Welcome to the fascinating world of Avast Behavior Shield, a cutting-edge tool designed to keep your computer safe from the unknown. This isn't just your typical antivirus software; it's a dynamic guard, always on the lookout for suspicious activities. Ever wondered how it works? We're here to demystify it for you.
This article will take you on a journey through the inner workings of Avast Behavior Shield, highlighting its key features and explaining why it's an essential part of your computer's defense system. We'll also guide you on how to customize it to suit your needs and troubleshoot common issues. By the end, you'll understand its impact on your overall computer security and why it's a game-changer in the digital safety realm.
So, buckle up and get ready to dive into the world of Avast Behavior Shield. Your computer's safety is about to level up!
Understanding the Functionality and Main Settings of Avast Behavior Shield
How Avast Behavior Shield Works
Avast Behavior Shield is a part of the Core Shields in Avast Antivirus. These Core Shields, which also include File Shield, Web Shield, and Mail Shield, are the main components that protect your PC. They work together to ensure your computer is safe from various threats.
By default, all Core Shields are enabled. This is to make sure your PC gets the maximum protection possible. However, you can adjust the sensitivity level for malware detections based on your needs. If you want to increase protection and don't mind potential false positive malware detections, you can set the sensitivity level to high. On the other hand, if you want to reduce the chance of false positives, you can lower the sensitivity. But remember, this might also reduce the effectiveness of the Core Shields.
Key Features and Main Settings of Avast Behavior Shield
Avast Behavior Shield comes with several key features and settings that you can customize. For instance, you can specify what you want the Core Shields to do when they detect malware and potentially unwanted programs (PUPs).
There's a Malware tab where you can choose your preferred action: Fix automatically (which is recommended), Ask, or Ignore. When Avast Antivirus detects malware, it tries to repair the file. If it can't repair the file, it moves it to Quarantine. If even that fails, the file is deleted from your PC.
There's also a tab for Potentially unwanted programs & tools. Here, you can select from the following actions: Resolve automatically (recommended), Ask, or Ignore. If you tick the box for "Notify me about potentially unwanted programs", you'll get a notification every time a potentially unwanted program is installed on your PC.
You can customize the settings for each shield according to your preferences. To do this, open Avast Antivirus and go to ☰ Menu ▸ Settings. Then, select Protection ▸ Core Shields. Here, you'll find the settings screen for all Core Shields.
The Role of Avast Behavior Shield in Protecting Your Computer
Real-time Protection
One of the standout features of Avast Behavior Shield is its real-time protection. This means it's always on guard, keeping an eye on your computer's activities. It's like having a security guard who never sleeps. It's always ready to step in and protect your computer from threats, even if they're not yet in the virus definitions database.
Detecting and Blocking Suspicious Activities
Avast Behavior Shield is not just about blocking known threats. It's also about detecting and blocking suspicious activities. This includes activities from unknown sources, and even those from known sources.
For example, it can detect and block ransomware attacks in real-time. Ransomware is a type of malware that locks you out of your files and demands a ransom to get them back. It's a serious threat, but Avast Behavior Shield can stop it in its tracks.
Similarly, it can also detect and block phishing attacks in real-time. Phishing is a type of cyber attack where hackers try to trick you into giving them your personal information, like your passwords or credit card numbers. Again, Avast Behavior Shield is on the case, ready to block these attacks.
Exclusions for Scanning
Now, you might be wondering, what if there are files or programs that you know are safe, but Avast Behavior Shield keeps flagging them? Well, there's a solution for that. You can add exclusions to the Behavior Shield scans.
This is done through the Antivirus Exclusions settings of a selected policy. By adding an exclusion, you're telling Avast Behavior Shield that this file or program is safe and doesn't need to be scanned. This can speed up the scans and prevent false-positive detections. So, you get to enjoy the protection of Avast Behavior Shield without any unnecessary interruptions.
How to Use and Customize Avast Behavior Shield
Setting Up Avast Behavior Shield
Setting up Avast Behavior Shield is a breeze. Here's how you do it:
- Open the Avast user interface. This is the main screen you see when you open Avast.
- Click on the “Protection” tab. It's usually on the left side of the screen.
