your device.

The Avast desktop app is pretty straightforward, too - you can see all the paid and free features at once. Everything is neatly put into three major categories: Protection, Privacy, and Performance. You can clearly see which features are available and which are locked for the time being.

Avast offers antivirus apps for both iPhone and Android , which are practically identical. So, the mobile version of Avast looks much different than its desktop counterpart.

Only a few major functions are displayed on the front page like the system scan and the junk cleaner. You have to click on the menu icon on the top-left side of the screen to get to the more sophisticated features. It protects your phone in case it gets stolen. For example, you can activate the PIN Security feature, which will mark your phone as lost after 8 failed attempts to unlock it.

Even though there is no free desktop version of McAfee, you can have one on your Android or iPhone. The McAfee app offers similar features to its Avast counterpart: a virus scan, an app lock, an anti-theft feature, and the possibility to increase your privacy from various apps. What I particularly like about the McAfee app is the Guest Mode which limits the things other people can see on your phone and the Thief Cam feature that sends you the photo and location of the person trying to unlock your phone.

However, if you want help from a real person, you can fill in a form with the question and your contact details, and the site will connect you with an agent via live chat that is available Mon-Fri 7 AM - 7 PM CST. You can also call them via a customer service number. However, even though the number is toll-free, you have to purchase a paid version of Avast to be eligible to use it.

Both Avast and McAfee are solid antivirus solutions for any device.