From my Virus Scan Program:

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Select Type of Heuristics scanning and additional criteria that should be used for virus scanning.

{] Enable heuristics scanning

o Enable macro heuristics scanning
o Enable program file heuristics scanning
o Enable macro and program file heuristics scanning

Additional criteria for scanning

{] Scan for potentially dangerous Programs
{] Scan for viruses in MIME/UUEncoded files
{] Scan all OLE objects

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KEY: Where {] is a check box , o is a click point.
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My Questions:

1. What is heuristics scanning?
2. What is MIME/UUEncoded files?
3. What is OLE objects?
4. What should be on and off to get the most bang for my buck to insure the highest protection of my computer?

David


PS. My typo and first spell check changed:
{] Scan for viruses in MIME/UUEncoded files
To

{] Scan for circuses in MIME/UUEncoded files

David
Here are the answers
#1)What is Heuristic scanning

quote:

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Heuristics looks at characteristics of a file, such as size or architecture, as well as behaviors of its code to determine the likelihood of an infection. Heuristics can sometimes find and stop many new viruses before they execute. Heuristics dont have a signatured based catalogue system, instead they look at hundreds of different behavours and indicators that a virus can use.

There are generally two types of Heuristic scanners, Generic and Static. Static Heuristics is similar to Signature based scanning however rather than scanning for individual viruses etc it scans for particular behavour patterns. This type of scanning can include DOS and Windows boot, executable and macro's. It can also be used to detect Worms. The heuristics run an analaysis of instructions for the files and determines whether these instructions is something a virus would do.

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In plain English it looks for patterns of Behaviour
The other type of scan (Signature) only looks for 1 thing only
#2)MIME/UUEncoded files are things like attachments in Email (Zip files for instance)
#3)
OLE objects:
These are things like ActiveX files which are the primary carriers of spyware SpywareBlaster Is very good at rejecting these
#4) I have put an "X" against the way I'd set up the settings OK?

quote:

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{] Enable heuristics scanning

o Enable macro heuristics scanning
o Enable program file heuristics scanning
o"X" Enable macro and program file heuristics scanning

Additional criteria for scanning

{] Scan for potentially dangerous Programs
{"X"] Scan for viruses in MIME/UUEncoded files
{"X"] Scan all OLE objects

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