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Using the VShield Scanner
5
What does the VShield scanner do?
McAfee desktop anti-virus products use two general methods to protect your
system. The first method, background scanning, operates continuously,
watching for viruses as you use your computer for everyday tasks. In the
VirusScan product, the VShield scanner performs this function. A second
method allows you to initiate your own scan operations. The VirusScan
application generally handles these tasks. To learn more about the application,
see Chapter 3, "Using the VirusScan application."
Depending on how you configure it, the VShield scanner can monitor any file
that arrives on or leaves your system, whether on floppy disk, over your
network, in file attachments that accompany e-mail messages, or from the
Internet. The scanner looks for viruses as you open, save, copy, rename or
otherwise modify your files, and it probes your computer's memory during
any file activity. The scanner starts when you start your computer, and stays
in memory until you shut it or your system down. The scanner also includes
optional features that guard against hostile Java applets and ActiveX controls,
and that keep your computer from connecting to dangerous Internet sites.
The VShield scanner consists of five related modules, each of which has a
specialized function. You can configure settings for all of these modules in the
VShield Properties dialog box. The VShield modules are:
• System Scan. This module looks for viruses on your hard disk as you work
with your computer. It tracks files as your system or other computers read
files from your hard disk or write files to it. It can also scan floppy disks and
network drives mapped to your system.
• E-Mail Scan. This module scans e-mail messages and message attachments
that you receive via intraoffice e-mail systems, and via the Internet. It scans
your Microsoft Exchange or Outlook mailbox on your Microsoft Exchange
server, and older cc:Mail e-mail systems.
• Download Scan. This module scans files that you download to your
system from the Internet. If you have enabled the Internet mail option in
the E-Mail Scan module, this will include e-mail and file attachments that
arrive via SMTP or POP-3 e-mail systems.
• Internet Filter. This module looks for and blocks hostile Java classes and
ActiveX controls from downloading to and executing from your system as
you visit Internet sites. It can also block your browser from connecting to
potentially dangerous Internet sites that harbor malicious software.
5
Getting Started Guide
33
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