Re: Regexps for "OnAccess*cludePath"?

"Valerie Snyder \(valsnyde\) via clamav-users" <[email protected]> Tue, 14 Jul 2026 16:53:12 +0000
Newsgroups gmane.comp.security.virus.clamav.user
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Hi Rainer,

The pull request you linked was merged prior to 1.5, but it only includes r=
egex support for OnAccessExcludePath and not OnAccessIncludePath.  It was m=
entioned in the release notes for 1.5.0 but I suppose I neglected to update=
 the sample configs and online documentation to reflect the change.
We should correct that.

Sadly, I do not know of a way to solve the exact problem you're describing,=
 though I do see the value. I'm absolutely open to an additional change to =
make OnAccessIncludePath be a regex as well, or else adding a second option=
 for each, that is explicitly a regex, and deprecating the originals. Swapp=
ing OnAccessExcludePath to be a regex directly was a risky maneuver conside=
ring strings like ".cache" change meaning, and should really be "\.cache".

Anyways, I'm sorry this is probably not the response you were hoping for.

Respectfully,
Val

Valerie Snyder (she/they)
ClamAV Development
Talos
Cisco Systems, Inc.
________________________________
From: clamav-users <[email protected]> on behalf of Dr =
Rainer Woitok via clamav-users <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 13, 2026 3:57 PM
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Cc: Dr Rainer Woitok <[email protected]>
Subject: [clamav-users] Regexps for "OnAccess*cludePath"?

Greetings,

do the values  for configuration variables  "OnAccess*cludePath"  really
have to be absolute paths?  Searching the Internet I find

   https://github.com/Cisco-Talos/clamav/issues/1074
   https://github.com/Cisco-Talos/clamav/issues/178
   https://github.com/Cisco-Talos/clamav/pull/1314

which all suggest that allowing regexps  was at least discussed in 2024.
But neither the documentation at

   https://docs.clamav.net/manual/OnAccess.html

nor my local Clamav 1.5.2 file  "/etc/clamav/clamd.conf.sample" contains
any indication  that regular expressions  are supported  (in contrast to
configuration variable "ExcludePath").  Have these pull requests been a-
bandoned?  And if yes why?

I hesitate to configure

   OnAccessIncludePath /home

because I'm afraid this could cause massive delays.  I would rather only
specify files which really are retrieved from the Internet, as in

   OnAccessIncludePath /home/.+/Downloads
   OnAccessIncludePath /home/.+/.cache/mozilla/firefox/.+/cache2/entries

Is there a way to achieve this?

Sincerely,
  Rainer
_______________________________________________

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Hi Rainer,</div>
<div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFo=
nt, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; c=
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nt, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; c=
olor: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
The pull request you linked was merged prior to 1.5, but it only includes r=
egex support for OnAccessExcludePath and not OnAccessIncludePath.&nbsp; It =
was mentioned in the release notes for 1.5.0 but I suppose I neglected to u=
pdate the sample configs and online documentation
 to reflect the change.&nbsp;</div>
<div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFo=
nt, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; c=
olor: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
We should correct that.</div>
<div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFo=
nt, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; c=
olor: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFo=
nt, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; c=
olor: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
Sadly, I do not know of a way to solve the exact problem you're describing,=
 though I do see the value. I'm absolutely open to an additional change to =
make OnAccessIncludePath be a regex as well, or else adding a second option=
 for each, that is explicitly a
 regex, and deprecating the originals. Swapping OnAccessExcludePath to be a=
 regex directly was a risky maneuver considering strings like &quot;.cache&=
quot; change meaning, and should really be &quot;\.cache&quot;.&nbsp;&nbsp;=
</div>
<div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFo=
nt, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; c=
olor: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFo=
nt, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; c=
olor: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
Anyways, I'm sorry this is probably not the response you were hoping for.&n=
bsp;</div>
<div id=3D"Signature" class=3D"elementToProof">
<div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFo=
nt, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; c=
olor: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helveti=
ca, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
Respectfully,</div>
<div class=3D"elementToProof" style=3D"font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helveti=
ca, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
Val</div>
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ca, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
<span style=3D"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">Valerie Snyder (sh=
e/they)</span><br>
<span style=3D"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">ClamAV Development=
</span><br>
<span style=3D"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">Talos</span><br>
<span style=3D"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">Cisco Systems, Inc=
.</span><br>
</div>
</div>
<div id=3D"appendonsend"></div>
<hr style=3D"display:inline-block;width:98%" tabindex=3D"-1">
<div id=3D"divRplyFwdMsg" dir=3D"ltr"><font face=3D"Calibri, sans-serif" st=
yle=3D"font-size:11pt" color=3D"#000000"><b>From:</b> clamav-users &lt;clam=
[email protected]&gt; on behalf of Dr Rainer Woitok via cla=
mav-users &lt;[email protected]&gt;<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, July 13, 2026 3:57 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> [email protected] &lt;[email protected]&=
gt;<br>
<b>Cc:</b> Dr Rainer Woitok &lt;[email protected]&gt;<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [clamav-users] Regexps for &quot;OnAccess*cludePath&quot;?<=
/font>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
</div>
<div class=3D"BodyFragment"><font size=3D"2"><span style=3D"font-size:11pt;=
">
<div class=3D"PlainText">Greetings,<br>
<br>
do the values&nbsp; for configuration variables&nbsp; &quot;OnAccess*cludeP=
ath&quot;&nbsp; really<br>
have to be absolute paths?&nbsp; Searching the Internet I find<br>
<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href=3D"https://github.com/Cisco-Talos/clamav/issues/1074">=
https://github.com/Cisco-Talos/clamav/issues/1074</a><br>
&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href=3D"https://github.com/Cisco-Talos/clamav/issues/178">h=
ttps://github.com/Cisco-Talos/clamav/issues/178</a><br>
&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href=3D"https://github.com/Cisco-Talos/clamav/pull/1314">ht=
tps://github.com/Cisco-Talos/clamav/pull/1314</a><br>
<br>
which all suggest that allowing regexps&nbsp; was at least discussed in 202=
4.<br>
But neither the documentation at<br>
<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href=3D"https://docs.clamav.net/manual/OnAccess.html">https=
://docs.clamav.net/manual/OnAccess.html</a><br>
<br>
nor my local Clamav 1.5.2 file&nbsp; &quot;/etc/clamav/clamd.conf.sample&qu=
ot; contains<br>
any indication&nbsp; that regular expressions&nbsp; are supported&nbsp; (in=
 contrast to<br>
configuration variable &quot;ExcludePath&quot;).&nbsp; Have these pull requ=
ests been a-<br>
bandoned?&nbsp; And if yes why?<br>
<br>
I hesitate to configure<br>
<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp; OnAccessIncludePath /home<br>
<br>
because I'm afraid this could cause massive delays.&nbsp; I would rather on=
ly<br>
specify files which really are retrieved from the Internet, as in<br>
<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp; OnAccessIncludePath /home/.+/Downloads<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp; OnAccessIncludePath /home/.+/.cache/mozilla/firefox/.+/cache2/=
entries<br>
<br>
Is there a way to achieve this?<br>
<br>
Sincerely,<br>
&nbsp; Rainer<br>
_______________________________________________<br>
<br>
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<br>
<br>
Help us build a comprehensive ClamAV guide:<br>
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