Heuristic

This configuration section contains the settings for the heuristic of the scan engine. (Options available in expert mode only.)

Avira products contain very powerful heuristics that can proactively uncover unknown malware, i.e. before a special virus signature to combat the damaging element has been created and before a virus guard update has been sent. Virus detection involves an extensive analysis and investigation of the affected codes for functions typical of malware. If the code being scanned exhibits these characteristic features, it is reported as being suspicious. This does not necessarily mean that the code is in fact malware. False positives do sometimes occur. The decision on how to handle affected code is to be made by the user, e.g. based on his or her knowledge of whether the source of the code is trustworthy or not.

Macrovirus heuristic

Your Avira product contains a highly powerful macrovirus heuristic. If this option is enabled, all macros in the relevant document are deleted in the event of a repair, alternatively suspect documents are only reported, i.e. you receive an alert. This option is enabled as the default setting and is recommended.

Advanced Heuristic Analysis and Detection (AHeAD)

Enable AHeAD

Your Avira program contains a very powerful heuristic in the form of Avira AHeAD technology, which can also detect unknown (new) malware. If this option is enabled, you can define how “aggressive” this heuristic should be. This option is enabled as the default setting.

Low detection level

If this option is enabled, slightly less unknown malware is detected, the risk of false alerts is low in this case.

Medium detection level

This option combines a strong detection level with a low risk of false alerts. Medium is the default setting if you have selected the use of this heuristic.

High detection level

If this option is enabled, significantly more unknown malware is detected, but there are also likely to be false positives.

Heuristic