USER'S GUIDE

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

User's Guide

Publication date 05/03/2017

Copyright 2017 Bitdefender

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.

50340A34392034390AFE02048790BF8082B92FA06FA080BA74BC7CC1AE80BA996CE11D2E80BA74C7E78C2E80
82FFB239EA2080FEAAAAAAAABF800006AA3FB00000FBD5EFE73AD5009CF2544B4C3D00A6B67D616B878031FB
500EA66D0063567F854DF700E84116D29479001E1671326B0580C5FB204BC43D8067FDFBC34DB780D0D21797
1C6C00C7917C347B4580254D7859B54800EE712FF15D9700606495D7DC7D00AFBD83E36BFD8058E6B23EC589
003A89EEB31DAF00C8C91627818C001FB72BF86BFB803D6ABDBFC000809E5E6C015DFE80A54917860DD200B3
0202C06377805DE366E8361180DF05ED2359FA00AD5455C690B200A3E97B50FB728034D4AF78869180FFA96A
063B6F80D53484FF0C718046A5B3D16B298071D6D5BE608100E375ABE609FE8000DA16331D8A00FEF606A13E
AF80825B662EA68800BADF6BE52EFE80BA891646848B00BA9C21A5EE700082CC28DA84E080FEA1EC237E1780
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Table of Contents
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3. Installing your Bitdefender product . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.1. Install from Bitdefender Central . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.2. Install from installation disc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Getting started .......................................................... 13

4. The basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
4.1. Opening the Bitdefender window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4.2. Fixing issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4.2.1. Security Issues wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.2.2. Configuring status alerts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.3. Notifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.4. Autopilot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4.5. Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4.5.1. Configure automatic activation of profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4.6. Password-protecting Bitdefender settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
4.7. Anonymous usage reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
4.8. Special offers and product notifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
5. Bitdefender interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
5.1. System tray icon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
5.2. Main window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
5.2.1. Status area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
5.2.2. Left sidebar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
5.2.3. Action buttons and access to modules area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
5.2.4. Bottom bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
5.3. The Bitdefender sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
5.3.1. Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
5.3.2. Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
5.4. Security Widget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
5.4.1. Scanning files and folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
5.4.2. Hide / show Security Widget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
5.5. Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
5.5.1. Checking the Security Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
5.5.2. Turning on or off the Security Report notification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
6. Bitdefender Central . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
6.1. Accessing Bitdefender Central . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
6.2. My Subscriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

iii
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

6.2.1. Check available subscriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

6.2.2. Add a new device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
6.2.3. Renew subscription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
6.2.4. Activate subscription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
6.3. My Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
6.4. My Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
6.5. Notifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
7. Keeping Bitdefender up-to-date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
7.1. Checking if Bitdefender is up-to-date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
7.2. Performing an update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
7.3. Turning on or off automatic update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
7.4. Adjusting update settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

How to .................................................................... 44
8. Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
8.1. How do I install Bitdefender on a second computer? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
8.2. When should I reinstall Bitdefender? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
8.3. Where can I download my Bitdefender product from? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
8.4. How can I change the language of my Bitdefender product? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
8.5. How do I use my Bitdefender subscription after a Windows upgrade? . . . . . . . . . 48
8.6. How do I repair Bitdefender? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
9. Subscriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
9.1. How do I activate Bitdefender subscription using a license key? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
10. Bitdefender Central . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
10.1. How do I log in to Bitdefender Central using another online account? . . . . . . . . 55
10.2. How do I turn off Bitdefender Central help messages? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
10.3. How can I stop seeing snapped photos taken on my devices? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
10.4. I forgot the password I set for my Bitdefender account. How do I reset it? . . . . 56
10.5. How can I manage the logon sessions associated to my Bitdefender
account? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
11. Scanning with Bitdefender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
11.1. How do I scan a file or a folder? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
11.2. How do I scan my system? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
11.3. How do I schedule a scan? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
11.4. How do I create a custom scan task? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
11.5. How do I exclude a folder from being scanned? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
11.6. What to do when Bitdefender detected a clean file as infected? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
11.7. How do I check what viruses Bitdefender detected? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
12. Parental Advisor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
12.1. How do I protect my children from online threats? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
12.2. How do I block my child's access to a website? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
12.3. How do I prevent my child from playing a game? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
12.4. How do I prevent my child from getting in contact with untrusted persons? . . . 65
12.5. How can I set a location as safe or restricted for my child? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

iv
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

12.6. How do I block my child's access to the assigned devices during school
days? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
12.7. How do I block my child's access to the assigned devices during school
nights? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
12.8. How do I block my child's access to the assigned devices during
weekends? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
12.9. How to remove a child profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
13. Privacy protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
13.1. How do I make sure my online transaction is secure? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
13.2. How do I remove a file permanently with Bitdefender? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
14. Useful Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
14.1. How do I test my antivirus solution? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
14.2. How do I remove Bitdefender? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
14.3. How do I automatically shut down the computer after the scan is over? . . . . . . 73
14.4. How do I configure Bitdefender to use a proxy Internet connection? . . . . . . . . . 74
14.5. Am I using a 32 bit or a 64 bit version of Windows? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
14.6. How do I display hidden objects in Windows? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
14.7. How do I remove other security solutions? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
14.8. How do I restart in Safe Mode? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Managing your security ............................................ 79

15. Antivirus protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
15.1. On-access scanning (real-time protection) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
15.1.1. Turning on or off real-time protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
15.1.2. Adjusting the real-time protection level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
15.1.3. Configuring the real time protection settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
15.1.4. Restoring the default settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
15.2. On-demand scanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
15.2.1. Scanning a file or folder for malware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
15.2.2. Running a Quick Scan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
15.2.3. Running a System Scan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
15.2.4. Configuring a custom scan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
15.2.5. Antivirus Scan Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
15.2.6. Checking scan logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
15.3. Automatic scan of removable media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
15.3.1. How does it work? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
15.3.2. Managing removable media scan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
15.4. Scan hosts file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
15.5. Configuring scan exclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
15.5.1. Excluding files and folders from scanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
15.5.2. Excluding file extensions from scanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
15.5.3. Managing scan exclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
15.6. Managing quarantined files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
15.7. Active Threat Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
15.7.1. Checking detected applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
15.7.2. Turning on or off Active Threat Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
15.7.3. Adjusting the Active Threat Control protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

v
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

15.7.4. Managing excluded processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

16. Antispam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
16.1. Antispam insights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
16.1.1. Antispam filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
16.1.2. Antispam operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
16.1.3. Supported e-mail clients and protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
16.2. Turning on or off antispam protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
16.3. Using the antispam toolbar in your mail client window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
16.3.1. Indicating detection errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
16.3.2. Indicating undetected spam messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
16.3.3. Configuring toolbar settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
16.4. Configuring the Friends List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
16.5. Configuring the Spammers List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
16.6. Configuring the local antispam filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
16.7. Configuring the cloud settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
17. Web Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
17.1. Bitdefender alerts in the browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
18. Data Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
18.1. Deleting files permanently . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
19. Vulnerability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
19.1. Scanning your system for vulnerabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
19.2. Using automatic vulnerability monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
19.3. Wi-Fi Security Advisor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
19.3.1. Turning on or off Wi-Fi Security Advisor notifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
19.3.2. Configuring Home Wi-Fi network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
19.3.3. Public Wi-Fi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
19.3.4. Checking information about Wi-Fi networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
20. Firewall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
20.1. Turning on or off firewall protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
20.2. Managing firewall rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
20.2.1. General rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
20.2.2. Application rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
20.3. Managing connection settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
20.4. Configuring advanced settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
20.5. Configuring alert intensity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
21. Ransomware Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
21.1. Turning on or off Ransomware Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
21.2. Protect personal files from ransomware attacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
21.3. Configuring trusted applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
21.4. Configuring blocked applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
21.5. Protection at boot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
22. Safepay security for online transactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
22.1. Using Bitdefender Safepay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
22.2. Configuring settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
22.3. Managing bookmarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

vi
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

22.4. Hotspot protection for unsecured networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

23. Password Manager protection for your credentials . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
23.1. Create a new Wallet database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
23.2. Import an existing database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
23.3. Export the Wallet database . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
23.4. Synchronize your wallets in the cloud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
23.5. Manage your Wallet credentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
23.6. Turning on or off the Password Manager protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
23.7. Managing the Password Manager settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
24. Parental Advisor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
24.1. Accessing Parental Advisor - MY CHILDREN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
24.2. Adding your child's profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
24.2.1. Assigning the same profile to multiple devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
24.2.2. Linking Parental Advisor to Bitdefender Central . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
24.2.3. Monitoring the child's activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
24.2.4. Configuring the General Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
24.2.5. Editing a profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
24.2.6. Removing a profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
24.3. Configuring Parental Advisor profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
24.3.1. Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
24.3.2. Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
24.3.3. Websites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
24.3.4. Phone Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
24.3.5. Child Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
24.3.6. Social . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
24.3.7. Time Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
25. USB Immunizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

System optimization ................................................ 157

26. Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
26.1. Work Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
26.2. Movie Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
26.3. Game Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
26.4. Public Wi-Fi Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
26.5. Battery Mode Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
26.6. Real-time optimization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

Troubleshooting ...................................................... 165

27. Solving common issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
27.1. My system appears to be slow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
27.2. Scan doesn't start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
27.3. I can no longer use an application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
27.4. What to do when Bitdefender blocks a safe website or online application . . . 172
27.5. What to do if Bitdefender detects a safe application as ransomware . . . . . . . 172
27.6. I cannot connect to the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
27.7. I cannot access a device on my network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173

vii
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

27.8. My Internet is slow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176

27.9. How to update Bitdefender on a slow Internet connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
27.10. Bitdefender services are not responding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
27.11. Antispam filter does not work properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
27.11.1. Legitimate messages are marked as [spam] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
27.11.2. Many spam messages are not detected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
27.11.3. Antispam filter does not detect any spam message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
27.12. The Autofill feature in my Wallet doesn't work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
27.13. Bitdefender removal failed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
27.14. My system doesn't boot up after installing Bitdefender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
28. Removing malware from your system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
28.1. Bitdefender Rescue Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
28.2. What to do when Bitdefender finds viruses on your computer? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
28.3. How do I clean a virus in an archive? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
28.4. How do I clean a virus in an e-mail archive? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
28.5. What to do if I suspect a file as being dangerous? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
28.6. What are the password-protected files in the scan log? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
28.7. What are the skipped items in the scan log? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
28.8. What are the over-compressed files in the scan log? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
28.9. Why did Bitdefender automatically delete an infected file? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196

Contact us .............................................................. 197

29. Asking for help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
30. Online resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
30.1. Bitdefender Support Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
30.2. Bitdefender Support Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
30.3. HOTforSecurity Portal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
31. Contact information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
31.1. Web addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
31.2. Local distributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
31.3. Bitdefender offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205

viii
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

INSTALLATION

1
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

1. PREPARING FOR INSTALLATION

Before you install Bitdefender Internet Security 2017, 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. If any is detected
during the Bitdefender installation process, you will be notified to uninstall
it. 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 2

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

2. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
You may install Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 only on computers running
the following operating systems:
Windows 7 with Service Pack 1
Windows 8
Windows 8.1
Windows 10
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:
In 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. In Windows 8.1, locate This PC.
Select Properties in the bottom menu. Look in the System area to find
information about your system type.
In Windows 10, type System in the search box from the taskbar and click
its icon. Look in the System area to find information about your system
type.

2.1. Minimum system requirements

1.5 GB available free hard disk space
Dual Core 1.6 GHz processor
1 GB of memory (RAM)

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
2 GB of memory (RAM)

System requirements 3
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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 10 or higher
Mozilla Firefox 30 or higher
Google Chrome 34 or higher
Skype 6.3 or higher
Microsoft Outlook 2007 / 2010 / 2013
Mozilla Thunderbird 14 or higher

System requirements 4
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

3. INSTALLING YOUR BITDEFENDER PRODUCT

You can install Bitdefender from the installation disc, or using the web
installer downloaded on your computer from Bitdefender Central.
If your purchase covers more than one computer (for example, you purchased
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 for 3 PCs), repeat the installation process
and activate your product with the same account on every computer. The
account you need to use is the one which contains your Bitdefender active
subscription.

3.1. Install from Bitdefender Central

From Bitdefender Central you can download the installation kit corresponding
to the purchased subscription. Once the installation process is complete,
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 is activated.
To download Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 from Bitdefender Central:
1. Access Bitdefender Central.
2. Select the My Devices panel.
3. In the MY DEVICES window, click INSTALL Bitdefender.
4. Choose one of the two available options:
DOWNLOAD
Click the button and save the installation file.
On another device
Select Windows to download your Bitdefender product, and then click
CONTINUE. Type an e-mail address in the corresponding field, and click
SEND.
5. Wait for the download to complete, then run the installer.

Validating the installation

Bitdefender first checks 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.

Installing your Bitdefender product 5

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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 2017 installation package is constantly
updated.

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

Once the installation is validated, the setup wizard appears. Follow the steps
to install Bitdefender Internet Security 2017.

Step 1 - Bitdefender installation

The Bitdefender installation 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, click CUSTOM
INSTALLATION.
Three additional tasks can be performed at this step:
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 2017.
If you do not agree to these terms, close the window. The installation
process will be abandoned and you will exit setup.
Keep the Send anonymous reports option enabled. By allowing 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.
Select the language you want to install the product in.

Installing your Bitdefender product 6

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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 2017 will be installed in
C:\Program Files\Bitdefender\Bitdefender 2017. If you want to 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 2017 requires access to the Internet for
product activation, downloading security and product updates, in-cloud
detection components, etc. If you use a proxy connection instead of a
direct Internet connection, enable the corresponding switch and configure
the proxy settings.
The settings can be imported from the default browser or you can enter
them manually.
Scan computer during install
Disable this option if you do not want your system to be scanned during
the installation of the Bitdefender product.
Click INSTALL to confirm your preferences and begin the installation. If you
change your mind, click the BACK 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

Your Bitdefender product is successfully installed.

Installing your Bitdefender product 7

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

A summary of the installation is displayed. If any active malware was

detected and removed during the installation, a system reboot may be
required. Click START USING Bitdefender to continue.

Step 5 - Get started

In the Get started window you can see details about your active subscription.
Click FINISH to access the Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 interface.

3.2. Install from installation disc

To install Bitdefender from the installation disc, insert the disc in the optical
drive.
A installation screen should be displayed in a few moments. Follow the
instructions to start installation.
If the installation screen does not appear, use Windows Explorer to browse
to the disc's root directory and double-click the file autorun.exe.
If your Internet speed is slow, or your system is not connected to the Internet,
click the Install from CD/DVD button. In this case, the Bitdefender product
available on the disc will be installed and a newer version will be downloaded
from the Bitdefender servers via product update.

Validating the installation

Bitdefender first checks 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.

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

Installing your Bitdefender product 8

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Once the installation is validated, the setup wizard appears. Follow the steps
to install Bitdefender Internet Security 2017.

Step 1 - Bitdefender Installation

The Bitdefender Installation 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, click CUSTOM
INSTALLATION.
Three additional tasks can be performed at this step:
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 2017.
If you do not agree to these terms, close the window. The installation
process will be abandoned and you will exit setup.
Keep the Send anonymous reports option enabled. By allowing 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. 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.
Select the language you want to install the product in.

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 2017 will be installed in
C:\Program Files\Bitdefender\Bitdefender 2017\. If you want to change

Installing your Bitdefender product 9

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

the installation path, click CHANGE and select the folder in which you
would like Bitdefender to be installed.
Configure proxy settings
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 requires access to the Internet for
product activation, downloading security and product updates, in-cloud
detection components, etc. If you use a proxy connection instead of a
direct Internet connection, enable the corresponding switch and configure
the proxy settings.
The settings can be imported from the default browser or you can enter
them manually.
Scan computer during install
Disable this option if you do not want your system to be scanned during
the installation of the Bitdefender product.
Click INSTALL to confirm your preferences and begin the installation. If you
change your mind, click the BACK 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 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. Click START USING Bitdefender to continue.

Step 5 - Bitdefender account

After you complete the initial setup, the Bitdefender account window appears.
A Bitdefender account is required in order to activate the product and use
its online features. For more information, please refer to Bitdefender Central
(p. 35).
Proceed according to your situation.

Installing your Bitdefender product 10

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

I want to create a Bitdefender account

Type the required information in the corresponding fields, then click
CREATE ACCOUNT.
The data you provide here will remain confidential.
The password must be at least 8 characters long and include a digit.
Read the Bitdefender Terms of service before proceeding further.

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

I already have a Bitdefender account

Click Sign In, and then type the e-mail address and the password of your
Bitdefender account.
Click SIGN IN to continue.
If you forgot the password for your account or you simply want to reset
the one you already set, click the Forgot my password link. Type your
e-mail address, then click the FORGOT PASSWORD button. Check your
e-mail account and follow the provided instructions to set a new
password for your Bitdefender account.

Note
If you already have a MyBitdefender account, you can use it to log into
your Bitdefender account. If you forgot your password, you first need to
go to https://my.bitdefender.com to reset it. Then, use the updated
credentials to log into your Bitdefender account.

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

To log in with your Microsoft, Facebook or Google account:
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.

Installing your Bitdefender product 11

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Step 6 - Activate your product

Note
This step appears if you have selected to create a new Bitdefender account
during the previous step, or if you logged in using an account with an expired
subscription.

An active Internet connection is required to complete the activation of your

product.
Proceed according to your situation:
I have an activation code
In this case, activate the product by following these steps:
1. Type the activation code in the I have an activation code field, and then
click CONTINUE.

Note
You can find your activation code:
on the CD/DVD label.
on the product registration card.
in the online purchase e-mail.

2. I want to evaluate Bitdefender

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

Step 7 - Get started

In the Get started window you can see details about your active subscription.
Click FINISH to access the Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 interface.

Installing your Bitdefender product 12

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

GETTING STARTED

13
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

4. THE BASICS
Once you have installed Bitdefender Internet Security 2017, your computer
is protected against all kinds of malware (such as viruses, spyware and
trojans) and Internet threats (such as hackers, phishing and spam).
The application uses the Photon technology to enhance the speed and
performance of the anti-malware scanning process. It works by learning the
usage patterns of your system applications to know what and when to scan,
thus minimizing the impact on system performance.
You can engage the Autopilot (p. 18) 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.
Whenever your device is connected to an unsecured wireless network,
Bitdefender identifies it and empowers protection to safeguard you from
potential snoops and spies. For instructions on how to keep your personal
data secure, please refer to Wi-Fi Security Advisor (p. 118).
While you work, play games or watch movies, Bitdefender can offer you a
continuous user experience by postponing maintenance tasks, eliminating
interruptions and adjusting system visual effects. You can benefit from all
these by activating and configuring Profiles (p. 158).
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 Notifications window. For more
information, please refer to Notifications (p. 17).
From time to time, you should open Bitdefender and fix any existing issues.
You may have to configure specific Bitdefender components or take
preventive actions to protect your computer and your data.
To use the online features of Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and manage
your subscriptions and devices, access your Bitdefender account. For more
information, please refer to Bitdefender Central (p. 35).
The How to (p. 44) 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. 166) section for possible
solutions to the most common problems.

The basics 14
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

4.1. Opening the Bitdefender window

To access the main interface of Bitdefender Internet Security 2017, follow
the steps below:
In Windows 7:
1. Click Start and go to All Programs.
2. Click Bitdefender 2017.
3. Click Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 or, quicker, double-click the
Bitdefender icon in the system tray.
In Windows 8 and Windows 8.1:
Locate Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 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.
In Windows 10:
Type "Bitdefender" in the search box from the taskbar, and then click its
icon. Alternatively, double-click the Bitdefender icon in the system tray.
For more information about the Bitdefender window and icon in the system
tray, please refer to Bitdefender interface (p. 22).

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 monitors 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:

The basics 15
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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.
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 interface, the Security status area on the
upper toolbar will indicate nature of issues affecting your system.

4.2.1. Security Issues wizard

To fix detected issues follow the Security 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.
Open the Bitdefender interface and click anywhere inside the Security
status area on the upper toolbar.
2. You can see the issues affecting the security of your computer and data.
All current issues are selected to be fixed.
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 Postponed and no action will be taken to
fix the issue.
3. To fix the selected issues, click Fix. 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.

The basics 16
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

4.2.2. Configuring status alerts

Bitdefender can inform you when issues are detected in the operation of the
following program components:
Antivirus
Firewall
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. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the ADVANCED tab.
3. Click the Configure status alerts link.
4. Click the switches to turn on or off status alerts according to your
preferences.

4.3. Notifications
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 Notifications area,
in a similar way to a new e-mail appearing in your Inbox.
Notifications are an important tool in monitoring and managing your
Bitdefender protection. For instance, you can easily check if the update was
successfully performed, if malware or vulnerabilities were found on your
computer, etc. Additionally, you can take further action if needed or change
actions taken by Bitdefender.

To access the Notifications log, click the icon on the left sidebar of the
Bitdefender interface. Every time a critical event occurs, a counter can be
noticed on the icon.
Depending on type and severity, notifications are grouped in:
Critical events indicate critical issues. You should check them immediately.
Warning events indicate non-critical issues. You should check and fix them
when you have the time.

The basics 17
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Information events indicate successful operations.

Click each tab to find more details about the generated events. Brief details
are displayed at a single-click on each event title, namely: 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.
To help you easily manage logged events, the Notifications 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 2017 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.
Web Protection.
Automatic updates.
To turn the Autopilot on or off click the AUTOPILOT switch on the upper
toolbar of the Bitdefender interface.
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 Notifications window.

The basics 18
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

4.5. Profiles
Some computer activities, such as online games or video presentations,
require increased system responsiveness, high 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.
Bitdefender Profiles assigns more system resources to the running
applications by temporarily modifying protection settings and adjusting
system configuration. Consequently, the system impact on your activity is
minimized.
To adapt to different activities, Bitdefender comes with the following profiles:
Work Profile
Optimizes your work efficiency by identifying and adjusting the product
and system settings.
Movie Profile
Enhances visual effects and eliminates interruptions when watching
movies.
Game Profile
Enhances visual effects and eliminates interruptions when playing
games.
Public Wi-Fi Profile
Applies product settings to benefit from full protection while connected
to an unsecure wireless network.
Battery Mode Profile
Applies product settings and holds down background activity to save
battery life.

4.5.1. Configure automatic activation of profiles

For an easy-to-use experience, you can configure Bitdefender to manage
your working profile. In this case, Bitdefender automatically detects the
activity you perform and applies system and product optimization settings.
To allow Bitdefender to activate profiles:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the PROFILES tab.

The basics 19
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

3. Use the corresponding switch to turn on Activate profiles automatically.

If you do not wish for the Profiles to be automatically activated, turn off the
switch.
For more information on Profiles, please refer to Profiles (p. 158)

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:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the GENERAL tab.
3. Turn on Password protection by clicking the corresponding switch.
4. 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:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the GENERAL tab.
3. Turn off password protection by clicking the corresponding switch. Enter
the password, and then click OK.

Note
To modify the password for your product, click the Change password link.
Type your current password, and then click OK. In the new window which
appears type the new password you want to use from now on to restrict the
access to your Bitdefender settings.

The basics 20
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the ADVANCED tab.
3. Click the corresponding switch to turn off Anonymous usage reports.

4.8. Special offers and product notifications

When promotional offers are available, the Bitdefender product is set up to
notify you through a pop-up window. This gives you the opportunity to benefit
from advantageous prices and keep your devices protected for a longer
period of time.
Additionally, product notifications can appear when you apply changes in
the product.
To turn on or off special offers and product notifications:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the GENERAL tab.
3. Turn on or off special offers and product notifications by clicking the
corresponding switch.
The special offers and product notifications option is enabled by default.

The basics 21
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

5. BITDEFENDER INTERFACE
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 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 go through the Bitdefender interface, an introduction wizard containing
details on how to interact with the product and how to configure it is
displayed on the upper left side. Select NEXT to continue being guided, or
Skip tour to close the wizard.
To see the status of the product and perform essential tasks, the Bitdefender
system tray icon is available at any time.
The main window allows you to manage the products behavior using
Autopilot, gives you access to important product information and enables
you to perform common tasks. From the left sidebar you can access your
Bitdefender account and the Bitdefender sections for detailed configuration
and advanced administrative tasks.
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
The Bitdefender icon may not be visible at all times. To make the icon appear
permanently:
In Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1:
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.
In Windows 10:
1. Right-click the taskbar and select Properties.
2. Click Customize in the Taskbar window.

Bitdefender interface 22
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

3. Click the Select which icons appear on the taskbar link in the Notifications
& actions window.
4. Enable the switch next to Bitdefender agent.

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. 15). Tray Icon

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.
Bitdefender Autopilot is engaged.
If Bitdefender is not working, the system tray icon appears on a gray
background: . This usually happens when the subscription expires. It can
also occur when the Bitdefender services are not responding or when other
errors affect the normal operation of Bitdefender.

