Shoutbox

Hi,

I've been searching the internet for a while now, and havent been able to find an answer to my question, I have also tried searching these forums, but search results only turned up loads of threads beloning to people who have/suspect  they have an MSN Virus.

What I want to know is whether WLM utilises the scan results returned by a commandline scanner such as that of AVG's. If it does utilise the results, what format does the out put have to be in or does it rely on an exit code returned by the scanner?

Any info on this topic will be greatly appreciated.

I think that WLM don't do this, but look here:

I think that this is a similar feature.

Yeah, I know about that, thats what I'm asking.

When WLM uses your elected virus scanner (as seen above) does it take the return values and display a message?

eg if it is a virus does it remove the file and say "Virus found" or does it remain completely oblivious to the virus?

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Originally posted by Macka
Yeah, I know about that, thats what I'm asking.

When WLM uses your elected virus scanner (as seen above) does it take the return values and display a message?

eg if it is a virus does it remove the file and say "Virus found" or does it remain completely oblivious to the virus?

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It makes your virus scanner scan the file, if a virus is found your virus scanner is supposed to give a warning.

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Originally posted by foaly
if a virus is found your virus scanner is supposed to give a warning.

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That's not what he is asking for either...

He is asking if WLM takes in account any output of the command line virus scanner and if WLM acts accordingly.
eg: disable the link in the conversation window and show one of the build-in virus scan warnings like "Virus scanning has determined that xxxx is unsafe."

quote:

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Originally posted by Macka
What I want to know is whether WLM utilises the scan results returned by a commandline scanner such as that of AVG's. If it does utilise the results, what format does the out put have to be in or does it rely on an exit code returned by the scanner?

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WLM could use your own command line tool to scan files (as shown in the screenshot above). The only output that could come from this is in the form of a process exit code (Normally 0 means success and anything else than 0 means an error number). You don't see this code as text output (unless you write a small batch file and issue an echo command), it is something which is passed between processes.

Unfortunatly (and to my surprise) WLM does not use the exit code from such command line tools.

So, even if your scanners says that something is infected and it returns an exit code other than 0 indicating this, WLM does not display a warning, nor does it disable the link in the conversation window... Nothing happens...

For this reason, the ONLY safe solution for the use of your own command line tool is to delete the file (or rename it at least) so that the link in the conversation window does not work anymore. Note that many many scanners can not 'fix' or even detect everything. And many of those scanners (incl. very popular ones!!) do not remove the file as a precaution if they can not 'fix' the file.

I dunno what the result is if you have Windows Live Onecare installed as your virus scanner in Windows Live Messenger. I suspect (at least I hope) that in this case Windows Live Messenger does disable the link in a conversation and does show a warning... but I'm not certain.

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Note that you must be extra carefull when you add your own command line tool to scan files. Not all command line virus scanners will actually fix or delete a file in case of an infection, and even fewer scanners will actually pause to inform you about something (eg: they found an infection, but couldn't fix it).

And taking in account that WLM does not react on the possible output of such command line tools, it is not uncommon to think that everything is safe and to click the link in the conversation window, eventhough the scanner reported that the file is infected but couldn't be fixed. But since the command line box openend and closed too quickly you never saw such warning from the scanner.

And even if the command line scanner pauses to inform you about it, you could still click the link in the conversation window while it is scanning!!!!!!!

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Originally posted by CookieRevised

He is asking if WLM takes in account any output of the command line virus scanner and if WLM acts accordingly.
eg: disable the link in the conversation window and show one of the build-in virus scan warnings like "Virus scanning has determined that xxxx is unsafe."

WLM could use your own command line tool to scan files (as shown in the screenshot above). The only output that could come from this is in the form of a process exit code (Normally 0 means success and anything else than 0 means an error number). You don't see this code as text output (unless you write a small batch file and issue an echo command), it is something which is passed between processes.

Unfortunatly (and to my surprise) WLM does not use the exit code from such command line tools.

So, even if your scanners says that something is infected and it returns an exit code other than 0 indicating this, WLM does not display a warning, nor does it disable the link in the conversation window... Nothing happens...

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Thank you!

That is exactly what I wanted to know. I also am surprised, it almost defeats the purpose of forcing users to select a virus scanner.

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Originally posted by Macka

quote:

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Originally posted by CookieRevised

He is asking if WLM takes in account any output of the command line virus scanner and if WLM acts accordingly.
eg: disable the link in the conversation window and show one of the build-in virus scan warnings like "Virus scanning has determined that xxxx is unsafe."

WLM could use your own command line tool to scan files (as shown in the screenshot above). The only output that could come from this is in the form of a process exit code (Normally 0 means success and anything else than 0 means an error number). You don't see this code as text output (unless you write a small batch file and issue an echo command), it is something which is passed between processes.

Unfortunatly (and to my surprise) WLM does not use the exit code from such command line tools.

So, even if your scanners says that something is infected and it returns an exit code other than 0 indicating this, WLM does not display a warning, nor does it disable the link in the conversation window... Nothing happens...

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Thank you!

That is exactly what I wanted to know. I also am surprised, it almost defeats the purpose of forcing users to select a virus scanner.

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the virus scanner is supposed to delete the file itself

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Originally posted by ShawnZ

the virus scanner is supposed to delete the file itself

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Yeah, but it should at least disable the link.

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Originally posted by Macka

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Originally posted by ShawnZ

the virus scanner is supposed to delete the file itself

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Yeah, but it should at least disable the link.

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Why, if the file has been deleted or quarantined? It just won't launch...

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Originally posted by SpunkyLoveMuff

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Originally posted by Macka

quote:

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Originally posted by ShawnZ
the virus scanner is supposed to delete the file itself

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Yeah, but it should at least disable the link.

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Why, if the file has been deleted or quarantined? It just won't launch...

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The file is not always deleted or quarantined, even if it was found to be infected!!!!

Also, there are already messages build in Messenger to cope with this situation and which tell the user the file is infected and which disable the link (used when Windows Live OneCare is used). It makes perfect sense to also do this for a 3rd party virus scanner.

There is no reason not to disable the link and not to show a warning when the 3rd party virus scanner reports a file is infected.