Bitdefender Internet Security User Manual [nl]

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User's Guide

Bitdefender Internet Security

User's Guide

Publication date 08/12/2013

Legal Notice

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from an authorized representative of Bitdefender. The inclusion of brief quotations in reviews may 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 in this document is provided on an “as is” basis, without warranty. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document, the authors will not have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss 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 Bitdefender is not responsible for the content of any linked site. If you access a third-party website listed in this document, you will do so at your own risk. Bitdefender provides these links only as a convenience, and the inclusion of the link does 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 this document are the sole property of their respective owners, and are respectfully acknowledged.

Bitdefender Internet Security

Each man has his price Bob And yours was pretty low

Bitdefender Internet Security

Installation ................................................................. 1

1. Preparing for installation . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

2. System requirements . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. 3

2.1. Minimum system requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

2.2. Recommended system requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

2.3. Software requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

3. Installing your Bitdefender product . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. . 5

Getting started ......................................................... 10

4. The basics .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. 11

4.1. Opening the Bitdefender window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

4.2. Fixing issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

4.2.1. Fix All Issues wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

4.2.2. Configuring status alerts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

4.3. Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

4.4. Autopilot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

4.5. Game Mode and Laptop Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

4.5.1. Game Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

4.5.2. Laptop Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

4.6. Password-protecting Bitdefender settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

4.7. Anonymous usage reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

5. Bitdefender interface .. . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . 20

5.1. System tray icon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

5.2. Main window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

5.2.1. Upper toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

5.2.2. Panels area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

5.3. Settings Overview window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

5.4. Security Widget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

5.4.1. Scanning files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

5.4.2. Hide / show Security Widget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

5.5. Security Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

5.5.1. Checking the Security Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

5.5.2. Turning on or off the Security Status notification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

6. Registering Bitdefender . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . 31

6.1. Entering your license key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

6.2. Buying or renewing license keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

7. MyBitdefender account . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . 33

7.1. Linking your computer to MyBitdefender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

8. Keeping Bitdefender up-to-date . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 36

8.1. Checking if Bitdefender is up-to-date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

8.2. Performing an update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Bitdefender Internet Security

8.3. Turning on or off automatic update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

8.4. Adjusting update settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

How to ..................................................................... 39

9. Installation . .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

9.1. How do I install Bitdefender on a second computer? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

9.2. When should I reinstall Bitdefender? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

9.3. Where can I download my Bitdefender product from? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

9.4. How do I switch from one Bitdefender product to another? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

9.5. How do I use my Bitdefender license key after a Windows upgrade? . . . . . . . . . 42

9.6. How do I repair Bitdefender? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

10. Registration . .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . 45

10.1. What Bitdefender product am I using? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

10.2. How do I register a trial version? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

10.3. When does my Bitdefender protection expire? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

10.4. How do I renew my Bitdefender protection? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

11. MyBitdefender .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . 47

11.1. How do I log in into MyBitdefender using another online account? . . . . . . . . . . 47

11.2. How do I change the e-mail address used for MyBitdefender account? . . . . . . 47

11.3. How do I reset the password for MyBitdefender account? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

12. Scanning with Bitdefender .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. 49

12.1. How do I scan a file or a folder? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

12.2. How do I scan my system? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

12.3. How do I create a custom scan task? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

12.4. How do I exclude a folder from being scanned? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

12.5. What to do when Bitdefender detected a clean file as infected? . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

12.6. How do I check what viruses Bitdefender detected? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

13. Parental Control . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . . 53

13.1. How do I protect my children from online threats? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

13.2. How do I restrict the Internet access for my child? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

13.3. How do I block my child's access to a website? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

13.4. How do I prevent my child from playing a game? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

13.5. How do I create Windows user accounts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

13.6. How to remove a child profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

14. Privacy Control .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. 58

14.1. How do I make sure my online transaction is secure? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

14.2. How do I protect my Facebook account? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

14.3. How do I remove a file permanently with Bitdefender? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

15. Useful Information .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . 60

15.1. How do I test my antivirus solution? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

15.2. How do I remove Bitdefender? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

15.3. How do I keep my system protected after uninstalling Bitdefender? . . . . . . . . 62

15.4. How do I automatically shut down the computer after the scan is over? . . . . . 62

15.5. How do I configure Bitdefender to use a proxy Internet connection? . . . . . . . . 63

15.6. Am I using a 32 bit or a 64 bit version of Windows? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Bitdefender Internet Security

15.7. How do I display hidden objects in Windows? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

15.8. How do I remove other security solutions? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

15.9. How do I use System Restore in Windows? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

15.10. How do I restart in Safe Mode? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Managing your security .............................................. 68

16. Antivirus protection ... .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. 69

16.1. On-access scanning (real-time protection) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

16.1.1. Turning on or off real-time protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

16.1.2. Adjusting the real-time protection level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

16.1.3. Configuring the real time protection settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

16.1.4. Restoring the default settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

16.2. On-demand scanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

16.2.1. Autoscan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

16.2.2. Scanning a file or folder for malware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

16.2.3. Running a Quick Scan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

16.2.4. Running a System Scan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

16.2.5. Configuring a custom scan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

16.2.6. Antivirus Scan Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

16.2.7. Checking scan logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

16.3. Automatic scan of removable media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

16.3.1. How does it work? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

16.3.2. Managing removable media scan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

16.4. Configuring scan exclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

16.4.1. Excluding files or folders from scanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

16.4.2. Excluding file extensions from scanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

16.4.3. Managing scan exclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

16.5. Managing quarantined files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

16.6. Active Virus Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

16.6.1. Checking detected applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

16.6.2. Turning on or off Active Virus Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

16.6.3. Adjusting the Active Virus Control protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

16.6.4. Managing excluded processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

16.7. Fixing system vulnerabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

16.7.1. Scanning your system for vulnerabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

16.7.2. Using automatic vulnerability monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

17. Antispam ... . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . 93

17.1. Antispam insights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

17.1.1. Antispam filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

17.1.2. Antispam operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

17.1.3. Supported e-mail clients and protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

17.2. Turning on or off antispam protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

17.3. Using the antispam toolbar in your mail client window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

17.3.1. Indicating detection errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

17.3.2. Indicating undetected spam messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

17.3.3. Configuring toolbar settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

17.4. Configuring the Friends List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

17.5. Configuring the Spammers List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Bitdefender Internet Security

17.6. Configuring the local antispam filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

17.7. Configuring the cloud settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

18. Privacy Control .. . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. 101

18.1. Antiphishing protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

18.1.1. Bitdefender protection in the web browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

18.1.2. Bitdefender alerts in the browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

18.2. Chat encryption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

18.3. Data protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

18.3.1. About data protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

18.3.2. Configuring data protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

18.3.3. Managing rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

18.4. Deleting files permanently . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

19. Firewall .. . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . . . . . 109

19.1. Turning on or off firewall protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

19.2. Managing connection settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

19.3. Managing firewall rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

19.3.1. General rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

19.3.2. Application rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

19.3.3. Adapter rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

19.4. Monitoring network activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

19.5. Configuring alert intensity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

19.6. Configuring advanced settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

19.6.1. Intrusion Detection System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

19.6.2. Other settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

20. Safepay security for online transactions . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . 119

20.1. Using Bitdefender Safepay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

20.2. Configuring settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

20.3. Managing bookmarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

20.4. Hotspot protection for unsecured networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

21. Wallet protection for your credentials .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . 123

21.1. Configuring the Wallet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

21.2. Turning on or off the Wallet protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

21.3. Managing the Wallet settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

22. Parental Control . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. 128

22.1. Accessing Parental Control dashboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

22.2. Adding your child's profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

22.2.1. Installing Parental Control on the Android device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

22.2.2. Monitoring the child's activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

22.2.3. Configuring the General Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

22.3. Configuring Parental Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

22.3.1. Web Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

22.3.2. Applications Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

22.3.3. Facebook protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

22.3.4. Instant Messaging control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

22.3.5. Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

22.3.6. Text messages control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

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22.3.7. Phone numbers control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

23. Safego protection for Facebook . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . 138

24. USB Immunizer . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. . 140

25. Managing your computers remotely . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . 141

25.1. Accessing MyBitdefender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

25.2. Running tasks on the computers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Troubleshooting ....................................................... 143

26. Solving common issues . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . . . . 144

26.1. My system appears to be slow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

26.2. Scan doesn't start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

26.3. I can no longer use an application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147

26.4. I cannot connect to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

26.5. I cannot access a device on my network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

26.6. My Internet is slow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

26.7. How to update Bitdefender on a slow Internet connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

26.8. My computer is not connected to the Internet. How do I update

Bitdefender? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

26.9. Bitdefender services are not responding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

26.10. Antispam filter does not work properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

26.10.1. Legitimate messages are marked as [spam] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

26.10.2. Many spam messages are not detected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

26.10.3. Antispam filter does not detect any spam message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

26.11. The Autofill feature in my Wallet doesn't work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

26.12. Bitdefender removal failed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

26.13. My system doesn't boot up after installing Bitdefender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

27. Removing malware from your system . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . 163

27.1. Bitdefender Rescue Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

27.2. What to do when Bitdefender finds viruses on your computer? . . . . . . . . . . . 165

27.3. How do I clean a virus in an archive? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

27.4. How do I clean a virus in an e-mail archive? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

27.5. What to do if I suspect a file as being dangerous? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168

27.6. How to clean the infected files from System Volume Information . . . . . . . . . . 168

27.7. What are the password-protected files in the scan log? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

27.8. What are the skipped items in the scan log? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

27.9. What are the over-compressed files in the scan log? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

27.10. Why did Bitdefender automatically delete an infected file? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

28. Asking for help . . . . . .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. 172

29. Online resources . . . . .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. . 174

29.1. Bitdefender Support Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174

29.2. Bitdefender Support Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174

29.3. HOTforSecurity Portal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175

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30. Contact information . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 176

30.1. Web addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176

30.2. Local distributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176

30.3. Bitdefender offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176

Glossary . . .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . 179

Bitdefender Internet Security

Installation

Bitdefender Internet Security

1. Preparing for installation

Before you install Bitdefender Internet Security, complete these preparations to ensure the installation will go smoothly:

● Make sure that the computer where you plan to install Bitdefender meets the

minimum system requirements. If the computer does not meet all the minimum system requirements, Bitdefender will not be installed or, if installed, it will not work properly and it will cause system slowdowns and instability. For a complete list of system requirements, please refer to “System requirements” (p. 3).

● Log on to the computer using an Administrator account.

● Remove any other similar software from the computer. Running two security

programs simultaneously may affect their operation and cause major problems with the system. Windows Defender will be disabled during the installation.

● Disable or remove any firewall program that may be running on the computer.

Running two firewall programs simultaneously may affect their operation and cause major problems with the system. Windows Firewall will be disabled during the installation.

● It is recommended that your computer be connected to the Internet during the

installation, even when installing from a CD/DVD. If newer versions of the application files included in the installation package are available, Bitdefender can download and install them.

Preparing for installation

Bitdefender Internet Security

2. System requirements

You may install Bitdefender Internet Security only on computers running the following operating systems:

● Windows XP with Service Pack 3 (32-bit)

● Windows Vista with Service Pack 2

● Windows 7 with Service Pack 1

● Windows 8

Before installation, make sure that your computer meets the minimum system requirements.

Note

To find out the Windows operating system your computer is running and hardware information, follow these steps:

● In Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7, right-click My Computer on

the desktop and then select Properties from the menu.

● In Windows 8, from the Windows Start screen, locate Computer (for example, you

can start typing "Computer" directly in the Start screen) and then right-click its icon. Select Properties in the bottom menu. Look under System to see the system type.

2.1. Minimum system requirements

● 1 GB available free hard disk space (at least 800 MB on the system drive)

● 1.6 GHz processor

● 1 GB of memory (RAM) for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows

2.2. Recommended system requirements

● 2 GB available free hard disk space (at least 800 MB on the system drive)

● Intel CORE Duo (2 GHz) or equivalent processor

● Memory (RAM): ▶ 1 GB for Windows XP ▶ 1.5 GB for Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8

2.3. Software requirements

To be able to use Bitdefender and all its features, your computer needs to meet the following software requirements:

● Internet Explorer 8 or higher

● Mozilla Firefox 3.6 or higher

System requirements

Bitdefender Internet Security

● Chrome 20 or higher

● Yahoo! Messenger 9 or higher

● Microsoft Outlook 2007 / 2010 / 2013

● Microsoft Outlook Express and Windows Mail (on 32-bit systems)

● Mozilla Thunderbird 3.0.4

● .NET Framework 3.5 (automatically installed with Bitdefender if missing)

System requirements

Bitdefender Internet Security

3. Installing your Bitdefender product

You can install Bitdefender from the Bitdefender installation disc or using a web installer downloaded on your computer from the Bitdefender website or from other authorized websites (for example, the website of a Bitdefender partner or an online shop). You can download the installation file from the Bitdefender website at the following address: http://www.bitdefender.com/Downloads/.

If your purchase covers more than one computer (for example, you purchased Bitdefender Internet Security for 3 PCs), repeat the installation process and register your product with the license key on every computer.

● To install Bitdefender from the installation disc, insert the disc in the optical drive.

A welcome screen should be displayed in a few moments. Follow the instructions to start installation.

Note

The welcome screen provides an option to copy the installation package from the installation disc to a USB storage device. This is useful if you need to install Bitdefender on a computer that does not have a disc drive (for example, on a netbook). Insert the storage device into the USB drive and then click Copy to USB. Afterwards, go to the computer without a disc drive, insert the storage device into the USB drive and double-click runsetup.exe from the folder where you have saved the installation package.

If the welcome screen does not appear, use Windows Explorer to browse to the disc's root directory and double-click the file autorun.exe.

● To install Bitdefender using the web installer downloaded on your computer,

locate the file and double-click it.

Validating the installation

Bitdefender will first check your system to validate the installation.

If your system does not meet the minimum requirements for installing Bitdefender, you will be informed of the areas that need improvement before you can proceed.

If an incompatible antivirus program or an older version of Bitdefender is detected, you will be prompted to remove it from your system. Please follow the directions to remove the software from your system, thus avoiding problems occurring later on. You may need to reboot your computer to complete the removal of detected antivirus programs.

The Bitdefender Internet Security installation package is constantly updated. If you are installing from a CD/DVD, Bitdefender can download the newest versions of the files during the installation. Click Yes when prompted in order to allow Bitdefender

Installing your Bitdefender product

Bitdefender Internet Security

to download the files, ensuring you are installing the very latest version of the software.

Note

Downloading the installation files can take a long time, especially over slower Internet connections.

Once the installation is validated, the setup wizard will appear. Follow the steps to install Bitdefender Internet Security.

Step 1 - Welcome

The welcome screen lets you choose what type of installation you want to perform.

For a completely hassle-free installation experience, just click the Install button. Bitdefender will be installed in the default location with default settings and you will skip directly to Step 3 of the wizard.

If you wish to configure the installation settings, select I want to customize my installation and then click Install to move on to the next step.

Two additional tasks can be performed during this step:

● Please read the End User License Agreement before proceeding with the

installation. The License Agreement contains the terms and conditions under which you may use Bitdefender Internet Security.

If you do not agree to these terms, close the window. The installation process will be abandoned and you will exit setup.

● Enable sending Anonymous Usage Reports. By enabling this option, reports

containing information about how you use the product are sent to the Bitdefender servers. This information is essential for improving the product and can help us provide a better experience in the future. Please note that these reports contain no confidential data, such as your name or IP address, and that they will not be used for commercial purposes.

Step 2 - Customize installation settings

Note

This step appears only if you have chosen to customize the installation during the previous step.

The following options are available:

Installation Path

By default, Bitdefender Internet Security will be installed in C:\Program Files\Bitdefender\Bitdefender Internet Security. If you want to

Installing your Bitdefender product

Bitdefender Internet Security

change the installation path, click Change and select the folder in which you would like Bitdefender to be installed.

Configure Proxy Settings

Bitdefender Internet Security requires access to the Internet for product registration, downloading security and product updates, in-cloud detection components, etc. If you use a proxy connection instead of a direct Internet connection, you must select this option and configure the proxy settings.