Bitdefender interface 23
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

5.2. Main window

The main Bitdefender window allows you to perform common tasks, quickly
fix security issues, view information about product operation and access
the panels from where you configure the product settings. Everything is just
a few clicks away.
The window is organized in four main areas:
Status area
This is where you can check your computer's security status, launch an
update and configure the Autopilot.
Left sidebar
This menu allows you to access and manage your Bitdefender account
along with the online features of your product, or switch between the
three main product sections. From here, you can also access the
Notifications, the weekly Security Report, the General settings and the
Help & Support areas.
Action buttons and access to modules area
This is where you can run different tasks to keep your system protected.
Also, you can access the Bitdefender modules to configure the product
on your own.
Bottom bar
This is where you can easily install Bitdefender on other devices, provided
that your subscription has enough available slots.

5.2.1. Status area

The status area contains the following elements:
Security Status on the left side of the area, 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.

Bitdefender interface 24
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

The area is colored red. Critical issues are affecting the security of your
system. You should address these issues immediately.
By clicking anywhere inside the security status area, 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. 15).
AUTOPILOT allows you to engage optimal protection and enjoy completely
silent security. For detailed information, please refer to Autopilot (p. 18).
UPDATE NOW allows you to run a product update whenever you want to
make sure that you have the latest malware signatures. For detailed
information, please refer to Keeping Bitdefender up-to-date (p. 40).
Active Profile displays the profile currently enabled in your Bitdefender
product. For detailed information, please refer to Profiles (p. 158).

5.2.2. Left sidebar

Suggestive icons are available on the left sidebar giving you access to the
Bitdefender account, product sections, activity report, notifications, general
settings and support.
The names of the icons are visible by clicking the icon, as follows:
Protection. The Quick Scan and Vulnerability Scan action buttons
become visible in the lower-left corner of the Bitdefender interface. Also,
information about blocked applications, detected threats and attacks
become visible. Click the VIEW MODULES link to access the configuration
area.

Privacy. The Safepay and Parental Advisor action buttons become

visible in the lower-left corner of the Bitdefender interface. Also, information
about detected wallets and file vaults is displayed. Click the VIEW
MODULES link to access the configuration area.

Activity. From here, you can view the product activity in the last 30
days and access the security report which is generated every seven days.

Notifications. From here, you have access to the generated

notifications.

Account. Details about the Bitdefender account and in use subscription

are available. Access your Bitdefender account to verify your subscriptions
and perform security tasks on the devices you manage.

Bitdefender interface 25
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Settings. From here, you have access to general settings.

Support. From here, whenever you need assistance in solving a

situation with your Bitdefender Internet Security 2017, you can contact
the Bitdefender Technical Support department.

5.2.3. Action buttons and access to modules area

Using action buttons you can quickly launch important tasks. Action buttons
become visible in the lower-left corner of the Bitdefender interface when
selecting one of the two sections: Protection and Privacy from the left
sidebar.
Depending on the section you choose, the action buttons visible in this area
can be:
Quick Scan. Run a quick scan to make sure your computer is clean of
malware.
Vulnerability Scan. Scan your computer for vulnerabilities to make sure
that all installed applications, along with the Operating System, are updated
and properly functioning.
Safepay. Open Bitdefender Safepay to protect your sensitive data while
performing online transactions.
Parental Advisor. Access Bitdefender Parental Advisor to stay informed
about your kids' activities.

5.2.4. Bottom bar

To start protecting additional devices:
1. Click the INSTALL ON ANOTHER DEVICE link.
You are redirected to the Bitdefender account web page. Make sure that
you are logged in with your credentials.
2. In the window that appears select the wanted operating system, and then
click CONTINUE.
3. Type the e-mail address where we should send the installation download
link of the chosen platform.
Depending on your choice, the following Bitdefender products will be installed:
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 on Windows based devices.
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac on OS X based devices.

Bitdefender interface 26
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Bitdefender Mobile Security or Bitdefender Parental Advisor on Android

based devices.

5.3. The Bitdefender sections

The Bitdefender product comes with three sections divided into useful
modules to help you stay protected while you work, surf the web, play games,
or want make online payments.
Whenever you want to access the modules for a specific section or to start
configuring your product, access the following icons located on the left
sidebar of the Bitdefender interface:
Protection
Privacy

5.3.1. Protection
In the Protection section you can configure your security level, manage
friends and spammers, view and edit the network connection settings, set
up the ransomware and web protection features, check and fix potential
system vulnerabilities and asses the security of the wireless networks you
connect to.
The modules you can manage in the Protection section 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 module you can easily access the following scan
tasks:
Quick Scan
System Scan
Manage Scans
Rescue Mode
For more information about scan tasks and how to configure antivirus
protection, please refer to Antivirus protection (p. 80).
WEB PROTECTION
Web Protection helps you to stay protected against phishing attacks,
fraud attempts and private data leaks, while surfing on the Internet.

Bitdefender interface 27
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

For more information about how to configure Bitdefender to protect your

web activity, please refer to Web Protection (p. 112).
VULNERABILTY
The Vulnerability module helps you keep the operating system and the
applications you regularly use up to date and to identify the insecure
wireless networks you connect to.
Click Vulnerability Scan in the Vulnerability module to start identifying
critical Windows updates, applications updates, weak passwords
belonging to Windows accounts and wireless networks that are not
secure.
Click Wi-Fi Security Advisor to view the list of the wireless networks you
connect to, along with our reputation assessment for each of them and
the actions you can take to stay safe from potential snoops.
For more information on configuring vulnerability protection, please refer
to Vulnerability (p. 115).
FIREWALL
The firewall protects you while you are connected to networks and the
Internet by filtering all connection attempts.
For more information about firewall configuration, please refer to
Firewall (p. 122).
ANTISPAM
The Bitdefender antispam module ensures your Inbox stays free of
unwanted e-mails by filtering POP3 mail traffic.
For more information about the antispam protection, please refer to
Antispam (p. 103).
RANSOMWARE PROTECTION
The Ransomware Protection module ensures that your personal files
stay protected from attacks of online Black Hands.
For more information about how to configure Ransomware Protection
to protect your system from ransomware attacks, please refer to
Ransomware Protection (p. 130).

Bitdefender interface 28
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

5.3.2. Privacy
In the Privacy section you can encrypt your private data, protect your online
transactions, keep your browsing experience secure and protect your children
by viewing and restricting their online activity.
The modules you can manage in the Privacy section are:
DATA PROTECTION
The Data Protection module lets you delete files permanently.
Click File Shredder in the Data Protection module to start a wizard that
will allow you to completely eliminate files from your system.
For more information on configuring Data Protection, please refer to
Data Protection (p. 114).
PASSWORD MANAGER
Bitdefender Password Manager helps you keep track of your passwords,
protects your privacy and provides a secure browsing experience.
From the Password Manager module you can perform the following
tasks:
Open Wallet - opens the existing Wallet database.
Lock Wallet - locks 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.
Delete - allows you to delete a Wallet database.
Settings - here you can change the name of your Wallet database and
set to sync the existing info with all your devices, or not.
For more information about configuring Password Manager, please refer
to Password Manager protection for your credentials (p. 138).
SAFEPAY
The Bitdefender Safepay browser helps you to keep your online banking,
e-shopping and any other type of online transaction private and secure.
Click the Safepay action button from the Bitdefender interface to start
making online transactions in a secure environment.

Bitdefender interface 29
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

For more information about Bitdefender Safepay, please refer to

Safepay security for online transactions (p. 133).
PARENTAL ADVISOR
Bitdefender Parental Advisor allows you to monitor what your child is
doing on the computer. In case of inappropriate content you can decide
to restrict his access to the Internet or to specific applications.
Click Configure in the Parental Advisor module to start configuring your
children's devices and monitor their activity wherever you are.
For more information about configuring Parental Advisor, please refer
to Parental Advisor (p. 145).

5.4. Security Widget

Security Widget is the quick and easy way to monitor and control Bitdefender
Internet Security 2017. Adding this small and unintrusive widget to your
desktop lets you see critical information and perform key tasks at all times:
open the main window of Bitdefender.
monitor scanning activity in real-time.
monitor the security status of your system and fix any existing issues.
view when an update is in progress.
view notifications and get access to the latest events reported by
Bitdefender.
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.

Bitdefender interface 30
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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 lower 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 Notifications window. For
more information, please refer to Notifications (p. 17).

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.

Bitdefender interface 31
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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

From the Bitdefender interface:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the GENERAL tab.
3. Turn on Display Security Widget by clicking the corresponding switch.
The Bitdefender Security Widget is disabled by default.

5.5. Activity
The Activity window displays information about the actions taken by
Bitdefender on your device in the last 30 days. Here you can check what
applications, threats and attacks were blocked during this period, and if any
ransomware attempts were made.
The Security Report, which provides a weekly status for your product and
various tips to improve the system protection, can be accessed too by clicking
the corresponding link. 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
events occurred during this period of time.
The information offered by the Security Report is divided into two categories:
Protection area - view information related to your system protection.
Files Scanned
Allows you to see the files scanned by Bitdefender for the week. You
can view details, such as the number of scanned files and the number
of files cleaned by Bitdefender.
For more information on the Antivirus protection, please refer to Antivirus
protection (p. 80).
Webpages Scanned
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.

Bitdefender interface 32
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

For more information on Web Protection, please refer to Web Protection

(p. 112).
Vulnerabilities
Allows you to easily identify and fix system vulnerabilities in order to
make your computer more secure against malware and hackers.
For more information on the Vulnerability scan, please refer to
Vulnerability (p. 115).
Events Timeline
Allows you to have an overall image of all scanning processes and issues
fixed by Bitdefender throughout the week. The events are separated by
days.
For more information on a detailed log of events concerning the activity
on your computer, see Notifications (p. 17).
Optimization area - view information related to the space cleared, optimized
applications and how much computer battery you have saved using Battery
Mode Profile.
Battery saved
Allows you to see how much battery you have saved while the system
ran in the Battery Mode profile.
For more information on the Battery Mode profile, please refer to Battery
Mode Profile (p. 163).
Apps optimized
Allows you to see the number of the applications you have used under
the Profiles.
For more information on Profiles, please refer to Profiles (p. 158).

5.5.1. Checking the Security Report

The Security Report uses an issue tracking system to detect and inform you
about the events 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.

Bitdefender interface 33
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

To check the Security Report:

1. Access the report:

Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

Click the Security Report link located in bottom right corner of the
Activity Report window.
Right-click the Bitdefender icon in the system tray and select Show
Security Report.
Once a report is complete you will receive a pop-up notification. Click
Show to access the activity 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. Check our recommendations at the bottom of the page.
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 orange. 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 Report notification

To turn on or off the Security Report notification:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the GENERAL tab.
3. Click the corresponding switch to turn on or off the Security Report
notification.
The Security Report notification is enabled by default.

Bitdefender interface 34
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

6. BITDEFENDER CENTRAL
Bitdefender Central is the web platform where you have access to the
product's online features and services and can remotely perform important
tasks on devices Bitdefender is installed on. You can log in to your
Bitdefender account from any computer or mobile device connected to the
Internet by going to https://central.bitdefender.com. Once you are logged
in, you can start doing the following:
Download and install Bitdefender on Windows, OS X and Android operating
systems. The products available for download are:
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac
Bitdefender Mobile Security
Manage and renew your Bitdefender subscriptions.
Add new devices to your network and manage them wherever you are.
Configure Parental Advisor settings for your children's devices and monitor
their activity wherever you are.

6.1. Accessing Bitdefender Central

There are several ways to access Bitdefender Central. Depending on the task
you want to perform, you can use any of the following possibilities:
From the Bitdefender main interface:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the Go to Bitdefender Central link.
3. Log in to your Bitdefender account using your e-mail address and
password.
From your web browser:
1. Open a web browser on any device with Internet access.
2. Go to: https://central.bitdefender.com.
3. Log in to your Bitdefender account using your e-mail address and
password.

Bitdefender Central 35
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

6.2. My Subscriptions
The Bitdefender Central platform gives you the possibility to easily manage
the subscriptions you have for all your devices.

6.2.1. Check available subscriptions

To check your available subscriptions:
1. Access Bitdefender Central.
2. Select the My Subscriptions panel.
Here you have information about the availability of the subscriptions you
own and the number of devices using each of them.
You can add a new device to a subscription or renew it by selecting a
subscription card.

Note
You can have one or more subscriptions on your account provided that they
are for different platforms (Windows, Mac OS X, or Android).

6.2.2. Add a new device

If your subscription covers more than one device, you can add a new device
and install your Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 on it, as follows:
1. Access Bitdefender Central.
2. Select the My Devices panel.
3. In the MY DEVICES window, click INSTALL Bitdefender.
4. Choose one of the two available options:
DOWNLOAD
Click the button and save the installation file.
On another device
Select Windows to download your Bitdefender product, and then click
CONTINUE. Type an e-mail address in the corresponding field, and click
SEND.
5. Wait for the download to complete, then run the installer.

Bitdefender Central 36
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

6.2.3. Renew subscription

If you did not opt out for automatically renewing your Bitdefender
subscription, you can manually renew it by following these steps:
1. Access Bitdefender Central.
2. Select the My Subscriptions panel.
3. Select the desired subscription card.
4. Click RENEW to continue.
A web page opens in your web browser where you can renew your Bitdefender
subscription.

6.2.4. Activate subscription

A subscription can be activated during the installation process by using your
Bitdefender account. Together with the activation process, its validity starts
to count-down.
If you have purchased an activation code from one of our resellers or you
received it as a present, then you can add its availability to any existing
Bitdefender subscription available on the account, provided that they are for
the same product.
To activate a subscription using an activation code:
1. Access Bitdefender Central.
2. Select the My Subscriptions panel.
3. Click the ACTIVATION CODE button, then type the code in the
corresponding field.
4. Click ACTIVATION CODE to continue.
The subscription is now activated. Go to My Devices panel, and select
INSTALL Bitdefender to install the product on one of your devices.

6.3. My Devices
The My Devices area in Bitdefender Central gives you the possibility to install,
manage and take remote actions on your Bitdefender product on any device,
provided that it is turned on and connected to the Internet. The device cards
display the device name, protection status and remaining availability on your
subscription.

Bitdefender Central 37
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

To easily identify your devices, you can customize the device name:
1. Access Bitdefender Central.
2. Select the My Devices panel.

3. Click the icon on the desired device card, then select Settings.
4. Change the device name in the corresponding field, then select Save.
In case the Autopilot is turned off, you can enable it by clicking the switch.
Click Save to apply the settings.
You can create and assign an owner to each of your devices for better
management:
1. Access Bitdefender Central.
2. Select the My Devices panel.

3. Click the icon on the desired device card, then select Profile.
4. Click Add owner, then fill in the corresponding fields, set the Gender, Date
of birth and even add a Profile picture.
5. Click ADD to save the profile.
6. Select the desired owner from the Device owner list, then click ASSIGN.
To remotely update Bitdefender on a device:
1. Access Bitdefender Central.
2. Select the My Devices panel.

3. Click the icon on the desired device card, then select Update.
For more remote actions and information regarding your Bitdefender product
on a specific device, click the desired device card.
Once you click on a device card, the following tabs are available:
Dashboard. In this window you can check the protection status of your
Bitdefender products and number of remaining days on your subscription.
The protection status can be green, when there is no issue affecting your
product, or red when the device is at risk. When there are issues affecting
your product, click View Issues to find out more details. From here you
can manually fix issues that are affecting the security of your devices.

Bitdefender Central 38
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Protection. From this window you can remotely run a Quick or a System
Scan on your devices. Click the SCAN button to start the process. You can
also check when the last scan was performed on the device and a report
of the latest scan with the most important information is available. For
more information about these two scan processes, please refer to Running
a System Scan (p. 87) and to Running a Quick Scan (p. 87).
Vulnerability. To check a device for any vulnerabilities such as missing
Windows updates, outdated applications, or weak passwords click the
SCAN button in the Vulnerability tab. Vulnerabilities cannot be fixed
remotely. In case any vulnerability is found, you need to run a new scan
on the device and then take the recommended actions. Click More details
to access a detailed report about the found issues. For more details about
this feature, please refer to Vulnerability (p. 115).

6.4. My Account
In the My Account area you have the possibility to personalize your profile,
change the password associated to your account, manage the logon sessions
and the Bitdefender Central help messages.
Once you click the icon in the upper right side of the screen, you have the
following tabs:
Profile - here you can add and edit account information.
Change password - from here you can change the password associated
to your account.
Session management - here you can view and manage the latest inactive
and active logon sessions running on devices associated to your account.
Settings - here you can turn on and off the Bitdefender Central help
messages and decide whether to be notified or not when snap photos are
taken on your devices.

6.5. Notifications
To help you stay informed about what is happening on the devices associated
to your account, the icon is at hand. Once you click it you have an overall
image consisting of information about the activity of the Bitdefender products
installed on your devices.

Bitdefender Central 39
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

7. 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. 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. 74).
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. 177).
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. 41).

7.1. Checking if Bitdefender is up-to-date

To check the time of the last update of your Bitdefender, check the Security
Status, on the left side of the Status area.
For detailed information about the latest updates, check the update events:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. In the All tab, select the notification regarding the latest update.

Keeping Bitdefender up-to-date 40

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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.

7.2. 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 interface and click the UPDATE NOW link located
under the status of your program.
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.

You can also perform updates remotely on your devices, provided that they
are turned on and connected to the internet.
To remotely update Bitdefender on a device:
1. Access Bitdefender Central.
2. Select the My Devices panel.

3. Click the icon on the desired device card, then select Update.

7.3. Turning on or off automatic update

To turn on or off automatic update:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the UPDATE tab.
3. Click the corresponding switch to turn on or off the automatic update.

Keeping Bitdefender up-to-date 41

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

4. A warning window appears. 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 a system restart.

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.

7.4. 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.
To adjust the update settings:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the UPDATE tab and adjust the settings according to your
preferences.

Update frequency
Bitdefender is configured to check for updates every hour. To change the
update frequency, drag the slider along the scale to set the desired period
of time when the update should occur.

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).

Keeping Bitdefender up-to-date 42

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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 43

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

HOW TO

44
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

8. INSTALLATION
8.1. How do I install Bitdefender on a second
computer?
If the subscription you have purchased covers more than one computer, you
can use your Bitdefender account to activate a second PC.
To install Bitdefender on a second computer:
1. Click the INSTALL ON ANOTHER DEVICE link.
You are redirected to the Bitdefender account web page. Make sure that
you are logged in with your credentials.
2. In the window that appears select the wanted operating system, and then
click CONTINUE.
3. Type the e-mail address where we should send the installation download
link of the chosen platform.
4. Run the Bitdefender product you have downloaded. Wait until the
installation process is completed and close the window.
The new device on which you have installed the Bitdefender product will
appear in the Bitdefender Central dashboard.

8.2. 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 Bitdefender Central.
For more information about the Bitdefender installation process, please refer
to Installing your Bitdefender product (p. 5).

Installation 45
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

8.3. Where can I download my Bitdefender product

from?
You can install Bitdefender from the installation disc, or using the web
installer you can download on your computer from the Bitdefender Central
platform.

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 from Bitdefender Central:

1. Access Bitdefender Central.
2. Select the My Devices panel.
3. In the MY DEVICES window, click INSTALL Bitdefender.
4. Choose one of the two available options:
DOWNLOAD
Click the button and save the installation file.
On another device
Select Windows to download your Bitdefender product, and then click
CONTINUE. Type an e-mail address in the corresponding field, and click
SEND.
5. Run the Bitdefender product you have downloaded.

8.4. How can I change the language of my Bitdefender

product?
If you want to use Bitdefender in another language, you will have to reinstall
the product with the proper language.
To use Bitdefender in another language:
1. Remove Bitdefender by following these steps:
In Windows 7:

Installation 46
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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

Features.
b. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.
c. Click REMOVE in the window that appears, and then choose what
data to be saved for a later installation:
Quarantined files
Wallets
File vaults
d. Click CONTINUE.
e. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, then reboot your system.
In Windows 8 and Windows 8.1:
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. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.
d. Click REMOVE in the window that appears, and then choose what
data to be saved for a later installation:
Quarantined files
Wallets
File vaults
e. Click CONTINUE.
f. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, then reboot your system.
In Windows 10:
a. Click Start, then click Settings.
b. Click the System icon in the Settings area, then select Installed apps.
c. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.
d. Click Uninstall again to confirm your choice.
e. Click REMOVE in the window that appears, and then choose what
data to be saved for a later installation:

Installation 47
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Quarantined files
Wallets
File vaults
f. Click CONTINUE.
g. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, then reboot your system.
2. Change the language of Bitdefender Central:
a. Access Bitdefender Central.
b. Click the icon in the upper right side of the screen.
c. Click My Account in the slide menu.
d. Select the Profile tab.
e. Select a language from the Language drop-down list box, and then click
SAVE.
3. Download the installation file:
a. Select the My Devices panel.
b. In the MY DEVICES window, click INSTALL Bitdefender.
c. Choose one of the two available options:
DOWNLOAD
Click the button and save the installation file.
On another device
Select Windows to download your Bitdefender product, and then click
CONTINUE. Type an e-mail address in the corresponding field, and
click SEND.
4. Run the Bitdefender product you have downloaded.

8.5. How do I use my Bitdefender subscription after a

Windows upgrade?
This situation appears when you upgrade your operating system and you
want to continue using your Bitdefender subscription.
If you are using a previous Bitdefender version you can upgrade, free of
charge, to the latest Bitdefender, as follows:

Installation 48
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

From a previous Bitdefender Antivirus version to the latest Bitdefender

Antivirus available.
From a previous Bitdefender Internet Security version to the latest
Bitdefender Internet Security available.
From a previous Bitdefender Total Security version to the latest Bitdefender
Total Security available.
There are two cases which may appear:
You have upgraded the operating system using Windows Update and you
notice Bitdefender is no longer working.
In this case, you need to reinstall the product using the latest available
version.
To solve this situation:
1. Remove Bitdefender by following these steps:
In Windows 7:
a. Click Start, go to Control Panel and double-click Programs and
Features.
b. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.
c. Click REMOVE in the window that appears, and then choose what
data to be saved for a later installation:
Quarantined files
Wallets
File vaults
d. Click CONTINUE.
e. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, then reboot your system.
In Windows 8 and Windows 8.1:
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. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.

Installation 49
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

d. Click REMOVE in the window that appears, and then choose what
data to be saved for a later installation:
Quarantined files
Wallets
File vaults
e. Click CONTINUE.
f. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, then reboot your system.
In Windows 10:
a. Click Start, then click Settings.
b. Click the System icon in the Settings area, then select Installed
apps.
c. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.
d. Click Uninstall again to confirm your choice.
e. Click REMOVE in the window that appears, and then choose what
data to be saved for a later installation:
Quarantined files
Wallets
File vaults
f. Click CONTINUE.
g. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, then reboot your system.
2. Download the installation file:
a. Access Bitdefender Central.
b. Select the My Devices panel.
c. In the MY DEVICES window, click INSTALL Bitdefender.
d. Choose one of the two available options:
DOWNLOAD
Click the button and save the installation file.
On another device

Installation 50
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Select Windows to download your Bitdefender product, and then

click CONTINUE. Type an e-mail address in the corresponding field,
and click SEND.
3. Run the Bitdefender product you have downloaded.
You changed your system and you want to continue using the Bitdefender
protection.
Therefore, you need to reinstall the product using the latest version.
To solve this situation:
1. Download the installation file:
a. Access Bitdefender Central.
b. Select the My Devices panel.
c. In the MY DEVICES window, click INSTALL Bitdefender.
d. Choose one of the two available options:
DOWNLOAD
Click the button and save the installation file.
On another device
Select Windows to download your Bitdefender product, and then
click CONTINUE. Type an e-mail address in the corresponding field,
and click SEND.
2. Run the Bitdefender product you have downloaded.
For more information about the Bitdefender installation process, please
refer to Installing your Bitdefender product (p. 5).

8.6. How do I repair Bitdefender?

If you want to repair your Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 from the
Windows start menu:
In Windows 7:
1. Click Start and go to All Programs.
2. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.
3. Click REPAIR in the window that appears.
This can take a few minutes.

Installation 51
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

4. You need to restart the computer to complete the process.

In Windows 8 and Windows 8.1:
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. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.
4. Click REPAIR in the window that appears.
This can take a few minutes.
5. You need to restart the computer to complete the process.
In Windows 10:
1. Click Start, then click Settings.
2. Click the System icon in the Settings area, then select Apps & features.
3. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.
4. Click Uninstall again to confirm your choice.
5. Click REPAIR.
This can take a few minutes.
6. You need to restart the computer to complete the process.

