User Guide

User's Guide

Copyright© 2012 Bitdefender

Bitdefender Antivirus Free EditionUser's Guide

Publication date 12/10/2012

Copyright© 2012 Bitdefender

Legal NoticeAll rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronicor mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, withoutwritten permission from an authorized representative of Bitdefender. The inclusion of brief quotations in reviewsmay be possible only with the mention of the quoted source. The content can not be modified in any way.Warning and Disclaimer. This product and its documentation are protected by copyright. The information inthis document is provided on an “as is” basis, without warranty. Although every precaution has been taken in thepreparation of this document, the authors will not have any liability to any person or entity with respect to anyloss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this work.This book contains links to third-party Websites that are not under the control of Bitdefender, therefore Bitdefenderis not responsible for the content of any linked site. If you access a third-party website listed in this document, youwill do so at your own risk. Bitdefender provides these links only as a convenience, and the inclusion of the linkdoes not imply that Bitdefender endorses or accepts any responsibility for the content of the third-party site.Trademarks. Trademark names may appear in this book. All registered and unregistered trademarks in thisdocument are the sole property of their respective owners, and are respectfully acknowledged.

Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition

Each man has his price BobAnd yours was pretty low


Table of Contents1. What is Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12. Installation and removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

2.1. System requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22.1.1. Minimum system requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22.1.2. Recommended system requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

2.2. Before you install . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22.3. Installing Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32.4. Repairing or removing Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

3. Product interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44. Configuration area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65. Getting help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

5.1. Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105.1.1. Bitdefender Support Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105.1.2. Bitdefender Support Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105.1.3. HOTforSecurity Portal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

iv


1. What is Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition?Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition is an antivirus program designed to be fast andto minimize user interaction, while sacrificing nothing of the malware detection andremoval capabilities that Bitdefender products are generally known for. By default,Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition scans and cleans your system using only theresources that you, your software or your operating system are not using, thusachieving near-zero impact on your activities.Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition periodically scans all of your files and handles allsecurity-related decisions for you. This means you will see no pop-ups, no alertsand you will not have to configure any settings whatsoever.These are its main features:● Close to zero impact on the system●Minimum user interaction required● Fewer settings to configure● Continuous scanning protection for your system● Simple program interface

What is Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition? 1


2. Installation and removal2.1. System requirements

You may install Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition only on computers running thefollowing operating systems:●Windows XP with Service Pack 3 (32-bit)●Windows Vista with Service Pack 2●Windows 7 with Service Pack 1Before installation, make sure that your computer meets the minimum systemrequirements.

2.1.1. Minimum system requirements● 1 GHz processor● 512 MB of RAM● 700 MB available free hard disk space● Internet Explorer 7.0● .NET Framework 3 (also available in the installer kit)

2.1.2. Recommended system requirements● Intel CORE Duo (1.66 GHz) or equivalent processor● 1 GB of RAM● 1 GB available free hard disk space● Internet Explorer 7.0 or later● .NET Framework 3 (also available in the installer kit)

2.2. Before you installComplete these preparations to ensure the installation will go smoothly:● Make sure that the computer where you plan to install Bitdefender meets thesystem requirements. If the computer does not meet all the minimum systemrequirements, Bitdefender will not be installed or, if installed, it will not workproperly and it will cause system slowdowns and instability.

● Log on to the computer using an Administrator account.

NoteFor the moment, the product does not offer support for multi-user sessions.

● Remove any other security software from the computer. Running two securityprograms simultaneously may affect their operation and cause major problemswith the system.

Installation and removal 2


2.3. Installing Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition1. Double-click the installer file to launch the setup wizard.2. Please read the End User License Agreement and select I accept the terms ofthe license agreement. Click Next to continue.The setup wizard checks your system's security settings and displays the currentstatus. If another antivirus product is detected, you must uninstall it before youcan continue.By default, a quick scan is performed before the Bitdefender components areinstalled to ensure no active malware is residing on your system. It is highlyrecommended to allow the scan to be performed. Active malware could disruptthe installation and even cause it to fail.

