Managing CyberCapture in AVG AntiVirus

CyberCapture is a feature in AVG Internet Security and AVG AntiVirus FREE that detects and analyzes rare, suspicious files. CyberCapture is enabled by default to block all unrecognized files.

Manage a detected file

When you open an unrecognized file, CyberCapture runs an immediate scan to check if the file is safe to open.

If CyberCapture is unable to confirm that the file is safe, you see the message Hmm... This needs a closer look. By default, AVG secures the potentially malicious file and sends it to AVG Threat Labs, where it is analyzed in a safe, virtual environment. Click Close to exit the dialog without opening the file, and wait for AVG Threat Labs to verify whether or not the file is safe.

Alternatively, the following additional options are available via More Options:

• Move to Quarantine: Move the potentially malicious file to Quarantine, where it cannot harm your system.
• Open anyway (not recommended): Immediately run the file without waiting for AVG Threat Labs to verify whether or not the file is safe.

Once the analysis is complete, you receive a notification (normally within a few hours), informing you whether or not the file is safe to open.

You receive one of the following notifications:

1. Good news from Threat Labs: The file is not malicious and you can be safely opened by clicking Go To File.
2. Threat detected and secured: The file is malicious and not safe to open. AVG automatically secures the file in Quarantine, where it cannot harm your system.

Adjust default behavior

By default, a file that CyberCapture flags as potentially malicious is automatically sent to AVG Threat Labs for analysis. You can change this behavior via your application settings:

1. Open the AVG user interface and go to ☰ Menu ▸ Settings.
2. Select Basic protection ▸ Detections.
3. Scroll to Enable CyberCapture and select your preferred option:
   • Automatically send files to Threat Labs (selected by default): When CyberCapture detects a potentially malicious file, the file is always sent to AVG Threat Labs for analysis. After the file is analyzed, you receive a notification from AVG Threat Labs, informing you whether or not the file is malicious.
   • Ask me to send files to Threat Labs: Each time CyberCapture detects a potentially malicious file, you are prompted to specify whether or not the file is sent to AVG Threat Labs for analysis.

CyberCapture now behaves according to your preferences. If you selected Ask me to send files to Threat Labs, you need to select one of the following options each time CyberCapture detects a potentially malicious file:

• Send For Analysis: Send the file to AVG Threat Labs for analysis.
• More Options: Move the file to Quarantine, or click Open anyway to immediately run the file.

Exclude a file from scanning

We do not recommend excluding files from any scan to ensure optimal protection for your PC. However, this option is available if you need to exclude a file temporarily for troubleshooting purposes. You can exclude certain files temporarily from all scans, shields, and CyberCapture at once:

1. Open the AVG user interface and go to ☰ Menu ▸ Settings.
2. Select General ▸ Exceptions.
3. Click the Add Exception button.
4. Add an exception in one of the following ways:
   • Type the file path, folder path, or URL into the text box, then click Add Exception.
   • Click Browse, tick the box next to the file or folder you want to add to the exceptions list, then click OK.

The selected file is now ignored during CyberCapture scanning.

Disable CyberCapture

We do not recommend disabling CyberCapture. However, this option is available for temporary troubleshooting purposes.

1. Open the AVG user interface and go to ☰ Menu ▸ Settings.
2. Select Basic protection ▸ Detections.
3. Untick the box next to Enable CyberCapture.

CyberCapture is now disabled. To enable it, go to ☰ Menu ▸ Settings ▸ Basic protection ▸ Detections and tick the box next to Enable CyberCapture.