Installation 52
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

9. SUBSCRIPTIONS
9.1. How do I activate Bitdefender subscription using
a license key?
If you have a valid license key and want to use it to activate a subscription
for Bitdefender Internet Security 2017, there are two possible cases:
You have upgraded from a previous Bitdefender version to the new one:
1. Once the upgrade to Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 is complete,
you are asked to log in to your Bitdefender account.
2. Click Sign In, and then type the e-mail address and the password of
your Bitdefender account.
3. Click SIGN IN to continue.
4. A notification informing you that a subscription was created appears
on your account screen. The created subscription will be valid for the
remaining days on your license key and for the same number of users.
Devices that are using previous Bitdefender versions and are registered
with the license key you have converted to a subscription need to
activate the product with the same Bitdefender account.
Bitdefender was not previously installed on the system:
1. As soon as the installation process is complete, you are asked to log
in to your Bitdefender account.
2. Click Sign In, and then type the e-mail address and the password of
your Bitdefender account.
3. Click SIGN IN to continue, and then the FINISH button to access the
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 interface.

4. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

5. Select the Activation Code link.
A new window appears.
6. Click the Get your FREE upgrade now! link.

Subscriptions 53
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

7. Type in your license key in the corresponding field and click UPGRADE
MY PRODUCT. A subscription with the same availability and number
of users of your license key is associated to your account.

Subscriptions 54
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

10. BITDEFENDER CENTRAL

10.1. How do I log in to Bitdefender Central using
another online account?
You have created a new Bitdefender account and you want to use it from
now on.
To successfully use another account:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Click the SWITCH ACCOUNT button to change the account linked to the
computer.
3. Type the e-mail address and the password of your account in the
corresponding fields, then click SIGN IN.

Note
The Bitdefender product from your device automatically changes according
to the subscription associated to the new Bitdefender account.
If there is no available subscription associated to the new Bitdefender account,
or you wish to transfer it from the previous account, you can contact
Bitdefender for support as described in section Asking for help (p. 198).

10.2. How do I turn off Bitdefender Central help

messages?
To help you understand what each option in Bitdefender Central is useful
for, help messages are displayed in the dashboard.
If you wish to stop seeing this kind of messages:
1. Access Bitdefender Central.
2. Click the icon in the upper right side of the screen.
3. Click My Account in the slide menu.
4. Select the Settings tab.
5. Disable the Turn on/off help messages option.

Bitdefender Central 55
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

10.3. How can I stop seeing snapped photos taken on

my devices?
To stop making visible the snapped photos taken on your devices:
1. Access Bitdefender Central.
2. Click the icon in the upper right side of the screen.
3. Click My Account in the slide menu.
4. Select the Settings tab.
5. Disable the Show/don't show snap photos taken on your devices option.

10.4. I forgot the password I set for my Bitdefender

account. How do I reset it?
There are two possibilities to set a new password for your Bitdefender
account:
From the Bitdefender interface:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Click the SWITCH ACCOUNT button.
A new window appears.
3. Click the Forgot my password link.
4. Type the e-mail address used to create your Bitdefender account, and
then click the FORGOT PASSWORD button.
5. Check your e-mail and click the provided button.
6. Type your e-mail address in the corresponding field.
7. Type the new password. The password must be at least 8 characters
long and include numbers.
8. Click the RESET PASSWORD button.
From your Bitdefender account:
1. Access Bitdefender Central.
2. Click the icon in the upper right side of the screen.
3. Click My Account in the slide menu.

Bitdefender Central 56
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

4. Select the Change password tab.

5. Type the old password in the Old password field.
6. Type the new password you want to set for your account in the New
password field.
7. Click the CHANGE PASSWORD button.
To access your Bitdefender account from now on, type your e-mail address
and the new password you have just set.

10.5. How can I manage the logon sessions associated

to my Bitdefender account?
In your Bitdefender account you have the possibility to view the latest inactive
and active logon sessions running on devices associated to your account.
Moreover, you can sign out remotely by following these steps:
1. Access Bitdefender Central.
2. Click the icon in the upper right side of the screen.
3. Click My Account in the slide menu.
4. Select the Session management tab.
5. In the Active sessions area, select the SIGN OUT option next to the device
you want to finish the logon session.

Bitdefender Central 57
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

11. SCANNING WITH BITDEFENDER

11.1. 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 files from the Internet that you think might be
dangerous.
Scan a network share before copying files to your computer.

11.2. How do I scan my system?

To perform a complete scan on the system:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the ANTIVIRUS module, select System Scan.
4. Follow the System 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. 91).

11.3. How do I schedule a scan?

You can set your Bitdefender product to start scanning important system
locations when you are not in the front of the computer.

Scanning with Bitdefender 58

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

To schedule a scan:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the ANTIVIRUS module, select Manage Scans.
4. Choose the scan type that you want to schedule, Full System Scan or
Quick Scan, then click Scan Options.
Alternatively, you can create a scan type to suit your needs by clicking
New custom task.
5. Enable the Schedule switch.
Select one of the corresponding options to set a schedule:
At system startup
Once
Periodically
In the Scan targets window you can select the locations you want to be
scanned.

11.4. 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. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the ANTIVIRUS module, select Manage Scans.
4. Click New custom task. In the Basic tab enter a name for the scan and
select the locations to be scanned.
5. 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.

Scanning with Bitdefender 59

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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.
6. Click OK to save the changes and close the window.
7. Use the corresponding switch if you want to set a schedule for your scan
task.
8. Click Start Scan and follow the 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.
9. If you want to, you can quickly rerun a previous custom scan by clicking
the corresponding entry in the available list.

11.5. 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:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTIVIRUS module.

4. Select the EXCLUSIONS tab.
5. Click the List of files and folders excluded from scanning accordion menu.
6. Click the ADD button.
7. Click Browse, select the folder that you want to be excluded from scanning,
and then click OK.

Scanning with Bitdefender 60

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

8. Click Add to save the changes and close the window.

11.6. What to do when Bitdefender detected a clean

file as infected?
There may be 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. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
b. Select the VIEW MODULES link.

c. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTIVIRUS module.

d. In the SHIELD tab, click the corresponding switch to turn off On-access
scanning.
A warning window appears. 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 a 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. 75).
3. Restore the file from the Quarantine area:
a. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
b. Select the VIEW MODULES link.

c. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTIVIRUS module.

d. Select the QUARANTINE tab.
e. Select the file, and then 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. 60).
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.
198).

Scanning with Bitdefender 61

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

11.7. 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.
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:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. In the All tab, select the notification regarding the latest scan.
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.
3. In the notifications list, you can check what scans have been performed
recently. Click a notification to view details about it.
4. To open a scan log, click VIEW LOG.

Scanning with Bitdefender 62

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

12. PARENTAL ADVISOR

12.1. How do I protect my children from online threats?
Bitdefender Parental Advisor allows you to restrict access to the Internet
and to specific applications, preventing your children from viewing
inappropriate content whenever you are not around.
To configure the Parental Advisor:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Click the Parental Advisor action button.
You are redirected to the Bitdefender account web page. Make sure that
you are logged in with your credentials.
3. The Parental Advisor dashboard opens. This is where you can check and
configure the Parental Advisor settings.
4. Click ADD PROFILE on the right-side of the MY CHILDREN window.
5. Set specific information in the corresponding fields, such as: name, gender
and date of birth. To add a profile photo, click the Choose file link. Click
NEXT STEP to continue.
Based on children development standards, setting the child's date of birth
automatically loads specifications considered appropriate for his age
category.
6. If your child's device already has Bitdefender Internet Security 2017
installed, select his device from the available list, and then select the
account you want to monitor. Click SAVE.
If your child uses an Android device and the Bitdefender Parental Advisor
app is not installed, click ADD DEVICE. The Bitdefender Parental Advisor
for Android option is selected by default. Click NEXT STEP to continue.
7. Type the e-mail address where we should send the installation download
link of the Bitdefender Parental Advisor application, and then click SEND
INSTALLATION LINK.
On Windows based devices, the Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 you
have included in your subscription has to be downloaded and installed.
On Android devices, the Bitdefender Parental Advisor Agent has to be
downloaded and installed.

Parental Advisor 63
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Check your children's activities and change the Parental Advisor settings
using Bitdefender account from any computer or mobile device connected
to the Internet.

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

Bitdefender Parental Advisor allows you to control the content accessed by
your child while using his device and enables you to block access to a
website.
To block access to a website, you need to add it to the Exclusions list, as
follows:
1. Go to: https://central.bitdefender.com.
2. Log in to your Bitdefender account using your e-mail address and
password.
3. Click Parental Advisor to access the dashboard.
4. Select your child's profile from the MY CHILDREN window.
5. Select the Websites tab.
6. Click the MANAGE button.
7. Type the web page you want to block in the corresponding field.
8. Select Allow or Block.
9. Click FINISH to save the changes.

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

Bitdefender Parental Advisor allows you to control the content accessed by
your child while using the computer.
To block the access to a game:
1. Go to: https://central.bitdefender.com.
2. Log in to your Bitdefender account using your e-mail address and
password.
3. Click Parental Advisor to access the dashboard.
4. Select your child's profile from the MY CHILDREN window.
5. Select the Applications tab.

Parental Advisor 64
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

A list with cards is displayed. The cards represent the apps your child
uses.
6. Select the card with the app you want your child to stop using.
The check mark symbol that appears indicates that your child will not be
able to use the app.

12.4. How do I prevent my child from getting in contact

with untrusted persons?
Bitdefender Parental Advisor gives you the possibility to block phone calls
from unknown phone numbers or from friends from your child's phone list.
To block a specific contact on an Android device that has the Bitdefender
Parental Advisor app installed on:
1. Go to: https://central.bitdefender.com.
2. Log in to your Bitdefender account using your e-mail address and
password.
3. Click Parental Advisor to access the dashboard.
4. Select the profile of the child you want to set restrictions to.
5. Select the Phone Contacts tab.
A list with cards is displayed. The cards represent the contacts from your
child's phone.
6. Select the card with the phone number you want block.
The check mark symbol that appears indicates that your child will not be
reached by the selected phone number.
To block a specific contact on an Android device that does not have the
Bitdefender Parental Advisor app installed on:
1. Go to: https://central.bitdefender.com.
2. Log in to your Bitdefender account using your e-mail address and
password.
3. Click Parental Advisor to access the dashboard.
4. Select the profile of the child you want to set restrictions to.
5. Click the Install Parental Advisor on a device link on the wanted card.

Parental Advisor 65
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

6. Click ADD DEVICE on the window that appears.

7. The Bitdefender Parental Advisor for Android option is selected by default.
Click NEXT STEP to continue, and then install the app on the wanted
device.
8. Select the Phone Contacts tab.
A list with cards is displayed. The cards represent the contacts from your
child's phone.
9. Select the card with the phone number you want block.
The check mark symbol that appears indicates that your child will not be
reached by the selected phone number.
To block unknown phone numbers, enable the Block no caller ID interactions
switch.

12.5. How can I set a location as safe or restricted for

my child?
Bitdefender Parental Advisor allows you to set a location as safe or restricted
for your child.
To set a location:
1. Go to: https://central.bitdefender.com.
2. Log in to your Bitdefender account using your e-mail address and
password.
3. Click Parental Advisor to access the dashboard.
4. Select your child's profile from the MY CHILDREN window.
5. Select the Child Location tab.
6. Click Devices in the frame you have in the Child Location window.
7. Click CHOOSE DEVICES, and then select the device you want to configure.
8. In the Areas window, click the ADD AREA button.
9. Choose the type of the location, SAFE or RESTRICTED.
10. Type a valid name for the area where your child has permission to go or
not.

Parental Advisor 66
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

11. Set the range that should be applied for monitoring from the Radius slide
bar.
12. Click ADD AREA to save your settings.
Whenever you want to set a restricted location as safe, or a safe location as
restricted, click it, and then select the EDIT AREA button. Depending on the
change you want to make, select the SAFE or the RESTRICTED option, and
then click UPDATE AREA.

12.6. How do I block my child's access to the assigned

devices during school days?
Bitdefender Parental Advisor allows you to limit your child's access to the
assigned devices during school hours and when the homework should be
done.
To set up restrictions:
1. Access the Parental Advisor panel from Bitdefender Central.
2. From the MY CHILDREN window, select the profile of the child you want
to set restrictions to.
3. Select the Time Schedule tab.
4. In the DAYTIME LIMITS area, click SPECIFIC.
5. Select the School Day Time Limits check box.
6. Select from the grid the time intervals during which the access should be
blocked.

12.7. How do I block my child's access to the assigned

devices during school nights?
Bitdefender Parental Advisor allows you to limit your child's access to the
assigned devices during school nights.
To set up restrictions:
1. Access the Parental Advisor panel from Bitdefender Central.
2. From the MY CHILDREN window, select the profile of the child you want
to set restrictions to.
3. Select the Time Schedule tab.

Parental Advisor 67
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

4. In the Bedtime area, select the School Nights check box.

5. Use the up and down arrow keys from the corresponding spin boxes to
set the time intervals during which the access should be blocked.

12.8. How do I block my child's access to the assigned

devices during weekends?
Bitdefender Parental Advisor allows you to limit your child's access to the
assigned devices during weekend days and nights.
To set up restrictions:
1. Access the Parental Advisor panel from Bitdefender Central.
2. From the MY CHILDREN window, select the profile of the child you want
to set restrictions to.
3. Select the Time Schedule tab.
4. In the BEDTIME area, select the Weekend Nights check box.
5. Use the up and down arrow keys from the corresponding spin boxes to
set the time intervals during which the access should be blocked.
6. In the DAYTIME LIMITS area you have the following options:
CUMULATIVE
a. Select the Weekend Time Limits check box.
b. Drag the sliders along the scale to set how long the access to devices
is allowed.
SPECIFIC
a. Select the Weekend Time Limits check box.
b. Select from the grid the time intervals during which the access should
be blocked.
Note that the CUMULATIVE and SPECIFIC settings are designed to not
work together.

12.9. How to remove a child profile

If you want to remove an existing child profile:
1. Go to: https://central.bitdefender.com.

Parental Advisor 68
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

2. Log in to your Bitdefender account using your e-mail address and

password.
3. Click Parental Advisor to access the dashboard.

4. Click the icon from the child's profile you want to delete, and then
choose Remove.

Parental Advisor 69
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

13. PRIVACY PROTECTION

13.1. 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:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Click the Safepay action button.
3. Click the button to access the Virtual Keyboard.
Use the Virtual Keyboard when typing sensitive information such as your
passwords.

13.2. 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:
1. Right-click the file or folder you want to permanently delete, point to
Bitdefender and select File Shredder.
2. A confirmation window appears. Click YES, DELETE to start the File
Shredder wizard.
Wait for Bitdefender to finish shredding the files.
3. The results are displayed. Click FINISH to exit the wizard.

Privacy protection 70
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

14. USEFUL INFORMATION

14.1. 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:
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. 198).

14.2. How do I remove Bitdefender?

If you want to remove your Bitdefender Internet Security 2017:
In Windows 7:
1. Click Start, go to Control Panel and double-click Programs and Features.
2. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.
3. Click REMOVE in the window that appears, and then choose what data
to be saved for a later installation:
Quarantined files

Useful Information 71
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Wallets
File vaults
4. Click CONTINUE.
5. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, then reboot your system.
In Windows 8 and Windows 8.1:
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. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.
4. Click REMOVE in the window that appears, and then choose what data
to be saved for a later installation:
Quarantined files
Wallets
File vaults
5. Click CONTINUE.
6. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, then reboot your system.
In Windows 10:
1. Click Start, then click Settings.
2. Click the System icon in the Settings area, then select Installed apps.
3. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.
4. Click Uninstall again to confirm your choice.
5. Click REMOVE in the window that appears, and then choose what data
to be saved for a later installation:
Quarantined files
Wallets
File vaults
6. Click CONTINUE.
7. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, then reboot your system.

Useful Information 72
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

14.3. 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.
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. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the ANTIVIRUS module, select Manage Scans.
4. In the MANAGE SCAN TASKS window, click New custom task to enter a
name for the scan and select the locations to be scanned.
5. If you want to configure the scanning options in detail, select the Advanced
tab.
6. Choose to shutdown the computer when the scan is over if no threats are
found.
7. Click OK to save the changes and close the window.
8. Click the Start Scan button to scan your system.
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. 91).

Useful Information 73
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

14.4. 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:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the ADVANCED tab.
3. Turn on Proxy usage by clicking the switch.
4. Click the Manage proxies link.
5. 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
Google Chrome.

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.
Username - type in a user name recognized by the proxy.
Password - type in the valid password of the previously specified
user.
6. Click OK to save the changes and close the window.

Useful Information 74
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Bitdefender will use the available proxy settings until it manages to connect
to the Internet.

14.5. 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:
In 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.
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.
In Windows 8.1, locate This PC.
2. Select Properties in the bottom menu.
3. Look in the System area to see your system type.
In Windows 10:
1. Type "System" in the search box from the taskbar and click its icon.
2. Look in the System area to find information about your system type.

14.6. 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 and 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.

Useful Information 75
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

2. Select Folder Options.

3. Go to View tab.
4. Select Show hidden files and folders.
5. Clear Hide extensions for known file types.
6. Clear Hide protected operating system files.
7. Click Apply, then click OK.
In Windows 10:
1. Type "Show hidden files and folders" in the search box from the taskbar
and click its icon.
2. Select Show hidden files, folders, and drives.
3. Clear Hide extensions for known file types.
4. Clear Hide protected operating system files.
5. Click Apply, then click OK.

14.7. 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 2017 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:
In 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, then reboot your system.
In Windows 8 and Windows 8.1:

Useful Information 76
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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, then reboot your system.
In Windows 10:
1. Click Start, then click Settings.
2. Click the System icon in the Settings area, then select Installed apps.
3. Find the name of the program you want to remove and select Uninstall.
4. Click Uninstall again to confirm your choice.
5. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, 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.

14.8. 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:
In Windows 7:
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.

Useful Information 77
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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.
In Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10:
1. Launch System Configuration in Windows by simultaneously pressing
the Windows + R keys on your keyboard.
2. Write msconfig in the Open dialog box, then click OK.
3. Select the Boot tab.
4. In the Boot options area, select the Safe boot check box.
5. Click Network, and then OK.
6. Click OK in the System Configuration window which informs you that
the system needs to be restarted in order to be able to make the changes
you set.
Your system is restarting in Safe Mode with Networking.
To reboot in normal mode, switch back the settings by launching again
the System Operation and clearing the Safe boot check box. Click OK, and
then Restart. Wait for the new settings to be applied.

Useful Information 78
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

MANAGING YOUR SECURITY

79
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

15. 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.
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. 94).
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. 97).
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. 99).
If your computer has been infected with malware, please refer to Removing
malware from your system (p. 189). 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 80
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

To protect you against ransomware and unknown malicious applications,

Bitdefender uses Active Threat Control, an advanced heuristic technology,
which continuously monitors the applications running on your system. Active
Threat 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
Threat Control not to block those applications again by creating exclusion
rules. To learn more, please refer to Active Threat Control (p. 100).

15.1. On-access scanning (real-time protection)

Bitdefender provides continuous, real-time protection against a wide range
of malware threats by scanning all accessed files and e-mail messages.
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.

15.1.1. Turning on or off real-time protection

To turn on or off real-time protection against malware:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Select the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTIVIRUS module.

4. In the SHIELD window, click the corresponding switch to turn on or off
On-access scanning.
5. If you want to disable real-time protection, a warning window appears.
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 a
system restart. The real-time protection will automatically turn on when
the selected time will expire.

Antivirus protection 81
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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.

15.1.2. 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:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTIVIRUS module.

4. In the SHIELD window, 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.

15.1.3. 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:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTIVIRUS module.

4. Drag the On-access scanning scanning slider to the CUSTOM level.
A new window appears.
5. Configure the scan settings as needed.
6. Click OK to save the changes and close the window.

Antivirus protection 82
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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.
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).

Antivirus protection 83
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Scan options for e-mail and HTTP traffic. To prevent malware from being
downloaded to your computer, Bitdefender automatically scans the
following malware entry points:
incoming and outgoing e-mails
HTTP traffic
Scanning the web traffic may slow down web browsing a little, but it will
block malware coming from the Internet, including drive-by downloads.
Though not recommended, you can disable e-mail or web 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.
Scan at system boot. Select the Early boot scan option to scan your
system at startup as soon as all its critical services are loaded. The mission
of this feature is to improve virus detection at system startup and the boot
time of your system.

Actions taken on detected malware

You can configure the actions taken by the real-time protection.
To configure the actions:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

Antivirus protection 84
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTIVIRUS module.

4. Drag the On-access scanning scanning slider to the CUSTOM level.
A new window appears.
5. Select the Actions tab and configure the scan settings as needed.
6. 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.
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. 99).

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.

Antivirus protection 85
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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. 99).
Deny access
In case an infected file is detected, the access to this will be denied.

15.1.4. 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:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTIVIRUS module.

4. Drag the On-access scanning scanning slider to the NORMAL level.

15.2. 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

Antivirus protection 86
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

tasks). If you want to scan specific locations on your computer or to configure

the scan options, configure and run a custom scan.

15.2.1. 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.

15.2.2. 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.
To run a Quick Scan:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the ANTIVIRUS module, select Quick Scan.
4. 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.
Or quicker, click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface,
and then click the Quick Scan action button.

15.2.3. 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.

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.

Antivirus protection 87
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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. 40).
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. 88).
To run a System Scan:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the ANTIVIRUS module, select System Scan.
4. 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.

15.2.4. Configuring a custom scan

To configure a custom scan in detail and then run it:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the ANTIVIRUS module, select Manage Scans.
4. Click the New custom task button. In the Basic tab enter a name for the
scan and select the locations to be scanned.
5. If you want to configure the scanning options in detail, select the Advanced
tab. A new window appears. 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.

Antivirus protection 88
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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.
6. If you want to set a schedule for your scan task, use the Schedule switch
in the Basic window. Select one of the corresponding options to set a
schedule:
At system startup
Once
Periodically
7. 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.
8. 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:
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

Antivirus protection 89
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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 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 memory. Select this option to scan programs running in your
system's memory.
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.

Antivirus protection 90
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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.

15.2.5. 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).
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. 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:

Antivirus protection 91
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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 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 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 92
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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. 99).

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.
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.

Antivirus protection 93
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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.

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.
189).

15.2.6. Checking scan logs

Each time a scan is performed, a scan log is created and Bitdefender records
the detected issues in the Antivirus 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:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. In the All tab, select the notification regarding the latest scan.
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.
3. In the notifications list, you can check what scans have been performed
recently. Click a notification to view details about it.
4. To open the scan log, click VIEW LOG.

15.3. 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.

Antivirus protection 94
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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.

15.3.1. 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 Notifications
window.
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.

Antivirus protection 95
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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. 189).

15.3.2. Managing removable media scan

To manage automatic scan of removable media:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTIVIRUS module.

4. Select the DRIVES AND DEVICES 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 allow you to specify other actions to be taken on
infected files. The scanning options are standard and you cannot change
them.

15.4. Scan hosts file

The hosts file comes by default with your operating system installation and
is used to map hostnames to IP addresses each time you access a new web
page, connect to a FTP or to other Internet servers. It is a plain text file and
malicious programs may modify it. Advanced users know how to use it to
block annoying ads, banners, third-party cookies, or hijackers.
To configure scan hosts file:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the ADVANCED tab.
3. Click the corresponding switch to turn on or off scan hosts file.

Antivirus protection 96
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

15.5. 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.

15.5.1. Excluding files and folders from scanning

To exclude specific files and folders from scanning:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTIVIRUS module.

4. Select the EXCLUSIONS tab.
5. Click the List of files and folders excluded from scanning accordion menu.
In the window that appears, you can manage the files and folders excluded
from scanning.
6. Add exclusions by following these steps:
a. Click the ADD button.
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.

Antivirus protection 97
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

15.5.2. 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:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTIVIRUS module.

4. Select the EXCLUSIONS tab.
5. Click the List of extensions excluded from scanning accordion menu. In
the window that appears, you can manage the file extensions excluded
from scanning.
6. Add exclusions by following these steps:
a. Click the ADD button.
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.

15.5.3. 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:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

Antivirus protection 98
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTIVIRUS module.

4. Select the EXCLUSIONS tab.
5. Use the options in the List of files and folders excluded from scanning
accordion menu to manage scan exclusions.
6. 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 appears 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.

15.6. 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.
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.
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:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTIVIRUS module.

4. Select the QUARANTINE tab.

Antivirus protection 99
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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.
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.

15.7. Active Threat Control

Bitdefender Active Threat Control is an innovative proactive detection
technology which uses advanced heuristic methods to detect ransomware
and other new potential threats in real time.
Active Threat 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
detected ransomware or blocked application. Otherwise, the application will
be blocked without any notification. You can check what applications have
been detected by Active Threat Control in the Notifications window.

Antivirus protection 100

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

15.7.1. Checking detected applications

To check the applications detected by Active Threat Control:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. In the All tab, select the notification regarding the Active Threat Control
scan.
3. If you trust the application, you can configure Active Threat Control not
to block it anymore by clicking ALLOW AND MONITOR. Active Threat
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.

15.7.2. Turning on or off Active Threat Control

To turn on or off Active Threat Control:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTIVIRUS module.