The settings can be imported from the default browser or you can enter them manually.

Click Install with custom settings to confirm your preferences and begin the installation. If you change your mind, click the corresponding Nevermind, use default settings button.

Step 3 - Installation in progress

Wait for the installation to complete. Detailed information about the progress is displayed.

Critical areas on your system are scanned for viruses, the latest versions of the application files are downloaded and installed, and the Bitdefender services are started. This step can take a couple of minutes.

Step 4 - Installation completed

A summary of the installation is displayed. If any active malware was detected and removed during the installation, a system reboot may be required.

You can either close the window, or continue with the initial setup of your software by clicking Get started.

Step 5 - Register your product

Note

This step appears only if you have selected Get Started during the previous step.

To complete the registration of your product you need to enter a license key. An active Internet connection is required.

Proceed according to your situation:

● I purchased the product

In this case, register the product by following these steps:

1. Select I purchased Bitdefender and I want to register now.

2. Type the license key in the corresponding field.

Installing your Bitdefender product

Bitdefender Internet Security

Note

You can find your license key:

▶ on the CD/DVD label. ▶ on the product registration card. ▶ in the online purchase e-mail.

3. Click Register Now.

● I don't have a key, I want to try the product for free

In this case, you can use the product for a 30 day period. To begin the trial period, select I don't have a key, I want to try the product for free.

● Click Next.

Step 6 - Configure product behavior

Bitdefender can be configured to automatically manage your security permanently or in certain situations. Use the switches to turn on or off Autopilot and Automatic Game Mode.

Enable the Autopilot for completely silent security. While on Autopilot, Bitdefender makes all security related decisions for you and you don't have to configure any settings. For more information, please refer to “Autopilot” (p. 15).

If you play your fair share of games, enable Automatic Game Mode and Bitdefender will detect when you launch a game and will enter Game Mode, modifying its settings so as to keep its impact on your system's performance to a minimum. For more information, please refer to “Game Mode” (p. 16).

Click Next.

Step 7 - Login to MyBitdefender

A MyBitdefender account is required in order to use the online features of your product. For more information, please refer to “MyBitdefender account” (p. 33).

Proceed according to your situation.

I want to create a MyBitdefender account

To successfully 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.

● E-mail - enter your e-mail address.

● User name - enter a user name for your account.

Installing your Bitdefender product

Bitdefender Internet Security

● Password - enter a password for your account. The password must be at

least 6 characters long.

● Confirm password - retype the password.

Note

Once the account is created, you can use the provided e-mail address and password to log in to your account at https://my.bitdefender.com.

3. Click Create.

4. Before being able to use your account, you must complete the registration. Check your e-mail and follow the instructions in the confirmation e-mail sent by Bitdefender.

I want to log in using my Microsoft, Facebook or Google account

To log in with your Microsoft, Facebook or Google account, follow these steps:

1. Select the service you want to use. 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.

Note

Bitdefender does not get access to any confidential information such as the password of the account you use to log in, or the personal information of your friends and contacts.

I already have a MyBitdefender account

If you have logged in to an account from your product before, Bitdefender will detect it and prompt you to enter the password to log in to that account.

If you already have an active account, but Bitdefender does not detect it, or you simply want to log in with a different account, enter the e-mail address and password and click Login to MyBitdefender.

Postpone for later

If you want to leave this task for another time, click Ask me later. Remember that you must log in to an account to use the online features of the product.

Installing your Bitdefender product

Bitdefender Internet Security

Getting started

Bitdefender Internet Security

4. The basics

Once you have installed Bitdefender Internet Security, your computer is protected against all kinds of malware (such as viruses, spyware and trojans) and Internet threats (such as hackers, phishing and spam).

You can engage the Autopilot to enjoy completely silent security and you are not required to configure any settings. However, you may want to take advantage of the Bitdefender settings to fine-tune and improve your protection.

Bitdefender will make most security-related decisions for you and will rarely show pop-up alerts. Details about actions taken and information about program operation are available in the Events window. For more information, please refer to “Events”

(p. 13).

From time to time, you should open Bitdefender and fix the existing issues. You may have to configure specific Bitdefender components or take preventive actions to protect your computer and your data.

If you have not registered the product, remember to do so until the trial period ends. For more information, please refer to “Registering Bitdefender” (p. 31).

To use the online features of Bitdefender Internet Security, make sure to link your computer to a MyBitdefender account. For more information, please refer to

“MyBitdefender account” (p. 33).

The “How to” (p. 39) section is where you will find step-by-step instructions on how to perform common tasks. If you experience issues while using Bitdefender, check the “Solving common issues” (p. 144) section for possible solutions to the most common problems.

4.1. Opening the Bitdefender window

To access the main interface of Bitdefender Internet Security, follow the steps below:

● In Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7:

1. Click Start and go to All Programs.

2. Click Bitdefender.

3. Click Bitdefender Internet Security or, quicker, double-click the Bitdefender icon in the system tray.

● In Windows 8:

Locate Bitdefender Internet Security from the Windows Start screen (for example, you can start typing "Bitdefender" directly in the Start screen) and then click its icon. Alternatively, open the Desktop app and then double-click the Bitdefender

icon in the system tray.

The basics

Bitdefender Internet Security

For more information about the Bitdefender window and icon in the system tray, please refer to “Bitdefender interface” (p. 20).

4.2. Fixing issues

Bitdefender uses an issue tracking system to detect and inform you about the issues that may affect the security of your computer and data. By default, it will monitor only a series of issues that are considered to be very important. However, you can configure it as needed, choosing which specific issues you want to be notified about.

Detected issues include important protection settings that are turned off and other conditions that can represent a security risk. They are grouped into two categories:

● Critical issues - prevent Bitdefender from protecting you against malware or

represent a major security risk.

● Minor (non-critical) issues - can affect your protection in the near future.

The Bitdefender icon in the system tray indicates pending issues by changing its color as follows:

Red color: Critical issues are affecting the security of your system. They require

your immediate attention and must be fixed as soon as possible.

Yellow color: Non-critical issues are affecting the security of your system. You

should check and fix them when you have the time.

Also, if you move the mouse cursor over the icon, a pop-up will confirm the existence of pending issues.

When you open the Bitdefender window, the Security status area on the upper toolbar will indicate the number and nature of issues affecting your system.

4.2.1. Fix All Issues wizard

To fix detected issues follow the Fix All Issues wizard.

1. To open the wizard, do any of the following:

● Right-click the Bitdefender icon in the system tray and choose View security

issues. Depending on the detected issues, the icon is either red (indicating critical issues) or yellow (indicating non-critical issues).

● Open the Bitdefender window and click anywhere inside the Security status

area on the upper toolbar (for example, you can click the Fix All Issues button).

2. You can see the issues affecting the security of your computer and data. All current issues are selected to be fixed.

The basics

Bitdefender Internet Security

If you do not want to fix a specific issue right away, clear the corresponding check box. You will be prompted to specify for how long to postpone fixing the issue. Choose the desired option from the menu and click OK. To stop monitoring the respective issue category, choose Permanently.

The issue status will change to Postpone and no action will be taken to fix the issue.

3. To fix the selected issues, click Start. Some issues are fixed immediately. For others, a wizard helps you fix them.

The issues that this wizard helps you fix can be grouped into these main categories:

● Disabled security settings. Such issues are fixed immediately, by enabling

the respective security settings.

● Preventive security tasks you need to perform. When fixing such issues,

a wizard helps you successfully complete the task.

4.2.2. Configuring status alerts

Bitdefender can inform you when issues are detected in the operation of the following program components:

● Firewall

● Antispam

● Antivirus

● Update

● Browser Security

You can configure the alert system to best serve your security needs by choosing which specific issues to be informed about. Follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select General.

4. In the General Settings window, select the Advanced tab.

5. Click the Configure status alerts link.

6. Click the switches to turn on or off status alerts according to your preferences.

4.3. Events

Bitdefender keeps a detailed log of events concerning its activity on your computer. Whenever something relevant to the security of your system or data happens, a new message is added to the Bitdefender Events, in a similar way to a new e-mail appearing in your Inbox.

The basics

Bitdefender Internet Security

Events are a very important tool in monitoring and managing your Bitdefender protection. For instance, you can easily check if the update was successfully performed, if malware was found on your computer, etc. Additionally, you can take further action if needed or change actions taken by Bitdefender.

To access the Events log, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Events on the upper toolbar to open the Events Overview window.

Messages are grouped according to the Bitdefender module whose activity they are related to:

● Antivirus

● Firewall

● Update

● Privacy Control

● Antispam

● Safego

Events counters are displayed in the Bitdefender interface to allow easy identification of areas with outstanding events. These are icons appearing on specific modules that indicate the number of unread critical events related to a module's activity.

For example, if there is one unread critical event related to the activity of the Update module, the icon appears on the Update panel.

A counter showing the total number of unread messages from all modules appears on the Events button in the main window.

A list of events is available for each category. To find out information about a particular event in the list, click it. Event details are displayed in the lower part of the window. Each event comes with the following information: a short description, the action Bitdefender took on it when it happened, and the date and time when it occurred. Options may be provided to take further action if needed.

You can filter events by their importance and in the order they happened. There are three types of events filtered by their importance, each type indicated by a specific icon:

Information events indicate successful operations. Warning events indicate non-critical issues. You should check and fix them when

you have the time.

Critical events indicate critical issues. You should check them immediately.

To view the events that occurred in a period of time, select the desired period from the corresponding field.

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Bitdefender Internet Security

To help you easily manage logged events, each section of the Events window provides options to delete or mark as read all events in that section.

4.4. Autopilot

For all the users who want nothing more from their security solution than to be protected without being bothered, Bitdefender Internet Security has been designed with a built-in Autopilot mode.

While on Autopilot, Bitdefender applies an optimal security configuration and takes all security-related decisions for you. This means you will see no pop-ups, no alerts and you will not have to configure any settings whatsoever.

In Autopilot mode, Bitdefender automatically fixes critical issues, enables and quietly manages:

● Antivirus protection, provided by on-access scanning and continuous scanning.

● Firewall protection.

● Privacy protection, provided by antiphishing and antimalware filtering for your

web browsing.

● Automatic updates.

To turn the Autopilot on or off, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the User Mode / Autopilot switch on the upper toolbar. When the switch is on the User Mode position, the Autopilot is off.

As long as the Autopilot is on, the Bitdefender icon in the system tray changes to

Important

While the Autopilot is on, modifying any of the settings it manages will result in it being turned off.

To see a history of actions performed by Bitdefender while Autopilot was engaged, open the Events window.

4.5. Game Mode and Laptop Mode

Some computer activities, such as games or presentations, require increased system responsiveness and performance, and no interruptions. When your laptop is running on battery power, it is best that unnecessary operations, which consume additional power, be postponed until the laptop is connected back to A/C power.

To adapt to these particular situations, Bitdefender Internet Security includes two special operation modes:

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Bitdefender Internet Security

● Game Mode

● Laptop Mode

4.5.1. Game Mode

Game Mode temporarily modifies protection settings so as to minimize their impact on system performance. The following settings are applied when Game Mode is on:

● All Bitdefender alerts and pop-ups are disabled.

● On-access scanning is set to the Permissive protection level.

● Autoscan is turned off. Autoscan finds and uses time-slices when system resource

usage falls below a certain threshold to perform recurring scans of the entire system.

● The Bitdefender firewall is set to normal mode (Paranoid mode is turned off). This

means that all new connections (both incoming and outgoing) are automatically allowed, regardless of the port and protocol being used.

● Auto Update is turned off.

● The Bitdefender toolbar in your web browser is disabled when you play

browser-based online games.

While in Game Mode, the Bitdefender icon in the system tray changes to .

Using Game Mode

By default, Bitdefender automatically enters Game Mode when you start a game from the Bitdefender's list of known games or when an application goes to full screen. Bitdefender will automatically return to the normal operation mode when you close the game or when the detected application exits full screen.

If you want to manually turn on Game Mode, use one of the following methods:

● Right-click the Bitdefender icon in the system tray and select Turn Game Mode

On.

● Enable using Game Mode keyboard shortcut. Press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+G (the

default hotkey).

Important

Do not forget to turn Game Mode off when you finish. To do this, use the same methods you did when you turned it on.

Turning on or off automatic Game Mode

To turn on or off automatic game mode, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

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Bitdefender Internet Security

3. In the Settings Overview window, select General.

4. In the General Settings window, select the General tab.

5. Turn on or off automatic game mode by clicking the corresponding switch.

Manually adding games to the Game list

If Bitdefender does not automatically enter Game Mode when you launch a certain game or application, you can manually add the application to the Game list. Once an application is added to the list, Bitdefender will operate in Game Mode as long as the application is in use.

To view and manage the Game list, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select General.

4. In the General Settings window, select the General tab.

5. Click the Game list link.

Two buttons are available at the bottom of the list:

● Add game - add a new game or application to the Game list.

A new window will appear. Browse to the application's executable file, select it and click OK to add it to the list.

● Remove game - remove a selected game or application from the list.

Game Mode keyboard shortcut

To set and use a keyboard shortcut for entering / leaving Game Mode, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select General.

4. In the General Settings window, select the General tab.

5. Make sure the Game Mode keyboard shortcut switch is on.

6. Set the desired combination:

a. The default combination is Ctrl+Alt+Shift+G.

Modify the keys you want to use by checking one of the following: Control key (Ctrl), Shift key (Shift) or Alternate key (Alt).

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Bitdefender Internet Security

b. In the edit field, type the letter corresponding to the regular key you want to

use.

For example, if you want to use the Ctrl+Alt+D hotkey, you must check only Ctrl and Alt and type D.

Note

To disable the shortcut, turn off the Game Mode keyboard shortcut switch.

4.5.2. Laptop Mode

Laptop Mode is especially designed for laptop and notebook users. Its purpose is to minimize Bitdefender's impact on power consumption while these devices are running on battery. When Bitdefender operates in Laptop Mode, the Autoscan and Auto Update features are turned off, as they require more system resources and, implicitly, increase power consumption.

Bitdefender detects when your laptop has switched to battery power and it automatically enters Laptop Mode. Likewise, Bitdefender automatically exits Laptop Mode, when it detects the laptop is no longer running on battery.

To turn on or off automatic laptop mode, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select General.

4. In the General Settings window, select the General tab.

5. Turn on or off automatic laptop mode by clicking the corresponding switch.

If Bitdefender is not installed on a laptop, turn off automatic laptop mode.

4.6. Password-protecting Bitdefender settings

If you are not the only person with administrative rights using this computer, it is recommended that you protect your Bitdefender settings with a password.

To configure password protection for the Bitdefender settings, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select General.

4. In the General Settings window, select the General tab.

5. Turn on password protection by clicking the switch.

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Bitdefender Internet Security

6. Enter the password in the two fields and then click OK. The password must be at least 8 characters long.

Once you have set a password, anyone trying to change the Bitdefender settings will first have to provide the password.

Important

Be sure to remember your password or keep a record of it in a safe place. If you forget the password, you will have to reinstall the program or to contact Bitdefender for support.

To remove password protection, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select General.

4. In the General Settings window, select the General tab.

5. Turn off password protection by clicking the switch. Enter the password and then click OK.

Note

To modify the password for your product, click the Change password link.

4.7. Anonymous usage reports

By default, Bitdefender sends reports containing information about how you use it to Bitdefender servers. This information is essential for improving the product and can help us offer you a better experience in the future. Please note that these reports will contain no confidential data, such as your name or IP address, and that they will not be used for commercial purposes.

In case you want to stop sending Anonymous usage reports, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select General.

4. In the General Settings window, select the Advanced tab.

5. Click the switch to turn off Anonymous usage reports.

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Bitdefender Internet Security

5. Bitdefender interface

Bitdefender Internet Security meets the needs of computer beginners and very technical people alike. Its graphical user interface is designed to suit each and every category of users.

To see the status of the product and perform essential tasks, the Bitdefender system

tray icon is available at any time.

The main window gives you access to important product information, the program modules and lets you perform common tasks. From the main window you can access the settings window for detailed configuration and advanced administrative tasks, and the Events window for an in-depth log of Bitdefender activity.

If you want to keep a constant eye on essential security information and have quick access to key settings, add the Security Widget to your desktop.

