
What are recommended third party anti-virus software solutions?
I am committed to Thunderbird and Firefox but on this computer I must remain with XP as my OS. Microsoft keeps sending nasty messages since I still was running their Security Essentials. I tried to solve this by going to AVG anti-virus,. but that will not work with Thunderbird because of encryption unless I set up the email to allow a AVG server to intervene. Now I keep getting nasty messages from AVG which also interfere with the entering of text. There should be a more simple solution to achieve anti-virus protection for my Thunderbird messages. What do you suggest?
Chosen solution
I have used Norton Internet Security for years and have not experienced any issues.
However, the problem arises if Norton discovered an email with a virus.
Emails are not stored in individual files, they are stored in a single file (one for each folder) and listed one after the other in the order they were downloaded. So, instead of quarantining just an email, you end up with the whole file quarantined. If you have set Norton to delete those files then you will loose everything in that file and will depend upon a backup to restore the file. This is the same problem with many Anti-virus programs, they do not know how to differentiate between the emails in a single file. Hence why it is advised to not scan.
I create regular backups, leave mail on server for 30 days to cover those not backed up and whilst I have Norton scanning, I have changed settings to ask me what to do. Then I can tell it not to delete a quarantined file. This allows me time to sort it out.
Importantly. if you keep your Inbox folder low in email numbers, then you lower the risk of losing loads of emails. Keep the Inbox for new incoming mail and not s a general store.
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I am not sure I understand how I am protected if I have email scanning turned off. Specifically, I am using AVG for anti-virus but any time I send or receive an email I get a warning from that application saying "Email Scanner is unable to scan messages because the connection is encrypted." This does not sound to me as though the application is "still providing just as much protection". AVG's proposed solution is to send and receive all messages through their server instead of directly to my ISP. I don't care for that idea. Do you have a different way of getting full value from AVG with Thunderbird, or is there another anti-virus application I could better use with Thunderbird?
Chosen Solution
I have used Norton Internet Security for years and have not experienced any issues.
However, the problem arises if Norton discovered an email with a virus.
Emails are not stored in individual files, they are stored in a single file (one for each folder) and listed one after the other in the order they were downloaded. So, instead of quarantining just an email, you end up with the whole file quarantined. If you have set Norton to delete those files then you will loose everything in that file and will depend upon a backup to restore the file. This is the same problem with many Anti-virus programs, they do not know how to differentiate between the emails in a single file. Hence why it is advised to not scan.
I create regular backups, leave mail on server for 30 days to cover those not backed up and whilst I have Norton scanning, I have changed settings to ask me what to do. Then I can tell it not to delete a quarantined file. This allows me time to sort it out.
Importantly. if you keep your Inbox folder low in email numbers, then you lower the risk of losing loads of emails. Keep the Inbox for new incoming mail and not s a general store.
Hi there
I too have just installed AVG virus software and when I open up thunderbird a pop up appeared saying email scanner unable to scan message because connection is encrypted. I called AVG and they said its a problem with thunderbird. I have now disabled email scanning on AVG and the pop up disappears. Am I right in saying that it is ok to disable email scanning. From what you say and looking on various sites it seems that people think it is nowadays as im protected with avg for everything else?