4. In the SHIELD window, click the corresponding switch to turn on or off
Active Threat Control.

15.7.3. Adjusting the Active Threat Control protection

If you notice that Active Threat Control detects legitimate applications often,
you should set a more permissive protection level.
To adjust the Active Threat Control protection, 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 Threat 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).

Antivirus protection 101

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

15.7.4. Managing excluded processes

You can configure exclusion rules for trusted applications so that Active
Threat Control does not block them if they perform malware-like actions.
Active Threat 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 Threat Control process exclusions:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTIVIRUS module.

4. Select the EXCLUSIONS tab.
5. Click the List of processes excluded from scanning accordion menu.
From here, you can manage the Active Threat Control process exclusions.
6. Add exclusions by following these steps:
a. Click the ADD button.
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 Threat 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
EDIT button. Make the necessary changes, then click Modify.

Antivirus protection 102

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

16. ANTISPAM
Spam is a term used to describe unsolicited e-mail. Spam is a growing
problem, both for individuals and for organizations. It's not pretty, you
wouldn't want your kids to see it, it can get you fired (for wasting too much
time or from receiving porn in your office mail) and you can't stop people
from sending it. The next best thing to that is, obviously, to stop receiving
it. Unfortunately, Spam comes in a wide range of shapes and sizes, and
there's a lot of it.
Bitdefender Antispam employs remarkable technological innovations and
industry standard antispam filters to weed out spam before it reaches the
user's Inbox. For more information, please refer to Antispam insights (p.
104).
The Bitdefender Antispam protection is available only for e-mail clients
configured to receive e-mail messages via the POP3 protocol. POP3 is one
of the most widely used protocols for downloading e-mail messages from
a mail server.

Note
Bitdefender does not provide antispam protection for e-mail accounts that
you access through a web-based e-mail service.

The spam messages detected by Bitdefender are marked with the [spam]
prefix in the subject line. Bitdefender automatically moves spam messages
to a specific folder, as follows:
In Microsoft Outlook, spam messages are moved to a Spam folder, located
in the Deleted Items folder. The Spam folder is created when an e-mail is
labeled as spam.
In Mozilla Thunderbird, spam messages are moved to a Spam folder,
located in the Trash folder. The Spam folder is created when an e-mail is
labeled as spam.
If you use other mail clients, you must create a rule to move the e-mail
messages marked as [spam] by Bitdefender to a custom quarantine folder.
If the Detete items or Trash folders are deleted, the Spam folder will be deleted
too. However, a new Spam folder will be created as soon as an e-mail is
labeled as spam.

Antispam 103
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

16.1. Antispam insights

16.1.1. Antispam filters
The Bitdefender Antispam Engine incorporates cloud protection and other
several different filters that ensure your Inbox to be SPAM-free, like Friends
list, Spammers list and Charset filter.

Friends list / Spammers list

Most people communicate regularly to a group of people or even receive
messages from companies or organizations in the same domain. By using
friends or spammers list, you can easily classify which people you want to
receive e-mail from (friends) no matter what the message contains, or which
people you never want to hear from again (spammers).

Note
We recommend that you add your friends' names and e-mail addresses to the
Friends list. Bitdefender does not block messages from those on the list;
therefore, adding friends helps ensure that legitimate messages get through.

Charset filter
Many spam messages are written in Cyrillic and / or Asian charsets. The
Charset Filter detects this kind of messages and tags them as SPAM.

16.1.2. Antispam operation

The Bitdefender Antispam Engine uses all antispam filters combined to
determine whether a certain e-mail message should get into your Inbox or
not.
Every e-mail that comes from the Internet is first checked with the Friends
list/Spammers list filter. If the sender's address is found in the Friends list
the e-mail is moved directly to your Inbox.
Otherwise, the Spammers list filter will take over the e-mail to verify if the
sender's address is on its list. If a match is made, the e-mail will be tagged
as SPAM and moved in the Spam folder.
Else, the Charset filter will check if the e-mail is written in Cyrillic or Asian
characters. If so the e-mail will be tagged as SPAM and moved in the Spam
folder.

Antispam 104
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Note
If the e-mail is tagged as SEXUALLY EXPLICIT in the subject line, Bitdefender
will consider it SPAM.

16.1.3. Supported e-mail clients and protocols

Antispam protection is provided for all POP3/SMTP e-mail clients. The
Bitdefender Antispam toolbar however is integrated only into:
Microsoft Outlook 2007 / 2010 / 2013
Mozilla Thunderbird 14 or higher

16.2. Turning on or off antispam protection

Antispam protection is enabled by default.
To turn off the Antispam module:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTISPAM module.

4. Click the corresponding switch to turn on or off Antispam.

16.3. Using the antispam toolbar in your mail client

window
In the upper area of your mail client window you can see the Antispam
toolbar. The Antispam toolbar helps you manage antispam protection directly
from your mail client. You can easily correct Bitdefender if it marked a
legitimate message as SPAM.

Important
Bitdefender integrates into the most commonly used mail clients through an
easy-to-use antispam toolbar. For a complete list of supported mail clients,
please refer to Supported e-mail clients and protocols (p. 105).

Each button from the Bitdefender toolbar will be explained below:

Settings - opens a window where you can configure the antispam filters
and the toolbar settings.

Antispam 105
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Is Spam - indicates that the selected e-mail is spam. The e-mail will be
moved immediately to the Spam folder. If the antispam cloud services are
activated, the message is sent to Bitdefender Cloud for further analysis.
Not Spam - indicates that the selected e-mail is not spam and Bitdefender
should not have tagged it. The e-mail will be moved from the Spam folder to
the Inbox directory. If the antispam cloud services are activated, the message
is sent to Bitdefender Cloud for further analysis.

Important
The Not Spam button becomes active when you select a message marked
as SPAM by Bitdefender (normally these messages are located in the Spam
folder).

Add Spammer - adds the sender of the selected e-mail to the Spammers
list. You may need to click OK to acknowledge. The e-mail messages received
from addresses in the Spammers list are automatically marked as [spam].
Add Friend - adds the sender of the selected e-mail to the Friends list. You
may need to click OK to acknowledge. You will always receive e-mail
messages from this address no matter what they contain.
Spammers - opens the Spammers list that contains all the e-mail addresses
from which you don't want to receive messages, regardless of their content.
For more information, please refer to Configuring the Spammers List (p. 109).
Friends - opens the Friends list that contains all the e-mail addresses from
which you always want to receive e-mail messages, regardless of their
content. For more information, please refer to Configuring the Friends List
(p. 107).

16.3.1. Indicating detection errors

If you are using a supported mail client, you can easily correct the antispam
filter (by indicating which e-mail messages should not have been marked as
[spam]). Doing so helps improve the efficiency of the antispam filter. Follow
these steps:
1. Open your mail client.
2. Go to the junk mail folder where spam messages are moved.
3. Select the legitimate message incorrectly marked as [spam] by Bitdefender.
4. Click the Add Friend button on the Bitdefender antispam toolbar to add
the sender to the Friends list. You may need to click OK to acknowledge.

Antispam 106
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

You will always receive e-mail messages from this address no matter
what they contain.
5. Click the Not Spam button on the Bitdefender antispam toolbar (normally
located in the upper part of the mail client window). The e-mail message
will be moved to the Inbox folder.

16.3.2. Indicating undetected spam messages

If you are using a supported mail client, you can easily indicate which e-mail
messages should have been detected as spam. Doing so helps improve the
efficiency of the antispam filter. Follow these steps:
1. Open your mail client.
2. Go to the Inbox folder.
3. Select the undetected spam messages.
4. Click the Is Spam button on the Bitdefender antispam toolbar (normally
located in the upper part of the mail client window). They are immediately
marked as [spam] and moved to the junk mail folder.

16.3.3. Configuring toolbar settings

To configure the antispam toolbar settings for your e-mail client, click
Settings button on the toolbar, and then the Toolbar Settings tab.
Here you have the following options:
Mark spam e-mail messages as 'Read' - marks the spam messages as
read automatically, so as not to be disturbing when they arrive.
You can choose whether or not to display confirmation windows when
you click the Add Spammer and Add Friend buttons on the antispam
toolbar.
Confirmation windows can prevent accidentally adding e-mail senders to
Friends / Spammers list.

16.4. Configuring the Friends List

The Friends list is a list of all the e-mail addresses from which you always
want to receive messages, regardless of their content. Messages from your
friends are not labeled as spam, even if the content resembles spam.

Antispam 107
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Note
Any mail coming from an address contained in the Friends list, will
automatically be delivered to your Inbox without further processing.

To configure and manage the Friends list:

If you are using Microsoft Outlook or Thunderbird, click the Friends
button on the Bitdefender antispam toolbar.
Alternatively:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the ANTISPAM module, select Manage Friends.
To add an e-mail address, select the E-mail address option, enter the address,
and then click Add. Syntax: [email protected].
To add all the e-mail addresses from a specific domain, select the Domain
name option, enter the domain name, and then click Add. Syntax:
@domain.com, *domain.com and domain.com - all the received e-mail
messages from domain.com will reach your Inbox regardless of their
content;
*domain* - all the received e-mail messages from domain (no matter the
domain suffixes) will reach your Inbox regardless of their content;
*com - all the received e-mail messages having the domain suffix com will
reach your Inbox regardless of their content;
It is recommended to avoid adding entire domains, but this may be useful
in some situations. For example, you can add the e-mail domain of the
company you work for, or those of your trusted partners.
To delete an item from the list, click the corresponding Remove link. To delete
all entries from the list, click the Clear List button.
You can save the Friends list to a file so that you can use it on another
computer or after reinstalling the product. To save the Friends list, click the
Save button and save it to the desired location. The file will have a .bwl
extension.
To load a previously saved Friends list, click the Load button and open the
corresponding .bwl file. To reset the content of the existing list when loading
a previously saved list, select Overwrite current list.
Click OK to save the changes and close the window.

Antispam 108
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

16.5. Configuring the Spammers List

The Spammers list is a list of all the e-mail addresses from which you don't
want to receive messages, regardless of their content. Any e-mail message
received from an address contained in the Spammers list will be automatically
marked as SPAM, without further processing.
To configure and manage the Spammers list:
If you are using Microsoft Outlook or Thunderbird, click Spammers
button on the Bitdefender antispam toolbar integrated into your mail client.
Alternatively:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the ANTISPAM module, select Manage Spammers.
To add an e-mail address, select the E-mail address option, enter the address,
and then click Add. Syntax: [email protected].
To add all the e-mail addresses from a specific domain, select the Domain
name option, enter the domain name, and then click Add. Syntax:
@domain.com, *domain.com and domain.com - all the received e-mail
messages from domain.com will be tagged as SPAM;
*domain* - all the received e-mail messages from domain (no matter the
domain suffixes) will be tagged as SPAM;
*com - all the received e-mail messages having the domain suffix com will
be tagged as SPAM.
It is recommended to avoid adding entire domains, but this may be useful
in some situations.

Warning
Do not add domains of legitimate web-based e-mail services (such as Yahoo,
Gmail, Hotmail or other) to the Spammers list. Otherwise, the e-mail messages
received from any registered user of such a service will be detected as spam.
If, for example, you add yahoo.com to the Spammers list, all e-mail messages
coming from yahoo.com addresses will be marked as [spam].

To delete an item from the list, click the corresponding Remove link. To delete
all entries from the list, click the Clear List button.

Antispam 109
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

You can save the Spammers list to a file so that you can use it on another
computer or after reinstalling the product. To save the Spammers list, click
the Save button and save it to the desired location. The file will have a .bwl
extension.
To load a previously saved Spammers list, click the Load button and open
the corresponding .bwl file. To reset the content of the existing list when
loading a previously saved list, select Overwrite current list.
Click OK to save the changes and close the window.

16.6. Configuring the local antispam filters

As described in Antispam insights (p. 104), Bitdefender uses a combination
of different antispam filters to identify spam. The antispam filters are
pre-configured for efficient protection.

Important
Depending on whether or not you receive legitimate e-mails written in Asian
or Cyrillic characters, disable or enable the setting that automatically blocks
such e-mails. The corresponding setting is disabled in the localized versions
of the program that use such charsets (for example, in the Russian or Chinese
version).

To configure the local antispam filters:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTISPAM module.

4. Click the switches to turn on or off the local antispam filters.
If you are using Microsoft Outlook or Thunderbird, you can configure the
local antispam filters directly from your mail client. Click the Settings
button on the Bitdefender antispam toolbar (normally located in the upper
part of the mail client window), and then the Antispam Filters tab.

16.7. Configuring the cloud settings

The cloud detection makes use of the Bitdefender Cloud services to provide
you with efficient and always up-to-date antispam protection.

Antispam 110
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

The cloud protection functions as long as you keep Bitdefender Antispam

enabled.
Samples of legitimate or spam e-mails can be submitted to Bitdefender Cloud
when you indicate detection errors or undetected spam e-mails. This helps
improve the Bitdefender antispam detection.
Configure the e-mail sample submission to Bitdefender Cloud by selecting
the desired options, by following these steps:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTISPAM module.

4. Select the desired options from the SETTINGS tab.
If you are using Microsoft Outlook or Thunderbird, you can configure the
cloud detection directly from your mail client. Click the Settings button
on the Bitdefender antispam toolbar (normally located in the upper part of
the mail client window), and then the Cloud Settings tab.

Antispam 111
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

17. WEB PROTECTION

Bitdefender Web Protection ensures a safe browsing experience by alerting
you about potential malicious web pages.
Bitdefender provides real-time web protection for:
Internet Explorer
Microsoft Edge
Mozilla Firefox
Google Chrome
Safari
Bitdefender Safepay
Opera
To configure Web Protection settings:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the WEB PROTECTION

module.
Click the switches to turn on or off:
Search Advisor, a component that rates the results of your search engine
queries and the links posted on social networking websites by placing an
icon next to every result:
You should not visit this web page.
This web page may contain dangerous content. Exercise caution if you
decide to visit it.
This is a safe page to visit.
Search Advisor rates the search results from the following web search
engines:
Google
Yahoo!
Bing
Baidu
Search Advisor rates the links posted on the following online social
networking services:

Web Protection 112

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Facebook
Twitter
Scanning SSL.
More sophisticated attacks might use secure web traffic to mislead their
victims. It is therefore recommended to enable SSL scanning.
Protection against fraud.
Protection against phishing.
You can create a list of web sites that will not be scanned by the Bitdefender
antimalware, antiphishing and antifraud engines. The list should contain
only web sites you fully trust. For example, add the web sites where you
currently shop online.
To configure and manage web sites using the web protection provided by
Bitdefender, click the Whitelist link. A new window appears.
To add a site to the whitelist, provide its address in the corresponding field
and click Add.
To remove a web site from the list, select it in the list and click the
corresponding Remove link.
Click Save to save the changes and close the window.

17.1. Bitdefender alerts in the browser

Whenever you try to visit a website classified as unsafe, the website is
blocked and a warning page is displayed in your browser.
The page contains information such as the website URL and the detected
threat.
You have to decide what to do next. The following options are available:
Navigate away from the web page by clicking Take me back to safety.
Proceed to the web page, despite the warning, by clicking I understand
the risks, take me there anyway.

Web Protection 113

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

18. DATA PROTECTION

18.1. Deleting files permanently
When you delete a file, it can no longer be accessed through normal means.
However, the file continues to be stored on the hard disk until it is overwritten
when copying new files.
The Bitdefender File Shredder helps you permanently delete data by physically
removing it from your hard disk.
You can quickly shred files or folders from your computer using the Windows
contextual menu, by following these steps:
1. Right-click the file or folder you want to permanently delete.
2. Select Bitdefender > File Shredder in the context menu that appears.
3. A confirmation window appears. Click YES, DELETE to start the File
Shredder wizard. Wait for Bitdefender to finish shredding the files.
4. The results are displayed. Click FINISH to exit the wizard.
Alternatively, you can shred files from the Bitdefender interface, as follows:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the DATA PROTECTION module, select File Shredder.
4. Follow the File Shredder wizard:
a. Click the ADD FILES... button to add the files or folders you want to be
permanently removed.
Alternatively, drag these files or folders to this window.
b. Click DELETE FYLES PERMANENTLY, and then confirm that you wish
to continue with the process.
Wait for Bitdefender to finish shredding the files.
c. Results summary
The results are displayed. Click FINISH to exit the wizard.

Data Protection 114

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

19. VULNERABILITY
An important step in protecting your computer against malicious actions
and applications is to keep the operating system and the applications you
regularly use up to date. 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 and for the
Wi-Fi networks you connect to as well.
Bitdefender automatically checks your system for vulnerabilities and alerts
you about them. It scans for the following:
outdated applications on your computer.
missing Windows updates.
weak passwords to Windows user accounts.
not secured wireless networks and routers.
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 option.
Using automatic vulnerability monitoring, you can check and fix detected
vulnerabilities in the Notifications window.
You should check and fix system vulnerabilities every one or two weeks.

19.1. Scanning your system for vulnerabilities

To fix system vulnerabilities using the Vulnerability Scan option:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the Vulnerability Scan action button.
3. Wait for Bitdefender to check your system for vulnerabilities. To stop the
scanning process, click the Skip button at the top of the window.
Critical Windows updates
Click View details to see the list of critical Windows updates that are
not currently installed on your computer.
To initiate the installation of selected updates, click Install updates.
Please note that it may take a while to install the updates and some of

Vulnerability 115
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

them may require a system restart to complete the installation. If

required, restart the system at your earliest convenience.
Application updates
If an application is not up to date, click the Download new version link
to download the latest version.
Click View details to see information about the application that needs
to be updated.
Weak Windows account passwords
You can see the list of the Windows user accounts configured on your
computer and the level of protection their password provides.
Click Change password at login to set a new password for your system.
Click View details to modify the weak passwords. You can choose
between asking the user to change the password at the next login 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 @).
Weak Wi-Fi networks
Click View details to find out more about the wireless network you are
connected to. If it is recommended to set a stronger password for your
home network, click the corresponding link.
When other recommendations are available, follow the provided
instructions to make sure your home network stays safe from the
hackers' prying eyes.
In the upper-right corner of the window you can filter the results according
to your preferences.

19.2. Using automatic vulnerability monitoring

Bitdefender scans your system for vulnerabilities regularly, in the background,
and keeps records of detected issues in the Notifications window.
To check and fix the detected issues:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. In the All tab, select the notification regarding the Vulnerability scan.

Vulnerability 116
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

3. 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 INSTALL.
If automatic Windows update is disabled, click ENABLE.
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 CHANGE
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 FIX to disable it.
If the router you have configured has set a weak password, click
CHANGE PASSWORD to access its interface from where you can set a
strong one.
If the network you are connected to has vulnerabilities which may
expose your system at risk, click CHANGE WIFI SETTINGS.
To configure the vulnerability monitoring settings:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the VULNERABILITY module.

4. Click the corresponding switch to turn on or off Vulnerability scan.

Important
To be automatically notified about system or application vulnerabilities,
keep the Vulnerability option enabled.

5. 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.

Vulnerability 117
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Application updates
Check if 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 and routers
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 system. A strong password includes
uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters
(such as #, $ or @).
Media autorun
Check the status of the Windows Autorun feature. This feature enables
applications to be automatically started from CDs, DVDs, USB drives
or other external devices.
Some types of malware use Autorun to spread automatically from
removable media to the PC. This is why it is recommended to disable
this Windows feature.
Wi-Fi Security Advisor notifications
Check if the wireless home network you are connected to is secure
or not, and if it has vulnerabilities. Also, check if the password of your
home router is strong enough, and how you can make it safer.
Most unprotected wireless networks are not secure, thus allowing the
hackers' prying eyes have access to your private activities.

Note
If you turn off monitoring of a specific vulnerability, related issues will no
longer be recorded in the Notifications window.

19.3. Wi-Fi Security Advisor

While on the go, working in a coffee shop, or waiting at the airport, connecting
to a public wireless network for making payments, checking e-mails or social
network accounts can be the fastest solution. But prying eyes trying to hijack
your personal data can be there, watching how the information leaks through
the network.

Vulnerability 118
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Personal data means the passwords and usernames you use to get access
to your online accounts, such as emails, bank accounts, social media
accounts, but also the messages you send.
Usually, public wireless networks are more likely to be unsafe since they do
not require password at login, and if they do, the password could be made
available to anybody who wants to connect. Moreover, they may be malicious
or honeypot networks, representing a target for cyber criminals.
To safeguard you against the perils of unsecured or unencrypted public
wireless hotspots, Bitdefender Wi-Fi Security Advisor analyzes how secure
a wireless network is, and when necessary, it recommends you to use
Bitdefender Safepay with the Wi-Fi Hotspot option enabled.
The Bitdefender Wi-Fi Security Advisor gives information about:
Home Wi-Fi networks
Public Wi-Fi networks

19.3.1. Turning on or off Wi-Fi Security Advisor notifications

To turn off the Wi-Fi Security Advisor notifications:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the VULNERABILITY module.

4. Click the corresponding switch to turn on or off Wi-Fi Security Advisor
notifications.

19.3.2. Configuring Home Wi-Fi network

To start configuring your home network:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the VULNERABILITY module, select Wi-Fi Security Advisor.
4. In the HOME WI-FI tab, click the SELECT HOME WI-FI button.
A list with the wireless networks you connected to until now is displayed.
5. Point to your home network, and then click SELECT.

Vulnerability 119
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

If a home network is considered unsecured or unsafe, configuration

recommendations to improve its security are displayed.
To remove the wireless network you have set as a home network, click the
REMOVE button.

19.3.3. Public Wi-Fi

While connected to an unsecured or unsafe wireless network, the Public
Wi-Fi profile is activated. While running in this profile, Bitdefender Internet
Security 2017 is set to automatically accomplish the following program
settings:
Active Threat Control is turned on
The Bitdefender Firewall is turned on and the following settings are applied
to your wireless adapter:
Stealth mode - ON
Generic - OFF
Network type- Public
The following settings from Web Protection are turned on:
Scan SSL
Protection against fraud
Protection against phishing
A button that opens Bitdefender Safepay is available. In this case, the
Hotspot protection for unsecured networks is enabled by default.

19.3.4. Checking information about Wi-Fi networks

To check information about the wireless networks you usually connect to:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the VULNERABILITY module, select Wi-Fi Security Advisor.
4. Depending on the information you need, select one of the two tabs, HOME
WI-FI or PUBLIC WI-FI.
5. Click View details next to the network you want to find more info about.

Vulnerability 120
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

There are three types of wireless networks filtered by their importance, each
type indicated by a specific icon:
Wi-Fi is unsafe - indicates that the security level of the network is low.
This means that there is a high risk to use it, and it is not recommended to
make payments or check bank accounts without an extra protection. In such
situations, we recommend you to use Bitdefender Safepay with Hotspot
protection for unsecured networks enabled.
Wi-Fi is unsafe - indicates that the security level of the network is
moderate. This means that it can have vulnerabilities and it is not
recommended to make payments or check bank accounts without an extra
protection. In such situations, we recommend you to use Bitdefender
Safepay with Hotspot protection for unsecured networks enabled.
Wi-Fi is secure - indicates that the network you use is secure. In this
case, you can use sensitive data for making online operations.
By clicking the View details link in the area of each network, the following
details are displayed:
Secured - here you can view if the selected network is secured or not.
Unencrypted networks can leave the data you use exposed.
Encryption type - here you can view the encryption type used by the
selected network. Some encryption types may not be secure. Therefore,
we strongly recommend you to check information about the displayed
encryption type to be sure that you are protected while surfing the web.
Channel/Frequency - here you can view the channel frequency used by
the selected network.
Password strength - here you can view how strong the password is. Note
that the networks that have set weak passwords represent a target to
cyber criminals.
Type of sign in - here you can view if the selected network is protected
using a password or not. It is highly recommended to connect only to
networks that have set strong passwords.
Authentication type - here you can view the authentication type used by
the selected network.
Keep the Notify option enabled to receive notifications every time your system
connects to this network.

Vulnerability 121
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

20. FIREWALL
The Firewall protects your computer from inbound and outbound
unauthorized connection attempts, both on local networks and on the
Internet. It is quite similar to a guard at your gate - it keeps track of connection
attempts and decides which to allow and which to block.
The Bitdefender firewall uses a set of rules to filter data transmitted to and
from your system. The rules are grouped into 2 categories:
General Rules
Rules that determine the protocols over which communication is allowed.
A default set of rules that provides an optimal protection is used. You
can edit the rules by allowing or denying connections over certain
protocols.
Application Rules
Rules that determine how each application can access network resources
and the Internet.
Under normal conditions, Bitdefender automatically creates a rule
whenever an application tries to access the Internet. You can also
manually add or edit rules for applications.
Bitdefender automatically assigns a network type to every network
connection it detects. Depending on the network type, the firewall protection
is set to the appropriate level for each connection.
To find out more about the firewall settings for each network type and how
you can edit the network settings, please refer to Managing connection
settings (p. 126).

20.1. Turning on or off firewall protection

To turn firewall protection on or off:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the FIREWALL module.

4. Turn on or off the Firewall using the corresponding switch.

Firewall 122
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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.