5.1. System tray icon

To manage the entire product more quickly, you can use the Bitdefender icon in the system tray.

Note

If you are using Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8, the Bitdefender icon may not be visible at all times. To make the icon appear permanently, follow these steps:

1. Click the arrow in the lower-right corner of the screen.

2. Click Customize... to open the Notification Area Icons window.

3. Select the option Show icons and notifications for the Bitdefender Agent icon.

If you double-click this icon, Bitdefender will open. Also, by right-clicking the icon, a contextual menu will allow you to quickly manage the Bitdefender product.

● Show - opens the main window of Bitdefender.

● About - opens a window where you can see

information about Bitdefender and where to look for help in case something unexpected appears.

● View security issues - helps you remove current

security vulnerabilities. If the option is unavailable, there are no issues to be fixed. For detailed information, please refer to “Fixing issues” (p. 12).

● Turn Game Mode On / Off - activates / deactivates Game Mode.

Tray Icon

Bitdefender interface

Bitdefender Internet Security

● Hide / Show Security Widget - enables / disables Security Widget.

● Update Now - starts an immediate update. You can follow the update status in

the Update panel of the main Bitdefender window.

● Show Security Report - opens a window where you can see a weekly status

and recommendations for your system. You can follow the recommendations to improve your system security.

The Bitdefender system tray icon informs you when issues affect your computer or how the product operates, by displaying a special symbol, as follows:

Critical issues are affecting the security of your system. They require your

immediate attention and must be fixed as soon as possible.

Non-critical issues are affecting the security of your system. You should check

and fix them when you have the time.

The product operates in Game Mode. Bitdefender Autopilot is engaged.

If Bitdefender is not working, the system tray icon appears on a gray background:

. This usually happens when the license key expires. It can also occur when the

Bitdefender services are not responding or when other errors affect the normal operation of Bitdefender.

5.2. Main window

The main Bitdefender window allows you to perform common tasks, quickly fix security issues, view information about events in product operation and configure product settings. Everything is just a few clicks away.

The window is organized in two main areas:

Upper toolbar

This is where you can check your computer's security status and access important tasks.

Panels area

This is where you can manage the main Bitdefender modules.

The MyBitdefender drop-down menu at the top of the window lets you manage your account and access the online features of your product from the account dashboard.

You can find several useful links on the lower part of the window. These links are also available in the Events and Settings windows.

Number of days left

Bitdefender interface

DescriptionLink

The time remaining before your current license expires is displayed. Click the link to open a window where you can see

Bitdefender Internet Security

DescriptionLink

more information about your license key or register your product with a new license key.

Help and Support

5.2.1. Upper toolbar

The upper toolbar contains the following elements:

● Security Status Area on the left side of the toolbar, informs you if there are

any issues affecting your computer's security and helps you fix them.

The color of the security status area changes depending on the detected issues and different messages are displayed:

▶ The area is colored green. There are no issues to fix. Your computer and

data are protected.

▶ The area is colored yellow. Non-critical issues are affecting the security of

your system. You should check and fix them when you have the time.

▶ The area is colored red. Critical issues are affecting the security of your

system. You should address these issues immediately.

Click this link if you need help with Bitdefender. A new window will appear where you can open the product help, go to the Support Center or contact support.

Adds question marks in different areas of the Bitdefender window to help you easily find information about the different interface elements.

Move your mouse cursor over a mark to see quick information about the element next to it.

By clicking View Issues in the center of the toolbar or anywhere in the security status area to its left, you can access a wizard that will help you easily remove any threats from your computer. For detailed information, please refer to “Fixing issues” (p. 12).

● Events allows you to access a detailed history of relevant events that occurred

in the activity of the product. For detailed information, please refer to “Events”

(p. 13).

● Settings allows you to access the settings window from where you can configure

the product settings. For detailed information, please refer to “Settings Overview

window” (p. 26).

● Autopilot / User Mode allows you to engage the Autopilot and enjoy completely

silent security. For detailed information, please refer to “Autopilot” (p. 15).

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Bitdefender Internet Security

5.2.2. Panels area

The panels area is where you can directly manage the Bitdefender modules.

To browse through the panels, use the slider below the panels area or the arrows located to the right and to the left.

Each module panel contains the following elements:

● The name of the module and a status message.

● An icon is available on the upper-right corner of most panels. Clicking it takes

you directly to the advanced settings window.

● The icon of the module.

If there are any events related to a module's activity that you have not read yet, an event counter will be displayed next to the module icon. For example, if there

is one unread event related to the activity of the Update module, the icon appears on the Update panel. Click the counter to go directly to that module's Events window.

● A button that lets you perform important tasks related to the module.

● A switch is available on certain panels allowing you to turn on or off an important

feature of the module.

You can organize the panels as you wish, by following these steps:

1. Click on the left side of the slider below the panels to open the Modules

Overview window.

2. Drag individual module panels and drop them in other slots to rearrange the area

according to your needs.

3. Click to return to the main window.

The panels available in this area are:

Antivirus

Antivirus protection is the foundation of your security. Bitdefender protects you in real-time and on-demand against all sorts of malware, such as viruses, trojans, spyware, adware, etc.

From the Antivirus panel you can easily access important scan tasks. Click Scan Now and select a task from the drop-down menu:

● Quick Scan

● System Scan

● Manage Scans

● Vulnerability Scan

● Rescue Mode

Bitdefender interface

Bitdefender Internet Security

The Autoscan switch allows you to turn the Autoscan feature on or off.

For more information about scan tasks and how to configure antivirus protection, please refer to “Antivirus protection” (p. 69).

Antispam

The Bitdefender antispam module ensures your Inbox stays free of unwanted e-mails by filtering POP3 mail traffic.

Antispam protection is enabled by default.

You can click Manage in the Antispam panel and select Friends or Spammers from the drop-down menu to edit the corresponding address list.

For more information on configuring antispam protection, please refer to

“Antispam” (p. 93).

Privacy

The privacy control module helps you keep important personal data private. It protects you while on the Internet against phishing attacks, fraud attempts, private data leaks, and more.

The Antiphishing switch allows you to turn on or off antiphishing protection.

For more information about how to configure Bitdefender to protect your privacy, please refer to “Privacy Control” (p. 101).

Firewall

The firewall protects you while you are connected to networks and the Internet by filtering all connection attempts.

By clicking Manage Adapters in the Firewall panel, you can configure general connection settings for network adapters.

The Firewall switch allows you to turn on or off firewall protection.

Warning

Because it exposes your computer to unauthorized connections, turning off the firewall should only be a temporary measure. Turn the firewall back on as soon as possible.

For more information about firewall configuration, please refer to “Firewall” (p.

109).

Update

In a world where cyber criminals constantly try to come up with new ways to cause harm, it is essential to keep your security solution up to date if you are to stay one step ahead of them.

By default, Bitdefender automatically checks for updates every hour. If you want to turn off automatic updates, use the Auto Update switch on the Update panel.

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Bitdefender Internet Security

Warning

This is a critical security issue. We recommend you to disable automatic update for as little time as possible. If Bitdefender is not updated regularly, it will not be able to protect you against the latest threats.

Click the Update Now button on the panel to start an immediate update.

For more information about configuring updates, please refer to “Keeping

Bitdefender up-to-date” (p. 36).

Safego

To help you stay safe on social networks, you can access Safego, the Bitdefender security solution for social networks, directly from Bitdefender Internet Security.

Click the Manage button on the Safego panel and select Activate for Facebook from the drop-down menu. If Safego has already been activated, you will be able to access statistics regarding its activity by selecting View Reports for Facebook in the menu.

For more information, please refer to “Safego protection for Facebook” (p. 138).

Wallet

Wallet is the password manager that helps you keep track of your passwords, protects your privacy and provides a secure browsing experience.

Click Manage button on the Wallet panel and select a task from the drop-down menu:

● Open Wallet - opens the existing Wallet database.

● Export Wallet - allows you to save the existing database to a location on

your system.

● Create new Wallet - starts a wizard that will allow you to create a new

Wallet database.

For more information about configuring Wallet, please refer to “Wallet protection

for your credentials” (p. 123).

Parental Control

Bitdefender Parental Control allows you to restrict access to Internet and to specific applications, preventing your children from viewing inappropriate content whenever you are not around

Activate and click the Configure button on the Parental Control panel to start configuring your children's Windows accounts and monitor their activity wherever you are.

For more information about configuring Parental Control, please refer to

“Parental Control” (p. 128).

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Bitdefender Internet Security

5.3. Settings Overview window

The Settings Overview window gives you access to the advanced settings of your product. This is where you can configure Bitdefender in detail.

Select a module to configure its settings or perform security or administrative tasks. The following list briefly describes each module.

General

Allows you to configure general product settings, such as the settings password, Game Mode, Laptop Mode, proxy settings and status alerts.

Antivirus

Allows you to configure your protection against malware, detect and fix vulnerabilities of your system, set scan exclusions and manage quarantined files.

Antispam

Allows you to keep your Inbox SPAM-free and to configure the antispam settings in detail.

Privacy Control

Allows you to prevent data leaks and protect your privacy while you are online. Configure protection for your web browser, instant messaging software, create data protection rules, and more.

Firewall

Allows you to configure general firewall settings, firewall rules, intrusion detection and monitor network activity.

Update

Allows you to configure the update process in detail.

Wallet

Allows you to access your credentials with one master password.

To return to the main window, click on the upper-left corner of the window.

5.4. Security Widget

Security Widget is the quick and easy way to monitor and control Bitdefender Internet Security. Adding this small and unintrusive widget to your desktop lets you see critical information and perform key tasks at all times:

● monitor scanning activity in real-time.

● monitor firewall activity in real-time.

● monitor the security status of your system and fix any existing issues.

● view notifications and get access to the latest events reported by Bitdefender.

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Bitdefender Internet Security

● one click access to your MyBitdefender account.

● scan files or folders by dragging and dropping one or multiple items over the

widget.

Security Widget

The overall security status of your computer is displayed at the center of the widget. The status is indicated by the color and shape of the icon that is displayed in this area.

Critical issues are affecting the security of your system.

They require your immediate attention and must be fixed as soon as possible. Click the status icon to begin fixing the reported issues.

Non-critical issues are affecting the security of your system. You should check and fix them when you have the time. Click the status icon to begin fixing the reported issues.

Your system is protected.

When an on-demand scan task is in progress, this animated icon is displayed.

When issues are reported, click the status icon to launch the Fix Issues wizard.

The button on the left side of the widget gives you direct access to the Firewall settings window, and also doubles up as a real-time graphical representation of firewall activity. When a blue bar appears on this button, it means the firewall module is actively filtering network connections. The taller the blue bar, the more intense is the activity of this module.

The upper side of the widget displays the unread events counter (the number of outstanding events reported by Bitdefender, if any). Click the event counter, for

example for one unread event, to open the Events Overview window. For more information, please refer to “Events” (p. 13).

The button on the right side of the widget gives you direct access to the Antivirus settings window, and also doubles up as a real-time graphical representation of scanning activity. When a blue bar appears on this button, it indicates ongoing

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Bitdefender Internet Security

real-time antivirus scanning activity. The taller the blue bar, the more intense is the activity of this module.

The button on the lower side of the widget launches your MyBitdefender account control panel in a web browser window. For more information, please refer to

“MyBitdefender account” (p. 33).

5.4.1. Scanning files and folders

You can use the Security Widget to quickly scan files and folders. Drag any file or folder you want to be scanned and drop it over the Security Widget.

The Antivirus Scan wizard will appear and guide you through the scanning process. The scanning options are pre-configured for the best detection results and can not be changed If infected files are detected, Bitdefender will try to disinfect them (remove the malware code). If disinfection fails, the Antivirus Scan wizard will allow you to specify other actions to be taken on infected files.

5.4.2. Hide / show Security Widget

When you no longer want to see the widget, click .

To restore Security Widget, use one of the following methods:

● From system tray:

1. Right-click the Bitdefender icon in the system tray icon.

2. Click Show Security Widget in the contextual menu that appears.

● From the Bitdefender interface:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select General.

4. In the General Settings window, select the General tab.

5. Turn on Display Security Widget by clicking the corresponding switch.

5.5. Security Report

The Security Report provides a weekly status for your product and various tips to improve the system protection. These tips are important for managing the overall protection and you can easily see the actions you can take on your system.

The report is generated once a week and it summarizes the relevant information on your product activity so you can easily understand what occurred during this period of time.

The protection offered by the Security Report is divided into two categories:

Bitdefender interface

Bitdefender Internet Security

● Cloud protection area - view information related to your system protection.

▶ File scan

Allows you to see the files scanned by Bitdefender for the week. You can see details, such as the number of scanned files, the number of infected files and the number of files cleaned by Bitdefender.

For more information on the Antivirus protection, please refer to “Antivirus

protection” (p. 69).

▶ Application scan

Allows you to see the number of blocked applications. To protect you against malicious applications, Bitdefender uses Active Virus Control to monitor the applications running on the system.

For more information on Active Virus Control, please refer to “Active Virus

Control” (p. 87).

▶ Web scan

Allows you to check the number of web pages scanned and blocked by Bitdefender. To protect you from disclosing personal information while browsing, Bitdefender secures your web traffic.

● Privacy protection area - view information related to your system privacy.

▶ Vulnerability scan

Allows you to see the number of vulnerabilities on your system.

For more information on the Vulnerability scan, please refer to “Fixing system

vulnerabilities” (p. 89).

5.5.1. Checking the Security Report

The Security Report uses an issue tracking system to detect and inform you about the issues that may affect the security of your computer and data. Detected issues include important protection settings that are turned off and other conditions that can represent a security risk. Using the report, you can configure specific Bitdefender components or take preventive actions to protect your computer and your private data.

To check the Security Report, follow these steps:

1. Access the report:

● Open the Bitdefender window and click the icon at the top of the window.

● Right-click the Bitdefender icon in the system tray and select Show Security

Report.

Bitdefender interface

Bitdefender Internet Security

● Once a report is complete you will receive a pop-up notification. Click Show

to access the security report.

A web page will open on your web browser where you can view the generated report.

2. Take a look at the top of the window to see the overall security status.

3. Go with the mouse cursor over the selected areas to check our recommendations.

4. If there are issues you need to address, a little icon will appear.

Move the mouse cursor over the icon for more information.

5. Follow the instructions to address the corresponding issues.

The color of the security status area changes depending on the detected issues and different messages are displayed:

● The area is colored green. There are no issues to fix. Your computer and data

are protected.

● The area is colored yellow. Non-critical issues are affecting the security of your

system. You should check and fix them when you have the time.

● The area is colored red. Critical issues are affecting the security of your system.

You should address these issues immediately.

5.5.2. Turning on or off the Security Status notification

To turn on or off the Security Report notification, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select General.

4. In the General Settings window, select the General tab.

5. Click the switch to turn on or off the Security Report notification.

The Security Report notification is enabled by default.

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Bitdefender Internet Security

6. Registering Bitdefender

In order to be protected by Bitdefender, you must register your product with a license key. The license key specifies how long you may use the product. As soon as the license key expires, Bitdefender stops performing its functions and protecting your computer.

You should purchase a license key or renew your license a few days before the current license key expires. For more information, please refer to “Buying or renewing

license keys” (p. 31). If you are using a trial version of Bitdefender, you must register

the product with a license key if you want to continue using it after the trial period ends.

6.1. Entering your license key

If, during the installation, you selected to evaluate the product, you can use it for a 30-day trial period. To continue using Bitdefender after the trial period expires, you must register the product with a license key.

A link that indicates the number of days left on your license appears at the bottom of the Bitdefender window. Click this link to open the registration window.

You can see the Bitdefender registration status, the current license key and how many days are left until the license expires.

To register Bitdefender Internet Security:

1. Type the license key in the corresponding field.

Note

You can find your license key:

● on the CD label.

● on the product registration card.

● in the online purchase e-mail.

If you do not have a Bitdefender license key, click the link provided in the window to open a web page from where you can purchase one.

2. Click Register Now.

Even after you purchase a license key, until the in-product registration with the key is completed, Bitdefender Internet Security will continue to appear as a trial version.

6.2. Buying or renewing license keys

If the trial period is going to end soon, you must purchase a license key and register your product. Similarly, if your current license key is going to expire soon, you must renew your license.

