Web Shield

 

Web Shield protects your system from threats while browsing the web. It also prevents malicious scripts from running, even when you are offline. In Web Shield, you can enable and configure web, HTTPS, and script scanning.

We do not recommend you install this component on a server OS that is also running Microsoft Exchange. The Exchange and Anti-spam components handle Exchange-level filtering and will conflict with this component.

Main Settings Tab

Web scanning: choose whether to receive warnings when downloading files with poor reputations and/or to scan traffic from well-known browser processes only.

HTTPS scanning: choose whether to use intelligent stream scanning, not scan trusted sites, block malware URLs, use script scanning, enable QUIC/HTTP3, and/or block botnet attacks.

Enable IPv6: (Cloud Console) choose whether to scan devices using IPv6 or not

Scan secured connections: (Cloud Console) choose whether to scan connections made over secure protocols or not

PUP: (Cloud Console) choose whether to report potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) or not

Web Scanning Tab

Configure which items should be scanned when they are downloaded from the web.

Scan type: choose to scan all files, or selected file types (specified extensions and/or specified MIME-types), and choose whether to unpack archives with valid digital signatures.

Actions Tab

Control what actions are taken by AVG when a virus, potentially unwanted program (PUP), unwanted tool, or suspicious file is detected.

Main Action/First action to try: Select the first action you want your Antivirus to take (for example, if it will first attempt to fix or quarantine the threat, or delete it immediately).

Notification Options: Choose whether to show notifications when Web Shield takes action against a detected threat.

Packers Tab

Configure which archive (packer) files Antivirus should try to unpack during the scanning process. Unpacked files can be better analyzed for malware by Web Shield. Unpacking a file is the same as extracting a file from an archive. Original archives, including the files contained within, remain intact when being processed by your Shield.

You can select All packers, or specific packer files from the extensive list by checking the boxes.

Sensitivity Tab

Adjust the sensitivity of the Antivirus scan for Web Shield.

Heuristics Sensitivity: Heuristics enable Antivirus to detect unknown malware by analyzing code for commands that may indicate malicious intent. The default setting is Normal. With higher sensitivity, Antivirus is more likely to detect malware, but also more likely to make false-positive detections that incorrectly identify files as malware. Code emulations unpack and test suspected malware in an emulated environment where the file cannot cause damage to devices. Use code emulation is enabled by default

Sensitivity: Choose to test whole files, which will cause the scan to be slower but more extensive

PUP and suspicious files: Choose whether or not to scan for Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs)

For Antivirus versions 21.5 and newer, you can also choose whether to scan for potentially unwanted tools.

Site Blocking Tab

Configure the list of URL addresses that are blocked by Web Shield. Site blocking works very similar to configuring exceptions, only the configured addresses are blocked instead of excluded from scanning.

Report File Tab

Customize the content of the shield-specific scan report file, such as which items are included, the file name, and file type. The report is saved in C:\ProgramData\Avg\antivirus\report (Windows 7 and higher).

Adding Web Shield Exclusions

If needed, you can add exclusions to the Web Shield scans through the Antivirus Exclusions settings of a selected policy. This can speed up the scans and prevent false-positive detections.

For more information on standard and component-specific exclusions, see Configuring Antivirus Exclusions.