Thunderbird and Avira Mailguard help needed

Hi,

I usually use web-based email and not email client apps at home. But for a week or so I am getting some problems with SSL errors in FF when trying to access Gmail so I downloaded Thunderbird 9 and installed it. Now I am a new user of Thunderbird as we use Outlook at the office. But I came to set it up okay.

Now the thing is I am using Avira Premium Security Suite v10 (no firewall) now with Comodo CIS with D+(no AV) version 5.9. In the office I see the footer protected by "Symantec Endpoint Protection Business Edition" at the lower end of the email.

In my set-up there is none although I have selected "Attach MailGuard footer" in The Avira MailGuard config settings. I see also that the default POP3 port in Avira is 110 , IMAP 143 (SMTP 25)so I added 443 and 995 (on POP3 and IMAP)as I see in that Thunderbird uses them via Comodo Firewall>Active Connections.

I also do not see any activity in the Avira gui>Online Protection>Mailguard. All values are "zero" even when "Display Statistics" is checked. Even when I have successfully sent/received emails from Gmail and Hotmail.

Can someone help me here please....I think I may have configuring issues I need to iron with both Avira and Thunderbird. Can someone check it here please as I am really new in setting-up a home email client like Thunderbird.

On the ports mentioned, is that right there?

Or will I leave it at the default and not add 443 and 995?

Is it right that Thunderbird uses those ports?

Or can I assign them a port in Comodo and then add it in Avira Mailguard?

Really appreciate if someone whose using Thunderbird (or CIS with Thunderbird or Thunderbird with Avira/Avast) share some ideas about my predicament....

Anyone using Thunderbird with Avast? or KAV / NOD32 for that matter..?

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Help :(

Damien do you by any chance use SSL encrypted format for receiving and sending mails. If yes then most of the antispam suites cannot scan ssl encrypted mails so it is as good as inactive. Even avira cannot scan mails through ssl encrypted connection. Do use avira mailgaurd disable ssl encrypted method of receiving your emails.

Hi avibky,

Thank you so much for the reply. Yes, SSL/TSL encryption is "on" in Thunderbird. Ain't it unsafe to not use SSL/TSL..? I have read somewhere in google that even Avast asks to disable SSL/TSL encryption also. Personally I have encountered that in Opera when i was using it as an email client when I cannot connect properly to Gmail.

Well that's another part/question I'd like to ask there, Do you guys use SSL/TSL encryption when using an email client..?

Is is safe to disable that?

Well, it's good to feel that the resident AV scans all emails but when SSL/TSL encryption disabled leaves the transport of the password and the messages un-encrypted therefore unsafe...correct..?

Any ideas to enlighten me please....which do you prefer:

a. use SSL/TSL encryption without AV email scanning
b. disable SSL/TSL encryption and let the AV scan all emails.

Anyway, I have disabled SSL/TSL in Thunderbird and observing now. Outgoing mail was blocked by MailGuard because it was using STARTTLS. Thunderbird will not send outgoing email "if" STARTTLS is disabled. The only option was to disable outgoing emails scans in MailGuard.

Also when SSL/TSL is disabled and Avira MailGuard is "on" Thunderbird reports "An error occurred in POP3 Mail server. Mail server pop.googlemail.com responded" when SSL/TSL is disabled. It will "not" connect to Gmail server properly.

When SSL/TSL is enabled all is okay. But Avira MailGuard is doing nothing(inactive).

Any opinions...? Any work around you guys know that I can use and try out...?

Thank you :)

Ok damein personally i do not use a offline email or email clients. Now except for dr web no other av until i know of can scan ssl based emails. Now kaspersky canscan ssl connections but do not no about an email. You have to rely on thunderbird's junk filter to remove spam. Dont worry any virus which will become active will be detected by the resident shield. Better use ssl.

---------- Post added at 08:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:13 PM ----------

Just check this guide How to scan encrypted connections in Kaspersky Internet Security 2012?. This is for kaspersky, see if such a similar option is there in avira.

