Virus and Spy Protection Levels
Shaw Secure's Virus & Spy Protection feature offers three levels of security.
High
High security provides the most comprehensive protection against viruses and spyware. However, it uses more system resources than the Normal protection level. When the security level is set to High:
- Real-time protection is enabled, meaning that files are scanned each time they are saved or accessed.
- Extension scanning is set to "all." All file types are scanned.
- Manual scanning is allowed. You can run manual, or unscheduled, scans.
- Heuristic scanning, memory scanning, and boot-time protection are enabled. Heuristic scanning helps protect against new, not-yet-identified viruses, while memory scanning protects against you from viruses that remain in system memory after an infected program is closed. Boot-time protection keeps your computer safe during startup and shutdown.
Normal
Normal provides a sufficient level of virus and spyware protection for most home users. When the security level is set to Normal:
- Real-time protection is enabled, meaning that files are scanned each time they are saved or accessed.
- Extension scanning is set to "selected." Only files that are at a higher risk of becoming infected are scanned.
- Archive scanning is disabled. Compressed files are not scanned.
- "Action on virus" is set to "automatic." Shaw Secure will attempt to disinfect infected files without prompting you first.
- Manual scanning is allowed. You can run manual, or unscheduled, scans.
- Real-time protection is enabled, meaning that files are scanned each time they are saved or accessed.
- Heuristic scanning, memory scanning, and boot-time protection are enabled. Heuristic scanning helps protect against new, not-yet-identified viruses, while memory scanning protects against you from viruses that remain in system memory after an infected program is closed. Boot-time protection keeps your computer safe during startup and shutdown.
Off
Setting the protection level to Off disables all aspects of Virus & Spy Protection. We do not recommend disabling Virus & Spy Protection unless your computer is disconnected from the Internet or you are working with files or documents received from a trusted source.
Selecting a Virus & Spy Protection Level
Turning Virus & Spy Protection On or Off contains step-by-step instructions for selecting a protection level.