20.2. Managing firewall rules

20.2.1. General rules
Whenever data is transmitted over the Internet, certain protocols are used.
The general rules allow you to configure the protocols over which traffic is
allowed. By default, general rules are not displayed when you open Firewall.
To edit the rules:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the FIREWALL module.

4. Select the RULES tab.
5. Select the Show General Rules check box in the left-lower corner of the
window.
The default rules are displayed. To edit the priority of a rule, click the
corresponding arrow in the Permission column and select Allow or Deny.
DNS over UDP / TCP
Allow or deny DNS over UDP and TCP.
By default, this type of connection is allowed.
Sending E-mails
Allow or deny sending e-mails over SMTP.
By default, this type of connection is allowed.
Web Browsing HTTP
Allow or deny HTTP web browsing.
By default, this type of connection is allowed.
Incoming ICMP / ICMPv6
Allow or deny ICMP / ICMPv6 messages.

Firewall 123
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

ICMP messages are often used by hackers to carry out attacks against
computer networks. By default, this type of connection is denied.
Incoming Remote Desktop Connections
Allow or deny other computers' access over Remote Desktop
Connections.
By default, this type of connection is allowed.
Windows Explorer traffic on HTTP / FTP
Allow or deny HTTP and FTP traffic from Windows Explorer.
By default, this type of connection is denied.

20.2.2. Application rules

To view and manage the firewall rules controlling applications' access to
network resources and the Internet:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the FIREWALL module.

4. Select the RULES tab.
You can see the programs (processes) for which firewall rules have been
created in the table. To see the rules created for a specific application, simply
double-click it.
For each rule the following information is displayed:
Name - the name of the process the rules applies to.
Network Type - the process and the network adapter types the rule applies
to. Rules are automatically created to filter network or Internet access
through any adapter. By default, the rules apply to any network. You can
manually create rules or edit existing rules to filter an application's network
or Internet access through a specific adapter (for example, a wireless
network adapter).
Protocol - the IP protocol the rule applies to. By default, the rules apply to
any protocol.
Permission - whether the application is allowed or denied access to the
network or Internet under the specified circumstances.

Firewall 124
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

To manage the rules, use the buttons above the table:

ADD RULE - opens a window where you can create a new rule.
DELETE - deletes the selected rule.
RESET RULES - opens a window where you can choose to remove the
current set of rules and restore the default ones.

Adding / editing application rules

To add or edit an application rule, click the ADD RULE button above the table
or click a current rule. A new window appears. Proceed as follows:
In the Settings tab you can apply the following changes:
Program Path. Click Browse and select the application the rule applies
to.
Network Type. Select the type of network the rule applies to. You can
change the type by opening the Network Type drop-down menu and
selecting one of the available types from the list.

Network Type Description

Trusted Disable the firewall for the respective adapter.
Home/Office Allow all traffic between your computer and computers
in the local network.
Public All traffic is filtered.
Untrusted Completely block network and Internet traffic through
the respective adapter.

Permission. Select one of the available permissions:

Permission Description
Allow The specified application will be allowed network / Internet
access under the specified circumstances.
Deny The specified application will be denied network / Internet
access under the specified circumstances.

In the Advanced tab you can customize the following settings:

Firewall 125
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Custom Local Address. Specify the local IP address and port the rule
applies to.
Custom Remote Address. Specify the remote IP address and port the rule
applies to.
Direction. Select from the menu the traffic direction the rule applies to.

Direction Description
Outbound The rule applies only for the outgoing traffic.
Inbound The rule applies only for the incoming traffic.
Both The rule applies in both directions.

Protocol. Select from the menu the IP protocol the rule applies to.
If you want the rule to apply to all protocols, select Any.
If you want the rule to apply to TCP, select TCP.
If you want the rule to apply to UDP, select UDP.
If you want the rule to apply to a specific protocol, type the number
assigned to the protocol you want to filter in the blank edit field.

Note
IP protocol numbers are assigned by the Internet Assigned Numbers
Authority (IANA). You can find the complete list of assigned IP protocol
numbers at http://www.iana.org/assignments/protocol-numbers.

20.3. Managing connection settings

For each network connection you can configure special trusted or untrusted
zones.
A trusted zone is a device that you fully trust, for example a computer or a
printer. All traffic between your computer and a trusted device is allowed.
To share resources with specific computers in an unsecured wireless network,
add them as allowed computers.
An untrusted zone is a device that you do not want to communicate with
your computer at all.

Firewall 126
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

To view and manage zones on your network adapters:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the FIREWALL module.

4. Select the ADAPTERS tab.
The network adapters with active connections and the current zones, if any,
are displayed in this tab.
For each zone the following information is displayed:
Network Type - the type of network your computer is connected to.
Stealth Mode - whether you can be detected by other computers.
To configure the Stealth Mode, select the desired option from the
corresponding drop-down menu.

Stealth option Description

On Stealth Mode is on. Your computer is invisible
from both the local network and the Internet.
Off Stealth Mode is off. Anyone from the local
network or the Internet can ping and detect your
computer.

Generic - whether generic rules are applied to this connection.

If the IP address of a network adapter is changed, Bitdefender modifies
the network type accordingly. If you want to keep the same type, select
Yes from the corresponding drop-down menu.

Adding / editing exceptions

To add or edit an exception, click the Network Exceptions link above the
table. A new window displaying the available Adapters connected to the
network will appear. Proceed as follows:
1. Select the IP address of the computer you want to add, or type an address
or address range in the provided text box.
2. Select the permission:

Firewall 127
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Allow - to allow all traffic between your computer and the selected
computer.
Deny - to block all traffic between your computer and the selected
computer.
3. Click the + button to add the exception and close the window.
If you want to remove an IP, click the corresponding button and close the
window.

20.4. Configuring advanced settings

To configure advanced firewall settings:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the FIREWALL module.

4. Select the SETTINGS tab.
The following feature can be enabled or disabled:
Block port scans in the network - detects and blocks attempts to find out
which ports are open.
Port scans are frequently used by hackers to find out which ports are open
on your computer. They might then break into your computer if they find
a less secure or vulnerable port.

20.5. Configuring alert intensity

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 was designed to be as unintrusive as
possible. Under normal conditions, you do not have to make decisions on
whether to allow or deny connections or actions attempted by the
applications running on your system.
If you want to be in complete control of the decision making:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. In the GENERAL window, turn on Paranoid mode by clicking the
corresponding switch.

Firewall 128
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Note
When Paranoid mode is turned on, the Autopilot and Profiles features are
automatically switched off.
Paranoid mode can be used simultaneously with Battery Mode.

As long as Paranoid mode is on, you will be prompted for action every time
one of the following situations occurs:
An application tries to connect to the Internet.
An application tries to perform an action considered suspicious by Active
Threat Control.
The alert contains detailed information regarding the application and the
detected behavior. Select to Allow or Deny the action using the corresponding
button.

Firewall 129
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

21. RANSOMWARE PROTECTION

Ransomware is a malicious software that attacks vulnerable systems by
locking them, and asks for money to let the user take back the control of his
system. This malicious software acts intelligent by displaying false messages
to panic the user, urging him to proceed with the asked payment.
The infection can be spread via spam e-mails, by downloading attachments,
or by visiting infected websites and installing malicious applications without
letting the user know what is happening on his system.
Ransomware can have one of the following behaviors preventing the user
from accessing his system:
Encrypts sensitive and personal files without giving the possibility of
decryption until a ransom is paid by the victim.
Locks the computers screen and displays a message asking for money.
In this case, no file is encrypted, only the user is forced to proceed with
the payment.
Blocks applications from running.
Using the latest technology, Bitdefender Ransomware Protection ensures
system integrity by protecting critical system areas against damages without
impacting the system. However, you may also want to protect your personal
files such as documents, photos, movies, or the files you keep stored in the
cloud.

21.1. Turning on or off Ransomware Protection

To turn off the Ransomware Protection module:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the RANSOMWARE

PROTECTION module.
4. Click the corresponding switch to turn on or off Ransomware Protection.
Each time an application will try to access a protected file, a Bitdefender
pop-up is displayed. You can allow or deny the access.

Ransomware Protection 130

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

21.2. Protect personal files from ransomware attacks

If you want to settle personal files to a shelter:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the RANSOMWARE

PROTECTION module.
4. Click the ADD button.
5. Go to the folder you want to protect, and then click OK to add the selected
folder to the protection environment.
By default, the folders Documents, Pictures, Videos, Music, Desktop, Public
Documents, Public Pictures, Public Videos, Public Music, and Public Desktop
are protected against malware attacks.

Note
Custom folders can be protected only for current users. System and application
files cannot be added to exceptions.

21.3. Configuring trusted applications

Disable ransomware protection for specific applications, but only the ones
you trust should be added to the list.
To add trusted applications to exclusions:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the RANSOMWARE PROTECTION module, select Trusted applications.
4. Click Add and browse to the applications you want to protect.
5. Click OK to add the selected application to the protection environment.

21.4. Configuring blocked applications

Those applications that try to change or delete protected files may be flagged
as potentially unsafe and added to the Blocked applications' list. If such an
application is blocked and you are sure that its behavior is normal, you can
exclude it by following these steps:

Ransomware Protection 131

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the RANSOMWARE PROTECTION module, select Blocked applications.
4. Click Allow and browse to the application you are sure is safe.
5. Click OK to add the selected application to the trusted list.

21.5. Protection at boot

It is known that many malware applications are set to run at system startup,
a fact which can seriously damage a machine. Bitdefender Boot time
protection scans all critical system areas before all files are being loaded,
with zero impact on the system. At the same time, protection is provided
against certain attacks that rely on stack or heap code execution, code
injections or hooks inside certain core dynamic libraries.
To disable Protection at boot:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the RANSOMWARE

PROTECTION module.
4. Click the corresponding switch to turn on or off Protection at boot.

Ransomware Protection 132

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

22. SAFEPAY SECURITY FOR ONLINE TRANSACTIONS

The computer is quickly becoming the main tool for shopping and banking.
Paying bills, transferring money, buying pretty much anything you can imagine
has never been quicker or easier.
This involves sending personal information, account and credit card data,
passwords and other types of private information over the Internet, in other
words exactly the type of information flow that cyber-criminals are very
interested to tap into. Hackers are relentless in their efforts to steal this
information, so you can never be too careful about securing online
transactions.
Bitdefender Safepay is first of all a protected browser, a sealed environment
that is designed to keep your online banking, e-shopping and any other type
of online transaction private and secure.
For the best privacy protection, Bitdefender Password Manager has been
integrated into Bitdefender Safepay to secure your credentials whenever
you want to access private online locations. For more information, please
refer to Password Manager protection for your credentials (p. 138).
Bitdefender Safepay offers the following features:
It blocks access to your desktop and any attempt to take snapshots of
your screen.
It protects your secret passwords while browsing online with Password
Manager.
It comes with a virtual keyboard which, when used, makes it impossible
for hackers to read your keystrokes.
It is completely independent from your other browsers.
It comes with built-in hotspot protection to be used when your computer
is connected to unsecured Wi-fi networks.
It supports bookmarks and allows you to navigate between your favorite
banking/shopping sites.
It is not limited to banking and e-shopping. Any website can be opened in
Bitdefender Safepay.

Safepay security for online transactions 133

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

22.1. Using Bitdefender Safepay

By default, Bitdefender detects when you navigate to an online banking site
or online shop in any browser on your computer and prompts you to launch
it in Bitdefender Safepay.
To access the main interface of Bitdefender Safepay, use one of the
following methods:
From the Bitdefender interface:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Click the Safepay action button.
From Windows:
In Windows 7:
1. Click Start and go to All Programs.
2. Click Bitdefender.
3. Click Bitdefender Safepay.
In Windows 8 and Windows 8.1:
Locate Bitdefender Safepay from the Windows Start screen (for
example, you can start typing "Bitdefender Safepay" directly in the
Start screen) and then click the icon.
In Windows 10:
Type "Bitdefender Safepay" in the search box from the taskbar and
click its icon.

Note
If the Adobe Flash Player plugin is not installed or is outdated, a Bitdefender
message will be displayed. Click the corresponding button to continue.
After the installation process is completed, you will have to manually reopen
the Bitdefender Safepay browser to continue your work.

If you are used to web browsers, you will have no trouble using Bitdefender
Safepay - it looks and behaves like a regular browser:
enter URLs you want to go to in the address bar.
add tabs to visit multiple websites in the Bitdefender Safepay window
by clicking .

Safepay security for online transactions 134

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

navigate back and forward and refresh pages using respectively.

access Bitdefender Safepay settings by clicking and choosing Settings.

protect your passwords with Password Manager by clicking .

manage your bookmarks by clicking next to the address bar.
open the virtual keyboard by clicking .
increase or decrease the browser size by pressing simultaneously Ctrl and
the +/- keys in the numeric keypad.
view information about your Bitdefender product by clicking and
choosing About.
print important information by clicking .

Note
To switch between Bitdefender Safepay and Windows desktop, press the
Alt+Tab keys, or click the Minimize button.

22.2. Configuring settings

Click and choose Settings to configure Bitdefender Safepay:
In the General Settings you can set up the following:
Bitdefender Safepay behavior
Choose what will happen when you access an online shop or Internet
banking site in your regular web browser:
Automatically open websites in Safepay.
Recommend me to use Safepay.
Do not recommend me to use Safepay.
Domains list
Choose how Bitdefender Safepay will behave when you visit websites
from specific domains in your regular web browser by adding them to
the domains list and selecting the behavior for each one:
Automatically open in Bitdefender Safepay.
Have Bitdefender prompt you for action each time.
Never use Bitdefender Safepay when visiting a page from the
domain in a regular browser.

Safepay security for online transactions 135

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Blocking pop-ups
You can choose to block pop-ups by clicking the corresponding switch.
You can also create a list of web sites to allow pop-ups from. The list
should contain only web sites you fully trust.
To add a site to the list, provide its address in the corresponding field
and click Add domain.
To remove a web site from the list, select the X corresponding to the
desired entry.
Enable Hotspot protection
You can enable an extra layer of protection when connected to
unsecured Wi-fi networks by enabling this feature.
Access Hotspot protection for unsecured networks (p. 137) for more
information.
In the Advanced Settings area, the following options are available:
Manage Plugins
You can choose whether you wish to enable or disable specific plugins
in Bitdefender Safepay.
Manage certificates
You can import certificates from your system to a certificate store.
Select Import certificates and follow the wizard to use the certificates
in Bitdefender Safepay.
Automatically launch Virtual Keyboard at password fields
The Virtual Keyboard will automatically appear when a password field
is selected.
Use the corresponding switch to enable or disable the feature.
Ask for confirmation before printing
Enable this option if you want to give your confirmation before the
printing process starts.

22.3. Managing bookmarks

If you disabled the automatic detection of some or all websites, or Bitdefender
simply doesn't detect certain websites, you can add bookmarks to Bitdefender
Safepay so that you can easily launch favorite websites in the future.
Follow these steps to add a URL to Bitdefender Safepay bookmarks:

Safepay security for online transactions 136

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

1. Click the icon next to the address bar to open the Bookmarks page.

Note
The Bookmarks page is opened by default when you start Bitdefender
Safepay.

2. Click the + button to add a new bookmark.

3. Enter the URL and the title of the bookmark and click Create. Check the
Automatically open in Safepay option if you want the bookmarked page
to open with Bitdefender Safepay each time you access it. The URL is
also added to the Domains list on the settings page.

22.4. Hotspot protection for unsecured networks

When using Bitdefender Safepay while connected to unsecured Wi-fi
networks (for example, a public hotspot) an extra layer of security is offered
by the Hotspot protection feature. This service encrypts Internet
communication over unsecured connections, helping you maintain your
privacy no matter what network you are connected to.
The Hotspot protection works only if your computer is connected to an
unsecured network.
The secure connection will be initialized and a message will be displayed in
the Bitdefender Safepay window when the connection is established. The
symbol appears in front of the URL in the address bar to help you easily
identify secure connections.
You may need to acknowledge the action.

Safepay security for online transactions 137

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

23. PASSWORD MANAGER PROTECTION FOR YOUR

CREDENTIALS
We use our computers to shop online or pay our bills, to connect to social
media platforms or log in with instant messaging applications.
But as everybody knows, its not always easy to remember the password!
And if we are not careful while browsing online, our private information, such
as our e-mail address, our instant messaging ID or our credit card data can
be compromised.
To keep your passwords or your personal data on a sheet of paper or in the
computer can be dangerous because they can be accessed and used by
people who want to steal and use that information. And to remember each
password you have set for your online accounts or for your favorite websites
is not an easy task.
Therefore, is there a way to make sure that we find our passwords when we
need them? And can we rest assured that our secret passwords are always
safe?
Password Manager helps you keep track of your passwords, protects your
privacy and provides a secure browsing experience.
Using a single master password to access your credentials, Password
Manager makes it easy for you to keep your passwords safe in a Wallet.
To offer the best protection for your online activities, Password Manager is
integrated with Bitdefender Safepay and provides a unified solution for the
various ways in which your private data can be compromised.
Password Manager protects the following private information:
Personal information, such as the e-mail address or the phone number
Login credentials for the websites
Bank account information or the credit card number
Access data to the e-mail accounts
Passwords for the applications
Passwords for the Wi-Fi networks

Password Manager protection for your credentials 138

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

23.1. Create a new Wallet database

Bitdefender Wallet is the place where you can store your personal data. For
an easier browser experience, you need to create a Wallet database as
follows:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the PASSWORD MANAGER module, select Create new Wallet.
4. Select the Create new button.
5. Type the required information in the corresponding fields.
Wallet label - type a unique name for your Wallet database.
Master Password - type a password for your Wallet.
Retype Password - retype the password you set.
Hint - type a hint to remember the password.
6. Click Continue.
7. At this step you can choose to store your information in the cloud. If you
select Yes, banking information will remain stored locally on your device.
Choose the desired option, then click Continue.
8. Select the web browser you want to import credentials from.
9. Click Finish.

23.2. Import an existing database

To import a wallet database stored locally:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the PASSWORD MANAGER module, select Create new Wallet.
4. Select the From target button.
5. Search the location of your wallet database and select it (the .db file).
6. Click Open.

Password Manager protection for your credentials 139

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

7. Give a name to your Wallet and type in the password assigned when it
was created in the first place.
8. Click Import.
9. Select the programs you want the Wallet to import credentials from, and
then the Finish button.

23.3. Export the Wallet database

To export your Wallet database:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the PASSWORD MANAGER module, select My Wallets.

4. Click the icon on the desired wallet, and then select Export.
5. Search the location of your wallet database and select it (the .db file).
6. Click Save.

Note
The Wallet needs to be opened in order for the Export option to be available.
If the wallet you need to export is locked, click the ACTIVATE WALLET button,
and then type in the password assigned when it was created in the first place.

23.4. Synchronize your wallets in the cloud

To turn the wallets synchronization in the cloud on or off:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the PASSWORD MANAGER module, select My Wallets.

4. Click the icon on the desired wallet, and then select Settings.
5. Choose the desired option in the window that appears, then click Save.

Note
The Wallet needs to be opened in order for the Export option to be available.

Password Manager protection for your credentials 140

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

If the wallet you need to synchronize is locked, click the ACTIVATE WALLET
button, and then type in the password assigned when it was created in the
first place.

23.5. Manage your Wallet credentials

To manage your passwords:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the PASSWORD MANAGER module, select My Wallets.
4. Select the desired Wallet database from the MY WALLETS window, then
click the ACTIVATE WALLET button.
5. Type the Master password, and then click OK.
A new window appears. Select the desired category from the upper part of
the window:
Identity
Websites
Online banking
Emails
Applications
Wi-Fi Networks

Adding/ editing the credentials

To add a new password, choose the desired category from the top, click
+ Add item, insert the information in the corresponding fields and click the
Save button.
To edit an entry from the table, select it and click the Edit button.
To remove an entry, select it, click the Delete button.

23.6. Turning on or off the Password Manager

protection
To turn the Password Manager protection on or off:

Password Manager protection for your credentials 141

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the PASSWORD MANAGER

module.
4. Use the corresponding switch to turn Password Manager on or off.

23.7. Managing the Password Manager settings

To configure the master password in detail:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the PASSWORD MANAGER

module.
4. Select the SECURITY SETTINGS tab.
The following options are available:
Ask for my master password when I login to my PC - you will be prompted
to insert your master password when you access the computer.
Ask for my master password when I open my browsers and apps - you will
be prompted to insert your master password when you access a browser
or an application.
Automatically lock Wallet when I leave my PC unattended - you will be
prompted to insert your master password when you return to your computer
after 15 minutes.

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

Improve your experience

To select the browsers or the applications where you want to integrate
Password Manager:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

Password Manager protection for your credentials 142

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the PASSWORD MANAGER

module.
4. Select the PLUGINS tab.
Check an application to use Password Manager and improve your
experience:
Internet Explorer
Mozilla Firefox
Google Chrome
Safepay

Configuring the Autofill

The Autofill feature makes it easy for you to connect with your favorite
websites or to log in with your online accounts. The first time you enter your
login credentials and personal information into your web browser, they are
automatically secured into the Wallet.
To configure the Autofill settings:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the PASSWORD MANAGER

module.
4. Select the AUTOFILL SETTINGS tab.
5. Configure the following options:
Configure how Wallet secures your credentials:
Save credentials automatically in Wallet - the login credentials and
other identifiable information such as your personal and credit card
details are automatically saved and updated into the Wallet.
Ask me every time - you will be asked every time if you want to add
your credentials to the Wallet.
Do not save, I will update the information manually - the credentials
can be added only manually into the Wallet.

Password Manager protection for your credentials 143

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Autofill login credentials:

Autofill login credentials every time - the credentials are inserted
automatically into the browser.
Autofill forms:
Prompt my fill options when I visit a page with forms - a popup with
the fill options will appear every time Bitdefender detects that you
want to perform an online payment or to sign up.

Manage the Password Manager information from your

browser
You can easily manage the Password Manager details directly from your
browser, to have all the important data at hand. The Bitdefender Wallet add-on
is supported by the following browsers: Google Chrome, Internet Explorer
and Mozilla Firefox, and is also also integrated with Safepay.
To access the Bitdefender Wallet extension, open your web browser, allow
the add-on to be installed and click the icon on the toolbar.
The Bitdefender Wallet extension contains the following options:
Open Wallet - opens the Wallet.
Lock Wallet - locks the Wallet.
Websites - opens a submenu with all the websites logins stored in the
Wallet. Click Add website to add new websites into the list.
Fill forms - opens a submenu containing the information you added for a
specific category. From here you can add new data to your Wallet.
Password Generator - enables you to generate random passwords you
can use for new or existing accounts. Click Show advanced settings to
customize the complexity of the password.
Settings - opens the Password Manager settings window.
Report issue - report any issue you encounter with the Bitdefender
Password Manager.

Password Manager protection for your credentials 144

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

24. PARENTAL ADVISOR

The Parental Advisor feature allows you to control the access to the Internet
and to specific applications for each device the feature is installed on. Once
you have configured Parental Advisor, you can easily find out what your child
is doing on the devices he uses and where he has been in the last 24 hours.
Moreover, to help you know better what your child is doing, the app gives
you statistics about his activities and interests.
All you need is a computer with Internet access and a web browser.
You can configure Parental Advisor to block:
inappropriate web pages.
applications like games, chat, filesharing programs or others.
specific contacts that are not allowed to come in contact by phone with
your child.
Check your children's activities and change the Parental Advisor settings
using Bitdefender account from any computer or mobile device connected
to the Internet.

24.1. Accessing Parental Advisor - MY CHILDREN

Once you access the Parental Advisor section, the MY CHILDREN window
is available. Here you can view and edit all the profiles you have created for
your children. The profiles are displayed as profile cards, allowing you to
quickly manage them and check their statuses at a glance.
As soon as you create a profile, you can start customizing more detailed
settings to monitor and control the access to the Internet and to specific
applications for your children.
You can access Parental Advisor settings from Bitdefender Central on any
computer or mobile device connected to the Internet.
Access your Bitdefender account:
On any device with Internet access:
1. Access Bitdefender Central.
2. Log in to your Bitdefender account using your e-mail address and
password.

Parental Advisor 145

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

3. Select the Parental Advisor module.

4. In the MY CHILDREN window that appears, you can manage and
configure the Parental Advisor profiles for each device.
From your Bitdefender interface:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the PARENTAL ADVISOR module, select Configure.
You are redirected to the Bitdefender account web page. Make sure
that you are logged in with your credentials.
4. Select the Parental Advisor module.
5. In the MY CHILDREN window that appears, you can manage and
configure the Parental Advisor profiles for each device.

Note
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 Advisor.