Registering Bitdefender

Bitdefender Internet Security

Bitdefender will alert you when the expiration date of your current license is approaching. Follow the instructions in the alert to purchase a new license.

You can visit a web page from where a license key can be purchased at any time, by following these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the link that indicates the number of days left on your license, located at

the bottom of the Bitdefender window, to open the product registration window.

3. Click Don't have a license key? Buy one now!

4. A web page will open on your web browser where you can purchase a Bitdefender

license key.

Registering Bitdefender

Bitdefender Internet Security

7. MyBitdefender account

The online features of your product and additional Bitdefender services are available exclusively through MyBitdefender. You must link your computer to MyBitdefender by logging in to an account from Bitdefender Internet Security in order to do any of the following:

● Recover your license key, should you ever lose it.

● Configure Parental Control settings for your children's Windows accounts and

monitor their activity wherever you are.

● Get protection for your Facebook account with Safego.

● Manage Bitdefender Internet Security remotely.

Multiple Bitdefender security solutions for PCs as well as other platforms integrate with MyBitdefender. You can manage the security of all the devices linked to your account from a single centralized dashboard.

Your MyBitdefender account can be accessed from any device connected to the Internet at https://my.bitdefender.com.

You can also access and manage your account directly from your product:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click MyBitdefender at the top of the window and select an option from the

drop-down menu:

● Account Settings

● Dashboard

Launch the MyBitdefender dashboard in your browser.

7.1. Linking your computer to MyBitdefender

To link your computer to a MyBitdefender account, you must log in to an account from Bitdefender Internet Security. Until you link your computer to MyBitdefender, you will be prompted to log in to MyBitdefender every time you want to use a feature that requires an account.

To open the MyBitdefender window from which you can create or log in to an account, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click MyBitdefender at the top of the window and select Account settings

from the drop-down menu.

MyBitdefender account

Bitdefender Internet Security

If you have already logged in to an account, the account you are logged in to is displayed. Click Go to MyBitdefender to go to your dashboard. To change the account linked to the computer, click Login with another account.

If you have not logged in to an account, proceed according to your situation.

I want to create a MyBitdefender account

To successfully create a MyBitdefender account, follow these steps:

1. Select Create a new account.

A new window will appear.

2. Type the required information in the corresponding fields. The data you provide

here will remain confidential.

● Email - enter your e-mail address.

● User name - enter a user name for your account.

● Password - enter a password for your account. The password must be at least

6 characters long.

● Confirm password - retype the password.

3. Click Create.

4. Before being able to use your account, you must complete the registration. Check your e-mail and follow the instructions in the confirmation e-mail sent by Bitdefender.

I want to log in using my Microsoft, Facebook or Google account

To log in with your Microsoft, 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.

Note

Bitdefender does not get access to any confidential information such as the password of the account you use to log in, or the personal information of your friends and contacts.

I already have a MyBitdefender account

If you already have an account but you have not logged in to it yet, follow these steps to log in:

MyBitdefender account

Bitdefender Internet Security

1. Type the e-mail address and the password of your account in the corresponding fields.

Note

If you have forgotten your password, click Forgot password and follow the instructions to retrieve it.

2. Click Login to MyBitdefender.

Once the computer is linked to an account, you can use the provided e-mail address and password to log in at https://my.bitdefender.com.

You can also access your account directly from Bitdefender Internet Security using the drop-down menu at the top of the window.

MyBitdefender account

Bitdefender Internet Security

8. Keeping Bitdefender up-to-date

New malware is found and identified every day. This is why it is very important to keep Bitdefender up to date with the latest malware signatures.

If you are connected to the Internet through broadband or DSL, Bitdefender takes care of this itself. By default, it checks for updates when you turn on your computer and every hour after that. If an update is detected, it is automatically downloaded and installed on your computer.

The update process is performed on the fly, meaning that the files to be updated are replaced progressively. In this way, the update process will not affect product operation and, at the same time, any vulnerability will be excluded.

Important

To be protected against the latest threats keep Automatic Update turned on.

In some particular situations, your intervention is required in order to keep your Bitdefender protection up-to-date:

● If your computer connects to the Internet through a proxy server, you must

configure the proxy settings as described in “How do I configure Bitdefender to

use a proxy Internet connection?” (p. 63).

● If you do not have Internet connection, you can update Bitdefender manually as

described in “My computer is not connected to the Internet. How do I update

Bitdefender?” (p. 152). The manual update file is released once a week.

● Errors may occur while downloading updates on a slow Internet connection. To

find out how to overcome such errors, please refer to “How to update Bitdefender

on a slow Internet connection” (p. 152).

● If you are connected to the Internet through a dial-up connection, then it is

recommended to regularly update Bitdefender by user request. For more information, please refer to “Performing an update” (p. 37).

8.1. Checking if Bitdefender is up-to-date

To check if your Bitdefender protection is up-to-date, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. On the Security Status Area, on the left side of the toolbar, look for the time of the last update.

This information will be displayed only if the security status is green.

For detailed information about the latest updates, check the update events:

1. In the main window, click Events on the upper toolbar.

Keeping Bitdefender up-to-date

Bitdefender Internet Security

2. In the Events Overview window, click Update.

You can find out when updates were initiated and information about them (whether they were successful or not, if they require a restart to complete the installation). If required, restart the system at your earliest convenience.

8.2. Performing an update

In order to perform updates, an Internet connection is required.

To start an update, do any of the following:

● Open the Bitdefender window and click Update now on the Update panel.

● Right-click the Bitdefender icon in the system tray and select Update now.

The Update module will connect to the Bitdefender update server and it will check for updates. If an update is detected, you will be asked to confirm it or the update will be performed automatically, depending on the update settings.

Important

It may be necessary to restart the computer when you have completed the update. We recommend doing it as soon as possible.

8.3. Turning on or off automatic update

To turn on or off automatic update, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. On the Update panel, click the Auto Update switch.

3. A warning window will appear. You must confirm your choice by selecting from the menu how long you want the automatic update to be disabled. You can disable the automatic update for 5, 15 or 30 minutes, for an hour, permanently or until the system restart.

Warning

8.4. Adjusting update settings

The updates can be performed from the local network, over the Internet, directly or through a proxy server. By default, Bitdefender will check for updates every hour, over the Internet, and install the available updates without alerting you.

The default update settings are suited for most users and you do not normally need to change them.

Keeping Bitdefender up-to-date

Bitdefender Internet Security

To adjust the update settings, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select Update.

4. In the Update Settings window, adjust the settings according to your preferences.

Update location

Bitdefender is configured to update from the Bitdefender update servers on the Internet. The update location is a generic Internet address that is automatically redirected to the closest Bitdefender update server in your region.

Do not change the update location unless advised by a Bitdefender representative or by your network administrator (if you are connected to an office network).

You can switch back to the generic Internet update location by clicking Default.

Update processing rules

You can choose between three ways to download and install updates:

● Silent update - Bitdefender automatically downloads and implements the update.

● Prompt before downloading - every time an update is available, you will be

prompted before downloading it.

● Prompt before installing - every time an update was downloaded, you will be

prompted before installing it.

Some updates require a restart to complete the installation. By default, if an update requires a restart, Bitdefender will keep working with the old files until the user voluntarily restarts the computer. This is to prevent the Bitdefender update process from interfering with the user's work.

If you want to be prompted when an update requires a restart, turn off the Postpone reboot option by clicking the corresponding switch.

Keeping Bitdefender up-to-date

Bitdefender Internet Security

How to

Bitdefender Internet Security

9. Installation

9.1. How do I install Bitdefender on a second computer?

If you have purchased a license key for more than one computer, you can use the same license key to register a second PC.

To install Bitdefender correctly on a second computer, follow these steps:

1. Install Bitdefender from the CD/ DVD or using the installer provided in the online purchase e-mail and follow the same installation steps.

At the beginning of the installation you will be prompted to download the latest installation files available.

2. When the registration window appears, enter the license key and click Register Now.

3. At the next step, you have the option to log in to your MyBitdefender account or create a new MyBitdefender account.

You can also choose to create a MyBitdefender account later on.

4. Wait until the installation process is completed and close the window.

9.2. When should I reinstall Bitdefender?

In some situations, you may need to reinstall your Bitdefender product.

Typical situations when you would need to reinstall Bitdefender include the following:

● you have reinstalled the operating system.

● you have purchased a new computer.

● you want to change the display language of the Bitdefender interface.

To reinstall Bitdefender you can use the installation disc you purchased or download a new version from the Bitdefender website.

During the installation, you will be asked to register the product with your license key.

If you cannot find your license key, you can log in to https://my.bitdefender.com to retrieve it. Type the e-mail address and the password of your account in the corresponding fields.

For more information about the Bitdefender installation process, please refer to

“Installing your Bitdefender product” (p. 5).

Installation

Bitdefender Internet Security

9.3. Where can I download my Bitdefender product from?

You can download your Bitdefender product from our authorized websites (for example, the website of a Bitdefender partner or an online shop) or from our website at the following address: http://www.bitdefender.com/Downloads/.

Note

Before running the kit, it is recommended to remove any antivirus solution installed on your system. When you use more than one security solution on the same computer, the system becomes unstable.

To install Bitdefender, follow these steps:

1. Double click the installer you have downloaded and follow the installation steps.

2. When the registration window appears, enter the license key and click Register Now.

3. At the next step, you have the option to log in to your MyBitdefender account or create a new MyBitdefender account.

You can also choose to create a MyBitdefender account later on.

4. Wait until the installation process is completed and close the window.

9.4. How do I switch from one Bitdefender product to another?

You can easily switch from one Bitdefender product to another.

The three Bitdefender products you can install on your system are:

● Bitdefender Antivirus Plus

● Bitdefender Internet Security

● Bitdefender Total Security

If you do not have a license key for the product you want to use, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. To access the product registration window, click the link that indicates the number of days left on your license, located at the bottom of the Bitdefender window.

3. Click Don't have a license key? Buy one now!

4. A web page will open on your web browser where you can purchase a Bitdefender license key.

After you buy the license key for the Bitdefender product you want to use, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

Installation

Bitdefender Internet Security

2. A link that indicates the number of days left on your license appears at the bottom of the Bitdefender window.

Click this link to open the registration window.

3. Enter the new license key and click Register Now.

4. You will be informed that the license key is for a different Bitdefender product.

Click the corresponding link and follow the procedure to perform the installation.

9.5. How do I use my Bitdefender license key after a Windows upgrade?

This situation appears when you upgrade your operating system and you want to continue using your Bitdefender license key.

If you are using Bitdefender 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 or 2013 you can upgrade, free of charge, to the latest Bitdefender version, as follows:

● From Bitdefender Antivirus 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 or 2013 to the latest

Bitdefender Antivirus Plus.

● From Bitdefender Internet Security 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 or 2013 to the latest

Bitdefender Internet Security.

● From Bitdefender Total Security 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 or 2013 to the latest

Bitdefender Total Security.

There are 2 cases which may appear:

● You have upgraded the operating system using the Windows Update and you

notice Bitdefender is no longer working.

In this case, you need to reinstall the product using the newest available version.

To solve this situation, follow these steps:

1. Remove Bitdefender by following these steps:

▶ In Windows XP:

a. Click Start, go to Control Panel and double-click Add / Remove

programs.

b. Wait a few moments until the list of installed software is displayed.

c. Find Bitdefender and select Remove.

d. Click Remove and then Reinstall/change my Bitdefender product.

e. Wait for the uninstall process to complete and then reboot your system.

▶ In Windows Vista and Windows 7:

Installation

Bitdefender Internet Security

a. Click Start, go to Control Panel and double-click Programs and

Features.

b. Wait a few moments until the installed software list is displayed.

c. Find Bitdefender and select Uninstall.

d. Click Remove and then Reinstall/change my Bitdefender product.

e. Wait for the uninstall process to complete and then reboot your system.

▶ In Windows 8:

a. From the Windows Start screen, locate Control Panel (for example, you

can start typing "Control Panel" directly in the Start screen) and then click its icon.

b. Click Uninstall a program or Programs and Features.

c. Wait a few moments until the installed software list is displayed.

d. Find Bitdefender and select Uninstall.

e. Click Remove and then Reinstall/change my Bitdefender product.

f. Wait for the uninstall process to complete and then reboot your system.

2. Download the installation file by choosing the product you have a valid license key for.

You can download the installation file from the Bitdefender website at the following address: http://www.bitdefender.com/Downloads/.

3. Double click the installer to start the installation process.

4. When the registration window appears, enter the license key and click Register Now.

5. At the next step, you have the option to log in to your MyBitdefender account or create a new MyBitdefender account.

You can also choose to create a MyBitdefender account later on.

Wait until the installation process is completed and close the window.

● You changed your system and you want to continue using the Bitdefender

protection.

Therefore, you need to reinstall the product using the newest version.

To solve this situation, follow these steps:

1. Download the installation file by choosing the product you have a valid license

key for.

You can download the installation file from the Bitdefender website at the following address: http://www.bitdefender.com/Downloads/.

Installation

Bitdefender Internet Security

2. Double click the installer to start the installation process.

3. When the registration window appears, enter the license key and click Register

Now.

4. At the next step, you have the option to log in to your MyBitdefender account

or create a new MyBitdefender account.

You can also choose to create a MyBitdefender account later on.

Wait until the installation process is completed and close the window.

For more information about the Bitdefender installation process, please refer to

“Installing your Bitdefender product” (p. 5).

9.6. How do I repair Bitdefender?

If you want to repair your Bitdefender Internet Security from the Windows start menu, follow these steps:

● In Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7:

1. Click Start and go to All Programs.

2. Click Bitdefender Internet Security.

3. Select Repair or Uninstall.

A wizard will appear.

4. Select Repair.

This will take several minutes.

5. You will need to restart the computer to complete the process.

● In Windows 8:

1. From the Windows Start screen, locate Control Panel (for example, you can

start typing "Control Panel" directly in the Start screen) and then click its icon.

2. Click Uninstall a program or Programs and Features.

3. Select Bitdefender Internet Security and click Uninstall.

A wizard will appear.

4. Select Repair.

This will take several minutes.

5. You will need to restart the computer to complete the process.

Installation

Bitdefender Internet Security

10. Registration

10.1. What Bitdefender product am I using?

To find out which Bitdefender program you have installed, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. At the top of the window you should see one of the following:

● Bitdefender Antivirus Plus

● Bitdefender Internet Security

● Bitdefender Total Security

10.2. How do I register a trial version?

If you have installed a trial version, you may only use it for a limited period of time. To continue using Bitdefender after the trial period expires, you must register your product with a license key.

To register Bitdefender, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. A link that indicates the number of days left on your license appears at the bottom

of the Bitdefender window.

Click this link to open the registration window.

3. Enter the license key and click Register Now.

If you do not have a license key, click the link provided in the window to visit a web page from where you can purchase one.

4. Wait until the registration process is completed and close the window.

10.3. When does my Bitdefender protection expire?

To find out the remaining number of days from your license key, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. A link that indicates the number of days left on your license appears at the bottom

of the Bitdefender window.

3. For additional information, click the link to open the registration window.

4. In the Register Your Product window, you can:

● See the current license key

● Register with another license key

Registration

Bitdefender Internet Security

● Purchase a license key

10.4. How do I renew my Bitdefender protection?

When your Bitdefender protection is about to expire, you must renew your license key.

● Follow these steps to visit a website where you can renew your Bitdefender license

key:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. A link that indicates the number of days left on your license appears at the

bottom of the Bitdefender window. Click this link to open the registration window.

3. Click Don't have a license key? Buy one now!

4. A web page will open on your web browser where you can purchase a

Bitdefender license key.

Note

As an alternative, you can contact the retailer you bought your Bitdefender product from.

● Follow these steps to register your Bitdefender with the new license key:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. A link that indicates the number of days left on your license appears at the

bottom of the Bitdefender window. Click this link to open the registration window.

3. Enter the license key and click Register Now.

4. Wait until the registration process is completed and close the window.

For more information, you can contact Bitdefender for support as described in section

“Asking for help” (p. 172).

Registration

Bitdefender Internet Security

11. MyBitdefender

11.1. How do I log in into MyBitdefender using another online account?

You have created a new MyBitdefender account and you want to use it from now on.

