EddyHawk's Info List
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Anti Virus
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-AVAST!
 By: ALWIL Software
 Year: 1992 - 2001
 V7.70 [2001]
 Adv.:
  external shell (sortof), TSR virscan & mem/file protor,
   chksummer & BS saver/restorer
  can add own signatures
  scanner can show short info about found virus
  can scan inside presed x (atleast PkLite and Diet)
  checksummer can check changed files for virs and clean append/prepend/
   not-crypt-host virs
 Disadv:
  no heur
  slow signature update
  updating = downloads the whole big signature file
  big, slow & not unloadable TSR scanner and file protor
  fixed chksummer's database name/place (in root directory)
  BS util can replace BS on floppy with a new one but it only shows
   "Don't leave floppies into diskdrive" message and also destroyed the
   bootup code (generated with 'sys a:')
  shareware
  can't scan archives
  doc in PDF format and must be downloaded separately

-AVP (Anti Virus Pro)
 by: Eugene Kaspersky / Kaspersky Lab / Central Command (Russia)
 variant: Kaspersky Anti Virus V3.5.133.0 [2000/2001]
 adv:
  almost daily signature file updates, regularly every week an update is
   compiled which includes all updates that week, after about 3-4 months
   one big update which holds all others is provided
  external shell
  supports many x presor/protor
  can scan inside archives
  many options
 disadv: rather big
 DOS
  ZRDX + wc/le
 DOS Lite V3.0 b134 [2000]
  prog x is x-presed with Diet
  last? lite ver
  not fully compatible with latest updates
 JMT: add even not-yet-known virus
 Thomas Monkemeier: high-precision detection

-CPAV (Central Point Anti Virus)
 by: Central Point Software
 year: 1992?
 note:
  signature only?
  part of PCTools

-Flu Shot
 note: old avir

-F-Prot
 by: Fridrik Skulason, Vesselin Bontchev/Frisk Software (Iceland)
 variant: FSTOPW95
 adv:
  free for non-commercial use
  base price = $1/year
 disadv: for updating the whole signature file has to be downloaded
 V2.28 [1997]
  last 16bit ver
  built-in virs encyclopedia
   EdH: good doc!
  possibility to add own signatures
  includes resident scanner
 V3.x
  CWDX
  slower than V2.x
  smaller & good heur set
  F-Macro's built in
  no more vir encyclopedia :(
 V3.07
 V3.08c [Jan 2001]
 V3.09 [Apr 2001]
 Adv:
  supports many x-presors
  the most accurate naming of viruses
  built-in shell
 Disadv: unregular updates
 Note:
  the last to have a Win version
  since 3.08a SIGN2.DEF is incompatible with ver. 3.08 and earlier so update
   archives include a special SIGN2.308 file for previous versions
  CyR: the best there is

-F-Macro
 By: Fridrik Skulason, Vesselin Bontchev/Frisk Software (Iceland)
 Year: 1996-1998
 V3.1
 Adv: only for macro virs
 Disadv: DOS ver is merged into F-Prot

-Doctor Solomon's FindVirus
 By: Dr. Solomon Software
 V7.82(?)
 Adv:
  quite fast
  few false positives
  included both 16 and 32 bit (used DOS/4G) versions
  supported some executable compressors and archive formats
 Disadv:
  shareware
  "merged" into McAfee SCAN (a.k.a. discontinued)
  rather large
 Note:
  part of DSAV (Dr. Solomon's Anti-Virus Toolkit)
  didn't detect that I had a 386  :(

-McAfee VirusScan (VirScan)
 by: John McAfee/McAfee/Network Associates
 Year: 1992-2001
 variant: for Win32, Unix
 V3+
  no more vir.dat update for V3.x on 15 Dec 1999
 V3.15
 V3.2.2 (ScanPM) [17 Dec 1998]
  WC/LE executable
 V4+
  vir.dat can't be used by V3.x (not compatible)
  presed/crypted vir.dat
  much slower than V3.x
  heur
  integrity executable check
 V4.14.0 for DOS/PM [Jan 2001]

-McAfee VirusShield (VSHIELD)
 by: John McAfee/McAfee/Network Associates
 Year: 1994-1998
 type: TSR, 32kb upper mem, 77kb XMS, 320kb basemem
 V3.2.0 [1998]
  no longer updated
  VSHEML.EXE: polymorphic.vir.emulator

