Avast + MSE Threat Alerts

[marsmimar]

During the time I've been a forum member I've read many posts saying that Avast and MSE work well together. I've used MSE ever since it came out last year and I'm currently running the 2.0 beta. Yesterday I installed Avast 5.0 (free) and so far I haven't had any compatibility issues nor have I noticed any system slow downs. I decided to test both products and they're each using their respective default settings just to make it a fair evaluation.

I've deliberately visited sites with known viruses as well as running the Eicar test files. In every instance, MSE has alerted me to a potential threat while Avast has remained silent. The only time Avast alerts me is if I've turned off real time scanning in MSE.

Why don't I get any alerts from Avast when MSE is enabled? Shouldn't they both alert me? If not, why not? Thanks for any input.

 

[The Howling Wolves]

The only thing I can think of is the potential threat you got was a false positive threat.
Run MBAM as see what you get! IMO

 

[Lemur]

I'm thinking they can't intercept simultaneously.

 

[The Howling Wolves]

Lemur,
That's another thought! If Marmimar was running both at the same time that could be the reason only one picked it up.
His next test, if he chooses, should be with only one AV at a time going into that sight.

 

[Lemur]

Lemur,
That's another thought! If Marmimar was running both at the same time that could be the reason only one picked it up.
His next test, if he chooses, should be with only one AV at a time going into that sight.

Agreed!

 

[marsmimar]

The only thing I can think of is the potential threat you got was a false positive threat.
Run MBAM as see what you get! IMO

Just for clarification, if I run Avast totally by itself it will alert me to the same identical threats as MSE. But when I run them together, only MSE alerts me. This would seem to indicate that both products are able to identify and acknowledge the same threats. But when they are both simultaneously running their real time scans only MSE alerts me. It's almost like MSE puts itself in a primary position and pushes Avast to a secondary slot. Or to put it another way, maybe Avast will only alert me if MSE misses something and it's picked up by Avast. But I haven't been able to test that theory because MSE seems to pick up on all potential threats.

I'm thinking they can't intercept simultaneously.

That's what crossed my mind, too. I thought that maybe since MSE is a Microsoft product it automatically assumes a primary position on a Microsoft OS. I also considered that maybe MSE is just faster than Avast in detecting threats so it's the first to sound the alarm so to speak.

 

[The Howling Wolves]

One last question for you and then I am off and running?

Which is your primary AV? I am not sure if you can set them both as your default AV!
Think you can only set one and have the other on demand.
Keep us posted as to your findings.

 

[marsmimar]

One last question for you and then I am off and running?

Which is your primary AV? I am not sure if you can set them both as your default AV!
Think you can only set one and have the other on demand.
Keep us posted as to your findings.

I'm not sure how to determine if one or the other is primary. They both have their real time protection enabled and they don't seem to be having any issues.

View attachment 106001 View attachment 106002

I work nights so I'm off to sleep. I'll check back in a few hours if anything else has been added. Appreciate your input, Dennis and Lemur.

 

[The Howling Wolves]

Get some sleep my friend.
This will be debated long after you come home from work.

 

[Corrine]

Hi, Marmimar.

Which A/V is listed in the Action Center under Security > Virus protection?

 

[The Howling Wolves]

Good Point Corrine!!!


Wanna share of my ice cream?

 

[kodi]

I run both those and I find that MSE will alert me and not Avast.
My theory is that MSE detects it and then quarantines it before Avast detects it so avast does not see a threat.
As was said earlier Mse sets itself up as the dominant AV and therefore gets first go

 

[polarbear]

I must say differ. I use both with real time protection and Avast is the only one that protected me to date. Not saying that MSE is not all of that but it maybe just the way they were installed as I had Avast before MSE. GL

 

[mborner]

There really is no need to be notified of the infection twice, by two different AV's. I'm betting that if you infected your system with a virus that only MSE, dected and then got infected by a virus that only Avast detected, you would be notified by both.

 

[kodi]

I must say differ. I use both with real time protection and Avast is the only one that protected me to date. Not saying that MSE is not all of that but it maybe just the way they were installed as I had Avast before MSE. GL

I have used Avast for years and only just installed MSE recently

 

[marsmimar]

Hi, Marmimar.

Which A/V is listed in the Action Center under Security > Virus protection?

Hi Corrine -

They are both listed with Avast being first. MSE was installed first on my machine so this might simply be nothing more than an alphabetical listing

View attachment 106025

Get some sleep my friend.
This will be debated long after you come home from work.

How very prophetic! You can add clairvoyant to your resumé.
Should be a slow night so I'll probably log back in from work in a few hours. Might even see what happens on the work computer if I install Avast. Thanks to everyone for chiming in.

 

[Corrine]

Hi, Marmimar.

That doesn't give me the anwer I was hoping for! I was hoping that the Action Center entry would provide a clue. I think it is just that the OS gives MSE priority so it notifies you first.

 

[marsmimar]

Hi, Marmimar.

That doesn't give me the anwer I was hoping for! I was hoping that the Action Center entry would provide a clue. I think it is just that the OS gives MSE priority so it notifies you first.

Thanks, Corrine. That's kinda what I suspected, too. I experimented on a work computer running Ultimate 32-bit. Same thing happens. As long as both are running real time scans, MSE alerts, nothing from Avast until such time MSE is disabled and then Avast will come to life and alert on the same malware MSE alerted on.

 

[polarbear]

Well I was out of town last week in hotel rooms my Avast stopped pages from loading as it said it was a know malware site. I was very happy with that. GL

 

[blue skies]

I also considered that maybe MSE is just faster than Avast in detecting threats so it's the first to sound the alarm so to speak.

I used to have Avast and after switching to MSE (which I much prefer) I was shocked at how much faster MSE scans files compared to Avast. Maybe it really is just finding the virus and quarantining it before Avast has a chance.