To successfully use another account, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click MyBitdefender at the top of the window and select Account Settings

from the drop-down menu.

If you have already logged in to an account, the account you are logged in is displayed. Click Login with another account to change the account linked to the computer.

A new window will appear.

3. Type the e-mail address and the password of your account in the corresponding

fields.

4. Click Login to MyBitdefender

5. Click Go to MyBitdefender to go to your dashboard.

11.2. How do I change the e-mail address used for MyBitdefender account?

You have created a MyBitdefender account using an e-mail address you no longer use and now you would like to change it.

The e-mail address cannot be changed, but you can use a different e-mail address to create a new online account.

To successfully create another MyBitdefender account, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click MyBitdefender at the top of the window and select Account settings

from the drop-down menu.

If you have already logged in to an account, the account you are logged in to is displayed. Click Login with another account to change the account linked to the computer.

A new window will appear.

3. Select Create a new account.

MyBitdefender

Bitdefender Internet Security

4. Type in the required information in the corresponding fields. The data you provide

here will remain confidential.

● E-mail - enter your e-mail address.

● User name - enter a user name for your account.

● Password - enter a password for your account. The password must be at least

6 characters long.

● Confirm password - retype the password.

● Click Create.

5. Before being able to use your account, you must complete the registration. Check your e-mail and follow the instructions in the confirmation e-mail sent by Bitdefender.

Use the new e-mail address to log in to MyBitdefender.

11.3. How do I reset the password for MyBitdefender account?

To set a new password for your MyBitdefender account, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click MyBitdefender at the top of the window and select Account settings from the drop-down menu.

A new window will appear.

3. Click the Forgot my password link.

4. Type the e-mail address used to create your MyBitdefender account and click the Recover password link.

5. Check your e-mail and click the provided link.

A new window will appear.

6. Type the new password. The password must be at least 6 characters long.

7. Retype the password in the Confirm password field.

8. Click Submit and then Apply Changes.

To access your MyBitdefender account, type your e-mail address and the new password you have just set.

MyBitdefender

Bitdefender Internet Security

12. Scanning with Bitdefender

12.1. How do I scan a file or a folder?

The easiest way to scan a file or folder is to right-click the object you want to scan, point to Bitdefender and select Scan with Bitdefender from the menu.

To complete the scan, follow the Antivirus Scan wizard. Bitdefender will automatically take the recommended actions on detected files.

If there remain unresolved threats, you will be prompted to choose the actions to be taken on them.

Typical situations when you would use this scanning method include the following:

● You suspect a specific file or folder to be infected.

● Whenever you download from the Internet files that you think they might be

dangerous.

● Scan a network share before copying files to your computer.

12.2. How do I scan my system?

To perform a complete scan on the system, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. On the Antivirus panel, click Scan Now and select System Scan from the drop-down menu.

3. Follow the Antivirus Scan wizard to complete the scan. Bitdefender will automatically take the recommended actions on detected files.

If there remain unresolved threats, you will be prompted to choose the actions to be taken on them. For more information, please refer to “Antivirus Scan Wizard”

(p. 79).

12.3. How do I create a custom scan task?

If you want to scan specific locations on your computer or to configure the scanning options, configure and run a customized scan task.

To create a customized scan task, proceed as follows:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. On the Antivirus panel, click Scan Now and select Manage Scans from the drop-down menu.

3. Click New custom task to enter a name for the scan and select the locations to be scanned.

Scanning with Bitdefender

Bitdefender Internet Security

4. If you want to configure the scanning options in detail, select the Advanced tab.

You can easily configure the scanning options by adjusting the scan level. Drag the slider along the scale to set the desired scan level.

You can also choose to shutdown the computer when the scan is over if no threats are found. Remember that this will be the default behavior every time you run this task.

5. Click OK to save the changes and close the window.

6. Click Schedule if you want to set a schedule for your scan task.

7. Click Start Scan and follow the Antivirus Scan wizard to complete the scan. At the end of the scan, you will be prompted to choose the actions to be taken on the detected files, if any.

8. If you want to, you can quickly rerun a previous custom scan by clicking the corresponding entry in the available list.

12.4. How do I exclude a folder from being scanned?

Bitdefender allows excluding specific files, folders or file extensions from scanning.

Exclusions are to be used by users having advanced computer knowledge and only in the following situations:

● You have a large folder on your system where you keep movies and music.

● You have a large archive on your system where you keep different data.

● You keep a folder where you install different types of software and applications

for testing purposes. Scanning the folder may result in losing some of the data.

To add the folder to the Exclusions list, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select Antivirus.

4. In the Antivirus Settings window, select the Exclusions tab.

5. Make sure Exclusions for files is turned on by clicking the switch.

6. Click the Excluded files and folders link.

7. Click the Add button, located at the top of the exclusions table.

8. Click Browse, select the folder that you want to be excluded from scanning and then click OK.

9. Click Add and then OK to save the changes and close the window.

Scanning with Bitdefender

Bitdefender Internet Security

12.5. What to do when Bitdefender detected a clean file as infected?

There are cases when Bitdefender mistakenly flags a legitimate file as being a threat (a false positive). To correct this error, add the file to the Bitdefender Exclusions area:

1. Turn off the Bitdefender real-time antivirus protection:

a. Open the Bitdefender window.

b. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

c. In the Settings Overview window, select Antivirus.

d. In the Antivirus Settings window, select the Shield tab.

e. Click the switch to turn off on-access scanning.

A warning window will appear. You must confirm your choice by selecting from the menu how long you want the real-time protection to be disabled. You can disable real-time protection for 5, 15 or 30 minutes, for an hour, permanently or until the system restart.

2. Display hidden objects in Windows. To find out how to do this, please refer to

“How do I display hidden objects in Windows?” (p. 65).

3. Restore the file from the Quarantine area:

a. Open the Bitdefender window.

b. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

c. In the Settings Overview window, select Antivirus.

d. In the Antivirus Settings window, select the Quarantine tab.

e. Select the file and click Restore.

4. Add the file to the Exclusions list. To find out how to do this, please refer to “How

do I exclude a folder from being scanned?” (p. 50).

5. Turn on the Bitdefender real-time antivirus protection.

6. Contact our support representatives so that we may remove the detection signature. To find out how to do this, please refer to “Asking for help” (p. 172).

12.6. How do I check what viruses Bitdefender detected?

Each time a scan is performed, a scan log is created and Bitdefender records the detected issues.

The scan log contains detailed information about the logged scanning process, such as scanning options, the scanning target, the threats found and the actions taken on these threats.

Scanning with Bitdefender

Bitdefender Internet Security

You can open the scan log directly from the scan wizard, once the scan is completed, by clicking Show Log.

To check a scan log or any detected infection at a later time, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Events button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Events Overview window, select Antivirus.

4. In the Antivirus Events window, select the Virus Scan tab.

This is where you can find all malware scan events, including threats detected by on-access scanning, user-initiated scans and status changes for automatic scans.

5. In the events list, you can check what scans have been performed recently. Click an event to view details about it.

6. To open a scan log, click View log. The scan log will open in a new window.

Scanning with Bitdefender

Bitdefender Internet Security

13. Parental Control

13.1. How do I protect my children from online threats?

Bitdefender Parental Control allows you to restrict access to Internet and to specific applications, preventing your children from viewing inappropriate content whenever you are not around.

To configure the Parental Control, follow these steps:

1. Create limited (standard) Windows user accounts for your children to use. For more information, please refer to “How do I create Windows user accounts?” (p.

55).

2. Make sure you are logged on to the computer with an administrator account. Only users with administrative rights on the system (system administrators) can access and configure Parental Control.

3. Configure Parental Control for the Windows user accounts your children use.

a. Open the Bitdefender window.

b. Go to Parental Control panel and click the switch to turn it on.

c. Click the Configure button.

d. The Parental Control dashboard will open in a new window. This is where you

can check and configure the Parental Control settings.

e. Click Add child on the left-side menu.

f. Enter the name and age of the child in the Profile tab. Setting the age of the

child will automatically load settings considered appropriate for that age category, based on child development standards.

Check your children's activities and change the Parental Control settings using MyBitdefender from any computer or mobile device connected to the Internet.

For detailed information on using Parental Control, please refer to “Parental Control”

(p. 128).

13.2. How do I restrict the Internet access for my child?

Once you have configured Parental Control, you can easily block Internet access for specific periods of time.

Bitdefender Parental Control enables you to control the Internet usage for your children even when you are not at home.

To restrict Internet access for certain times of day, follow these steps:

1. On any device with Internet access, open a web browser.

Parental Control

Bitdefender Internet Security

2. Go to: https://my.bitdefender.com

3. Log in to your account using your user name and password.

4. Click Parental Control to access the dashboard.

5. Select your child's profile on the left-side menu.

6. Click on the Web panel to access the Web Activity window.

7. Click Schedule.

8. Select from the grid the time intervals during which Internet access is blocked. You can click individual cells, or you can click and drag to cover longer periods. To start a new selection, click Reset.

9. Click the Save button.

Note

Bitdefender will perform updates every hour no matter if web access is blocked.

13.3. How do I block my child's access to a website?

Bitdefender Parental Control allows you to control the content accessed by your child while using the computer and enables you to block access to a website even when you are not at home.

To block access to a website, follow these steps:

1. On any device with Internet access, open a web browser.

2. Go to: https://my.bitdefender.com

3. Log in to your account using your user name and password.

4. Click Parental Control to access the dashboard.

5. Select your child's profile on the left-side menu.

6. Click on the Web panel to access the Web Activity window.

7. Click Blacklist.

8. Enter the website in the corresponding field.

9. Click Add to add the website to the list.

10. Select from the grid the time intervals during which access is allowed. You can click individual cells, or you can click and drag to cover longer periods.

Click the Save button.

11. If you change your mind, select the website and click the corresponding Remove button.

Parental Control

Bitdefender Internet Security

13.4. How do I prevent my child from playing a game?

Bitdefender Parental Control allows you to control the content accessed by your child while using the computer.

If you need to restrict access to a game or an application, you can use Bitdefender Parental Control even when you are not at home.

To block access to a game, follow these steps:

1. On any device with Internet access, open a web browser.

2. Go to: https://my.bitdefender.com

3. Log in to your account using your user name and password.

4. Click Parental Control to access the dashboard.

5. Select your child's profile on the left-side menu.

6. Click on the Applications panel to access the Applications Activity window.

7. Click Blacklist.

8. Type (or copy and paste) the path to the executable in the corresponding field.

9. Click Block to add the application to the Blocked apps.

10. If you change your mind, click the corresponding Allow button.

13.5. How do I create Windows user accounts?

A Windows user account is a unique profile that includes all the settings, privileges and personal files for each user. Windows accounts let the home PC administrator control access for each user.

Setting up user accounts comes in handy when the PC is used by both parents and children – a parent can set up accounts for each child.

Choose which operating system you have to find out how to create Windows accounts.

● Windows XP:

1. Log on to your computer as an administrator.

2. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click User Accounts.

3. Click Create a new account.

4. Type the name for the user. You can use the person's full name, first name, or a nickname. Then click Next.

5. For the account type, choose Limited, and then Create Account. Limited accounts are appropriate for children because they cannot make system-wide changes or install certain applications.

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6. Your new account will have been created and you will see it listed in the Manage Accounts screen.

● Windows Vista or Windows 7:

1. Log on to your computer as an administrator.

2. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click User Accounts.

3. Click Create a new account.

4. Type the name for the user. You can use the person's full name, first name, or a nickname. Then click Next.

5. For the account type, click Standard, and then Create Account. Limited accounts are appropriate for children because they cannot make system-wide changes or install certain applications.

6. Your new account will have been created and you will see it listed in the Manage Accounts screen.

● Windows 8:

1. Log on to your computer as an administrator.

2. Point your mouse to the upper right corner of the screen, click Settings and then click Change PC settings.

3. Click Users in the left side menu and then click Add a user.

You can create either a Microsoft account or a Local account. Read the description of each account type and follow the on-screen instructions to create a new account.

Note

Now that you have added new user accounts, you can create passwords for the accounts.

13.6. How to remove a child profile

If you want to remove an existent child profile, follow these steps:

1. On any device with Internet access, open a web browser.

2. Go to: https://my.bitdefender.com.

3. Log in to your account using your user name and password.

4. Click Parental Control to access the dashboard.

5. Select the child's profile you want to delete from the left-side menu.

6. Click Account Settings.

7. Click Remove Profile.

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8. Click OK.

Parental Control

Bitdefender Internet Security

14. Privacy Control

14.1. How do I make sure my online transaction is secure?

To make sure your online operations remain private, you can use the browser provided by Bitdefender to protect your transactions and home banking applications.

Bitdefender Safepay is a secured browser designed to protect your credit card information, account number or any other sensitive data you may enter while accessing different online locations.

To keep your online activity secure and private, follow these steps:

1. Double-click the Bitdefender Safepay icon on your desktop.

Bitdefender Safepay browser will appear.

2. Click the button to access the Virtual Keyboard.

3. Use the Virtual Keyboard when typing sensitive information such as your passwords.

14.2. How do I protect my Facebook account?

Safego is a Facebook application developed by Bitdefender to keep your social networking account safe.

Its role is to scan the links you receive from your Facebook friends and monitor your account privacy settings.

To access Safego from your Bitdefender product, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. On the Safego panel, click Manage and select Activate for Facebook from the drop-down menu.

You will be directed to your account.

3. Use your Facebook login information to connect to the Safego application.

4. Allow Safego access to your Facebook account.

14.3. How do I remove a file permanently with Bitdefender?

If you want to remove a file permanently from your system, you need to delete the data physically from your hard disk.

The Bitdefender File Shredder will help you to quickly shred files or folders from your computer using the Windows contextual menu, by following these steps:

Privacy Control

Bitdefender Internet Security

1. Right-click the file or folder you want to permanently delete, point to Bitdefender and select File Shredder.

2. A confirmation window will appear. Click Yes to start the File Shredder wizard.

3. Wait for Bitdefender to finish shredding the files.

4. The results are displayed. Click Close to exit the wizard.

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15. Useful Information

15.1. How do I test my antivirus solution?

To make sure that your Bitdefender product is properly running, we recommend you using the Eicar test.

The Eicar test allows you to check your antivirus protection using a safe file developed for this purpose.

To test your antivirus solution, follow these steps:

1. Download the test from the official webpage of the EICAR organization

http://www.eicar.org/.

2. Click the Anti-Malware Testfile tab.

3. Click Download on the left-side menu.

4. From Download area using the standard protocol http click the eicar.com test file.

5. You will be informed that the page you are trying to access contains the EICAR-Test-File (not a virus).

If you click I understand the risks, take me there anyway, the download of the test will begin and a Bitdefender pop-up will inform you that a virus was detected.

Click More details to find out more information about this action.

If you do not receive any Bitdefender alert, we recommend you to contact Bitdefender for support as described in section “Asking for help” (p. 172).

15.2. How do I remove Bitdefender?

If you want to remove your Bitdefender Internet Security, follow these steps:

● In Windows XP:

1. Click Start, go to Control Panel and double-click Add / Remove programs.

2. Wait a few moments until the list of installed software is displayed.

3. Find Bitdefender and select Remove.

4. Click Remove and then FULL uninstall of Bitdefender.

5. You have the following options:

▶ Uninstall and stay protected - will completely remove Bitdefender.

Bitdefender 60-Second Virus Scanner will be installed on your system to protect you against malware.

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Bitdefender Internet Security

▶ Uninstall without the app - will completely remove Bitdefender.

Bitdefender 60-Second Virus Scanner will not be installed.

Select the desired option and click Next.

6. Wait for the uninstall process to complete and then reboot your system.

● In Windows Vista and Windows 7:

1. Click Start, go to Control Panel and double-click Programs and Features.

2. Wait a few moments until the installed software list is displayed.

3. Find Bitdefender and select Uninstall.

4. Click Uninstall and then FULL uninstall of Bitdefender.

5. You have the following options:

▶ Uninstall and stay protected - will completely remove Bitdefender.

Bitdefender 60-Second Virus Scanner will be installed on your system to protect you against malware.

▶ Uninstall without the app - will completely remove Bitdefender.