24.2. Adding your child's profile

To start monitoring your child's activities, you need to configure a profile
and install the Bitdefender Parental Advisor Agent on devices he uses.
To add your child's profile to Parental Advisor:
1. Access the Parental Advisor panel from Bitdefender Central.
2. Click ADD PROFILE on the right-side of the MY CHILDREN window.
3. Set specific information in the corresponding fields, such as: name, gender
and date of birth. To add a profile photo, click the Choose file link. Click
NEXT STEP to continue.
Based on children development standards, setting the child's date of birth
automatically loads specifications considered appropriate for his age
category.
4. If your child's device already has Bitdefender Internet Security 2017
installed, select his device from the available list, and then select the
account you want to monitor. Click SAVE.

Parental Advisor 146

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

If your child uses an Android device and the Bitdefender Parental Advisor
app is not installed, click ADD DEVICE. The Bitdefender Parental Advisor
for Android option is selected by default. Click NEXT STEP to continue.
5. Type the e-mail address where we should send the installation download
link of the Bitdefender Parental Advisor application, and then click SEND
INSTALLATION LINK.
On Windows based devices, the Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 you
have included in your subscription has to be downloaded and installed.
On Android devices, the Bitdefender Parental Advisor Agent has to be
downloaded and installed.

24.2.1. Assigning the same profile to multiple devices

You can assign the same profile to multiple devices belonging to the same
child, so that the same restrictions are applied.
To assign a profile to multiple devices:
1. Access Bitdefender Central.
2. Select the Parental Advisor module.

3. Click the icon on the desired profile card, and then select Devices.
4. Select from the list the available devices you wish to assign the profile
to.
If your child uses an Android device and the Bitdefender Parental Advisor
app is not installed, click ADD DEVICE. The Bitdefender Parental Advisor
for Android option is selected by default. Click NEXT STEP to continue.
Type the e-mail address where we should send the installation download
link of the Bitdefender Parental Advisor application, and then click SEND
INSTALLATION LINK.
5. After completing the installation process on the new device, select it from
the list to apply the profile.
6. Select SAVE.

24.2.2. Linking Parental Advisor to Bitdefender Central

To monitor your child's online activity on Android, you must link his device
to your Bitdefender account by logging in to the account from the app.

Parental Advisor 147

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

To link the device to your Bitdefender account:

1. Select the Google Play button that appears in the e-mail sent by our server,
and then install the app.
If you did not chose from your Bitdefender account to send a download
link to your child's e-mail address, go to Google Play and search the
Bitdefender Parental Advisor app.
2. Open the Parental Advisor app.
3. Read the End User License Agreement, and then tap CONTINUE.
4. Log in to your existing Bitdefender account.
If you do not have an account, choose to create a new account using the
corresponding option.
5. Tap Enable Usage Access and select the corresponding check box.
6. Activate device administrator rights for the app by tapping ACTIVATE.
This will prevent your child from uninstalling the Parental Advisor Agent.

24.2.3. Monitoring the child's activity

Bitdefender helps you keep track of what your children are doing online.
This way, you can always find out exactly what websites they have visited,
what applications they have used or what activities have been blocked by
the Parental Advisor.
Depending on the settings you make, the reports may contain detailed
information for each event, such as:
The status of the event.
The notification severity.
The device name.
The date and time when the event occurred.
To monitor the Internet traffic, the accessed applications or the Facebook
activity for your child:
1. Access the Parental Advisor panel from Bitdefender Central.
2. Select the desired device card.

Parental Advisor 148

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

In the Activity window you can view the information you are interested
in. Alternatively, select the View today's activity link on the monitored
device card to be redirected to the Activity window.

24.2.4. Configuring the General Settings

By default, when Parental Advisor is enabled, your children's activities are
logged.
To receive e-mail notifications:
1. Access the Parental Advisor panel from Bitdefender Central.
2. Select the Settings tab on the top right corner.
3. Enable the corresponding option to receive activity reports.
4. Enter the e-mail address where the e-mail notifications are to be sent.
5. Receive e-mail notifications for the following:
Blocked websites
Blocked apps
Restricted areas
Call or SMS received from a blocked phone number
Removal of Parental Advisor Facebook app
6. Click SAVE.

24.2.5. Editing a profile

To edit an existing profile:
1. Access Bitdefender Central.
2. Select the Parental Advisor panel.

3. Click the icon on the desired profile card, and then select Edit.
4. After customizing the wanted settings, select SAVE.

24.2.6. Removing a profile

To remove an existing profile:
1. Access Bitdefender Central.

Parental Advisor 149

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

2. Select the Parental Advisor panel.

3. Click the icon on the desired profile card, and then select Remove.
4. Confirm your choice.

24.3. Configuring Parental Advisor profiles

To start monitoring your child, a profile needs to be assigned to the device
that has installed the Bitdefender Parental Advisor Agent.
After adding a profile for your child, you can customize more detailed settings
to monitor and control the access to the Internet and to specific applications.
To start configuring a profile, select the desired profile card from the MY
CHILDREN window.
Click a tab to configure the corresponding Parental Advisor feature for the
device:
Activity - displays all the activities, interests, locations, and interactions
with friends, from the current day.
Applications - allows you to block the access to certain applications, such
as games, messaging software, movies, etc.
Websites - allows you to filter web navigation.
Phone Contacts - here you can specify which contacts from your child's
list are allowed to come in contact with him by phone.
Child Location - here you can set locations that are safe or not for your
child.
Social - allows you to block the access to social networks.
Time Schedule - allows you to block the access to the devices your
specified at your child's profile.

24.3.1. Activity
The Activity window gives you detailed information about your children's
activities from the last 24 hours, inside and outside the home. To view
activities from previous days click the calendar icon from the top left-corner
of the window.
Depending on the activity, this window may include information about:

Parental Advisor 150

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Locations - here you can view the locations where your child was during
the day.
Interests - here you can view info about the categories of websites that
your child visited. Click the Review inappropriate content link to allow or
deny access to specific interests.
Social Interactions - here you can view the contacts that your child
communicated with. Click the Manage Contacts link to select the contacts
that your child should stay in touch with or not.
Applications - here you can see the applications your child used. Click the
Review app restrictions link to block or allow the access to specific
applications.
All day activity - here you can see the time spent online on all devices
assigned to your child, and the location where he was active. The gathered
information is from the current day.

24.3.2. Applications
The Applications window helps you block applications from running. Games,
media and messaging software, as well as other categories of software can
be blocked this way.
The module can be enabled or disabled by using the corresponding switch.
To configure Application control for a specific user account:
1. A list with cards is displayed. The cards represent the apps your child
uses.
2. Select the card with the app you want your child to stop using.
The check mark symbol that appears indicates that your child will not be
able to use the app.

24.3.3. Websites
The Websites window helps you block websites with inappropriate content.
Websites that host videos, games, media and messaging software, as well
as other categories of negative content can be blocked this way.
The module can be enabled or disabled by using the corresponding switch.

Parental Advisor 151

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Depending on the age you set for your child, the Interests list comes by
default with a selection of categories enabled. To allow or deny the access
to a specific category, click it.
The check mark symbol that appears indicates that your child will not be
able to access content related to a specific category.

Allowing or blocking a website

To allow or restrict the access to certain web pages, you have to add them
to the Exclusions list, as follows:
1. Click the MANAGE button.
2. Type the web page you want to allow or block in the corresponding field.
3. Select Allow or Block.
4. Click FINISH to save the changes.

24.3.4. Phone Contacts

The Phone Contacts window gives you the possibility to specify which friends
from your child's list are allowed or not to come in contact with him by phone.
To restrict a specific phone number of a contact, first you need to add to
your child's profile the Android device he is using by following these steps:
1. Select the Parental Advisor tab in Bitdefender Central.
2. Click the Install Parental Advisor on a device link on the wanted card.
3. Click ADD DEVICE on the window that appears.
4. The Bitdefender Parental Advisor for Android option is selected by default.
Click NEXT STEP to continue.
5. Select the profile of the child you want to set restrictions to.
6. Select the Phone Contacts tab.
A list with cards is displayed. The cards represent the contacts from your
child's phone.
7. Select the card with the phone number you want block.
The check mark symbol that appears indicates that your child will not be
reached by the selected phone number.

Parental Advisor 152

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

To block unknown phone numbers, enable the Block no caller ID interactions

switch.

24.3.5. Child Location

View the device's current location on Google Maps. The location is refreshed
every 5 seconds, so you can track it if it is on the move.
The accuracy of the location depends on how Bitdefender is able to determine
it:
If the GPS is enabled on the device, its location can be pinpointed to within
a couple of meters as long it is in the range of GPS satellites (i.e. not inside
a building).
If the device is indoors, its location can be determined to within tens of
meters if Wi-Fi is enabled and there are wireless networks available in its
range.
Otherwise, the location will be determined using only information from the
mobile network, which can offer an accuracy no better than several hundred
meters.

Configuring location
To be sure that your child goes to certain locations, you can make a list of
safe and unsafe places.
To configure a location:
1. Click Devices in the frame you have in the Places window.
2. Click CHOOSE DEVICES, and then select the device you want to configure.
3. In the Areas window, click the ADD AREA button.
4. Choose the type of the location, SAFE or RESTRICTED.
5. Type a valid name for the area where your child has permission to go or
not.
6. Set the range that should be applied for monitoring from the Radius slide
bar.
7. Click ADD AREA to save your settings.

Parental Advisor 153

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

24.3.6. Social
Parental Advisor monitors your child's Facebook account and reports the
main activities taking place.
These online activities are verified and you are warned if they prove to be a
threat for your child's privacy.
The monitored elements of the online account include:
account information
Like pages
uploaded photos
To configure Facebook protection for a specific user account, type the e-mail
of your monitored child account, and then click SEND.
Inform your child about your intentions, and ask him to click the PROTECT
ACCOUNT button he received from us in his e-mail.
To access the monitored Facebook account, click the View on Facebook
link.
To stop monitoring the account, use the UNLINK ACCOUNT button from the
top.
To be announced via e-mail when your child removes the Parental Advisor
app from his device, select the corresponding check box.

24.3.7. Time Schedule

The Time Schedule window allows you to restrict the access to the devices
your specified at your child's profile. Restrictions can be set up at any hour
during schooltime and on weekends.
To start configuring time restrictions during the night:
1. In the BEDTIME area, select the School Nights and Weekend Nights check
boxes.
2. Click the icon from the corresponding spin boxes, and then use the up
and down arrow keys to set the time intervals during which the access
should be blocked.
To start configuring time restrictions during the day:
1. In the DAYTIME LIMITS area you have the following options:

Parental Advisor 154

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

CUMULATIVE
a. Select the School Day Time Limits and Weekend Time Limits check
boxes.
b. Drag the sliders along the scale to set how long the access to devices
is allowed.
SPECIFIC
a. Select the School Day Time Limits and Weekend Time Limits check
boxes.
b. Select from the grid the time intervals during which the access should
be blocked.

Note
The CUMULATIVE and SPECIFIC settings are designed to work independently
from each other.

Parental Advisor 155

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

25. USB IMMUNIZER

The Autorun feature built into Windows operating systems is a very useful
tool that allows computers to automatically execute a file from media
connected to it. For example, software installations can start automatically
when a CD is inserted into the optical drive.
Unfortunately, this feature can also be used by malware to automatically
launch and infiltrate your computer from rewritable media such as USB flash
drives and memory cards connected through card readers. Numerous Autorun
based attacks have been created in recent years.
With USB Immunizer you can prevent any NTFS, FAT32 or FAT formatted
flash drive from automatically executing malware ever again. Once an USB
device is immunized, malware can no longer configure it to run a certain
application when the device is connected to a computer running Windows.
To immunize an USB device:
1. Connect the flash drive to your computer.
2. Browse your computer to locate the removable storage device and
right-click its icon.
3. In the contextual menu, point to Bitdefender and select Immunize this
drive.

Note
If the drive has already been immunized, the message The USB device is
protected against autorun-based malware will appear instead of the
Immunize option.

To prevent your computer from launching malware from unimmunized USB

devices, disable the media autorun feature. For more information, please
refer to Using automatic vulnerability monitoring (p. 116).

USB Immunizer 156

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

SYSTEM OPTIMIZATION

157
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

26. PROFILES
Daily job activities, watching movies or playing games may cause system
slow down, especially if they are running simultaneously with Windows
update processes and maintenance tasks. With Bitdefender, you can now
choose and apply your preferred profile, which makes system adjustments
suited to increase the performance of specific installed applications.
Bitdefender provides the following profiles:
Work Profile
Movie Profile
Game Profile
Public Wi-Fi Profile
Battery Mode Profile
If you decide to not use Profiles, a default profile called Standard is enabled
and it brings no optimization to your system.
According to your activity, the following product settings are applied when
Work, Movie or Game profiles are activated:
All Bitdefender alerts and pop-ups are disabled.
Automatic Update is postponed.
Scheduled scans are postponed.
Search Advisor is disabled.
Special offers and product notifications are disabled.
According to your activity, the following system settings are applied when
Work, Movie or Game profiles are activated:
Windows Automatic Updates are postponed.
Windows alerts and pop-ups are disabled.
Unnecessary background programs are suspended.
Visual effects are adjusted for best performance.
Maintenance tasks are postponed.
Power plan settings are adjusted.

Profiles 158
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

While running in the Public Wi-Fi profile, Bitdefender Internet Security 2017
is set to automatically accomplish the following program settings:
Active Threat Control is turned on
The Bitdefender Firewall is turned on and the following settings are applied
to your wireless adapter:
Stealth mode - ON
Generic - OFF
Network type- Public
The following settings from Web Protection are turned on:
Scan SSL
Protection against fraud
Protection against phishing

26.1. Work Profile

Running multiple tasks at work, such as sending e-mails, having a video
communication with your distant colleagues or working with design
applications may affect your system performance. Work Profile has been
designed to help you improve your work efficiency, by turning off some of
your background services and maintenance tasks.

Configuring Work Profile

To configure the actions to be taken while in Work Profile:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the PROFILES tab.
3. Make sure that the Profiles option is turned on.
4. Click the CONFIGURE button from the Work Profile area.
5. Choose the system adjustments you would like to be applied by checking
the following options:
Boost performance on work apps
Optimize product settings for Work profile
Postpone background programs and maintenance tasks

Profiles 159
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Postpone Windows Automatic Updates

6. Click Save to save the changes and close the window.

Manually adding applications to the Work Profile list

If Bitdefender does not automatically enter Work Profile when you launch a
certain work application, you can manually add the application to the
Applications list.
To manually add applications to the Applications list in Work Profile:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the PROFILES tab.
3. Make sure that the Profiles option is turned on.
4. Click the CONFIGURE button from the Work Profile area.
5. In the WORK PROFILE window, click the Applications list link.
6. Click Add to add a new application to the Applications list.
A new window appears. Browse to the application's executable file, select
it and click OK to add it to the list.

26.2. Movie Profile

Displaying high quality video content, such as high definition movies, requires
significant system resources. Movie Profile adjusts system and product
settings so you can enjoy an uninterrupted and seamless movie experience.

Configuring Movie Profile

To configure the actions to be taken while in Movie Profile:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the PROFILES tab.
3. Make sure that the Profiles option is turned on.
4. Click the CONFIGURE button from the Movie Profile area.
5. Choose the system adjustments you would like to be applied by checking
the following options:
Boost performance on video players

Profiles 160
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Optimize product settings for Movie profile

Postpone background programs and maintenance tasks
Postpone Windows Automatic Updates
Adjust power plan settings for movies
6. Click Save to save the changes and close the window.

Manually adding video players to the Movie Profile list

If Bitdefender does not automatically enter Movie Profile when you launch
a certain video player application, you can manually add the application to
the Players list.
To manually add video players to the Players list in Movie Profile:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the PROFILES tab.
3. Make sure that the Profiles option is turned on.
4. Click the CONFIGURE button from the Movie Profile area.
5. In the MOVIE PROFILE window, click the Players list link.
6. Click Add to add a new application to the Players list.
A new window appears. Browse to the application's executable file, select
it and click OK to add it to the list.

26.3. Game Profile

Enjoying an uninterrupted gaming experience is all about reducing system
load and diminishing slowdowns. By using behavioral heuristics along with
a list of known games, Bitdefender can automatically detect running games
and optimize your system resources so that you can enjoy your gaming
break.

Configuring Game Profile

To configure the actions to be taken while in Game Profile:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the PROFILES tab.

Profiles 161
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

3. Make sure that the Profiles option is turned on.

4. Click the CONFIGURE button from the Game Profile area.
5. Choose the system adjustments you would like to be applied by checking
the following options:
Boost performance on games
Optimize product settings for Game profile
Postpone background programs and maintenance tasks
Postpone Windows Automatic Updates
Adjust power plan settings for games
6. Click Save to save the changes and close the window.

Manually adding games to the Game list

If Bitdefender does not automatically enter Game Profile when you launch
a certain game or application, you can manually add the application to the
Games list.
To manually add games to the Games list in Game Profile:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the PROFILES tab.
3. Make sure that the Profiles option is turned on.
4. Click the CONFIGURE button from the Game Profile area.
5. In the GAME PROFILE window, click the Games list link.
6. Click Add to add a new game to the Games list.
A new window appears. Browse to the game's executable file, select it
and click OK to add it to the list.

26.4. Public Wi-Fi Profile

Sending e-mails, typing sensitive credentials or shopping online while
connected to unsafe wireless networks can expose your personal data to
risk. Public Wi-Fi Profile adjusts product settings to give you the possibility
to make payments online and use sensitive information in a protected
environment.

Profiles 162
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Configuring Public Wi-Fi profile

To configure Bitdefender to apply product settings while connected to an
unsafe wireless network:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the PROFILES tab.
3. Make sure that the Profiles option is turned on.
4. Click the CONFIGURE button from the Public Wi-Fi Profile area.
5. Let the Adjusts product settings to boost protection when connected to
an unsafe public Wi-Fi network check box enabled.
6. Click Save.

26.5. Battery Mode Profile

Battery Mode profile is specially designed for laptop and tablet users. Its
purpose is to minimize both system and Bitdefender impact on power
consumption when the battery charge level is lower than the default one or
the one you select.

Configuring Battery Mode Profile

To configure the Battery Mode profile:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the PROFILES tab.
3. Make sure that the Profiles option is turned on.
4. Click the CONFIGURE button from the Battery Mode Profile area.
5. Choose the system adjustments to be applied by checking the following
options:
Optimize product settings for Battery mode.
Postpone background programs and maintenance tasks.
Postpone Windows Automatic Updates.
Adjust power plan settings for Battery mode.
Disable external devices and network ports.

Profiles 163
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

6. Click Save to save the changes and close the window.

Type a valid value in the spin box or select one using the up and down arrow
keys to specify when the system should start operating in Battery Mode. By
default, the mode is activated when the battery charge level drops below
30%.
The following product settings are applied when Bitdefender operates in
Battery Mode profile:
Bitdefender Automatic Update is postponed.
Scheduled scans are postponed.
Security Widget is turned off.
Bitdefender detects when your laptop has switched to battery power and
based on the battery charge level it automatically enters Battery Mode.
Likewise, Bitdefender automatically exits Battery Mode when it detects the
laptop is no longer running on battery.

26.6. Real-time optimization

Bitdefender Real-time optimization is a plugin that improves your system
performance silently, in the background, making sure that you are not
interrupted while you are in a profile mode. Depending on the CPU load, the
plugin monitors all processes, focusing on those that take up a higher load,
to adjust them to your needs.
To turn on or off Real-time optimization:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the PROFILES tab.
3. Use the corresponding switch to turn Real-time optimization on or off.

Profiles 164
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

TROUBLESHOOTING

165
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

27. SOLVING COMMON ISSUES

This chapter presents some problems you may encounter when using
Bitdefender and provides you with possible solutions to these problems.
Most of these problems can be solved through the appropriate configuration
of the product settings.
My system appears to be slow (p. 166)
Scan doesn't start (p. 167)
I can no longer use an application (p. 170)
What to do when Bitdefender blocks a safe website or online application (p.
172)
What to do if Bitdefender detects a safe application as ransomware (p. 172)
How to update Bitdefender on a slow Internet connection (p. 177)
Bitdefender services are not responding (p. 177)
Antispam filter does not work properly (p. 178)
The Autofill feature in my Wallet doesn't work (p. 182)
Bitdefender removal failed (p. 184)
My system doesn't boot up after installing Bitdefender (p. 185)
If you cannot find your problem here, or if the presented solutions do not
solve it, you can contact the Bitdefender technical support representatives
as presented in chapter Asking for help (p. 198).

27.1. My system appears to be slow

Usually, after installing a security software, there may appear a slight
slowdown of the system, which to a certain degree is normal.
If you notice a significant slowdown, this issue can appear for the following
reasons:
Bitdefender is not the only security program installed on the system.
Though Bitdefender searches and removes the security programs found
during the installation, it is recommended to remove any other antivirus
program you may use before installing Bitdefender. For more information,
please refer to How do I remove other security solutions? (p. 76).

Solving common issues 166

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

The Minimum System Requirements for running Bitdefender are not met.
If your machine does not meet the Minimum System Requirements, the
computer will become sluggish, especially when multiple applications are
running at the same time. For more information, please refer to Minimum
system requirements (p. 3).
You have installed applications that you do not use.
Any computer has programs or applications that you do not use. And many
unwanted programs run in the background taking up disk space and
memory. If you do not use a program, uninstall it. This is also valid for any
other pre-installed software or trial application you forgot to remove.

Important
If you suspect a program or an application to be an essential part of your
operating system, do not remove it and contact Bitdefender Customer Care
for assistance.

Your system may be infected.

Your system speed and its general behavior can also be affected by
malware. Spyware, viruses, Trojans and adware all take a toll on your
computers performance. Make sure to scan your system periodically, at
least once a week. It is recommended to use the Bitdefender System Scan
because it scans for all types of malware threatening the security of your
system.
To start the System Scan:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the ANTIVIRUS module, select System Scan.
4. Follow the wizard steps.

27.2. Scan doesn't start

This type of issue can have two main causes:
A previous Bitdefender installation which was not completely removed or
a faulty Bitdefender installation.
In this case:

Solving common issues 167

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

1. Remove Bitdefender completely from the system:

In Windows 7:
a. Click Start, go to Control Panel and double-click Programs and
Features.
b. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.
c. Click REMOVE in the window that appears, and then choose what
data to be saved for a later installation:
Quarantined files
Wallets
File vaults
d. Click CONTINUE.
e. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, then reboot your system.
In Windows 8 and Windows 8.1:
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. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.
d. Click REMOVE in the window that appears, and then choose what
data to be saved for a later installation:
Quarantined files
Wallets
File vaults
e. Click CONTINUE.
f. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, then reboot your system.
In Windows 10:
a. Click Start, then click Settings.
b. Click the System icon in the Settings area, then select Installed
apps.
c. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.

Solving common issues 168

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

d. Click Uninstall again to confirm your choice.

e. Click REMOVE in the window that appears, and then choose what
data to be saved for a later installation:
Quarantined files
Wallets
File vaults
f. Click CONTINUE.
g. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, then reboot your system.
2. Reinstall your Bitdefender product.
Bitdefender is not the only security solution installed on your system.
In this case:
1. Remove the other security solution. For more information, please refer
to How do I remove other security solutions? (p. 76).
2. Remove Bitdefender completely from the system:
In Windows 7:
a. Click Start, go to Control Panel and double-click Programs and
Features.
b. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.
c. Click REMOVE in the window that appears, and then choose what
data to be saved for a later installation:
Quarantined files
Wallets
File vaults
d. Click CONTINUE.
e. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, then reboot your system.
In Windows 8 and Windows 8.1:
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.

Solving common issues 169

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

c. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.

d. Click REMOVE in the window that appears, and then choose what
data to be saved for a later installation:
Quarantined files
Wallets
File vaults
e. Click CONTINUE.
f. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, then reboot your system.
In Windows 10:
a. Click Start, then click Settings.
b. Click the System icon in the Settings area, then select Installed
apps.
c. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.
d. Click Uninstall again to confirm your choice.
e. Click REMOVE in the window that appears, and then choose what
data to be saved for a later installation:
Quarantined files
Wallets
File vaults
f. Click CONTINUE.
g. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, then reboot your system.
3. Reinstall your Bitdefender product.
If this information was not helpful, you can contact Bitdefender for support
as described in section Asking for help (p. 198).

27.3. I can no longer use an application

This issue occurs when you are trying to use a program which was working
normally before installing Bitdefender.
After installing Bitdefender you may encounter one of these situations:

Solving common issues 170

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

You could receive a message from Bitdefender that the program is trying
to make a modification to the system.
You could receive an error message from the program you're trying to use.
This type of situation occurs when Active Threat Control mistakenly detects
some applications as malicious.
Active Threat Control is a Bitdefender module which constantly monitors
the applications running on your system and reports those with potentially
malicious behavior. Since this feature is based on a heuristic system, there
may be cases when legitimate applications are reported by Active Threat
Control.
When this situation occurs, you can exclude the respective application from
being monitored by Active Threat Control.
To add the program to the exclusions list:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTIVIRUS module.

4. Select the EXCLUSIONS tab.
5. Click the List of processes excluded from scanning accordion menu. In
the window that appears, you can manage the Active Threat Control
process exclusions.
6. Add exclusions by following these steps:
a. Click the ADD button.
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 Threat Control from
blocking the application.
d. Click Add.
If this information was not helpful, you can contact Bitdefender for support
as described in section Asking for help (p. 198).