3. Click Start to begin the installation.4. Details about the progress of the installation are displayed.

It takes just a few minutes to complete the setup. Once completed, click Finishto close the installer.

2.4. Repairing or removing Bitdefender Antivirus Free EditionIf you want to repair or remove Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition, follow the pathfrom the Windows start menu: Start → All Programs → Bitdefender AntivirusFree Edition → Repair or Remove.A new window will appear.Select the action you want to perform:● Repair Installation - to re-install all program components.●Uninstall - to remove all installed components.

Installation and removal 3


3. Product interfaceBitdefender Antivirus Free Edition comes with a very simple interface that is easyto navigate. Its goal is to offer maximum protection while requiring your interventionas rarely as possible.To open the Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition interface, follow this path in theWindows start menu: Start→All Programs→Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition→Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition. As long as the program interface is running,the Bitdefender icon appears in the system tray. Click it to access the BitdefenderAntivirus Free Edition interface.

To exit the program, right-click the Bitdefender icon in the system tray and selectExit in the contextual menu that appears.

NoteYou will be protected against malware threats even if you exit the program interface.

The Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition interface contains three main sections, whereyou can find the most important information about product activity and yourcomputer's security status.

Product interface

Product interface 4


Status areaIn this area you can see the time of the last product update.You can also find a general status of your system's security.● The message System is protected is displayed on a green background.There are no threats to the security of your system.

● The message System is not protected is displayed on a red background.This type of message describes critical security issues, which require yourimmediate attention.

Configuration areaIn this area you can access the product options which allows you to make changesto your Bitdefender product.To check the available product options, go to Configuration area.

The lower toolbarClick Logs to see a history of security related events using the options available.● EventsEvents are a very important tool in monitoring and managing your Bitdefenderprotection. For instance, you can easily check if the update was successfullyperformed or if malware was found on your computer. Details about actions takenand information about program operation are available in the Events window.

●Quarantined filesUse this button to access the files in quarantine. You have the option to Deletethe files in quarantine.Bitdefender scans the quarantined files after each malware signature update.Cleaned files are automatically unblocked and you can access them normally.

● Pending cleanupUse this button to access the files which are to be disinfected.This location contains the files that could not be removed or disinfected. Therefore,when you have infected files in this location you will be required to reboot yoursystem for the disinfection process to take place.

Product interface 5


4. Configuration areaThis area from the product interface allows you to make changes to your Bitdefenderprogram.

Scanning options● Virus Shield protectionVirus Shield protection offers on-access protection for your system. This meansthat files are scanned as they are accessed or copied. For example, Bitdefenderautomatically scans the web traffic and the files you have just downloaded fromthe Internet are immediately scanned.

Virus Shield protection

On-access scanning ensures real-time protection against malware, being anessential component of any computer security program.

ImportantTo prevent viruses from infecting your computer keep the Virus Shield protectionenabled.

● Auto Scan protection

Configuration area 6


Auto Scan is a light on-demand scan that silently scans all your data for malwareand takes the appropriate actions for any infections found.Quick Sweep scans the critical areas of the system after each reboot or update.It finds and uses time-slices when system resource usage falls below a certainthreshold to perform recurring scans of the entire system.Auto Scan protection offers continuous scanning protection for your system. WhenAuto Scan is enabled, Bitdefender permanently scans your entire system, usingonly resources you are not using so as not to interfere with your work. This ensuresthat your system remains free from malware threats.

Auto Scan protection

When an infected file is detected, Bitdefender tries to disinfect it by removing themalware code. If disinfection fails, Bitdefender alerts you that the infected filecould not be disinfected. Files that cannot be disinfected are quarantined in orderto contain the infection.

● Scanning a file or folder for malwareYou should scan files and folders whenever you suspect they might be infected.Right-click the file or folder you want to be scanned and select Scan withBitdefender.



On-demand scanning

You can stop scanning anytime you want by clicking Remove in the On DemandScanner window from the interface.

Product security alerts● Service UnresponsiveThis type of alert appears in your interface when some program components arenot working properly. In this case, you will be asked to reboot the system to solvethe issue.

