About ADinf

Do you want more detailed information? Visit More about ADinf! page.

		ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First of all I would like to say a great thanks to William Eley. This text is a result of his work on systematization of our letters where I tried to answer questions concerning ADinf. Dmitry Mostovoy
ADinf32 Screen

Q: WHAT DOES ADinf DO ?

A: ADinf takes a "snapshot" of your computer, and compares it with prior snapshots. A comparison of two snapshots allows you to see what has changed.

Q: WHY WOULD I WANT TO LOOK AT SUCH A COMPARISON?

A: Typically, you wouldn't. If your computer suddenly misbehaves, you will find this comparison invaluable. You can identify documents mistakenly deleted, accumulated junk, etc.

Q: THIS SOUNDS LIKE COMPUTER MANAGEMENT - WHY IS ADinf DESCRIBED AS A VIRUS PROTECTION TOOL?

A: This IS computer management; sometimes called integrity management (because you are monitoring the integrity of data on your computer).

It is also a virus protection tool for a number of reasons:

1. Missing, changed, or new files could be the result of virus infection.
2. While taking a snapshot, ADinf takes an extra step and tests certain new files (executable files) to determine if they are viruses of a certain type ("stealth" viruses).
3. ADinf also takes certain measures of clean executable files - measures that can be later used to actually repair those files if they become infected.
4. Finally, ADinf becomes an actual user of your virus scanner - directing it to scan new or changed files. This last step is important if you failed to scan a newly added file, or if a new file which passed a scan then created a malignant "offspring" that would have failed the initial scan - ADinf would detect such offspring.

Click here to read more about the role of ADinf in providing antivirus protection.

Q: THEN WHAT DOES MY VIRUS SCANNER DO?

A: Most computer users now have a virus scanner or scanner/monitor that looks for viruses hidden in files (e.g. Email attachments), and for active viruses (programs) operating in memory. The scanner will usually call for deletion of a file found to contain a virus. In the case of an active virus, the scanner will typically advise you to shut down the computer, thereby shutting down active programs. You then restart the computer under "clean" conditions and look for the file that was the source of the active virus. If the scanner finds the file, you then delete that file.

Q: SO IF A SCANNER DOES THAT, WHY DO I NEED ADinf.

A: Some scanners are better than others. No scanner is perfect. New, "improved" viruses are designed to slip by the best scanners. Let's call these invisible viruses. ADinf will not see invisible viruses either - but it WILL see the effects of an invisible virus. These effects will be new, changed, or deleted data files, and new or "infected" executable files. Any of these effects will be observed by ADinf and reported to you.

Q: SO MY COMPUTER ACTS UP, I CHECK ADinf AND FIND CHANGES OR EVIDENCE OF A VIRUS, THEN WHAT?

A: If you've accidentally deleted a file, you'll know which file and you can replace it from your backup - or know that you need to recreate it. If you've accumulated a lot of junk (e.g. temporary files), you'll know to delete it. If you have a virus, you'll know to attempt to disinfect your computer with a combination of Dr.Web (or other scanner) and ADinf.

If your computer has been infected by a new virus, there's a good chance that no scanner will be yet able to find or disinfect your files. In that case, you use ADinf alone to first "cure" (restore functionality to) your infected program files; and then to identify and delete all new executable files (virus files). In many situations, using ADinf alone would be the preferred way to clean an infected computer.

Q: CURE?

A: Most (97%) virus infections of executable files occur in very specific ways - affecting a remarkably small portion of the whole program. During the snapshot process, ADinf saves enough information to allow restoration of these very small areas - thereby allowing the program to regain original functionality.

Q: WILL THIS BE ANOTHER **THING** FOR ME TO ATTEND TO ON MY COMPUTER?

A: No. After installation, ADinf will create snapshots routinely - typically daily - and you refer to them only if you need to track something down. If ADinf finds a virus, or senses virus-like activity, it will alert you. At that point, you would WANT to attend to this new thing.