Bitdefender 60-Second Virus Scanner will not be installed.

Select the desired option and click Next.

6. Wait for the uninstall process to complete and then reboot your system.

● In Windows 8:

1. From the Windows Start screen, locate Control Panel (for example, you can start typing "Control Panel" directly in the Start screen) and then click its icon.

2. Click Uninstall a program or Programs and Features.

3. Select Bitdefender Internet Security and click Uninstall.

4. Click Uninstall and then FULL uninstall of Bitdefender.

5. You have the following options:

▶ Uninstall and stay protected - will completely remove Bitdefender.

Bitdefender 60-Second Virus Scanner will be installed on your system to protect you against malware.

▶ Uninstall without the app - will completely remove Bitdefender.

Bitdefender 60-Second Virus Scanner will not be installed.

Select the desired option and click Next.

6. Wait for the uninstall process to complete and then reboot your system.

Note

Bitdefender 60-Second Virus Scanner is a free application which uses in-the-cloud scanning technology to detect malicious programs and threats in less than 60 seconds.

Useful Information

Bitdefender Internet Security

15.3. How do I keep my system protected after uninstalling Bitdefender?

During the Bitdefender Internet Security removal process, you have the option to Uninstall and stay protected. If you select this option, Bitdefender 60-Second Virus Scanner will be installed on your system.

Bitdefender 60-Second Virus Scanner is a free application which uses in-the-cloud scanning technology to detect malicious programs and threats in less than 60 seconds.

You can continue using the application even if you reinstall Bitdefender or you install any other antivirus program on your system.

If you want to remove Bitdefender 60-Second Virus Scanner, follow these steps:

● In Windows XP:

1. Click Start, go to Control Panel and double-click Add / Remove programs.

2. Wait a few moments until the list of installed software is displayed.

3. Find Bitdefender 60-Second Virus Scanner and select Remove.

4. Select Uninstall at the next step and wait for the process to finish.

● In Windows Vista and Windows 7:

1. Click Start, go to Control Panel and double-click Programs and Features.

2. Wait a few moments until the installed software list is displayed.

3. Find Bitdefender 60-Second Virus Scanner and select Uninstall.

4. Select Uninstall at the next step and wait for the process to finish.

● In Windows 8:

1. From the Windows Start screen, locate Control Panel (for example, you can start typing "Control Panel" directly in the Start screen) and then click its icon.

2. Click Uninstall a program or Programs and Features.

3. Select Bitdefender 60-Second Virus Scanner and click Uninstall.

4. Select Uninstall at the next step and wait for the process to finish.

15.4. How do I automatically shut down the computer after the scan is over?

Bitdefender offers multiple scan tasks that you can use to make sure your system is not infected with malware. Scanning the entire computer may take longer time to complete depending on your system's hardware and software configuration.

Useful Information

Bitdefender Internet Security

For this reason, Bitdefender allows you to configure Bitdefender to shut down your system as soon as the scan is over.

Consider this example: you have finished your work at the computer and you want to go to sleep. You would like to have your entire system checked for malware by Bitdefender.

This is how you set up Bitdefender to shut down your system at the end of the scan:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. On the Antivirus panel, click Scan Now and select Manage Scans from the drop-down menu.

3. Click New custom task to enter a name for the scan and select the locations to be scanned.

4. If you want to configure the scanning options in detail, select the Advanced tab.

5. Click OK to save the changes and close the window.

6. Choose to shutdown the computer when the scan is over if no threats are found.

7. Click Start Scan.

If no threats are found, the computer will shut down.

If there remain unresolved threats, you will be prompted to choose the actions to be taken on them. For more information, please refer to “Antivirus Scan Wizard”

(p. 79).

15.5. How do I configure Bitdefender to use a proxy Internet connection?

If your computer connects to the Internet through a proxy server, you must configure Bitdefender with the proxy settings. Normally, Bitdefender automatically detects and imports the proxy settings from your system.

Important

Home Internet connections do not normally use a proxy server. As a rule of thumb, check and configure the proxy connection settings of your Bitdefender program when updates are not working. If Bitdefender can update, then it is properly configured to connect to the Internet.

To manage the proxy settings, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select General.

4. In the General Settings window, select the Advanced tab.

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Bitdefender Internet Security

5. Turn on proxy usage by clicking the switch.

6. Click the Manage proxies link.

7. There are two options to set the proxy settings:

● Import proxy settings from default browser - proxy settings of the current

user, extracted from the default browser. If the proxy server requires a username and a password, you must specify them in the corresponding fields.

Note

Bitdefender can import proxy settings from the most popular browsers, including the latest versions of Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Opera.

● Custom proxy settings - proxy settings that you can configure yourself. The

following settings must be specified:

▶ Address - type in the IP of the proxy server. ▶ Port - type in the port Bitdefender uses to connect to the proxy server. ▶ User name - type in a user name recognized by the proxy. ▶ Password - type in the valid password of the previously specified user.

8. Click OK to save the changes and close the window.

Bitdefender will use the available proxy settings until it manages to connect to the Internet.

15.6. Am I using a 32 bit or a 64 bit version of Windows?

To find out if you have a 32 bit or a 64 bit operating system, follow these steps:

● In Windows XP:

1. Click Start.

2. Locate My Computer on the Start menu.

3. Right-click My Computer and select Properties.

4. If you see x64 Edition listed under System, you are running the 64 bit version of Windows XP.

If you do not see x64 Edition listed, you are running a 32 bit version of Windows XP.

● In Windows Vista and Windows 7:

1. Click Start.

2. Locate Computer on the Start menu.

3. Right-click Computer and select Properties.

4. Look under System in order to check the information about your system.

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Bitdefender Internet Security

● In Windows 8:

1. From the Windows Start screen, locate Computer (for example, you can start typing "Computer" directly in the Start screen) and then right-click its icon.

2. Select Properties in the bottom menu.

3. Look under System to see the system type.

15.7. How do I display hidden objects in Windows?

These steps are useful in those cases where you are dealing with a malware situation and you need to find and remove the infected files, which could be hidden.

Follow these steps to display hidden objects in Windows:

1. Click Start, go to Control Panel.

In Windows 8: From the Windows Start screen, locate Control Panel (for example, you can start typing "Control Panel" directly in the Start screen) and then click its icon.

2. Select Folder Options.

3. Go to View tab.

4. Select Display contents of system folders (for Windows XP only).

5. Select Show hidden files and folders.

6. Clear Hide extensions for known file types.

7. Clear Hide protected operating system files.

8. Click Apply and then OK.

15.8. How do I remove other security solutions?

The main reason for using a security solution is to provide protection and safety for your data. But what happens when you have more than one security product on the same system?

When you use more than one security solution on the same computer, the system becomes unstable. The Bitdefender Internet Security installer automatically detects other security programs and offers you the option to uninstall them.

If you did not remove the other security solutions during the initial installation, follow these steps:

● In Windows XP:

1. Click Start, go to Control Panel and double-click Add / Remove programs.

2. Wait a few moments until the list of installed software is displayed.

3. Find the name of the program you want to remove and select Remove.

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Bitdefender Internet Security

4. Wait for the uninstall process to complete and then reboot your system.

● In Windows Vista and Windows 7:

1. Click Start, go to Control Panel and double-click Programs and Features.

2. Wait a few moments until the installed software list is displayed.

3. Find the name of the program you want to remove and select Uninstall.

4. Wait for the uninstall process to complete and then reboot your system.

● In Windows 8:

1. From the Windows Start screen, locate Control Panel (for example, you can start typing "Control Panel" directly in the Start screen) and then click its icon.

2. Click Uninstall a program or Programs and Features.

3. Wait a few moments until the installed software list is displayed.

4. Find the name of the program you want to remove and select Uninstall.

5. Wait for the uninstall process to complete and then reboot your system.

If you fail to remove the other security solution from your system, get the uninstall tool from the vendor website or contact them directly in order to provide you with the uninstall guidelines.

15.9. How do I use System Restore in Windows?

If you cannot start the computer in normal mode, you can boot up in Safe Mode and use System Restore to restore to a time when you could start the computer without errors.

To perform the System Restore, you must be logged on to Windows as an administrator.

To use System Restore, follow these steps:

● In Windows XP:

1. Log on to Windows in Safe Mode.

2. Follow the path from the Windows start menu: Start → All Programs → System Tools → System Restore.

3. On the Welcome to System Restore page, click to select the Restore my computer to an earlier time option, and then click Next.

4. Follow the wizard steps and you should be able to boot up the system in normal mode.

● In Windows Vista and Windows 7:

1. Log on to Windows in Safe Mode.

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Bitdefender Internet Security

2. Follow the path from the Windows start menu: All Programs → Accessories → System Tools → System Restore.

3. Follow the wizard steps and you should be able to boot up the system in normal mode.

● In Windows 8:

1. Log on to Windows in Safe Mode.

2. From the Windows Start screen, locate Control Panel (for example, you can start typing "Control Panel" directly in the Start screen) and then click its icon.

3. Select Recovery and then Open System Restore.

4. Follow the wizard steps and you should be able to boot up the system in normal mode.

15.10. How do I restart in Safe Mode?

Safe mode is a diagnostic operating mode, used mainly to troubleshoot problems affecting normal operation of Windows. Such problems range from conflicting drivers to viruses preventing Windows from starting normally. In Safe Mode only a few applications work and Windows loads just the basic drivers and a minimum of operating system components. This is why most viruses are inactive when using Windows in Safe Mode and they can be easily removed.

To start Windows in Safe Mode:

1. Restart the computer.

2. Press the F8 key several times before Windows starts in order to access the boot menu.

3. Select Safe Mode in the boot menu or Safe Mode with Networking if you want to have Internet access.

4. Press Enter and wait while Windows loads in Safe Mode.

5. This process ends with a confirmation message. Click OK to acknowledge.

6. To start Windows normally, simply reboot the system.

Useful Information

Bitdefender Internet Security

Managing your security

Bitdefender Internet Security

16. Antivirus protection

Bitdefender protects your computer from all kinds of malware (viruses, Trojans, spyware, rootkits and so on). The protection Bitdefender offers is divided into two categories:

● On-access scanning - prevents new malware threats from entering your system.

Bitdefender will, for example, scan a word document for known threats when you open it, and an e-mail message when you receive one.

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

Important

To prevent viruses from infecting your computer keep on-access scanning enabled.

● On-demand scanning - allows detecting and removing the malware that already

resides in the 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.

With Autoscan turned on, there is hardly any need to manually run scans for malware. Autoscan will scan your computer over and over again, taking appropriate actions when malware is detected. Autoscan runs only when enough system resources are available so as not to slow down the computer.

Bitdefender automatically scans any removable media that is connected to the computer to make sure it can be safely accessed. For more information, please refer to “Automatic scan of removable media” (p. 82).

Advanced users can configure scan exclusions if they do not want specific files or file types to be scanned. For more information, please refer to “Configuring scan

exclusions” (p. 84).

When it detects a virus or other malware, Bitdefender will automatically attempt to remove the malware code from the infected file and reconstruct the original file. This operation is referred to as disinfection. Files that cannot be disinfected are moved to quarantine in order to contain the infection. For more information, please refer to “Managing quarantined files” (p. 86).

If your computer has been infected with malware, please refer to “Removing malware

from your system” (p. 163). To help you clean your computer of malware that cannot

be removed from within the Windows operating system, Bitdefender provides you with Rescue Mode. This is a trusted environment, especially designed for malware removal, which enables you to boot your computer independent of Windows. When the computer runs in Rescue Mode, Windows malware is inactive, making it easy to remove.

Antivirus protection

Bitdefender Internet Security

To protect you against unknown malicious applications, Bitdefender uses Active Virus Control, an advanced heuristic technology, which continuously monitors the applications running on your system. Active Virus Control automatically blocks applications that exhibit malware-like behavior to stop them from damaging your computer. Occasionally, legitimate applications may be blocked. In such situations, you can configure Active Virus Control not to block those applications again by creating exclusion rules. To learn more, please refer to “Active Virus Control” (p.

87).

Many forms of malware are designed to infect systems by exploiting their vulnerabilities, such as missing operating system updates or outdated applications. Bitdefender helps you easily identify and fix system vulnerabilities in order to make your computer more secure against malware and hackers. For more information, please refer to “Fixing system vulnerabilities” (p. 89).

16.1. On-access scanning (real-time protection)

Bitdefender provides continuous, real-time protection against a wide range of malware threats by scanning all accessed files, e-mail messages and the communications through Instant Messaging Software applications (ICQ, NetMeeting, Yahoo Messenger, MSN Messenger).

The default real-time protection settings ensure good protection against malware, with minor impact on system performance. You can easily change the real-time protection settings according to your needs by switching to one of the predefined protection levels. Or, if you are an advanced user, you can configure the scan settings in detail by creating a custom protection level.

16.1.1. Turning on or off real-time protection

To turn on or off real-time protection against malware, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select Antivirus.

4. In the Antivirus Settings window, select the Shield tab.

5. Click the switch to turn on or off On-access scanning.

6. If you want to disable real-time protection, a warning window will appear. You must confirm your choice by selecting from the menu how long you want the real-time protection to be disabled. You can disable real-time protection for 5, 15 or 30 minutes, for an hour, permanently or until the system restart. The real-time protection will automatically turn on when the selected time will expire.

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Bitdefender Internet Security

Warning

This is a critical security issue. We recommend you to disable real-time protection for as little time as possible. If real-time protection is disabled, you will not be protected against malware threats.

16.1.2. Adjusting the real-time protection level

The real-time protection level defines the scan settings for real-time protection. You can easily change the real-time protection settings according to your needs by switching to one of the predefined protection levels.

To adjust the real-time protection level, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select Antivirus.

4. In the Antivirus Settings window, select the Shield tab.

5. Drag the slider along the scale to set the desired protection level. Use the description on the right side of the scale to choose the protection level that better fits your security needs.

16.1.3. Configuring the real time protection settings

Advanced users might want to take advantage of the scan settings Bitdefender offers. You can configure the real-time protection settings in detail by creating a custom protection level.

To configure the real time protection settings, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select Antivirus.

4. In the Antivirus Settings window, select the Shield tab.

5. Click Custom.

6. Configure the scan settings as needed.

7. Click OK to save the changes and close the window.

Information on the scan options

You may find this information useful:

● If you are not familiar with some of the terms, check them in the glossary. You

can also find useful information by searching the Internet.

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Bitdefender Internet Security

● Scan options for accessed files. You can set Bitdefender to scan all accessed

files or applications (program files) only. Scanning all accessed files provides best protection, while scanning applications only can be used for better system performance.

By default, both local folders and network shares are subject to on-access scanning. For better system performance, you can exclude network locations from on-access scanning.

Applications (or program files) are far more vulnerable to malware attacks than other types of files. This category includes the following file extensions:

386; a6p; ac; accda; accdb; accdc; accde; accdp; accdr; accdt; accdu; acl; acr; action; ade; adp; air; app; as; asd; asp; awk; bas; bat; bin; cgi; chm; cla; class; cmd; cnv; com; cpl; csc; csh; dat; dek; dld; dll; doc; docm; docx; dot; dotm; dotx; drv; ds; ebm; esh; exe; ezs; fky; frs; fxp; gadget; grv; hlp; hms; hta; htm; html; iaf; icd; ini; inx; ipf; isu; jar; js; jse; jsx; kix; laccdb; lnk; maf; mam; maq; mar; mat; mcr; mda; mdb; mde; mdt; mdw; mem; mhtml; mpp; mpt; mpx; ms; msg; msi; msp; mst; msu; oab; obi; obs; ocx; oft; ole; one; onepkg; ost; ovl; pa; paf; pex; pfd; php; pif; pip; pot; potm; potx; ppa; ppam; pps; ppsm; ppsx; ppt; pptm; pptx; prc; prf; prg; pst; pub; puz; pvd; pwc; py; pyc; pyo; qpx; rbx; rgs; rox; rpj; rtf; scar; scr; script; sct; shb; shs; sldm; sldx; smm; snp; spr; svd; sys; thmx; tlb; tms; u3p; udf; url; vb; vbe; vbs; vbscript; vxd; wbk; wcm; wdm; wiz; wll; wpk; ws; wsf; xar; xl; xla; xlam; xlb; xlc; xll; xlm; xls; xlsb; xlsm; xlsx; xlt; xltm; xltx; xlw; xml; xqt; xsf; xsn; xtp

● Scan inside archives. Scanning inside archives is a slow and resource-intensive

process, which is therefore not recommended for real-time protection. Archives containing infected files are not an immediate threat to the security of your system. The malware can affect your system only if the infected file is extracted from the archive and executed without having real-time protection enabled.

