DrWeb releases a unique IMAP NNTP anti-virus scan technology
Released on = May 12, 2006, 11:11 am
Press Release Author = Doctor Web, Ltd.
Industry = Software
Press Release Summary = Doctor Web, Ltd. - a Russian anti-virus software developer - announces the release of the unique technology of anti-virus scan of e-mails processed using IMAP protocol and news messages received via NNTP.
Press Release Body = Doctor Web, Ltd. - a Russian anti-virus software developer - announced on May 11, 2006 the release of the unique technology of anti-virus scan of e-mails processed using IMAP protocol and news messages received via NNTP.
The talented company programmers developed a unique client-independent technology to check for viruses messages received via IMAP4.
IMAP4 (Internet Mail Access Protocol version 4) - is a protocol supporting the processing of e-mails on the mail server. Using this protocol, users can store and sort their e-mail messages on the mail server which means they can share messages between several workstations. This is a very important option for business travellers or those who work at home.
Checking e-mail via IMAP, a common e-mail client slightly changes its nature turning into an e-mail browser and ceasing just e-mail loading as when working via POP3. IMAP allows to download a message in segments (titles, text, attachment) in contrast to downloading a message as a single file. It keeps your traffic low and prevents downloading of unnecessary massages in a single file mode. This attribute makes anti-virus check difficult as the whole letter should be intercepted and checked, preferably at one go, not when each segment of the letter is being downloaded, which causes traffic skyrocketing.
The developers of Doctor Web, Ltd. created a technology for IMAP mail processing that strictly abides by the mail agent policies and follows the logic of the agent\'s actions, but at the same time leaves no chance for any malware to infiltrate into local mailboxes. Thus users receive a means for secure processing of mail messages stored on IMAP-servers which is totally independent from a mail client.
Till now, the complexity of IMAP did not allow workstation-based anti-virus scanners to correctly handle mails stored on IMAP-servers and this was potentially dangerous because of possible infiltrations of infected codes into user machines. The technology implemented in SpIDer MailŪ mail monitor of Dr.Web Anti-virus is based on the company\'s fundamental approach to processing mail messages - a malicious code must not be passed over to the mail client on the workstation and must not get into local user mailboxes. The same principle was in the basis of POP3 mail scan implemented in the first version of SpIDer Mail 4 years ago. Dr.Web was then the first AV-program to implement the correct handling of incoming messages downloaded via POP3.
The developers of SpIDer Mail made another step forward and extended the mail protection technique to IMAP server folders. IMAP protocol allows users to store in folders on servers not only mail messages but other information and give access to other users to such folders. New technology implemented in SpIDer Mail allows to check messages placed into such folders and thus prevents infiltration of infectes mails into a server.