FF-3b3 - turning off virus scanner

[Yakumo.unr]

I agree it needs to be optional, it's certainly not been working very well for me, it regularly maintains that it is scanning the last downloaded file for viruses indefinitely, when doing so manually takes less than a second with my A/V.

[a;skdjfajf;ak]

I agree it needs to be optional, it's certainly not been working very well for me, it regularly maintains that it is scanning the last downloaded file for viruses indefinitely, when doing so manually takes less than a second with my A/V.

Are you using 'nightly's or the Beta2 release ? There was a recent patch checked in that is supposed to fix the hang during scans:

https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=401582

[xpgeek]

I also would like to see an option to disable it. Maybe somewhere on the advanced section of the options.

While I do think its actually a very good idea, for users like my not very computer savvy mother, advanced users like me are careful, experienced web surfers, who know what they're doing, and just don't need the extra layer of protection.

It should be on by default with a clear option, in advanced section so the non advanced user won't play with the option anyway, to turn it off.

[pikaunforgiven]

i'd be happy with an about:config option at least. forcing it is complete b/s IMO.
if its too technical for "normal" users to have an option in the options im fine with that, but at least provide an option for those of us who dont need it SOMEWHERE. otherwise some of us will just uninstall antivirus altogether (which obviously wouldnt be a good thing for windows users) just to get rid of this irritation.

[Fuziwuzi]

Until reading this thread, I'd never noticed that it was scanning for viruses. After downloading, the "scanning for viruses" is so quick I had to look very close to even see it. Perhaps the speed is dependent upon the A/V engine being used? I'm using AVG Pro on my WinXP Pro SP3 box.

Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9b3pre) Gecko/2007123005 Firefox/3.0b3pre ID:2007123005

[DeathWolf]

I have personally been very annoyed by that compulsory scan too. In the end I had to reinstall completly a new antivirus to fix the remnant of an old NOD32 that'd make every single FF download freeze and die.
while this was not a proper situation, FF should allow to disable the AV Scanning.
The last thing I want is for it to scan my 4GB tgz archives with 900k files.

I have an AV to check the files I decide are suspicious, not as a god damn resident mom.

[pikaunforgiven]

Perhaps the speed is dependent upon the A/V engine being used?

most likely has to do with that and whatever you happen to be doing at the time. i tend to play games that are just barely getting by on this computer while downloading, so scanning is a very big problem for me since it takes so long with a maxed cpu.

[DeathWolf]

I assume this is going to be another "let's drop the idea because it's not mainstream" thread?

[the_dees]

I still wonder if it means that files are actually scanned twice?

[pikaunforgiven]

I still wonder if it means that files are actually scanned twice?

at least that.
once when the download is complete, again on access when you use the file (some scanners dont, most do though), and maybe yet again by random chance if your a/v scans while the system is idle or if you run a manual scan. pointless overkill if you ask me.

[shaddix]

so firefox automatically scans your downloads for viruses now. this is ridiculous. this is like IE behavior. i think this is ridiculous, if anyone knows how to disable this then please let me know. this really is kind of sad to me.

[Omega X]

so firefox automatically scans your downloads for viruses now. this is ridiculous. this is like IE behavior. i think this is ridiculous, if anyone knows how to disable this then please let me know. this really is kind of sad to me.

Wrong.

Firefox invokes your AV scanner to scan the downloads for Viruses. Atleast lets get that part clear.

[DeathWolf]

Which is in this case the same level of stupidity;)(It was inexact, but it's still wrong imho)

[Tablet]

I have done some testing with Kaspersky AV with the following results.
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9b3pre) Gecko/2008010210 Minefield/3.0b3pre

I turned off Kaspersky resident scanner -> Firefox did not scan the downloaded file
I turned off Kaspersky altogether -> Firefox did not scan the downloaded file
All Kaspersky modules enabled -> Firefox reported the file is being scanned

Conclusion: Firefox just shows a message that the installed antivirus has scanned the file - it does not initiate the scanning itself. The antivirus would scan the file regardless of Firefox having this functionality or not.

Please do correct me if my reasoning is wrong.
Thanks,
Pavel

[the_dees]

@Tablet: VERY interesting. So Firefox really doesn't invoke an unnessecary second scan?