If you decide on using this option, you can set a maximum accepted size limit of archives to be scanned on-access. Select the corresponding check box and type the maximum archive size (in MB).

● Scan options for e-mail, web and instant messaging traffic. To prevent

malware from being downloaded to your computer, Bitdefender automatically scans the following malware entry points:

▶ incoming and outgoing e-mails ▶ web traffic ▶ files received via Yahoo! Messenger

Scanning the web traffic may slow down web browsing a little, but it will block malware coming from the Internet, including drive-by downloads.

Antivirus protection

Bitdefender Internet Security

Though not recommended, you can disable e-mail, web or instant messaging antivirus scan to increase system performance. If you disable the corresponding scan options, the e-mails and files received or downloaded from the Internet will not be scanned, thus allowing infected files to be saved to your computer. This is not a major threat because real-time protection will block the malware when the infected files are accessed (opened, moved, copied or executed).

● Scan boot sectors. You can set Bitdefender to scan the boot sectors of your

hard disk. This sector of the hard disk contains the necessary computer code to start the boot process. When a virus infects the boot sector, the drive may become inaccessible and you may not be able to start your system and access your data.

● Scan only new and changed files. By scanning only new and changed files,

you may greatly improve overall system responsiveness with a minimum trade-off in security.

● Scan for keyloggers. Select this option to scan your system for keylogger

applications. Keyloggers record what you type on your keyboard and send reports over the Internet to a malicious person (hacker). The hacker can find out sensitive information from the stolen data, such as bank account numbers and passwords, and use it to gain personal benefits.

Actions taken on detected malware

You can configure the actions taken by the real-time protection.

To configure the actions, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select Antivirus.

4. In the Antivirus Settings window, select the Shield tab.

5. Click Custom.

6. Configure the scan settings as needed.

7. Click OK to save the changes and close the window.

The following actions can be taken by the real time protection in Bitdefender:

Take proper actions

Bitdefender will take the recommended actions depending on the type of detected file:

● Infected files. Files detected as infected match a malware signature in the

Bitdefender Malware Signature Database. Bitdefender will automatically attempt to remove the malware code from the infected file and reconstruct the original file. This operation is referred to as disinfection.

Antivirus protection

Bitdefender Internet Security

Files that cannot be disinfected are moved to quarantine in order to contain the infection. Quarantined files cannot be executed or opened; therefore, the risk of getting infected disappears. For more information, please refer to

“Managing quarantined files” (p. 86).

Important

For particular types of malware, disinfection is not possible because the detected file is entirely malicious. In such cases, the infected file is deleted from the disk.

● Suspicious files. Files are detected as suspicious by the heuristic analysis.

Suspicious files cannot be disinfected, because no disinfection routine is available. They will be moved to quarantine to prevent a potential infection.

By default, quarantined files are automatically sent to Bitdefender Labs in order to be analyzed by the Bitdefender malware researchers. If malware presence is confirmed, a signature is released to allow removing the malware.

● Archives containing infected files.

▶ Archives that contain only infected files are deleted automatically.

▶ If an archive contains both infected and clean files, Bitdefender will attempt

to delete the infected files provided it can reconstruct the archive with the clean files. If archive reconstruction is not possible, you will be informed that no action can be taken so as to avoid losing clean files.

Move files to quarantine

Moves detected files to quarantine. Quarantined files cannot be executed or opened; therefore, the risk of getting infected disappears. For more information, please refer to “Managing quarantined files” (p. 86).

Deny access

In case an infected file is detected, the access to this will be denied.

16.1.4. Restoring the default settings

The default real-time protection settings ensure good protection against malware, with minor impact on system performance.

To restore the default real-time protection settings, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select Antivirus.

4. In the Antivirus Settings window, select the Shield tab.

5. Click Default.

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16.2. On-demand scanning

The main objective for Bitdefender is to keep your computer clean of viruses. This is done by keeping new viruses out of your computer and by scanning your e-mail messages and any new files downloaded or copied to your system.

There is a risk that a virus is already lodged in your system, before you even install Bitdefender. This is why it's a very good idea to scan your computer for resident viruses after you've installed Bitdefender. And it's definitely a good idea to frequently scan your computer for viruses.

On-demand scanning is based on scan tasks. Scan tasks specify the scanning options and the objects to be scanned. You can scan the computer whenever you want by running the default tasks or your own scan tasks (user-defined tasks). If you want to scan specific locations on your computer or to configure the scan options, configure and run a custom scan.

16.2.1. Autoscan

Autoscan is a light on-demand scan that silently scans all your data for malware and takes the appropriate actions for any infections found. Autoscan finds and uses time-slices when system resource usage falls below a certain threshold to perform recurring scans of the entire system.

Benefits of using Autoscan:

● It has close to zero impact on the system.

● By pre-scanning the entire hard-disk, future on-demand tasks will be completed

extremely fast.

● On-access scanning will also take significantly less time.

To turn on or off Autoscan, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. On the Antivirus panel, click the switch to turn on or off Autoscan.

16.2.2. Scanning a file or folder for malware

You should scan files and folders whenever you suspect they might be infected. Right-click the file or folder you want to be scanned, point to Bitdefender and select Scan with Bitdefender. The Antivirus Scan wizard will appear and guide you through the scanning process. At the end of the scan, you will be prompted to choose the actions to be taken on the detected files, if any.

16.2.3. Running a Quick Scan

Quick Scan uses in-the-cloud scanning to detect malware running in your system. Running a Quick Scan usually takes less than a minute and uses a fraction of the system resources needed by a regular virus scan.

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Bitdefender Internet Security

To run a Quick Scan, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. On the Antivirus panel, click Scan Now and select Quick Scan from the

drop-down menu.

3. Follow the Antivirus Scan wizard to complete the scan. Bitdefender will

automatically take the recommended actions on detected files. If there remain unresolved threats, you will be prompted to choose the actions to be taken on them.

16.2.4. Running a System Scan

The System Scan task scans the entire computer for all types of malware threatening its security, such as viruses, spyware, adware, rootkits and others. If you have turned off Autoscan, it is recommended to run a System Scan at least once a week.

Note

Because System Scan performs a thorough scan of the entire system, the scan may take a while. Therefore, it is recommended to run this task when you are not using your computer.

Before running a System Scan, the following are recommended:

● Make sure Bitdefender is up-to-date with its malware signatures. Scanning your

computer using an outdated signature database may prevent Bitdefender from detecting new malware found since the last update. For more information, please refer to “Keeping Bitdefender up-to-date” (p. 36).

● Shut down all open programs.

If you want to scan specific locations on your computer or to configure the scanning options, configure and run a custom scan. For more information, please refer to

“Configuring a custom scan” (p. 76).

To run a System Scan, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. On the Antivirus panel, click Scan Now and select System Scan from the

drop-down menu.

3. Follow the Antivirus Scan wizard to complete the scan. Bitdefender will

automatically take the recommended actions on detected files. If there remain unresolved threats, you will be prompted to choose the actions to be taken on them.

16.2.5. Configuring a custom scan

To configure a scan for malware in detail and then run it, follow these steps:

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Bitdefender Internet Security

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. On the Antivirus panel, click Scan Now and select Manage Scans from the

drop-down menu.

3. Click New custom task to enter a name for the scan and select the locations

to be scanned.

4. If you want to configure the scanning options in detail, select the Advanced tab.

A new window will appear. Follow these steps:

a. You can easily configure the scanning options by adjusting the scan level. Drag

the slider along the scale to set the desired scan level. Use the description on the right side of the scale to identify the scan level that better fits your needs.

Advanced users might want to take advantage of the scan settings Bitdefender offers. To configure the scan options in detail, click Custom. You can find information about them at the end of this section.

b. You can also configure these general options:

● Run the task with low priority. Decreases the priority of the scan process.

You will allow other programs to run faster and increase the time needed for the scan process to finish.

● Minimize Scan Wizard to system tray. Minimizes the scan window to

the system tray. Double-click the Bitdefender icon to open it.

● Specify the action to be taken if no threats are found.

c. Click OK to save the changes and close the window.

5. Click Schedule if you want to set a schedule for your scan task. Use the switch to turn on or off Schedule. Select one of the corresponding options to set a schedule:

● At system startup

● Once

● Periodically

6. Click Start Scan and follow the Antivirus Scan wizard to complete the scan. Depending on the locations to be scanned, the scan may take a while. At the end of the scan, you will be prompted to choose the actions to be taken on the detected files, if any.

7. If you want to, you can quickly rerun a previous custom scan by clicking the corresponding entry in the available list.

Information on the scan options

You may find this information useful:

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● If you are not familiar with some of the terms, check them in the glossary. You

can also find useful information by searching the Internet.

● Scan files. You can set Bitdefender to scan all types of files or applications

(program files) only. Scanning all files provides best protection, while scanning applications only can be used to perform a quicker scan.

Applications (or program files) are far more vulnerable to malware attacks than other types of files. This category includes the following file extensions: 386;

a6p; ac; accda; accdb; accdc; accde; accdp; accdr; accdt; accdu; acl; acr; action; ade; adp; air; app; as; asd; asp; awk; bas; bat; bin; cgi; chm; cla; class; cmd; cnv; com; cpl; csc; csh; dat; dek; dld; dll; doc; docm; docx; dot; dotm; dotx; drv; ds; ebm; esh; exe; ezs; fky; frs; fxp; gadget; grv; hlp; hms; hta; htm; html; iaf; icd; ini; inx; ipf; isu; jar; js; jse; jsx; kix; laccdb; lnk; maf; mam; maq; mar; mat; mcr; mda; mdb; mde; mdt; mdw; mem; mhtml; mpp; mpt; mpx; ms; msg; msi; msp; mst; msu; oab; obi; obs; ocx; oft; ole; one; onepkg; ost; ovl; pa; paf; pex; pfd; php; pif; pip; pot; potm; potx; ppa; ppam; pps; ppsm; ppsx; ppt; pptm; pptx; prc; prf; prg; pst; pub; puz; pvd; pwc; py; pyc; pyo; qpx; rbx; rgs; rox; rpj; rtf; scar; scr; script; sct; shb; shs; sldm; sldx; smm; snp; spr; svd; sys; thmx; tlb; tms; u3p; udf; url; vb; vbe; vbs; vbscript; vxd; wbk; wcm; wdm; wiz; wll; wpk; ws; wsf; xar; xl; xla; xlam; xlb; xlc; xll; xlm; xls; xlsb; xlsm; xlsx; xlt; xltm; xltx; xlw; xml; xqt; xsf; xsn; xtp

● Scan options for archives. Archives containing infected files are not an

immediate threat to the security of your system. The malware can affect your system only if the infected file is extracted from the archive and executed without having real-time protection enabled. However, it is recommended to use this option in order to detect and remove any potential threat, even if it is not an immediate threat.

Note

Scanning archived files increases the overall scanning time and requires more system resources.

● Scan boot sectors. You can set Bitdefender to scan the boot sectors of your

● Scan memory. Select this option to scan programs running in your system's

memory.

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● Scan registry. Select this option to scan registry keys. Windows Registry is a

database that stores configuration settings and options for the Windows operating system components, as well as for installed applications.

● Scan cookies. Select this option to scan the cookies stored by browsers on your

computer.

● Scan only new and changed files. By scanning only new and changed files,

you may greatly improve overall system responsiveness with a minimum trade-off in security.

● Ignore commercial keyloggers. Select this option if you have installed and

use commercial keylogger software on your computer. Commercial keyloggers are legitimate computer monitoring software whose most basic function is to record everything that is typed on the keyboard.

● Scan for rootkits. Select this option to scan for rootkits and objects hidden

using such software.

16.2.6. Antivirus Scan Wizard

Whenever you initiate an on-demand scan (for example, right-click a folder, point to Bitdefender and select Scan with Bitdefender), the Bitdefender Antivirus Scan wizard will appear. Follow the wizard to complete the scanning process.

Note

If the scan wizard does not appear, the scan may be configured to run silently, in the

background. Look for the scan progress icon in the system tray. You can click this icon to open the scan window and to see the scan progress.

Step 1 - Perform scan

Bitdefender will start scanning the selected objects. You can see real-time information about the scan status and statistics (including the elapsed time, an estimation of the remaining time and the number of detected threats). To see more details, click the Show more link.

Wait for Bitdefender to finish scanning. The scanning process may take a while, depending on the complexity of the scan.

Stopping or pausing the scan. You can stop scanning anytime you want by clicking Stop&Yes. You will go directly to the last step of the wizard. To temporarily stop the scanning process, just click Pause. You will have to click Resume to resume scanning.

Password-protected archives. When a password-protected archive is detected, depending on the scan settings, you may be prompted to provide the password. Password-protected archives cannot be scanned unless you provide the password. The following options are available:

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Bitdefender Internet Security

● Password. If you want Bitdefender to scan the archive, select this option and

type the password. If you do not know the password, choose one of the other options.

● Don't ask for a password and skip this object from scan. Select this option

to skip scanning this archive.

● Skip all password-protected items without scanning them. Select this

option if you do not want to be bothered about password-protected archives. Bitdefender will not be able to scan them, but a record will be kept in the scan log.

Choose the desired option and click OK to continue scanning.

Step 2 - Choose actions

At the end of the scan, you will be prompted to choose the actions to be taken on the detected files, if any.

Note

When you run a quick scan or a full system scan, Bitdefender will automatically take the recommended actions on detected files during the scan. If there remain unresolved threats, you will be prompted to choose the actions to be taken on them.

The infected objects are displayed in groups, based on the malware they are infected with. Click the link corresponding to a threat to find out more information about the infected objects.

You can choose an overall action to be taken for all issues or you can select separate actions for each group of issues. One or several of the following options can appear on the menu:

Take proper actions

Bitdefender will take the recommended actions depending on the type of detected file:

● Infected files. Files detected as infected match a malware signature in the

“Managing quarantined files” (p. 86).

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Important

For particular types of malware, disinfection is not possible because the detected file is entirely malicious. In such cases, the infected file is deleted from the disk.

● Suspicious files. Files are detected as suspicious by the heuristic analysis.

Suspicious files cannot be disinfected, because no disinfection routine is available. They will be moved to quarantine to prevent a potential infection.

● Archives containing infected files.

▶ Archives that contain only infected files are deleted automatically.

▶ If an archive contains both infected and clean files, Bitdefender will attempt

Delete

Removes detected files from the disk.

If infected files are stored in an archive together with clean files, Bitdefender will attempt to delete the infected files and reconstruct the archive with the clean files. If archive reconstruction is not possible, you will be informed that no action can be taken so as to avoid losing clean files.

Take no action

No action will be taken on the detected files. After the scan is completed, you can open the scan log to view information on these files.

Click Continue to apply the specified actions.

Step 3 - Summary

When Bitdefender finishes fixing the issues, the scan results will appear in a new window. If you want comprehensive information on the scanning process, click Show Log to view the scan log.

Click Close to close the window.

Important

In most cases Bitdefender successfully disinfects the infected files it detects or it isolates the infection. However, there are issues that cannot be solved automatically. If required, please restart your system in order to complete the cleaning process. For more information and instructions on how to remove malware manually, please refer to “Removing malware from your system” (p. 163).

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16.2.7. Checking scan logs

Each time a scan is performed, a scan log is created and Bitdefender records the detected issues in the Antivirus Overview window. The scan log contains detailed information about the logged scanning process, such as scanning options, the scanning target, the threats found and the actions taken on these threats.

You can open the scan log directly from the scan wizard, once the scan is completed, by clicking Show Log.

To check a scan log or any detected infection at a later time, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Events button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Events Overview window, select Antivirus.

4. In the Antivirus Events window, select the Virus Scan tab. This is where you can find all malware scan events, including threats detected by on-access scanning, user-initiated scans and status changes for automatic scans.