Q: WHY ARE THERE SO MANY VERSIONS OF ADinf? IT'S CONFUSING!

A: Some versions work in DOS, some in Windows. Users who work entirely under DOS can use only DOS program versions.

When a Windows PC starts up, it first starts DOS. DOS then starts Windows. (Most users do not see this transition, they see only a Windows start up screen.) Therefor, Windows users can use either DOS or Windows versions - or BOTH.

Q: IF I HAVE WINDOWS, WHY WOULD I CONSIDER A DOS PROGRAM?

A: If you use DOS ADinf, you get its virus checking/protection abilities early on. This can be important. For example:

• The "July Killer" virus puts a delete command into the file that starts Windows (Autoexec.bat) destroying your system and data when you next power up.
• The "WIN95.SK" virus actually waits "in ambush" for the initial startup of some of the popular anti-virus programs, and responds by removing all of the data on all of the drives.

While ADinf DOS would warn you in each of these real-world examples, yet-to-be-started Windows programs would never know what hit them. This is also why manufacturers of quality scanners produce full-featured DOS versions of their products. A quality DOS scanner would have detected WIN95.SK (but not the altered autoexec.bat).

Q: O.K., SOONER IS BETTER! THEN WHY DO YOU HAVE A WINDOWS VERSION OF ADinf (ADinf32)? AND WHY WOULD I CONSIDER BOTH?

A: For virus protection, early DOS is best. However, for integrity management - for making snapshots of ALL of the files, ADinf32 is best because it is many times faster than DOS ADinf. It will complete its job in very few minutes, while DOS ADinf would take a long time.

So if you will probably never get a virus, use ADinf32 alone for integrity management - understanding that it will provide excellent virus protection AFTER you get Windows up.

If you want maximum virus protection - recommended in view of some of the newest virus tricks - then you run BOTH. Use DOS ADinf to scan executable files only, and then when Windows is up and running, use ADinf32 (Windows ADinf) to scan everything.

ADinf Screen Q: DO EACH OF THESE VERSIONS "CURE" INFECTED FILES? A: Curing is accomplished by a separate program which uses the "snapshots" created by either version. If ADinf finds no problems, the cure program is bypassed. Windows ADinf32 will shortly be expanded to include the cure capability - simplifying the cure task. DOS ADinf will remain separate - keeping each program small. Q: THIS INFORMATION IS EXTRAORDINARY - ALMOST TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE! WHY HASN't THERE BEEN MORE USE OF THIS TOOL? WHY HAVEN't I HEARD MORE ABOUT IT? A: Until recently, our policy was to keep ADinf within the Soviet Union. ADinf is currently used by THOUSANDS of important and sophisticated institutions and individuals in Russia and other ex-Soviet Union countries. Notable corporate users include the very-security-conscious Central Bank of Russia and Russian Ministry of Defense; which use ADinf on almost all of their computers. ADinf has been proven in use, and officially recognized for more than 10 years! This web page and discussion are among our earliest efforts to expand ADinf awareness and use beyond our national borders. Our latest versions of ADinf are all Chinese, English, German, and Russian, well-documented, and extremely reliable on all Windows and DOS PCs. Q: IS ALL OF THIS REALLY NECESSARY FOR A SIMPLE HOME USER? SEEMS WE HAVE DONE PRETTY WELL WITH JUST A STANDARD SCANNER/MONITOR!? A: The "simple" home user of the past is quickly disappearing. Home computers are becoming more powerful, more complex, and more dynamic - that fact alone creating a need for an integrity management tool like ADinf. Add an increasing use of the internet, and the home user becomes more susceptible than ever to damage by design. Sadly, virus construction has become a very sophisticated endeavor - the simple and mischievous viruses of just a few years ago are today becoming clever and VERY destructive. ADinf is an important and natural "next-step" in computer use - even for the "simple home user". You may look at ADinf variants for different operating systems here.