Solving common issues 171

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

27.4. What to do when Bitdefender blocks a safe

website or online application
Bitdefender offers a secure web browsing experience by filtering all web
traffic and blocking any malicious content. However, it is possible that
Bitdefender considers a safe website or online application as unsafe, which
will cause Bitdefender HTTP traffic scanning to block them incorrectly.
Should the same page or application be blocked repeatedly, they can be
added to a whitelist so that they will not be scanned by the Bitdefender
engines, thus ensuring a smooth web browsing experience.
To add a website to the Whitelist:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the WEB PROTECTION

module.
4. Click the Whitelist link.
5. Provide the address of the blocked website or online application in the
corresponding field and click Add.
6. Click Save to save the changes and close the window.
Only websites and applications that you fully trust should be added to this
list. These will be excluded from scanning by the following engines: malware,
phishing and fraud.
If this information was not helpful, you can contact Bitdefender for support
as described in section Asking for help (p. 198).

27.5. What to do if Bitdefender detects a safe

application as ransomware
Ransomware is a malicious program that tries to make money from users
by locking their vulnerable systems. To keep your system safe from
unfortunate situations, Bitdefender gives you the possibility to indemnify
personal files.
When an application tries to change or delete one of your protected files, it
will be considered as unsafe and Bitdefender will block its functionality.

Solving common issues 172

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

In case such an application is added to the untrusted applications' list and

you are sure that it is safe to use it, follow these steps:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the RANSOMWARE PROTECTION module, select Blocked applications.
4. Click Allow and browse to the application you are sure is safe.
5. Click OK to add the selected application to the trusted list.

27.6. I cannot connect to the Internet

You may notice that a program or a web browser can no longer connect to
the Internet or access network services after installing Bitdefender.
In this case, the best solution is to configure Bitdefender to automatically
allow connections to and from the respective software application:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the FIREWALL module.

4. Select the RULES tab.
5. To add an application rule, click the ADD RULE button.
6. A new window appears where you can add the details. Make sure to select
all the network types available and in the Permission section select Allow.
Close Bitdefender, open the software application and try again to connect
to the Internet.
If this information was not helpful, you can contact Bitdefender for support
as described in section Asking for help (p. 198).

27.7. I cannot access a device on my network

Depending on the network you are connected to, the Bitdefender firewall
may block the connection between your system and another device (such
as another computer or a printer). As a result, you may no longer share or
print files.

Solving common issues 173

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

In this case, the best solution is to configure Bitdefender to automatically

allow connections to and from the respective device. For each network
connection you can configure a special trusted zone.
A trusted zone is a device that you fully trust. All traffic between your
computer and the trusted device is allowed. To share resources with specific
devices, such as computers or printers, add them as trusted zones.
To add a trusted zone on your network adapters:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the FIREWALL module.

4. Select the ADAPTERS tab.
5. To add a zone, click the Network Exceptions link.
6. Type in the IP address of the computer or the printer you want to add in
the corresponding field.
7. In the Adapter column select Trusted.
8. In the Permission column select Allow.
9. Click the + button to add the exception and close the window.
If you still cannot connect to the device, the issue may not be caused by
Bitdefender.
Check for other potential causes, such as the following:
The firewall on the other computer may block file and printer sharing with
your computer.
If the Windows Firewall is used, it can be configured to allow file and
printer sharing as follows:
In Windows 7:
1. Click Start, go to Control Panel and select System and Security.
2. Go to Windows Firewall, and then click Allow a program through
Windows Firewall.
3. Select the File and Printer Sharing check box.
In Windows 8 and Windows 8.1:

Solving common issues 174

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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 System and Security, go to Windows Firewall and select Allow
an app through Windows Firewall.
3. Select the File and Printer Sharing check box, and then click OK.
In Windows 10:
1. Type "Allow an app through Windows Firewall" in the search box
from the taskbar and click its icon.
2. Click Change settings.
3. In the Allowed apps and features list select the File and Printer
Sharing check box, and then click OK.
If another firewall program is used, please refer to its documentation or
help file.
General conditions that may prevent using or connecting to the shared
printer:
You may need to log on to a Windows administrator account to access
the shared printer.
Permissions are set for the shared printer to allow access to specific
computer and users only. If you are sharing your printer, check the
permissions set for the printer to see if the user on the other computer
is allowed access to the printer. If you are trying to connect to a shared
printer, check with the user on the other computer if you have permission
to connect to the printer.
The printer connected to your computer or to the other computer is not
shared.
The shared printer is not added on the computer.

Note
To learn how to manage printer sharing (share a printer, set or remove
permissions for a printer, connect to a network printer or to a shared printer),
go to the Windows Help and Support Center (in the Start menu, click Help
and Support).

Solving common issues 175

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Access to a network printer may be restricted to specific computers or

users only. You should check with the network administrator if you have
permission to connect to that printer.
If this information was not helpful, you can contact Bitdefender for support
as described in section Asking for help (p. 198).

27.8. My Internet is slow

This situation may appear after you install Bitdefender. The issue could be
caused by errors in the Bitdefender firewall configuration.
To troubleshoot this situation:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

3. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the FIREWALL module.

4. Click the corresponding switch to turn off Firewall.
5. Check if your Internet connection improved with the Bitdefender firewall
disabled.
If you still have a slow Internet connection, the issue may not be caused
by Bitdefender. You should contact your Internet Service Provider to
verify if the connection is operational on their side.
If you receive confirmation from your Internet Service Provider that the
connection is operational on their side and the issue still persists,
contact Bitdefender as described in section Asking for help (p. 198).
If the Internet connection improved after disabling the Bitdefender
firewall:
a. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
b. Click the VIEW MODULES link.

c. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the FIREWALL module.

d. In the SETTINGS tab, click the switch to turn off Block port scans in
the network.
e. Go to the ADAPTERS tab and select your Internet connection.
f. In the Network Type column and select Home/Office.

Solving common issues 176

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

g. In the Stealth Mode column select On. Set the Generic column to On.
h. Close Bitdefender, reboot the system and check the Internet
connection speed.
If this information was not helpful, you can contact Bitdefender for support
as described in section Asking for help (p. 198).

27.9. How to update Bitdefender on a slow Internet

connection
If you have a slow Internet connection (such as dial-up), errors may occur
during the update process.
To keep your system up to date with the latest Bitdefender malware
signatures:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Select the UPDATE tab.
3. Next to Update processing rules, select Prompt before downloading from
the drop-down menu.
4. Go back to the main window and click the Update action button from the
Bitdefender interface.
5. Select only Signatures updates, and then click OK.
6. Bitdefender will download and install only the malware signature updates.

27.10. Bitdefender services are not responding

This article helps you troubleshoot the Bitdefender Services are not
responding error. You may encounter this error as follows:
The Bitdefender icon in the system tray is grayed out and you are informed
that the Bitdefender services are not responding.
The Bitdefender window indicates that the Bitdefender services are not
responding.
The error may be caused by one of the following conditions:
temporary communication errors between the Bitdefender services.
some of the Bitdefender services are stopped.

Solving common issues 177

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

other security solutions running on your computer at the same time with
Bitdefender.
To troubleshoot this error, try these solutions:
1. Wait a few moments and see if anything changes. The error may be
temporary.
2. Restart the computer and wait a few moments until Bitdefender is loaded.
Open Bitdefender to see if the error persists. Restarting the computer
usually solves the problem.
3. Check if you have any other security solution installed as they may disrupt
the normal operation of Bitdefender. If this is the case, we recommend
you to remove all of the other security solutions and then reinstall
Bitdefender.
For more information, please refer to How do I remove other security
solutions? (p. 76).
If the error persists, please contact our support representatives for help as
described in section Asking for help (p. 198).

27.11. Antispam filter does not work properly

This article helps you troubleshoot the following problems concerning the
Bitdefender Antispam filtering operation:
A number of legitimate e-mail messages are marked as [spam].
Many spam messages are not marked accordingly by the antispam filter.
The antispam filter does not detect any spam message.

27.11.1. Legitimate messages are marked as [spam]

Legitimate messages are marked as [spam] simply because they look like
spam to the Bitdefender antispam filter. You can normally solve this problem
by adequately configuring the Antispam filter.
Bitdefender automatically adds the receivers of your e-mail messages to a
Friends List. The e-mail messages received from the contacts in the Friends
list are considered to be legitimate. They are not verified by the antispam
filter and, thus, they are never marked as [spam].
The automatic configuration of the Friends list does not prevent the detection
errors that may occur in these situations:

Solving common issues 178

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

You receive a lot of solicited commercial mail as a result of subscribing

on various websites. In this case, the solution is to add the e-mail
addresses from which you receive such e-mail messages to the Friends
list.
A significant part of your legitimate mail is from people to whom you never
e-mailed before, such as customers, potential business partners and others.
Other solutions are required in this case.
If you are using one of the mail clients Bitdefender integrates into, indicate
detection errors.

Note
Bitdefender integrates into the most commonly used mail clients through
an easy-to-use antispam toolbar. For a complete list of supported mail
clients, please refer to Supported e-mail clients and protocols (p. 105).

Add contacts to Friends List

If you are using a supported mail client, you can easily add the senders of
legitimate messages to the Friends list. Follow these steps:
1. In your mail client, select an e-mail message from the sender that you
want to add to the Friends list.
2. Click the Add Friend button on the Bitdefender antispam toolbar.
3. You may be asked to acknowledge the addresses added to the Friends
list. Select Don't show this message again and click OK.
You will always receive e-mail messages from this address no matter what
they contain.
If you are using a different mail client, you can add contacts to the Friends
list from the Bitdefender interface. Follow these steps:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the ANTISPAM module, select Manage Friends.
A configuration window appears.
4. Type the e-mail address you always want to receive e-mail messages from
and then click Add. You can add as many e-mail addresses as you want.

Solving common issues 179

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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

Indicate detection errors

If you are using a supported mail client, you can easily correct the antispam
filter (by indicating which e-mail messages should not have been marked as
[spam]). Doing so helps improve the efficiency of the antispam filter. Follow
these steps:
1. Open your mail client.
2. Go to the junk mail folder where spam messages are moved.
3. Select the legitimate message incorrectly marked as [spam] by Bitdefender.
4. Click the Add Friend button on the Bitdefender antispam toolbar to add
the sender to the Friends list. You may need to click OK to acknowledge.
You will always receive e-mail messages from this address no matter
what they contain.
5. Click the Not Spam button on the Bitdefender antispam toolbar (normally
located in the upper part of the mail client window). The e-mail message
will be moved to the Inbox folder.

27.11.2. Many spam messages are not detected

If you are receiving many spam messages that are not marked as [spam],
you must configure the Bitdefender antispam filter so as to improve its
efficiency.
Try the following solutions:
1. If you are using one of the mail clients Bitdefender integrates into, indicate
undetected spam messages.

Note
Bitdefender integrates into the most commonly used mail clients through
an easy-to-use antispam toolbar. For a complete list of supported mail
clients, please refer to Supported e-mail clients and protocols (p. 105).

2. Add spammers to the Spammers list. The e-mail messages received from
addresses in the Spammers list are automatically marked as [spam].

Solving common issues 180

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Indicate undetected spam messages

If you are using a supported mail client, you can easily indicate which e-mail
messages should have been detected as spam. Doing so helps improve the
efficiency of the antispam filter. Follow these steps:
1. Open your mail client.
2. Go to the Inbox folder.
3. Select the undetected spam messages.
4. Click the Is Spam button on the Bitdefender antispam toolbar (normally
located in the upper part of the mail client window). They are immediately
marked as [spam] and moved to the junk mail folder.

Add spammers to Spammers List

If you are using a supported mail client, you can easily add the senders of
the spam messages to the Spammers list. Follow these steps:
1. Open your mail client.
2. Go to the junk mail folder where spam messages are moved.
3. Select the messages marked as [spam] by Bitdefender.
4. Click the Add Spammer button on the Bitdefender antispam toolbar.
5. You may be asked to acknowledge the addresses added to the Spammers
list. Select Don't show this message again and click OK.
If you are using a different mail client, you can manually add spammers to
the Spammers list from the Bitdefender interface. It is convenient to do this
only when you have received several spam messages from the same e-mail
address. Follow these steps:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the ANTISPAM module, select Manage Spammers.
A configuration window appears.
4. Type the spammer's e-mail address and then click the Add. You can add
as many e-mail addresses as you want.
5. Click OK to save the changes and close the window.

Solving common issues 181

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

27.11.3. Antispam filter does not detect any spam message

If no spam message is marked as [spam], there may be a problem with the
Bitdefender Antispam filter. Before troubleshooting this problem, make sure
it is not caused by one of the following conditions:
Antispam protection might be turned off. To verify the antispam protection
status, click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface,
and then select the VIEW MODULES link. Click the cogwheel from the
ANTISPAM panel, then look in the upper side of the window to check if
the module is enabled.
If Antispam is turned off, this is what is causing your problem. Click the
corresponding switch to turn on your antispam protection.
The Bitdefender Antispam protection is available only for e-mail clients
configured to receive e-mail messages via the POP3 protocol. This means
the following:
E-mail messages received via web-based e-mail services (such as Yahoo,
Gmail, Hotmail or other) are not filtered for spam by Bitdefender.
If your e-mail client is configured to receive e-mail messages using other
protocol than POP3 (for example, IMAP4), the Bitdefender Antispam
filter does not check them for spam.

Note
POP3 is one of the most widely used protocols for downloading e-mail
messages from a mail server. If you do not know the protocol that your
e-mail client uses to download e-mail messages, ask the person who
configured your e-mail client.

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 doesn't scan Lotus Notes POP3 traffic.
A possible solution is to repair or reinstall the product. However, you may
want to contact Bitdefender for support instead, as described in section
Asking for help (p. 198).

27.12. The Autofill feature in my Wallet doesn't work

You have saved your online credentials in your Bitdefender Password
Manager and you noticed that the autofill is not working. Usually, this issue

Solving common issues 182

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

appears when the Bitdefender Wallet extension is not installed in your

browser.
To fix this situation, follow these steps:
In Internet Explorer:
1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Click Tools.
3. Click Manage add-ons.
4. Click Toolbars and Extensions.
5. Point to Bitdefender Wallet and click Enable.
In Mozilla Firefox:
1. Open Mozilla Firefox.
2. Click Tools.
3. Click Add-ons.
4. Click Extensions.
5. Point to Bitdefender Wallet and click Enable.
In Google Chrome:
1. Open Google Chrome.
2. Go to the Menu icon.
3. Click Settings.
4. Click Extensions.
5. Point to Bitdefender Wallet and click Enable.

Note
The add-on will be enabled after you restart your web browser.

Now check if the autofill feature in Wallet works for your online accounts.
If this information was not helpful, you can contact Bitdefender for support
as described in section Asking for help (p. 198).

Solving common issues 183

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

27.13. Bitdefender removal failed

If you want to remove your Bitdefender product and you notice that the
process hangs out or the system freezes, click Cancel to abort the action. If
this does not work, restart the system.
When removal fails, some Bitdefender registry keys and files may remain in
your system. Such remainders may prevent a new installation of Bitdefender.
They may also affect system performance and stability.
In order to completely remove Bitdefender from your system:
In Windows 7:
1. Click Start, go to Control Panel and double-click Programs and Features.
2. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.
3. Click REMOVE in the window that appears, and then choose what data
to be saved for a later installation:
Quarantined files
Wallets
File vaults
4. Click CONTINUE.
5. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, then reboot your system.
In Windows 8 and Windows 8.1:
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. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.
4. Click REMOVE in the window that appears, and then choose what data
to be saved for a later installation:
Quarantined files
Wallets
File vaults
5. Click CONTINUE.

Solving common issues 184

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

6. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, then reboot your system.
In Windows 10:
1. Click Start, then click Settings.
2. Click the System icon in the Settings area, then select Installed apps.
3. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.
4. Click Uninstall again to confirm your choice.
5. Click REMOVE in the window that appears, and then choose what data
to be saved for a later installation:
Quarantined files
Wallets
File vaults
6. Click CONTINUE.
7. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, then reboot your system.

27.14. My system doesn't boot up after installing

Bitdefender
If you just installed Bitdefender and cannot reboot your system in normal
mode anymore there may be various reasons for this issue.
Most probably this is caused by a previous Bitdefender installation which
was not removed properly or by another security solution still present on the
system.
This is how you may address each situation:
You had Bitdefender before and you did not remove it properly.
To solve this:
1. Reboot your system and enter in Safe Mode. To find out how to do this,
please refer to How do I restart in Safe Mode? (p. 77).
2. Remove Bitdefender from your system:
In Windows 7:
a. Click Start, go to Control Panel and double-click Programs and
Features.

Solving common issues 185

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

b. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.

c. Click REMOVE in the window that appears, and then choose what
data to be saved for a later installation:
Quarantined files
Wallets
File vaults
d. Click CONTINUE.
e. Wait for the uninstall process to complete.
f. Reboot your system in normal mode.
In Windows 8 and Windows 8.1:
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. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.
d. Click REMOVE in the window that appears, and then choose what
data to be saved for a later installation:
Quarantined files
Wallets
File vaults
e. Click CONTINUE.
f. Wait for the uninstall process to complete.
g. Reboot your system in normal mode.
In Windows 10:
a. Click Start, then click Settings.
b. Click the System icon in the Settings area, then select Installed
apps.
c. Find Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 and select Uninstall.
d. Click Uninstall again to confirm your choice.

Solving common issues 186

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

e. Click REMOVE in the window that appears, and then choose what
data to be saved for a later installation:
Quarantined files
Wallets
File vaults
f. Click CONTINUE.
g. Wait for the uninstall process to complete.
h. Reboot your system in normal mode.
3. Reinstall your Bitdefender product.
You had a different security solution before and you did not remove it
properly.
To solve this:
1. Reboot your system and enter in Safe Mode. To find out how to do this,
please refer to How do I restart in Safe Mode? (p. 77).
2. Remove the other security solution from your system:
In Windows 7:
a. Click Start, go to Control Panel and double-click Programs and
Features.
b. Find the name of the program you want to remove and select
Remove.
c. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, then reboot your system.
In Windows 8 and Windows 8.1:
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. Find the name of the program you want to remove and select
Remove.
d. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, then reboot your system.
In Windows 10:

Solving common issues 187

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

a. Click Start, then click Settings.

b. Click the System icon in the Settings area, then select Installed
apps.
c. Find the name of the program you want to remove and select
Uninstall.
d. Wait for the uninstall process to complete, then reboot your system.
In order to correctly uninstall the other software, go to their website
and run their uninstall tool or contact them directly in order to provide
you with the uninstall guidelines.
3. Reboot your system in normal mode and reinstall Bitdefender.
You have already followed the steps above and the situation is not solved.
To solve this:
1. Reboot your system and enter in Safe Mode. To find out how to do this,
please refer to How do I restart in Safe Mode? (p. 77).
2. Use the System Restore option from Windows to restore the computer
to an earlier date before installing the Bitdefender product.
3. Reboot the system in normal mode and contact our support
representatives for help as described in section Asking for help (p. 198).

Solving common issues 188

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

28. REMOVING MALWARE FROM YOUR SYSTEM

Malware can affect your system in many different ways and the Bitdefender
approach depends on the type of malware attack. Because viruses change
their behavior frequently, it is difficult to establish a pattern for their behavior
and their actions.
There are situations when Bitdefender cannot automatically remove the
malware infection from your system. In such cases, your intervention is
required.
Bitdefender Rescue Mode (p. 189)
What to do when Bitdefender finds viruses on your computer? (p. 192)
How do I clean a virus in an archive? (p. 193)
How do I clean a virus in an e-mail archive? (p. 194)
What to do if I suspect a file as being dangerous? (p. 195)
What are the password-protected files in the scan log? (p. 195)
What are the skipped items in the scan log? (p. 196)
What are the over-compressed files in the scan log? (p. 196)
Why did Bitdefender automatically delete an infected file? (p. 196)
If you cannot find your problem here, or if the presented solutions do not
solve it, you can contact the Bitdefender technical support representatives
as presented in chapter Asking for help (p. 198).

28.1. Bitdefender Rescue Mode

Rescue Mode is a Bitdefender feature that allows you to scan and disinfect
all existing hard drive partitions outside of your operating system.
Once Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 is installed and the Bitdefender
Rescue Image file downloaded, Rescue Mode can be used even if you are
no longer able to boot into Windows.

Downloading the Bitdefender Rescue Image

To be able to use Rescue Mode, first you have to download its image file as
follows:

Removing malware from your system 189

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the ANTIVIRUS module, select Rescue Mode.
4. Click YES in the confirmation window that appears to reboot your
computer.
Wait for the Bitdefender Rescue Image file to be downloaded from the
Bitdefender servers. As soon as the downloading process is finished, the
computer will restart.
A menu appears prompting you to select an operating system. At this
step you can choose to start your system in Rescue Mode or in normal
mode.

Starting your system in Rescue Mode

You can enter Rescue Mode in one of two ways:
From the Bitdefender interface
To enter Rescue Mode directly from Bitdefender:
1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
2. Click the VIEW MODULES link.
3. In the ANTIVIRUS module, select Rescue Mode.
4. Click YES in the confirmation window that appears to reboot your
computer.
5. After the computer restarts, a menu appears prompting you to select
an operating system. Choose Bitdefender Rescue Mode to boot into
a Bitdefender environment from where you can clean up your Windows
partition.
6. If prompted, press Enter and select the screen resolution closest to
the one you normally use. Then press Enter again.
Bitdefender Rescue Mode loads in a few moments.
Boot your computer directly into Rescue Mode
If Windows no longer starts, you can boot your computer directly into
Bitdefender Rescue Mode by following the steps below:

Removing malware from your system 190

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

1. Start / reboot your computer and start pressing the space key on your
keyboard before the Windows logo appears.
2. A menu will appear prompting you to select an operating system to
start. Press TAB to go to the tools area. Choose Bitdefender Rescue
Image and press the Enter key to boot into a Bitdefender environment
from where you can clean up your Windows partition.
3. If prompted, press Enter and select the screen resolution closest to
the one you normally use. Then press Enter again.
Bitdefender Rescue Mode will load in a few moments.

Scanning your system in Rescue Mode

To scan your system in Rescue Mode:
1. Enter Rescue Mode, as described in Starting your system in Rescue
Mode (p. 190).
2. The Bitdefender logo will appear and the antivirus engines will start to be
copied.
3. A welcome window will then appear. Click Continue.
4. An update of the antivirus signatures is started.
5. After the update is completed, the Bitdefender On-demand Antivirus
Scanner window appears.
6. Click Scan Now, select the scan target in the window that appears, and
then click Open to start scanning.
It is recommended to scan your entire Windows partition.

Note
When working in Rescue Mode, you are dealing with Linux-type partition
names. Disk partitions will appear as sda1 probably corresponding to the
(C:) Windows-type partition, sda2 corresponding to (D:) and so on.

7. Wait for the scan to complete. If any malware is detected, follow the
instructions to remove the threat.
8. To exit Rescue Mode, right-click in an empty area of the desktop, select
Exit in the menu that appears, and then choose whether to reboot or shut
down the computer.

Removing malware from your system 191

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

28.2. What to do when Bitdefender finds viruses on

your computer?
You may find out there is a virus on your computer in one of these ways:
You scanned your computer and Bitdefender found infected items on it.
A virus alert informs you that Bitdefender blocked one or multiple viruses
on your computer.
In such situations, update Bitdefender to make sure you have the latest
malware signatures and run a System Scan to analyze the system.
As soon as the system scan is over, select the desired action for the infected
items (Disinfect, Delete, Move to quarantine).

Warning
If you suspect the file is part of the Windows operating system or that it is
not an infected file, do not follow these steps and contact Bitdefender
Customer Care as soon as possible.

If the selected action could not be taken and the scan log reveals an infection
which could not be deleted, you have to remove the file(s) manually:
The first method can be used in normal mode:
1. Turn off the Bitdefender real-time antivirus protection:
a. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
b. Select the VIEW MODULES link.

c. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTIVIRUS module.

d. Click the corresponding switch to turn off On-access scanning.
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. 75).
3. Browse to the location of the infected file (check the scan log) and delete
it.
4. Turn on the Bitdefender real-time antivirus protection.
In case the first method failed to remove the infection:
1. Reboot your system and enter in Safe Mode. To find out how to do this,
please refer to How do I restart in Safe Mode? (p. 77).

Removing malware from your system 192

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

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. 75).
3. Browse to the location of the infected file (check the scan log) and delete
it.
4. Reboot your system and enter in normal mode.
If this information was not helpful, you can contact Bitdefender for support
as described in section Asking for help (p. 198).

