McAfee LATEST .DAT FILE: 4.0 4034 VirusScan -- McAfee's VirusScan is an excellent utility for catching any viruses that may be hiding out in the darkest recesses of your hard drive. Its graphical interface is both visually appealing and intuitive. VirusScan's VShield component can run in the background, allowing you to continue working on other projects while it does its job. VirusScan's on-line help documentation provides useful insight into the program's many options. These options include the ability to configure the level of scanning desired, the ability to keep and/or print an activity log, and several additional user-configurable preferences. The latest release of VirusScan, Version 4.x, diverges radically from previous releases -- not so much externally as internally. The biggest change is in the virus scanning engine itself. The Dr. Solomon's virus scanning engine is at the heart of VirusScan 4.x, replacing the various engines used in earlier releases of VirusScan. Because the previous scanning engines and the new Dr. Solomon's scanning engine identify and classify viruses in different ways, the virus definition updates (DAT files) for earlier releases of VirusScan will not work on the 4.x releases; conversely, the DAT files for v4.x and above will not work on earlier releases of VirusScan. The VShield component of VirusScan has also been expanded in the latest release with the addition of three new network- and Internet-specific modules. The new E-Mail Scan module detects viruses in e-mail attachments that are sent over your internal network mail system. The Download Scan module monitors e-mail received over the Internet as well as downloaded files. Finally, the Internet Filter module detects and protects you against hostile Java applets and ActiveX Controls. The filter module can also be used to block access to specific Web sites. The interface for VShield has been redesigned to group the configuration options for all four of the modules (the three new ones plus the existing System Scan module) and a configuration wizard has been designed to get you up and running quickly with the most common scanning options. The new release also sports a revamped VShield Security module that allows you to protect the individual properties for any VShield module against unauthorized changes. The most recent releases of VirusScan also support virus detection and removal of polymorphic and macro viruses (including Office97 viruses) using enhanced heuristic scanning technology. Additional features in these releases include ZIP file scanning, an Emergency Disk creation utility, activity log reports, compressed file scanning support (ZIPs, CABs, etc.), and ScanPM (a command-line scanner that operates in protected mode environments like DOS). All in all, VirusScan is arguably the best virus scanner in the industry. Pros: Easy to use, scans in the background, cool interface, advanced virus scanning engine Cons: The older releases (v2.5.x) do not remove (or scan) viruses as well as other scanners New in v3.2.0: Improved Command Line components, more effective cleaning for MS Excel files infected with the Laroux virus, detection of macro viruses in MS Access database files, compressed file scanning support (ZIPs, CABs, etc.), improved detection technology for polymorphic viruses, scanning support for LS-120 floppy drives, Desktop Management Interface (DMI) alerts, scanning support for files embedded within MS Office files and for password-protected MS Word files; v3.2.0 includes the v3108 DAT (August '98); Release Notes New in v4.0.x: Dr Solomon's virus scanning engine; new VShield System Scan modules -- E-Mail Scan, Internet Filter (detects hostile Java applets and ActiveX Controls), and Download Scan modules; enhanced heuristic scanning technology, revamped VShield Security module, new versions of VirusScan Command Line components, specialized scanners for protecting MAPI-based and cc:Mail e-mail systems; Release Notes New for June DAT 3206: Detection of 26 and removal of 19 new viruses, including detection and removal for the new W32/EXPLOREZIP.WORM -- the "ExploreZip" worm; complete list Note: This DAT file will only work with VScan v3.x - do not install it with the new v4.x releases New for June DAT 4031: Detection of 52 new viruses (bringing total to 44,600+), including detection and removal for the new W32/EXPLOREZIP.WORM -- the "ExploreZip" worm; detects 130 hostile Java classes and 6 hostile ActiveX controls; complete list Note: This DAT file will only work with VScan v4.x - do not install it with earlier releases |