Scan email and messages, downloads on MacBook Pro

Question

Level 2

318 points

Scan email and messages, downloads on MacBook Pro

I used to use ClamXAV to proactively scan incoming Mail and specific folders likely to get spam, phishing, trojans (mostly WIN) via email, messages, or browser infiltration. I was blissfully unaware that ClamXAV (Sentry add-on) was letting these in like a sieve, moreover it's scanning program can find them but cannot remove them from Mail attachments or emails(!) in MacOS 10.12.3 and higher.

Perhaps you are in a similar situation?

Anyway, I'm looking for another app to dynamically scan, identify and possibly trap (Quarantine) messages, email, and attachments along with browser downloads that contain any kinds of virus, spam, phishing material. My goal is a 100% clean system that doesn't have the ability to forward on any of this junk. Do you know of something??

MacBook Pro, macOS Sierra (10.12.3), Retina Display, T2

Posted on Feb 8, 2017 9:27 AM

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Answer 1

HenryS Author

Level 2

318 points

Feb 8, 2017 2:25 PM in response to MadMacs0

Yes. They weren't very helpful at Clam, however, with the explanation that even though the app found many (not all!) email with embedded viruses and attachments with embedded viruses of various kinds OK, it would NOT delete them. That was shocking.

Apparently the claim is that OS 10.12.3 (Sierra) no longer allows the deletion process from Clam to work. I say HOGWASH. I found another app with no such problems that turns out is more efficient, faster and free for scanning on demand.

My mac was scanned in 50% of the time for the same folders with less memory use and better resulting bad files found. It also will auto delete or auto-quarantine the bad files with no trouble. You can check out BitDefender Virus Scanner or Virus Scanner Plus (support for up to 5 machines) on Apple App Store. They have a full featured program that auto-scans for a yearly subscription price with way more features. Not on App Store. Don't know if you're repping Clam X, but I'm outta there. It was about barely 6 out of 10 for me before but now is 0 of 10.

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Answer 2

MadMacs0

Level 5

5,233 points

Feb 8, 2017 2:38 PM in response to HenryS

I do have BitDefender Virus Scanner installed, but only for test purposes. I'll have to see how it does with mail.

The problem with A-V software that physically moves an infected e-mail to Trash or Quarantine is that it will almost certainly corrupt the mailbox index it came from. That may or may not cause issues going forward with Apple Mail not being able to locate the missing message, such as re-downloading it from the server, disabling searches and slow Apple Mail operation. If you notice any issue like this, then try rebuilding the original mailbox by selecting "Rebuild" from the bottom of the Apple Mail Mailbox menu.

You might want to also check your e-mail server using WebMail in a browser to see if the original messages have been deleted from there. This is very dependent on how your e-mail provider's server works. In Gmail, for instance, all those messages can still be found in the All Mail folder and may even appear on your Mac in a Google Mail Archive mailbox (folder). The latter can be fixed by adjusting preferences on the Gmail server.

There is also a danger with e-mail clients such as Thunderbird that uses a single file for the entire inbox of loosing all the messages in that mailbox if you allow the software to delete an infected message.

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Answer 3

HenryS Author

Level 2

318 points

Feb 8, 2017 2:49 PM in response to MadMacs0

The BitDefender app works fine to delete or quarantine email or any attachments with a virus inside them. It doesn't delete spam, just virus laden email of the type it identifies (you auto-update the virus detection files each time the app opens, before scanning). I do not think it does anything with iMessage content, but can also scan and delete virus infected files, zip files or viruses embedded in similar containers.

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Answer 4

MadMacs0

Level 5

5,233 points

Feb 8, 2017 2:54 PM in response to HenryS

HenryS wrote:

I do not think it does anything with iMessage content

I am unaware of any way to use Messages (aka iMessage) content as an infection vector. All content is simple ASCII text in SMS or appropriate text messaging format, so that's no big deal. I suppose you could send a MIME coded file using it, but nothing would happen at the other end.

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Answer 5

thomas_r.

Level 7

32,031 points

Feb 9, 2017 4:43 AM in response to HenryS

HenryS wrote:

The BitDefender app works fine to delete or quarantine email or any attachments with a virus inside them.

That fact that it will do it doesn't mean that it "works fine." As MacMacs0 says, if an app on your Mac removes messages from your Mail mailboxes, that will corrupt the mailbox, causing you problems later that could include lost messages. Further, that doesn't properly remove the message from the mail server, which could result in other problems, such as Mail re-downloading the message later.

The proper place for scanning e-mail messages for malware is on the server. Talk to your mail provider to see if they can or do scan your messages for malware.

As for Messages, I don't believe you can send actual malware via that. At most, someone could send you a link to a malicious site.

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Answer 6

MadMacs0

Level 5

5,233 points

Feb 8, 2017 2:16 PM in response to HenryS

Disregard. I see that you are already in contact with the ClamXav Helpdesk regarding this issue.

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