From: 9121940f@lux.latrobe.edu.au (Anthony Miller)
Newsgroups: aus.computers.ibm-pc
Subject: Re: SCAN vs VET (virus scanner)
Date: 13 Oct 92 01:50:01 GMT
Distribution: aus
Organization: La Trobe University

In article <1992Oct12.101500.20469@dmp.csiro.au> lachlan@dmp.csiro.au (Lachlan Cranswick) writes:
>wadley@mullauna.cs.mu.OZ.AU (Gregory Robert Wadley) writes:
>
>>The place I work for has to decide between using VET and SCAN
>>as anti-virus vaccine.
>
>>Does anyone know which is better?
>
>Our site chose VET because it was more suited for what we
>wanted from an anti-viral program.  Mainly, that VET is very
>good at not only getting rid of the virus but also fixing up
>the damage it causes.  Also for us, a site licence was very cost effective.
>
>The latest version of vet is very easy to install
>but I don't recommend the use of the memory resident part of
>the anti-viral software (or any other anti-viral memory resident
>software).  When it is installed on 150 PC's it is not much fun
>when the memory resident program conflicts with some obscure
>device driver some users have on their PC's.  It saves a lot of time
>telling them not to install the memory resident program in the first place.
>Unless you are in a public use situation in a Uni
>or school, the VET.COM program that checks the hard-disk on
>boot-up should be adequate.  It is not hard to get STONED
>or PING-PONG from data disks, but you need software piracy
>or very lax staff to get the EXE and COM infectors.  If we get
>EXE or COM infectors, its time to crack down on users, not rely
>on the antiviral software to protect us. 
>
>One very nice feature of vet is a program that notes down
>the CMOS setup and puts it on the "master disk".  If a virus,
>or more likely a flat battery, destroys the CMOS info - it can quickly 
>be restored.  Given all new hard-disks are now type 47 that have user
>definable parameters this can be a life saver.  A guy on-site had
>a hard-disk upgrade while he was on holiday.  The person adding the new
>disk lost the CMOS while taking the old hard-disk out.  After ringing up
>the supplier of the original computer (who was no help), a 15 minute
>rummage found the VET MASTER DISK and retrieved the situation.
>
>There is also another memory resident program with VET that
>checks all floppies inserted into the disk drive and checks for
>viruses before it allows a program to read the data.  The only
>time I have come accross this program is through a uni friend.
>I gave hime some data on a floppy formatted with Xtree GOLD that
>puts its own boot-sector on the floppy.  As this memory resident program
>could not recognise this uncommon boot sector signature it refused
>to allow MS WORD to read the disk.  The fix was to give him a disk formatted 
>with DOS 5.0.
>
>SCAN is very good at identifing viruses but does not
>put the same effort into elliminating and fixing the damage.
>-- 
>  Lachlan Cranswick  -  CSIRO             _--_|\  lachlan@dmp.CSIRO.AU
>  Division of Mineral Products           /      \ tel +61 3 647 0367
>  PO Box 124, Port Melbourne 3207        \_.--._/ fax +61 3 646 3223
>  AUSTRALIA                                            v 

Vet is also an Australian product, developed here in Victoria.    

============================================================
Anthony S. Miller ($$$ TAXMAN $$$)
9121940f@lux.latrobe.edu.au
Newsgroups: aus.computers.ibm-pc