28.3. How do I clean a virus in an archive?

An archive is a file or a collection of files compressed under a special format
to reduce the space on disk necessary for storing the files.
Some of these formats are open formats, thus providing Bitdefender the
option to scan inside them and then take appropriate actions to remove
them.
Other archive formats are partially or fully closed, and Bitdefender can only
detect the presence of viruses inside them, but is not able to take any other
actions.
If Bitdefender notifies you that a virus has been detected inside an archive
and no action is available, it means that removing the virus is not possible
due to restrictions on the archives permission settings.
Here is how you can clean a virus stored in an archive:
1. Identify the archive that includes the virus by performing a System Scan
of the system.
2. Turn off the Bitdefender real-time antivirus protection:
a. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
b. Select the VIEW MODULES link.

c. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTIVIRUS module.

d. In the SHIELD window, click the corresponding switch to turn off
On-access scanning.
3. Go to the location of the archive and decompress it using an archiving
application, like WinZip.
4. Identify the infected file and delete it.

Removing malware from your system 193

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

5. Delete the original archive in order to make sure the infection is totally
removed.
6. Recompress the files in a new archive using an archiving application, like
WinZip.
7. Turn on the Bitdefender real-time antivirus protection and run a System
scan in order to make sure there is no other infection on the system.

Note
It's important to note that a virus stored in an archive is not an immediate
threat to your system, since the virus has to be decompressed and executed
in order to infect your system.

If this information was not helpful, you can contact Bitdefender for support
as described in section Asking for help (p. 198).

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

Bitdefender can also identify viruses in e-mail databases and e-mail archives
stored on disk.
Sometimes it is necessary to identify the infected message using the
information provided in the scan report, and delete it manually.
Here is how you can clean a virus stored in an e-mail archive:
1. Scan the e-mail database with Bitdefender.
2. Turn off the Bitdefender real-time antivirus protection:
a. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.
b. Select the VIEW MODULES link.

c. Select the icon in the upper-right corner of the ANTIVIRUS module.

d. Click the corresponding switch to turn off On-access scanning.
3. Open the scan report and use the identification information (Subject, From,
To) of the infected messages to locate them in the e-mail client.
4. Delete the infected messages. Most e-mail clients also move the deleted
message to a recovery folder, from which it can be recovered. You should
make sure the message is deleted also from this recovery folder.
5. Compact the folder storing the infected message.

Removing malware from your system 194

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

In Microsoft Outlook 2007: On the File menu, click Data File

Management. Select the personal folders (.pst) files you intend to
compact, and click Settings. Click Compact Now.
In Microsoft Outlook 2010 / 2013: On the File menu, click Info, and then
Account settings (Add and remove accounts or change existing
connection settings). Then click Data File, select the personal folders
(.pst) files you intend to compact, and click Settings. Click Compact
Now.
6. Turn on the Bitdefender real-time antivirus protection.
If this information was not helpful, you can contact Bitdefender for support
as described in section Asking for help (p. 198).

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

You may suspect a file from your system as being dangerous, even though
your Bitdefender product did not detect it.
To make sure your system is protected:
1. Run a System Scan with Bitdefender. To find out how to do this, please
refer to How do I scan my system? (p. 58).
2. If the scan result appears to be clean, but you still have doubts and want
to make sure about the file, contact our support representatives so that
we may help you.
To find out how to do this, please refer to Asking for help (p. 198).

28.6. What are the password-protected files in the

scan log?
This is only a notification which indicates that Bitdefender has detected
these files are either protected with a password or by some form of
encryption.
Most commonly, the password-protected items are:
Files that belong to another security solution.
Files that belong to the operating system.
In order to actually scan the contents, these files would need to either be
extracted or otherwise decrypted.

Removing malware from your system 195

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Should those contents be extracted, Bitdefender's real-time scanner would

automatically scan them to keep your computer protected. If you want to
scan those files with Bitdefender, you have to contact the product
manufacturer in order to provide you with more details on those files.
Our recommendation to you is to ignore those files because they are not a
threat for your system.

28.7. What are the skipped items in the scan log?

All files that appear as Skipped in the scan report are clean.
For increased performance, Bitdefender does not scan files that have not
changed since the last scan.

28.8. What are the over-compressed files in the scan

log?
The over-compressed items are elements which could not be extracted by
the scanning engine or elements for which the decryption time would have
taken too long making the system unstable.
Overcompressed means that Bitdefender skipped scanning within that
archive because unpacking it proved to take up too many system resources.
The content will be scanned on real time access if needed.

28.9. Why did Bitdefender automatically delete an

infected file?
If an infected file is detected, Bitdefender will automatically attempt to
disinfect it. If disinfection fails, the file is moved to quarantine in order to
contain the infection.
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.
This is usually the case with installation files that are downloaded from
untrustworthy websites. If you find yourself in such a situation, download
the installation file from the manufacturer's website or other trusted website.

Removing malware from your system 196

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

CONTACT US

197
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

29. ASKING FOR HELP

Bitdefender provides its customers with an unparalleled level of fast and
accurate support. If you experience any issue or if you have any question
about your Bitdefender product, you can use several online resources to find
a solution or an answer. At the same time, you can contact the Bitdefender
Customer Care team. Our support representatives will answer your questions
in a timely manner and will provide you with the assistance you need.
The Solving common issues (p. 166) section provides the necessary
information regarding the most frequent issues you may encounter when
using this product.
If you do not find an answer to your question in the provided resources, you
can contact us directly:
Contact us directly from your Bitdefender product (p. 198)
Contact us through our online Support Center (p. 199)

Contact us directly from your Bitdefender product

If you have a working Internet connection, you can contact Bitdefender for
assistance directly from the product interface.
Follow these steps:

1. Click the icon on the left sidebar of the Bitdefender interface.

2. You have the following options:
Product Documentation
Access our database and search for the necessary information.
Contact Support
Use the Contact Support button to launch the Bitdefender Support Tool
and contact the Customer Care Department. You can navigate through
the wizard using the Next button. To exit the wizard, click Cancel.
a. Select the agreement check box and click Next.
b. Complete the submission form with the necessary data:
i. Enter your e-mail address.
ii. Enter your full name.

Asking for help 198

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

iii. Enter a description of the issue you encountered.

iv. Check the Try to reproduce the issue before submitting option in
case you are encountering a product issue. Continue with the
required steps.
c. Please wait for a few minutes while Bitdefender gathers product
related information. This information will help our engineers find a
solution to your problem.
d. Click Finish to send the information to the Bitdefender Customer
Care Department. You will be contacted as soon as possible.
Find help online
Access our online articles.

Contact us through our online Support Center

If you cannot access the necessary information using the Bitdefender
product, refer to our online Support Center:
1. Go to https://www.bitdefender.com/support/consumer.html.
The Bitdefender Support Center hosts numerous articles that contain
solutions to Bitdefender-related issues.
2. Use the search bar at the top of the window to find articles that may
provide a solution to your problem. To search, just type a term in the
Search bar and click Search.
3. Read the relevant articles or documents and try the proposed solutions.
4. If the solution does not solve your problem, go to
https://www.bitdefender.com/support/contact-us.html and contact our
support representatives.

Asking for help 199

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

30. ONLINE RESOURCES

Several online resources are available to help you solve your
Bitdefender-related problems and questions.
Bitdefender Support Center:
https://www.bitdefender.com/support/consumer.html
Bitdefender Support Forum:
https://forum.bitdefender.com
The HOTforSecurity computer security portal:
https://www.hotforsecurity.com
You can also use your favorite search engine to find out more information
about computer security, the Bitdefender products and the company.

30.1. Bitdefender Support Center

The Bitdefender Support Center is an online repository of information about
the Bitdefender products. It stores, in an easily accessible format, reports
on the results of the ongoing technical support and bugfixing activities of
the Bitdefender support and development teams, along with more general
articles about virus prevention, the management of Bitdefender solutions
with detailed explanations, and many other articles.
The Bitdefender Support Center is open to the public and freely searchable.
The extensive information it contains is yet another means of providing
Bitdefender customers with the technical knowledge and insight they need.
All valid requests for information or bug reports coming from Bitdefender
clients eventually find their way into the Bitdefender Support Center, as
bugfix reports, workaround cheatsheets or informational articles to
supplement product helpfiles.
The Bitdefender Support Center is available any time at
https://www.bitdefender.com/support/consumer.html.

30.2. Bitdefender Support Forum

The Bitdefender Support Forum provides Bitdefender users with an easy
way to get help and to help others.

Online resources 200

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

If your Bitdefender product does not operate well, if it cannot remove specific
viruses from your computer or if you have questions about the way it works,
post your problem or question on the forum.
Bitdefender support technicians monitor the forum for new posts in order
to assist you. You may also get an answer or a solution from a more
experienced Bitdefender user.
Before posting your problem or question, please search the forum for a
similar or related topic.
The Bitdefender Support Forum is available at https://forum.bitdefender.com,
in 5 different languages: English, German, French, Spanish and Romanian.
Click the Home & Home Office Protection link to access the section dedicated
to consumer products.

30.3. HOTforSecurity Portal

HOTforSecurity is a rich source of computer security information. Here you
can learn about the various threats your computer is exposed to when
connected to the Internet (malware, phishing, spam, cyber-criminals).
New articles are posted regularly to keep you up-to-date with the latest
threats discovered, the current security trends and other information on the
computer security industry.
The HOTforSecurity web page is https://www.hotforsecurity.com.

Online resources 201

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

31. CONTACT INFORMATION

Efficient communication is the key to a successful business. During the past
16 years BITDEFENDER has established an unquestionable reputation by
constantly striving for better communication so as to exceed the expectations
of our clients and partners. Should you have any questions, do not hesitate
to contact us.

31.1. Web addresses

Sales department: [email protected]
Support Center: https://www.bitdefender.com/support/consumer.html
Documentation: [email protected]
Local distributors: https://www.bitdefender.com/partners
Partner program: [email protected]
Media relations: [email protected]
Careers: [email protected]
Virus submissions: [email protected]
Spam submissions: [email protected]
Report abuse: [email protected]
Web site: https://www.bitdefender.com

31.2. Local distributors

The Bitdefender local distributors are ready to respond to any inquiries
regarding their areas of operation, both in commercial and in general matters.
To find a Bitdefender distributor in your country:
1. Go to https://www.bitdefender.com/partners/partner-locator.html.
2. Choose your country and city using the corresponding options.
3. If you do not find a Bitdefender distributor in your country, feel free to
contact us by e-mail at [email protected]. Please write your e-mail
in English in order for us to be able to assist you promptly.

31.3. Bitdefender offices

The Bitdefender offices are ready to respond to any inquiries regarding their
areas of operation, both in commercial and in general matters. Their
respective addresses and contacts are listed below.

Contact information 202

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

U.S.A
Bitdefender, LLC
6301 NW 5th Way, Suite 4300
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309
Phone (office&sales): 1-954-776-6262
Sales: [email protected]
Technical support: https://www.bitdefender.com/support/consumer.html
Web: https://www.bitdefender.com

Germany
Bitdefender GmbH
TechnoPark Schwerte
Lohbachstrasse 12
D - 58239 Schwerte
Office: +49 2304 9 45 - 162
Fax: +49 2304 9 45 - 169
Sales: [email protected]
Technical support: https://www.bitdefender.de/support/consumer.html
Web: https://www.bitdefender.de

Spain
Bitdefender Espaa, S.L.U.
C/Bailn, 7, 3-D
08010 Barcelona
Fax: +34 93 217 91 28
Phone: +34 902 19 07 65
Sales: [email protected]
Technical support: https://www.bitdefender.es/support/consumer.html
Website: https://www.bitdefender.es

Romania
BITDEFENDER SRL
Complex DV24, Building A, 24 Delea Veche Street, Sector 2
Bucharest
Fax: +40 21 2641799
Sales phone: +40 21 2063470
Sales e-mail: [email protected]

Contact information 203

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Technical support: https://www.bitdefender.ro/support/consumer.html

Website: https://www.bitdefender.ro

United Arab Emirates

Dubai Internet City
Building 17, Office # 160
Dubai, UAE
Sales phone: 00971-4-4588935 / 00971-4-4589186
Sales e-mail: [email protected]
Technical support: https://www.bitdefender.com/support/consumer.html
Website: https://www.bitdefender.com

Contact information 204

Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Glossary
Activation code
Is a unique key that can be bought from retail and used to activate a
specific product or service. An activation code enables the activation of
a valid subscription for a certain period of time and number devices and
can also be used to extend a subscription with the condition to be
generated for the same product or service.

ActiveX
ActiveX is a model for writing programs so that other programs and the
operating system can call them. ActiveX technology is used with
Microsoft Internet Explorer to make interactive Web pages that look and
behave like computer programs, rather than static pages. With ActiveX,
users can ask or answer questions, use push buttons, and interact in
other ways with the Web page. ActiveX controls are often written using
Visual Basic.
Active X is notable for a complete lack of security controls; computer
security experts discourage its use over the Internet.

Advanced persistent threat

Advanced persistent threat (APT) exploits vulnerabilities of systems to
steal important information to deliver it to the source. Big groups such
as organizations, companies, or governments, are targeted by this
malware.
The objective of an advanced persistent threat is to remain undetected
for a long time being able to monitor and gather important information
without damaging the targeted machines. The method used to inject
the virus into the network is through a PDF file or an Office document
that look harmless so that every user can run the files.

Adware
Adware is often combined with a host application that is provided at no
charge as long as the user agrees to accept the adware. Because adware
applications are usually installed after the user has agreed to a licensing
agreement that states the purpose of the application, no offense is
committed.

Glossary 205
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

However, pop-up advertisements can become an annoyance, and in

some cases degrade system performance. Also, the information that
some of these applications collect may cause privacy concerns for users
who were not fully aware of the terms in the license agreement.

Archive
A disk, tape, or directory that contains files that have been backed up.
A file that contains one or more files in a compressed format.

Backdoor
A hole in the security of a system deliberately left in place by designers
or maintainers. The motivation for such holes is not always sinister;
some operating systems, for example, come out of the box with privileged
accounts intended for use by field service technicians or the vendor's
maintenance programmers.

Boot sector
A sector at the beginning of each disk that identifies the disk's
architecture (sector size, cluster size, and so on). For startup disks, the
boot sector also contains a program that loads the operating system.

Boot virus
A virus that infects the boot sector of a fixed or floppy disk. An attempt
to boot from a diskette infected with a boot sector virus will cause the
virus to become active in memory. Every time you boot your system from
that point on, you will have the virus active in memory.

Browser
Short for Web browser, a software application used to locate and display
Web pages. Popular browsers include Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla
Firefox and Google Chrome. These are graphical browsers, which means
that they can display graphics as well as text. In addition, most modern
browsers can present multimedia information, including sound and video,
though they require plug-ins for some formats.

Command line
In a command line interface, the user types commands in the space
provided directly on the screen using command language.

Glossary 206
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Cookie
Within the Internet industry, cookies are described as small files
containing information about individual computers that can be analyzed
and used by advertisers to track your online interests and tastes. In this
realm, cookie technology is still being developed and the intention is to
target ads directly to what you've said your interests are. It's a
double-edge sword for many people because on one hand, it's efficient
and pertinent as you only see ads about what you're interested in. On
the other hand, it involves actually "tracking" and "following" where you
go and what you click. Understandably so, there is a debate over privacy
and many people feel offended by the notion that they are viewed as a
"SKU number" (you know, the bar code on the back of packages that
gets scanned at the grocery check-out line). While this viewpoint may
be extreme, in some cases it is accurate.

Disk drive
It's a machine that reads data from and writes data onto a disk.
A hard disk drive reads and writes hard disks.
A floppy drive accesses floppy disks.
Disk drives can be either internal (housed within a computer) or external
(housed in a separate box that connects to the computer).

Download
To copy data (usually an entire file) from a main source to a peripheral
device. The term is often used to describe the process of copying a file
from an online service to one's own computer. Downloading can also
refer to copying a file from a network file server to a computer on the
network.

E-mail
Electronic mail. A service that sends messages on computers via local
or global networks.

Events
An action or occurrence detected by a program. Events can be user
actions, such as clicking a mouse button or pressing a key, or system
occurrences, such as running out of memory.

Glossary 207
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

False positive
Occurs when a scanner identifies a file as infected when in fact it is not.

Filename extension
The portion of a filename, following the final point, which indicates the
kind of data stored in the file.
Many operating systems use filename extensions, e.g. Unix, VMS, and
MS-DOS. They are usually from one to three letters (some sad old OSes
support no more than three). Examples include "c" for C source code,
"ps" for PostScript, "txt" for arbitrary text.

Heuristic
A rule-based method of identifying new viruses. This method of scanning
does not rely on specific virus signatures. The advantage of the heuristic
scan is that it is not fooled by a new variant of an existing virus. However,
it might occasionally report suspicious code in normal programs,
generating the so-called "false positive".

Honeypot
A decoy computer system set to attract hackers in order to study the
way they act and identify the heretical methods they use to collect
system information. Companies and corporations are more interested
in implementing and using honeypots to improve their overall state of
security.

IP
Internet Protocol - A routable protocol in the TCP/IP protocol suite that
is responsible for IP addressing, routing, and the fragmentation and
reassembly of IP packets.

Java applet
A Java program which is designed to run only on a web page. To use an
applet on a web page, you would specify the name of the applet and the
size (length and width, in pixels) that the applet can utilize. When the
web page is accessed, the browser downloads the applet from a server
and runs it on the user's machine (the client). Applets differ from
applications in that they are governed by a strict security protocol.
For example, even though applets run on the client, they cannot read or
write data onto the client's machine. Additionally, applets are further

Glossary 208
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

restricted so that they can only read and write data from the same domain
that they are served from.

Keylogger
A keylogger is an application that logs anything you type.
Keyloggers are not malicious in nature. They can be used for legitimate
purposes, such as monitoring employees or children activity. However,
they are increasingly being used by cyber-criminals for malicious
purposes (for example, to collect private data, such as login credentials
and social security numbers).

Macro virus
A type of computer virus that is encoded as a macro embedded in a
document. Many applications, such as Microsoft Word and Excel, support
powerful macro languages.
These applications allow you to embed a macro in a document, and have
the macro execute each time the document is opened.

Mail client
An e-mail client is an application that enables you to send and receive
e-mail.

Memory
Internal storage areas in the computer. The term memory identifies data
storage that comes in the form of chips, and the word storage is used
for memory that exists on tapes or disks. Every computer comes with a
certain amount of physical memory, usually referred to as main memory
or RAM.

Non-heuristic
This method of scanning relies on specific virus signatures. The
advantage of the non-heuristic scan is that it is not fooled by what might
seem to be a virus, and does not generate false alarms.

Packed programs
A file in a compression format. Many operating systems and applications
contain commands that enable you to pack a file so that it takes up less
memory. For example, suppose you have a text file containing ten
consecutive space characters. Normally, this would require ten bytes of
storage.

Glossary 209
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

However, a program that packs files would replace the space characters
by a special space-series character followed by the number of spaces
being replaced. In this case, the ten spaces would require only two bytes.
This is just one packing technique - there are many more.

Path
The exact directions to a file on a computer. These directions are usually
described by means of the hierarchical filing system from the top down.
The route between any two points, such as the communications channel
between two computers.

Phishing
The act of sending an e-mail to a user falsely claiming to be an
established legitimate enterprise in an attempt to scam the user into
surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft. The
e-mail directs the user to visit a Web site where they are asked to update
personal information, such as passwords and credit card, social security,
and bank account numbers, that the legitimate organization already has.
The Web site, however, is bogus and set up only to steal the users
information.

Photon
Photon is an innovative non-intrusive Bitdefender technology, designed
to minimize the performance impact of antivirus protection. By
monitoring your PCs activity in the background, it creates usage patterns
that help optimize booting and scanning processes.

Polymorphic virus
A virus that changes its form with each file it infects. Since they have
no consistent binary pattern, such viruses are hard to identify.

Port
An interface on a computer to which you can connect a device. Personal
computers have various types of ports. Internally, there are several ports
for connecting disk drives, display screens, and keyboards. Externally,
personal computers have ports for connecting modems, printers, mice,
and other peripheral devices.
In TCP/IP and UDP networks, an endpoint to a logical connection. The
port number identifies what type of port it is. For example, port 80 is
used for HTTP traffic.

Glossary 210
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Ransomware
Ransomware is a malicious program that tries to make money from
users by locking their vulnerable systems. CryptoLocker, CryptoWall,
and TeslaWall, are only some variants that hunt personal systems of
users.
The infection can be spread by accessing spam e-mail, downloading
e-mail attachments, or installing applications, without letting the user
know about what is happening on his system. Daily users and companies
are targeted by ransomware hackers.

Report file
A file that lists actions that have occurred. Bitdefender maintains a report
file listing the path scanned, the folders, the number of archives and files
scanned, how many infected and suspicious files were found.

Rootkit
A rootkit is a set of software tools which offer administrator-level access
to a system. The term was first used for the UNIX operating systems
and it referred to recompiled tools which provided intruders
administrative rights, allowing them to conceal their presence so as not
to be seen by the system administrators.
The main role of rootkits is to hide processes, files, logins and logs. They
may also intercept data from terminals, network connections or
peripherals, if they incorporate the appropriate software.
Rootkits are not malicious in nature. For example, systems and even
some applications hide critical files using rootkits. However, they are
mostly used to hide malware or to conceal the presence of an intruder
into the system. When combined with malware, rootkits pose a great
threat to the integrity and the security of a system. They can monitor
traffic, create backdoors into the system, alter files and logs and avoid
detection.

Script
Another term for macro or batch file, a script is a list of commands that
can be executed without user interaction.

Spam
Electronic junk mail or junk newsgroup postings. Generally known as
any unsolicited e-mail.

Glossary 211
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Spyware
Any software that covertly gathers user information through the user's
Internet connection without his or her knowledge, usually for advertising
purposes. Spyware applications are typically bundled as a hidden
component of freeware or shareware programs that can be downloaded
from the Internet; however, it should be noted that the majority of
shareware and freeware applications do not come with spyware. Once
installed, the spyware monitors user activity on the Internet and transmits
that information in the background to someone else. Spyware can also
gather information about e-mail addresses and even passwords and
credit card numbers.
Spyware's similarity to a Trojan horse is the fact that users unwittingly
install the product when they install something else. A common way to
become a victim of spyware is to download certain peer-to-peer file
swapping products that are available today.
Aside from the questions of ethics and privacy, spyware steals from the
user by using the computer's memory resources and also by eating
bandwidth as it sends information back to the spyware's home base via
the user's Internet connection. Because spyware is using memory and
system resources, the applications running in the background can lead
to system crashes or general system instability.

Startup items
Any files placed in this folder will open when the computer starts. For
example, a startup screen, a sound file to be played when the computer
first starts, a reminder calendar, or application programs can be startup
items. Normally, an alias of a file is placed in this folder rather than the
file itself.

Subscription
Purchase agreement that gives the user the right to use a particular
product or service on a specific number of devices and for a certain
period of time. An expired subscription can be automatically renewed
using the information provided by the user at the first purchase.

System tray
Introduced with Windows 95, the system tray is located in the Windows
taskbar (usually at the bottom next to the clock) and contains miniature
icons for easy access to system functions such as fax, printer, modem,

Glossary 212
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

volume, and more. Double click or right-click an icon to view and access
the details and controls.

TCP/IP
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol - A set of networking
protocols widely used on the Internet that provides communications
across interconnected networks of computers with diverse hardware
architectures and various operating systems. TCP/IP includes standards
for how computers communicate and conventions for connecting
networks and routing traffic.

Trojan
A destructive program that masquerades as a benign application. Unlike
viruses, Trojans do not replicate themselves but they can be just as
destructive. One of the most insidious types of Trojan horse virus is a
program that claims to rid your computer of viruses but instead
introduces viruses onto your computer.
The term comes from a story in Homer's Iliad, in which the Greeks give
a giant wooden horse to their foes, the Trojans, ostensibly as a peace
offering. But after the Trojans drag the horse inside their city walls, Greek
soldiers sneak out of the horse's hollow belly and open the city gates,
allowing their compatriots to pour in and capture Troy.

Update
A new version of a software or hardware product designed to replace an
older version of the same product. In addition, the installation routines
for updates often check to make sure that an older version is already
installed on your computer; if not, you cannot install the update.
Bitdefender has it's own update module that allows you to manually
check for updates, or let it automatically update the product.

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

Is a technology that enables a temporary and encrypted direct connection
to a certain network over a less secure network. This way, sending and
receiving data is secure and encrypted, difficult to be caught by snoopers.
A proof of security is the authentication, which can be done only using
a username and password.

Glossary 213
Bitdefender Internet Security 2017

Virus
A program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without
your knowledge and runs against your will. Most viruses can also
replicate themselves. All computer viruses are manmade. A simple virus
that can copy itself over and over again is relatively easy to produce.
Even such a simple virus is dangerous because it will quickly use all
available memory and bring the system to a halt. An even more
dangerous type of virus is one capable of transmitting itself across
networks and bypassing security systems.

Virus signature
The binary pattern of a virus, used by the antivirus program to detect
and eliminate the virus.

Worm
A program that propagates itself over a network, reproducing itself as
it goes. It cannot attach itself to other programs.

Glossary 214