● Blocked processesThis type of alert appears in your interface when the Active Virus Control detecteda suspicious process or application. Active Virus Control continuously monitorsthe applications running on the computer, looking for malware-like actions. Whensuch a process is considered to be harmful, it is blocked automatically in thislocation.

MyBitdefenderIn order to be protected by Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition, you must registeryour product by creating a MyBitdefender account.Once you have registered Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition, the program willautomatically enable the Virus Shield and the Auto Scan protection modules. Productupdates are performed automatically and you are not required to configure anysettings.



To create or log in to a MyBitdefender account, choose theMyBitdefender option,located in the Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition interface.The MyBitdefender window will open. Proceed according to your situation.● If you already have an account, register your Bitdefender product to that account:1. Type the e-mail address and the password of your account in the corresponding

fields.

NoteIf you have forgotten your password, click Forgot password and follow theinstructions to retrieve it.

2. Click Login.● To create a MyBitdefender account, follow these steps:1. Select Create new account.

A new window will appear.2. Type the required information in the corresponding fields. The data you provide

here will remain confidential.▶ Name - enter a user name for your account.▶ E-mail - enter your e-mail address.▶ Password - enter a password for your account. The password must be atleast 6 characters long.

▶ Confirm password - retype the password.▶ Click Submit.

● To log in with your Facebook or Google account, follow these steps:1. Click the icon of the service you want to use to log in. You will be redirected

to the login page of that service.2. Follow the instructions provided by the selected service to link your account

to Bitdefender.To change your login information using a Bitdefender account, click Home inthe product interface.



5. Getting help5.1. Support

Several online resources are available to help you solve your Bitdefender-relatedproblems and questions.● Bitdefender Support Center: http://www.bitdefender.com/help● Bitdefender Support Forum: http://forum.bitdefender.com● the Malware City computer security portal: http://www.malwarecity.comYou can also use your favorite search engine to find out more information aboutcomputer security, the Bitdefender products and the company.

5.1.1. Bitdefender Support CenterThe Bitdefender Support Center is an online repository of information about theBitdefender products. It stores, in an easily accessible format, reports on the resultsof the ongoing technical support and bugfixing activities of the Bitdefender supportand development teams, along with more general articles about virus prevention,the management of Bitdefender solutions with detailed explanations, and manyother articles.The Bitdefender Support Center is open to the public and freely searchable. Theextensive information it contains is yet another means of providing Bitdefendercustomers with the technical knowledge and insight they need. All valid requestsfor information or bug reports coming from Bitdefender clients eventually find theirway into the Bitdefender Support Center, as bugfix reports, workaround cheatsheetsor informational articles to supplement product helpfiles.The Bitdefender Support Center is available any time athttp://www.bitdefender.com/help.

5.1.2. Bitdefender Support ForumThe Bitdefender Support Forum provides Bitdefender users with an easy way to gethelp and to help others.If your Bitdefender product does not operate well, if it cannot remove specific virusesfrom your computer or if you have questions about the way it works, post yourproblem or question on the forum.Bitdefender support technicians monitor the forum for new posts in order to assistyou. You may also get an answer or a solution from a more experienced Bitdefenderuser.

Getting help 10


http://www.bitdefender.com/help

http://forum.bitdefender.com

http://www.malwarecity.com

http://www.bitdefender.com/help

Before posting your problem or question, please search the forum for a similar orrelated topic.The Bitdefender Support Forum is available at http://forum.bitdefender.com, in 5different languages: English, German, French, Spanish and Romanian. Click theHome & Home Office Protection link to access the section dedicated to consumerproducts.

5.1.3. HOTforSecurity PortalThe HOTforSecurity portal is a rich source of computer security information. Hereyou can learn about the various threats your computer is exposed to when connectedto the Internet (malware, phishing, spam, cyber-criminals). A useful dictionary helpsyou understand the computer security terms that you are not familiar with.New articles are posted regularly to keep you up-to-date with the latest threatsdiscovered, the current security trends and other information on the computersecurity industry.The HOTforSecurity web page is http://www.hotforsecurity.com.

Getting help 11


http://forum.bitdefender.com

http://www.hotforsecurity.com

User Guide

Documents

Transcript of User Guide