---------- Post added at 08:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:14 PM ----------

Damien i would recommend not to enable ssl traffic scanning as most of the times this is considered as a man in the middle attack ie a third party intercepts your connection and tries to catch the data which is exactly what ssl traffic scanner does. Dont worry thunderbirds spam filter will remove most spam mails. Or look for an email with better spam filter. Like The bat! which i had won from softpedia.

---------- Post added at 08:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:23 PM ----------

Hi, this can scan ssl connections Spamihilator - Free Anti-Spam-Filter

Same as avibky, I don't use email clients. I've used various security suites but never used the email scan feature.
And I agree, it's better to use ssl.

@Cosme, "Same as avibky, I don't use email clients. I've used various security suites but never used the email scan feature. And I agree, it's better to use ssl." -- Thanks for your reply. Appreciated :)

@avibky, "Ok damein personally i do not use a offline email or email clients. Now except for dr web no other av until i know of can scan ssl based emails. Now kaspersky can scan ssl connections but do not no about an email. You have to rely on thunderbird's junk filter to remove spam. Dont worry any virus which will become active will be detected by the resident shield. Better use ssl." -- Okay thanks there. "Just check this guide How to scan encrypted connections in Kaspersky Internet Security 2012?. This is for kaspersky, see if such a similar option is there in avira." -- Will check it out thanks.

"Damien i would recommend not to enable ssl traffic scanning as most of the times this is considered as a man in the middle attack ie a third party intercepts your connection and tries to catch the data which is exactly what ssl traffic scanner does. Dont worry thunderbirds spam filter will remove most spam mails. Or look for an email with better spam filter..." -- Not to enable SSL traffic scanning -- not use MailGuard to scan emails..correct? -- Man-in-the middle-attack ...hmmm..interesting point there. I have PrevxSOL here...how can it prevent such attacks when using Thunderbird...? Any ideas...?

"Hi, this can scan ssl connections Spamihilator - Free Anti-Spam-Filter" -- Will this one thanks. A thought just entered my mind...has anyone tried to sandbox an email client or sandbox Outlook using Bufferzone, Sandboxie, Avast sandbox-virtualization...? How does Bufferzone behave with an email client...? Anyone tried this one or has experience with it...? How about Trusteer Rapport on email client..? Well haven't had any experience using TR so this might be a wrong term question...despite that..anyone..?

If there are any experiences with email clients and/or opinions regarding them and AV's you guys have or encountered at home and maybe in the office(not necessarily with Thunderbird , can be with Outlook/ Incredimail/Pegasus..etc) can you share it here..? It will be a good read. Thank you so much guys for understanding and for accommodating my inquiries!

---------- Post added at 02:46 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:36 AM ----------


Sorry for the post, I cannot edit it properly as the "save" button was not functioning. I tried to place spaces between the paragraphs but...tsk..

This is very tricky :spy:

Sanboxing can be a good idea. Dont enable ssl scanning. Usually its fine, but some websites may prevent connections. Secondly just rely on thunderbird's filters or switch to an email client like bat!

I'm running this combo and Thunderbird keeps asking for my password every time I opens it :concern:

Thanks for the replies guys. @avibky, Thanks for the suggestions and ideas. The bat seems to be nice but I am leaning on freeware at the moment. @clyde, "I'm running this combo and Thunderbird keeps asking for my password every time I opens it" -- Same combo as mine? On mine once I supplied the password in the Thunderbird settings that's all there is to it. No other "requiring a password". But as mentioned, Thunderbird appears not to be allowing the disable of SSL/TLS and STARTTLS. Once you disable it. It will not connect properly (error earlier reported). have not tried other email clients though...maybe later this weekend. Decided not to use Avira's Mailguard and stick with Thunderbird's SSL/TLS and STARTTLS. Still observing here.

Would like to thank you guys for the help and assistance about this topic here. Mods can mark this one as "sloved" now. You guys rock :)

Problem solved so closing the thread.