- Now, click on “Core Shields”. This will take you to a screen where you can manage your shields.
- Here, you'll see “Behavior Shield”. Click on it.
- You'll see a “Settings” button. Click on it to open the Behavior Shield settings.
- In the “General” tab, you can enable or disable the Behavior Shield. Just click on the toggle switch to turn it on or off.
Customizing Avast Behavior Shield Settings
Now, let's talk about customizing the settings of Avast Behavior Shield. Here's how you do it:
- In the Behavior Shield settings, click on the “Sensitivity” tab. This is where you can adjust how sensitive the Behavior Shield is to potential threats.
- Move the slider to your desired level. The higher the sensitivity, the more likely it is to flag potential threats.
- To exclude files or folders from scanning, click on the “Exclusions” tab. This is useful if you have files or programs that you know are safe.
- Click on “Add” and then select either a file or folder to exclude from scanning. This tells Avast Behavior Shield to ignore these files or folders during scans.
- For more advanced settings, click on the “Advanced” tab. This is where you can fine-tune the Behavior Shield to suit your needs.
And that's it! With these steps, you can set up and customize Avast Behavior Shield to provide the best protection for your computer.
Troubleshooting Common Issues with Avast Behavior Shield
Identifying Common Problems such as High CPU Usage and Shield Turning Off
Sometimes, you might notice your computer is running slower than usual. This could be due to high CPU usage caused by Avast Behavior Shield. You can check this by opening your Task Manager and looking for the process named “aswidsagenta.exe”.
Another common issue is the Behavior Shield turning off unexpectedly. If this happens, it could be due to a conflict with other security software on your computer, or a problem with Avast itself.
Solutions, Fixes and How to Disable Avast Behavior Shield
If you're dealing with high CPU usage, there are a few things you can try:
- Change the scan frequency to reduce the CPU load.
- Uninstall the Behavior Shield process and check if the CPU usage goes down.
- Disable some of the shields that you might not need. You can do this by going to Settings > Protection > Core Shields and unchecking the boxes next to the shields you want to disable.
If your Behavior Shield is turning off unexpectedly, try these solutions:
- Reinstall Avast. This can often fix any issues with the software.
- Disable other security software on your computer. They might be interfering with Avast.
- Run a full system scan using Avast. This can sometimes resolve any issues with the Behavior Shield.
If Avast Behavior Shield is blocking files or applications you know are safe, you can add them to the exclusions list. Go to Settings > General > Exclusions and add the files or applications there.
If none of these solutions work, you might want to consider contacting Avast support for further help.
And remember, if you ever want to turn off the Behavior Shield, you can do so by going to Settings > Protection > Core Shields and toggling off the switch next to “Behavior Shield”.
Conclusion: The Impact of Avast Behavior Shield on Overall Computer Security
Summarizing the Benefits of Avast Behavior Shield
Avast Behavior Shield is a game-changer in the world of computer security. It's like having a vigilant guard always watching over your PC, ready to stop any suspicious activity. It works in real-time, analyzing all PC processes, file system and registry access, and intra-communication for unusual activity.
This patented technology is especially powerful against new strains of ransomware, even detecting zero-second threats. It's proven its worth time and again, like when it helped Avast Threat Lab stop the WannaCry ransomware for over 1 million customers worldwide.
The Behavior Shield doesn't just look at what's happening on the surface of your PC. It digs deep, scrutinizing all processes for any dubious behavior that could indicate the presence of malicious code. If it finds anything suspicious, it stops it in its tracks, preventing any potential harm to your computer.
Future Developments and Updates in Avast Behavior Shield
The world of computer security is always evolving, and so is Avast Behavior Shield. It works hand in hand with Avast's real-time cloud intelligence to detect any characteristics similar to known threats. This means it's always learning, always improving, and always ready to protect your PC from the latest threats.
One of the most exciting features is the Sandbox. This allows you to safely examine a file or code while keeping it isolated from your PC and network. It's like having a secure lab where you can study potential threats without any risk.
In conclusion, Avast Behavior Shield is an essential tool for keeping your computer safe. It's always watching, always learning, and always ready to protect your PC from any threat. So, you can rest easy knowing your computer is in safe hands.
