BleepingComputer.com: Script To Run Anti-virus Anti-spyware, Etc Scans Automatically On After Another

Hey,

How can I create a script that runs many different Anit-Virus, Anti-Spyware and many more one after another automatically?

Thanks
deanpcmad

I for one see a problem with 'automating' your malware tools, with a script. I don't allow any antimalware app to take action without prompting me for confirmation. That way I know what is coming up as malware. With a script you are trusting that it will make the right selection of actions without confirmation. The possibility is there to delete a perfectly legitimate file in error. Then you have to guess which application removed your legitimate file. Then you need to hope it can be 'restored'. In my opinion there is just too much trust and risk given to a script if it can even be done.

Animal, would it make sense to set all those scanners to quarantine (if they can) but not delete and not repair, and then review the logs after those scans are done and act appropriately to the information?

Just asking. I don't want it either. Yet at work, various scans ran from scheduled batch files. However I think they would delete and the techs then would fix the computer

Thanks tos226,

That's what I would like to do - Quarantine the files/folders that have viruses, malware, etc in them and report it in a central log.

deanpcmad

OK. I'm making this up and don't intend to do it, so take with a grain of salt.

First, find out if the scanners you use now or plan to use have a command line.
If they allow commands to be send, and if don't-delete-and-quarantine-and-log is there, you're good to go, just chain one after another and that's that. one of the problems you may have is testing your file. To test well, you'd have to get malware into the computer in the first place, and lots of it. I hope you have a superb image backup system.

BTW, of the paid AV versions, I know that some flavor of McAfee has batch commands, as do Kaspersky AV and Eset's NOD. a-squared has a command line, and I think you can specify locations. No idea if any of the spyware-specific apps do.

Good luck, have fun. Oh, if you get to do it, please post back your batch file. There might be other people interested in this.

I put a lot of effort into not getting crapware in the first place, slowly building fort knox, but that's just me

Hi!

I just thought I'd update you.

I was looking around and I found on the McAfee Forum that someone wanted to do the same as me (run a Virus Scan from a batch file). here is the code:

@Echo Off

Rem *************************************************************************
Rem * must indicate default "Documents and Settings" folder for "All Users" *
Rem *************************************************************************
Set scriptdir=C:\Documents And Settings\All Users\Application Data\McAfee.com\VSO\Data

Rem *******************************************
Rem * script filename is of your own choosing *
Rem *******************************************
Set scriptfil=VirusScan.tmp

if "%~1"=="" goto help
if "%~1"=="?" goto help
if "%~1"=="/?" goto help
if "%~1"=="/h" goto help
if "%~1"=="/H" goto help
goto start

:help
echo **************************************************************************
echo *																		*
echo * VirusScan.bat written by Cal Matteliano								*
echo *																		*
echo * Purpose: To invoke an on demand virus scan from a command line		 *
echo *		  for McAfee VirusScan 10 (may work for similar versions)	   *
echo *																		*
echo * Syntax: VirusScan.bat [/?] [/s] [/f^|/p] [drive:][path][filename]	   *
echo *																		*
echo * [/?]	 Display description and usage of VirusScan.bat				*
echo *		  (invoking bat file with no parameters implies this option)	*
echo *																		*
echo * [/s]	 Scan down through subfolders of specified drive/path		  *
echo *																		*
echo * [/f^|/p]  append delimiter/filemask to [drive:][path][filename]		 *
echo *		  /f - append  *.* (all files when filename missing)			*
echo *		  /p - append \*.* (when drive/path given but not delimited)	*
echo *																		*
echo * [drive:][path][filename]											   *
echo *		 Specifies drive, directory, and/or files To scan			   *
echo *		 - double quotes are optional and never need to be used		 *
echo *		 - McAfee VirusScan 10 requires a filename/filemask to work	 *
echo *		 - it also requires that paths be delimited by \ (backslash)	*
echo *		 - if a properly delimited path or a filename/mask not provided *
echo *		   (eg. when invoked from third-party software) use the append  *
echo *		   modifiers/mask above to complete the entry as required	   *
echo *																		*
echo * Examples:															  *
echo *																		*
echo * VirusScan.bat C:\Program Files\eicar.com							   *
echo * - scan the specific file "eicar.com"								   *
echo *																		*
echo * VirusScan.bat C:\Program Files\*.com								   *
echo * - scan all ".com" files in folder "C:\Program Files\" (not subfolders) *
echo *																		*
echo * VirusScan.bat /s C:\Program Files\*.*								  *
echo * - scan all files in folder "C:\Program Files\" and its subfolders	  *
echo *																		*
echo * VirusScan.bat /s /f C:\Program Files\								  *
echo * - same as above but requires /f because of missing *.*				 *
echo *																		*
echo * VirusScan.bat /s /p C:\Program Files								   *
echo * - same as above but requires /p because of missing \*.*				*
echo *																		*
echo **************************************************************************
pause
goto finish

:start
Set Sub=N
Set scan=
Set mask=

:parm
If "%~1"=="" Goto endparm
If "%~1"=="/s" Goto subY
If "%~1"=="/S" Goto subY
If "%~1"=="/f" Goto maskF
If "%~1"=="/F" Goto maskF
If "%~1"=="/p" Goto maskP
If "%~1"=="/P" Goto maskP

Rem **************************************
Rem * build name of folder/files to scan *
Rem **************************************
If "%scan%"=="" Goto firstparm
Set scan=%scan% %~1
Goto nextparm
:firstparm
Set scan=%~1
Goto nextparm

:subY
Set Sub=Y
Goto nextparm

Rem ******************************************
Rem * Append delimiter/filemask to scan path *
Rem ******************************************
:maskF
Set mask=*.*
Goto nextparm
:maskP
Set mask=\*.*
Goto nextparm

:nextparm
shift
Goto parm

:endparm
Rem *****************************************************
Rem * add folder/file mask (if any) to the path to scan *
Rem *****************************************************
Set scan=%scan%%mask%
If "%sub%"=="N" Goto subN

Rem *************************************************
Rem * If /s parm was coded then scan subdirectories *
Rem *************************************************
Echo Attempting to scan: %scan%
Echo Subfolders will also be scanned ...
Echo [FOLDER]>"%scriptdir%\%scriptfil%"
Goto scan
:subN
Rem ************************************************************
Rem * If /s parm was not coded then do not scan subdirectories *
Rem ************************************************************
Echo Attempting to scan: %scan%
Echo Subfolders will NOT be scanned ...
Echo [FILE]>"%scriptdir%\%scriptfil%"

:scan
Rem **************************************
Rem * write name of folder/files no scan *
Rem **************************************
Echo %scan%>>"%scriptdir%\%scriptfil%"
Rem ***************************************************
Rem * invoke virus scan using the script file created *
Rem ***************************************************
"C:\Program Files\McAfee.com\VSO\mcmnhdlr.exe" 257 vsoui.dll::scannow.htm?shell=%scriptfil%
echo Scan completed!

:finish

I have emailed AVG and asked them if I could do this as well.

deanpcmad