Web Shield - Settings

Manage these settings from: ☰ Menu ▸ Settings ▸ Protection ▸ Core Shields ▸ Web Shield

From the Web Shield settings menu, you can reconfigure the default Web Shield settings. Web Shield is an additional layer of active protection in Avast Antivirus, and scans data that is transferred when you browse the internet in real-time to prevent malware, such as malicious scripts, from being downloaded and run on your PC. Configure the following Web Shield settings:

General Core Shields Settings

In the Core Shields settings section you can configure the main components of Avast Antivirus. Manage the following settings for all Core Shields:

  • Enable or disable Core Shields: all Core Shields are enabled by default. To disable Core Shields temporarily for troubleshooting purposes, click the (ON) slider so that it changes to (OFF), and select the amount of time you want Core Shields to be disabled. We strongly recommend avoiding the Stop indefinitely option.
  • Define Core defense sensitivity: use the slider to define the real-time sensitivity level of Core Shields (medium sensitivity is selected by default).
  • Define action: select the tab for a specific type of malware. The tabs are: Viruses, PUPs (Potentially unwanted programs), and Archived Viruses. Select the action that Avast will perform when that type of malware is detected. We recommend selecting Fix automatically for all three types of virus discovery.

To simply manage Core Shields go to Protection ▸ Core Shields. Read more...

Detection Behavior Settings

In this settings section, define behavior settings for all Core Shields

  • Enable CyberCapture Technology (enabled by default): define how you want to treat a threat on your PC. You can select Always block a threat (selected by default) or Ask me about decision to receive a notification every time a threat is detected on your PC.
  • Enable Hardened Mode: allows Avast to increase the security of your PC. This setting is recommended for inexperienced users.
  • Enable Rootkit detection: increases detection for known rootkit software.
  • Enable Exploit detection: increases detection for vulnerable software and exploit attacks.

Web Shield settings

  • Enable Web Shield (enabled by default): allows you to temporarily disable Web Shield for troubleshooting purposes. We do not recommend disabling it indefinitely.
  • Enable Web scanning (enabled by default): enables Web Shield to scan all files downloaded from the internet for malware.
  • Enable HTTPS scanning (enabled by default): enables Web Shield to scan websites with encrypted connections. If disabled, only websites with unsecured connections are scanned.
  • Show search if domain doesn't exist:
  • Enable Script scanning (enabled by default): allows Web Shield to block malicious scripts from the web and other sources, including encrypted transfers via HTTPS connections.
  • Enable site blocking: allows you to block access to specific websites. This can be useful if you want to prevent children or other users from accessing certain content on the web. To block a website, click the Show Blocked Websites button, then type a website address or click +Add Website. Click Close to confirm.
  • Generate report file (enabled by default): allows Web Shield to create a report of every scan result. While troubleshooting issues with Avast Support, you may be asked to provide a report file.

To simply manage Web Shield go to Protection ▸ Core Shields. Read more...