5. In the events list, you can check what scans have been performed recently. Click an event to view details about it.

6. To open the scan log, click View log.

16.3. Automatic scan of removable media

Bitdefender automatically detects when you connect a removable storage device to your computer and scans it in the background. This is recommended in order to prevent viruses and other malware from infecting your computer.

Detected devices fall into one of these categories:

● CDs/DVDs

● USB storage devices, such as flash pens and external hard-drives

● mapped (remote) network drives

You can configure automatic scan separately for each category of storage devices. Automatic scan of mapped network drives is off by default.

16.3.1. How does it work?

When it detects a removable storage device, Bitdefender starts scanning it for malware in the background (provided automatic scan is enabled for that type of

device). A Bitdefender scan icon will appear in the system tray. You can click this icon to open the scan window and to see the scan progress.

If Autopilot is on, you will not be bothered about the scan. The scan will only be logged and information about it will be available in the Events window.

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If Autopilot is off:

1. You will be notified through a pop-up window that a new device has been detected and it is being scanned.

2. In most cases, Bitdefender automatically removes detected malware or isolates infected files into quarantine. If there are unresolved threats after the scan, you will be prompted to choose the actions to be taken on them.

Note

Take into account that no action can be taken on infected or suspicious files detected on CDs/DVDs. Similarly, no action can be taken on infected or suspicious files detected on mapped network drives if you do not have the appropriate privileges.

3. When the scan is completed, the scan results window is displayed to inform you if you can safely access files on the removable media.

This information may be useful to you:

● Please be careful when using a malware-infected CD/DVD, because the malware

cannot be removed from the disc (the media is read-only). Make sure real-time protection is turned on to prevent malware from spreading to your system. It is best practice to copy any valuable data from the disc to your system and then dispose of the disc.

● In some cases, Bitdefender may not be able to remove malware from specific

files due to legal or technical constraints. Such an example are files archived using a proprietary technology (this is because the archive cannot be recreated correctly).

To find out how to deal with malware, please refer to “Removing malware from

your system” (p. 163).

16.3.2. Managing removable media scan

To manage automatic scan of removable media, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select Antivirus.

4. In the Antivirus Settings window, select the Exclusions tab.

For best protection, it is recommended to turn on automatic scan for all types of removable storage devices.

The scanning options are pre-configured for the best detection results. If infected files are detected, Bitdefender will try to disinfect them (remove the malware code) or to move them to quarantine. If both actions fail, the Antivirus Scan wizard will

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allow you to specify other actions to be taken on infected files. The scanning options are standard and you cannot change them.

16.4. Configuring scan exclusions

Bitdefender allows excluding specific files, folders or file extensions from scanning. This feature is intended to avoid interference with your work and it can also help improve system performance. Exclusions are to be used by users having advanced computer knowledge or, otherwise, following the recommendations of a Bitdefender representative.

You can configure exclusions to apply to on-access or on-demand scanning only, or to both. The objects excluded from on-access scanning will not be scanned, no matter if they are accessed by you or by an application.

Note

Exclusions will NOT apply for contextual scanning. Contextual scanning is a type of on-demand scanning: you right-click the file or folder you want to scan and select Scan with Bitdefender.

16.4.1. Excluding files or folders from scanning

To exclude specific files or folders from scanning, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select Antivirus.

4. In the Antivirus Settings window, select the Exclusions tab.

5. Turn on scan exclusions for files using the corresponding switch.

6. Click the Excluded files and folders link. In the window that appears, you can manage the files and folders excluded from scanning.

7. Add exclusions by following these steps:

a. Click the Add button, located at the top of the exclusions table.

b. Click Browse, select the file or folder that you want to be excluded from

scanning and then click OK. Alternatively, you can type (or copy and paste) the path to the file or folder in the edit field.

c. By default, the selected file or folder is excluded from both on-access and

on-demand scanning. To change when to apply the exclusion, select one of the other options.

d. Click Add.

8. Click OK to save the changes and close the window.

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16.4.2. Excluding file extensions from scanning

When you exclude a file extension from scanning, Bitdefender will no longer scan files with that extension, regardless of their location on your computer. The exclusion also applies to files on removable media, such as CDs, DVDs, USB storage devices or network drives.

Important

Use caution when excluding extensions from scanning because such exclusions can make your computer vulnerable to malware.

To exclude file extensions from scanning, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select Antivirus.

4. In the Antivirus Settings window, select the Exclusions tab.

5. Turn on scan exclusions for files using the corresponding switch.

6. Click the Excluded extensions link. In the window that appears, you can manage the file extensions excluded from scanning.

7. Add exclusions by following these steps:

a. Click the Add button, located at the top of the exclusions table.

b. Enter the extensions that you want to be excluded from scanning, separating

them with semicolons (;). Here is an example:

txt;avi;jpg

c. By default, all files with the specified extensions are excluded from both

on-access and on-demand scanning. To change when to apply the exclusion, select one of the other options.

d. Click Add.

8. Click OK to save the changes and close the window.

16.4.3. Managing scan exclusions

If the configured scan exclusions are no longer needed, it is recommended that you delete them or disable scan exclusions.

To manage scan exclusions, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select Antivirus.

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Bitdefender Internet Security

4. In the Antivirus Settings window, select the Exclusions tab. Use the options in the Files and folders section to manage scan exclusions.

5. To remove or edit scan exclusions, click one of the available links. Proceed as follows:

● To remove an entry from the table, select it and click the Remove button.

● To edit an entry from the table, double-click it (or select it and click the Edit

button). A new window will appear where you can change the extension or the path to be excluded and the type of scanning you want them to be excluded from, as needed. Make the necessary changes, then click Modify.

6. To turn off scan exclusions, use the corresponding switch.

16.5. Managing quarantined files

Bitdefender isolates the malware-infected files it cannot disinfect and the suspicious files in a secure area named quarantine. When a virus is in quarantine it cannot do any harm because it cannot be executed or read.

In addition, Bitdefender scans the quarantined files after each malware signature update. Cleaned files are automatically moved back to their original location.

To check and manage quarantined files, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select Antivirus.

4. In the Antivirus Settings window, select the Quarantine tab.

5. Quarantined files are managed automatically by Bitdefender according to the default quarantine settings. Though not recommended, you can adjust the quarantine settings according to your preferences.

Rescan quarantine after virus definitions update

Keep this option turned on to automatically scan quarantined files after each virus definitions update. Cleaned files are automatically moved back to their original location.

Submit suspicious quarantined files for further analysis

Keep this option turned on to automatically send quarantined files to Bitdefender Labs. The sample files will be analyzed by the Bitdefender malware researchers. If malware presence is confirmed, a signature is released to allow removing the malware.

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Delete content older than {30} days

By default, quarantined files older than 30 days are automatically deleted. If you want to change this interval, type a new value in the corresponding field. To disable automatic deletion of old quarantined files, type 0.

6. To delete a quarantined file, select it and click the Delete button. If you want to restore a quarantined file to its original location, select it and click Restore.

16.6. Active Virus Control

Bitdefender Active Virus Control is an innovative proactive detection technology which uses advanced heuristic methods to detect new potential threats in real time.

Active Virus Control continuously monitors the applications running on the computer, looking for malware-like actions. Each of these actions is scored and an overall score is computed for each process. When the overall score for a process reaches a given threshold, the process is considered to be harmful and it is blocked automatically.

If Autopilot is off, you will be notified through a pop-up window about the blocked application. Otherwise, the application will be blocked without any notification. You can check what applications have been detected by Active Virus Control in the

Events window.

16.6.1. Checking detected applications

To check the applications detected by Active Virus Control, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Events button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Events Overview window, select Antivirus.

4. In the Antivirus Events window, select the Active Virus Control tab.

5. Click an event to view details about it.

6. If you trust the application, you can configure Active Virus Control not to block it anymore by clicking Allow and monitor. Active Virus Control will continue to monitor excluded applications. If an excluded application is detected to perform suspicious activities, the event will simply be logged and reported to Bitdefender Cloud as detection error.

16.6.2. Turning on or off Active Virus Control

To turn on or off Active Virus Control, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select Antivirus.

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4. In the Antivirus Settings window, select the Shield tab.

5. Click the switch to turn on or off Active Virus Control.

16.6.3. Adjusting the Active Virus Control protection

If you notice that Active Virus Control detects legitimate applications often, you should set a more permissive protection level.

To adjust the Active Virus Control protection, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select Antivirus.

4. In the Antivirus Settings window, select the Shield tab.

5. Make sure Active Virus Control is turned on.

6. Drag the slider along the scale to set the desired protection level. Use the description on the right side of the scale to choose the protection level that better fits your security needs.

Note

As you set the protection level higher, Active Virus Control will require fewer signs of malware-like behavior to report a process. This will lead to a higher number of applications being reported and, at the same time, to an increased likelihood of false positives (clean applications detected as malicious).

16.6.4. Managing excluded processes

You can configure exclusion rules for trusted applications so that Active Virus Control does not block them if they perform malware-like actions. Active Virus Control will continue to monitor excluded applications. If an excluded application is detected to perform suspicious activities, the event will simply be logged and reported to Bitdefender Cloud as detection error.

To manage Active Virus Control process exclusions, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select Antivirus.

4. In the Antivirus Settings window, select the Exclusions tab.

5. Click the Excluded processes link. In the window that appears, you can manage the Active Virus Control process exclusions.

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Note

Process exclusions also apply to the Intrusion Detection System included in the Bitdefender firewall.

6. Add exclusions by following these steps:

a. Click the Add button, located at the top of the exclusions table.

b. Click Browse, find and select the application you want to be excluded and

then click OK.

c. Keep the Allow option selected to prevent Active Virus Control from blocking

the application.

d. Click Add.

7. To remove or edit exclusions, proceed as follows:

● To remove an entry from the table, select it and click the Delete button.

● To edit an entry from the table, double-click it (or select it) and click the Modify

button. Make the necessary changes, then click Modify.

8. Save the changes and close the window.

16.7. Fixing system vulnerabilities

An important step in protecting your computer against malicious persons and applications is to keep up to date the operating system and the applications you regularly use. You should also consider disabling Windows settings that make the system more vulnerable to malware. Moreover, to prevent unauthorized physical access to your computer, strong passwords (passwords that cannot be easily guessed) must be configured for each Windows user account.

Bitdefender provides two easy ways to fix the vulnerabilities of your system:

● You can scan your system for vulnerabilities and fix them step by step using the

Vulnerability Scan wizard.

● Using automatic vulnerability monitoring, you can check and fix detected

vulnerabilities in the Events window.

You should check and fix system vulnerabilities every one or two weeks.

16.7.1. Scanning your system for vulnerabilities

To fix system vulnerabilities using the Vulnerability Scan wizard, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. On the Antivirus panel, click Scan Now and select Vulnerability Scan from the drop-down menu.

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3. Follow the six-step guided procedure to remove vulnerabilities from your system. You can navigate through the wizard using the Next button. To exit the wizard, click Cancel.

a. Protect your PC

Select vulnerabilities to check.

b. Check for issues

Wait for Bitdefender to finish checking your system for vulnerabilities.

c. Windows updates

You can see the list of critical and non-critical Windows updates that are not currently installed on your computer. Select the updates you want to install.

To initiate the installation of selected updates, click Next. Please note that it may take a while to install the updates and some of them may require a system restart to complete the installation. If required, restart the system at your earliest convenience.

d. Application updates

If an application is not up to date, click the provided link to download the latest version.

e. Weak passwords

You can see the list of the Windows user accounts configured on your computer and the level of protection their password provides.

Click Fix to modify the weak passwords. You can choose between asking the user to change the password at the next logon or changing the password yourself immediately. For a strong password, use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters (such as #, $ or @).

f. Summary

This is where you can view the operation result.

16.7.2. Using automatic vulnerability monitoring

Bitdefender scans your system for vulnerabilities regularly, in the background, and keeps records of detected issues in the Events window.

To check and fix the detected issues, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Events button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Events Overview window, select Antivirus.

4. In the Antivirus Events window, select the Vulnerability tab.

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5. You can see detailed information regarding the detected system vulnerabilities. Depending on the issue, to fix a specific vulnerability proceed as follows:

● If Windows updates are available, click Update now to open the Vulnerability

Scan wizard and install them.

● If an application is outdated, click Update now to find a link to the vendor

web page from where you can install the latest version of that application.

● If a Windows user account has a weak password, click Fix password to force

the user to change the password at the next logon or change the password yourself. For a strong password, use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters (such as #, $ or @).

● If the Windows Autorun feature is enabled, click Disable to disable it.

To configure the vulnerability monitoring settings, follow these steps:

1. Open the Bitdefender window.

2. Click the Settings button on the upper toolbar.

3. In the Settings Overview window, select Antivirus.

4. In the Antivirus Events window, select the Vulnerability tab.

5. Click the switch to turn on or off Automatic Vulnerability Scan.

Important

To be automatically notified about system or application vulnerabilities, keep the Automatic Vulnerability Scan enabled.

6. Choose the system vulnerabilities you want to be regularly checked by using the corresponding switches.

Critical Windows updates

Check if your Windows operating system has the latest critical security updates from Microsoft.

Regular Windows updates

Check if your Windows operating system has the latest regular security updates from Microsoft.

Application updates

Check if crucial web-related applications installed on your system are up-to-date. Outdated applications can be exploited by malicious software, making your PC vulnerable to outside attacks.

Weak passwords

Check whether the passwords of the Windows accounts configured on the system are easy to guess or not. Setting passwords that are hard to guess (strong passwords) makes it very difficult for hackers to break into your

Antivirus protection

Bitdefender Internet Security User Manual [nl]

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Table of Contents

Installation

1. Preparing for installation

2. System requirements

2.1. Minimum system requirements

2.2. Recommended system requirements

2.3. Software requirements

3. Installing your Bitdefender product

Getting started

4. The basics

4.1. Opening the Bitdefender window

4.2. Fixing issues

4.2.1. Fix All Issues wizard

4.2.2. Configuring status alerts

4.3. Events

4.4. Autopilot

4.5. Game Mode and Laptop Mode

4.5.1. Game Mode

Using Game Mode

Turning on or off automatic Game Mode

Manually adding games to the Game list

Game Mode keyboard shortcut

4.5.2. Laptop Mode

4.6. Password-protecting Bitdefender settings

4.7. Anonymous usage reports

5. Bitdefender interface

5.1. System tray icon

5.2. Main window

5.2.1. Upper toolbar

5.2.2. Panels area

5.3. Settings Overview window

5.4. Security Widget

5.4.1. Scanning files and folders

5.4.2. Hide / show Security Widget

5.5. Security Report

5.5.1. Checking the Security Report

5.5.2. Turning on or off the Security Status notification

6. Registering Bitdefender

6.1. Entering your license key

6.2. Buying or renewing license keys

7. MyBitdefender account

7.1. Linking your computer to MyBitdefender

8. Keeping Bitdefender up-to-date

8.1. Checking if Bitdefender is up-to-date

8.2. Performing an update

8.3. Turning on or off automatic update

8.4. Adjusting update settings

How to

9. Installation

9.1. How do I install Bitdefender on a second computer?

9.2. When should I reinstall Bitdefender?

9.3. Where can I download my Bitdefender product from?

9.4. How do I switch from one Bitdefender product to another?

9.5. How do I use my Bitdefender license key after a Windows upgrade?

9.6. How do I repair Bitdefender?

10. Registration

10.1. What Bitdefender product am I using?

10.2. How do I register a trial version?

10.3. When does my Bitdefender protection expire?

10.4. How do I renew my Bitdefender protection?

11. MyBitdefender

11.1. How do I log in into MyBitdefender using another online account?

11.2. How do I change the e-mail address used for MyBitdefender account?

11.3. How do I reset the password for MyBitdefender account?

12. Scanning with Bitdefender

12.1. How do I scan a file or a folder?

12.2. How do I scan my system?

12.3. How do I create a custom scan task?

12.4. How do I exclude a folder from being scanned?

12.5. What to do when Bitdefender detected a clean file as infected?

12.6. How do I check what viruses Bitdefender detected?

13. Parental Control

13.1. How do I protect my children from online threats?

13.2. How do I restrict the Internet access for my child?

13.3. How do I block my child's access to a website?

13.4. How do I prevent my child from playing a game?