-PC-Cillin
 by: Trend Micro Device

-NAV (Norton Anti Virus)
 by: Peter Norton/Symantec

-TBAV (ThunderByte Anti-Virus)
 By: Thunderbyte B.V. or ESaSS B.V.
 Year: 1989-1998
 Type: anti-virus toolkit
 Desc:
  utils to prevent, detect and recover from a virus
   attack: runtime scanner, TSR scanner, chksummer, TSR chksum checker,
   (disk/mem/file) protor, heur.cleaner, UI, wiper, save/restore MBR/BS/CMOS
   and self-check BS/MBR maker
 V8.09 [1998]
 Adv:
  generic TSRs (except the scanner) -> usable even today
  world 1st heur.cleaner (?)
  CyR: the best doc
  scanner explains why a file triggered alarm
  TSR scanner can use XMS or EMS
  prot against tunneling and ANSI bombs by 'TSRs driver'
  can log everything
  nice heuristics
  BS prot in MBR code which CRC-checking BS
  the same code on floppies allows user to boot from HD if no system on
   the FD
  possible to set which prog can go TSR/modify executables/write to
   disk/etc.
 Disadv:
  I've yet to see it find a Win virus
  the TSR scanner doesn't find many viruses by copying (although it finds
   them if the infected file is being executed)
  cleaner doesn't allow wildcards
  not possible to scan and repair at once (but is possible through Inter
   Engineering's TBMClean utility which runs cleaner automaticly)
  shareware
   nag screens
  development has ended
 Alt: InVircible AV, V-Buster

-VSP (VirScan Plus)
 by: Ralph Roth aka ROSE/ROSE SWE (Germany)
 V12.50 [Mar 2001]
 Adv:
  quite fast
  many options
  can search for mutated/hacked versions of viruses
  includes additional utilities like (MBR & BS) cleaner and resident
  answerer for virs' "Am I There?" calls
  a lot of docs
  heur mem scan
 Disadv:
  in German
  if all heurs are enabled then many false positives
  shareware
  unregular updates
 Note: meant for German market

-RHBVS (ROSE's Heuristic Based Virus Scanner)
 By: Ralph Roth aka ROSE/ROSE SWE (Germany)
 V3.41.1 [17 Feb 2001]
 Adv:
  heur-based scan
  includes a smart file renamer
  can explain why file triggered alarm
  free
  can search for companion viruses
 Disadv: no BS/MBR scanning

-F_mIRC
 By: Ralph Roth aka ROSE/ROSE SWE (Germany)
 V2.11 [11 Mar 2001]
 Adv:
  for scripts (BAT, VBS, INI, JS, HTML, WBT, CS)
  heur
  dos/win32 dual-bound-executable (both DOS and Win32 versions in one file) and Linux version
  free

-MemScan
 By: Ralph Roth aka ROSE/ROSE SWE (Germany)
 V6.0.6 [04 Jan 2001]
 Adv:
  free
  (fast & heur) mem scan & MBR/BS/interrupt checker
 Disadv: for memory only

-MR2S (Mr. DoubleScan a.k.a. MarxRoth TwoScanner)
 By: Ralph Roth aka ROSE/ROSE SWE & GEGA Software
 V1.15.01 [18 Feb 2001]
 Adv: free
 Disadv:
  rather slow
  logging all scanned files
  scanning uses 3 different EXEs
  prog's dir must be current (can't be exec-ed via PATH)
 Note: includes code from both companies' AV products

-ChkMem
 by: martinko aka Martin Otto (slovakia)
 year: 1997-1998
 v0.5 [Feb 1998]
  adv:
   heur -> no database -> no need to update
   detect heavy polymorphic & stealth virs
   fast & small
   beerware
  disadv:
   no database -> can't clean vir
   only detect resident.vir
 note: prog x is crypted & self-checking

-ChkVir
 by: A. Bogdanow/PTS
 year: 1991-1992
 V8.20 [Dec 1992]
 adv:
  don't bother user when he formats floppy, copy COM file or compile a file
  possess keyboard control
  can't be tricked by real int21h vector
 note: part of PTSDOS

-MSAV (MicroSoft Anti-Virus)
 By: CPS (Central Point Software)
 Year: 1992-1993
 Adv:
  can generate checksums
  a special low-level verification technique for stealth viruses
 Disadv: signature only
 Note: part of MS-DOS 6.x (licensed to Microsoft)

-VSafe
 By: CPS (Central Point Software)
 Year: 1991-1993
 Type: TSR, 7kb memory, 64kB (E/X)MS
 Adv:
  hotkey to bring up options screen
  prot for modification of executables and bootsector, low
   level format, residency
 Disadv: can't specify which files are allowed to do those things
 Note: part of MS-DOS 6.x (licenced to Microsoft)

-AIDSTEST
 By: DialogueScience (Russia)
 Disadv:
  shareware
  cmdline driven
  discontinued

-Dr.Web for DOS/32 (DrWeb)
 By: ID Anti-Virus Lab & DialogueScience (Russia)
 V4.19(?): 16bit program with built-in shell
 V4.20(?): 32bit version (uses CauseWay extender)
 V4.23 [5 Mar 2001]
 Adv:
  quite fast
  supports several x-presors
  good heur
  frequent new vers
 Disadv:
  unregular updates
  shareware
  unregged ver can't disinfect
  cmdline driven
 Note: successor of AIDSTEST

-NOD32 (NOD Anti-Virus System for DOS)
 By: ESET, LCC
 V1.75
 Adv:
  built-in shell
  frequent new vers
 Disadv:
  shareware
   trial ver number is often behind the official number
    (not every new ver is put out for trial)
  32bit (uses CauseWay extender)
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MISC
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1 Dec 1997, McAfee merged with other companies to form Network Associates
McAfee/VirusScan/V3.15+/DAT/readme.txt: 300 new viruses are produced
 each month
