BitDefender Modules

BitDefender Internet Security v10 contains the modules: General, Antivirus, Firewall, Antispam, Antispyware, Parental Control and Update.

General Module

BitDefender comes fully configured for maximum security.

In the General module you can configure the security level and perform important security tasks. Also, you can register your product and you can set the overall behavior of BitDefender.

Antivirus Module

BitDefender protects you from viruses, spyware and other malware entering your system by scanning your files, e-mail messages, downloads and all other content as it enters your system.

The protection BitDefender offers is divided into two categories:

• On-access scanning - prevents new viruses, spyware and other malware from entering your system. This is also called real-time protection - files are scanned as the user accesses them. BitDefender will, for example, scan a word document for known threats when you open it, and an e-mail message when you receive one. BitDefender scans "as you use your files" - on-access.
• On-demand scanning - detects already resident viruses, spyware or other malware in your system. This is the classic scan initiated by the user - you choose what drive, folder or file BitDefender should scan, and BitDefender scans it - on-demand.
  

Firewall Module

The Firewall protects your computer from inbound and outbound unauthorized connection attempts. It is quite similar to a guard at your gate - it will keep a watchful eye on your Internet connection and keep track of who to allow access to the Internet and who to block.

In Stealth Mode your computer is “hidden” from malicious software and hackers. The firewall module is capable of automatically detecting and protecting against port scans (streams of packets sent to a machine in order to find “access points”, often in preparation for an attack).

A firewall is essential if you have a broadband or DSL connection.

Antispam Module

Spam is a growing problem, both for individuals and for organizations. It's not pretty, you wouldn't want your kids to see it, it can get you fired (for wasting too much time or from receiving porn in your office mail) and you can't stop people from sending it. The next best thing to that is, obviously, to stop receiving it. Unfortunately, Spam comes in a wide range of shapes and sizes, and there's a lot of it.

Working Schema

The schema below shows the way BitDefender works.

Antispam Filters

The antispam filters from the above schema (White list, Black list, Charset filter, Image filter, URL filter, NeuNet (Heuristic) filter and Bayesian filter) are used in conjunction by the BitDefender, to determine whether a certain piece of mail should make it to your Inbox or not.

Every e-mail that comes from the Internet is first checked with the White list/Black list filter. If the sender's address is found in the White list the e-mail is moved directly to your Inbox.

Otherwise the Black list filter will take over the e-mail to verify if the sender's address is on its list. The e-mail will be tagged as SPAM and moved in the Spam folder (located in Microsoft Outlook) if a match has been made.

Else, the Charset filter will check if the e-mail is written in Cyrillic or Asian characters. If so the e-mail will be tagged as SPAM and moved in the Spam folder.

If the e-mail is not written in Asian or Cyrillic it will be passed to the Image filter. The Image filter will detect all the e-mail messages containing attached images with spam content.

The URL filter will look for links and it will compare the links found with the links from the BitDefender database. In case of a match it will add a SPAM score to the e-mail.

The NeuNet (Heuristic) filter will take over the e-mail and will perform a set of tests on all the message components, looking for words, phrases, links or other characteristics of SPAM. The result is that it will add a Spam score to the e-mail, too.

	Note
	If the e-mail is tagged as SEXUALLY EXPLICIT in the subject line, BitDefender will consider it SPAM.

The Bayesian filter module will further analyze the message, according to statistical information regarding the rate at which specific words appear in messages classified SPAM as compared to those declared NON-SPAM (by you or by the heuristic filter). A Spam score will be added to the e-mail.

If the aggregate score (URL score + heuristic score + Bayesian score) exceeds the SPAM score for a message (set by the user in the Status section as a tolerance level), the message is considered SPAM.

	Important
	If you are using other email client than Microsoft Outlook or Microsoft Outlook Express you should create a rule to move the e-mail messages tagged as SPAM by BitDefender to a custom quarantine folder. BitDefender appends the prefix [SPAM] to the subject of the messages considered to be SPAM.

Antispam Filters

BitDefender Antispam Engine incorporates seven different filters that ensure your Inbox to be SPAM-free: White list, Black list, Charset filter, Image filter, URL filter, NeuNet (Heuristic) filter and Bayesian filter.

	Note
	You can enable/disable each one of this filters in the Settings section from the Antispam module.

White List / Black List

Most people communicate regularly to a group of people or even receive messages from companies or organizations in the same domain. By using friends or spammers list, you can easily classify which people you want to receive e-mail from (friends) no matter what the message contains, or which people you never want to hear from again (spammers).

	Note
	White list / Black list are also known as Friends list / Spammers list correspondently.

The Friends/Spammers list can be managed from the Management Console or from the Antispam toolbar.

	Note
	We recommend that you add your friends' names and e-mail addresses to the Friends list. BitDefender does not block messages from those on the list; therefore, adding friends helps ensure that legitimate messages get through.

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