Antivirus software: Protecting your files, at the price of your privacy? June 26, 2015 http://blog.emsisoft.com/2015/06/26...er&utm_content=blog&utm_campaign=ticker150626
I ve just installed the latest version of Avast Free. It found a PUP on my Downloads....I did not delet it on manual scan I let the PUP be installed....Avast Warned it is a "potentially Unwanted Program",but it did not terminate the installation!!! During the setup,other PUP was detected by Avast.... I think it s not a good management.....When a file is detected as any kind of malware,it should be blocked on execution Here is the story It was detected as a PUP on Manual Scan http://malwaretips.com/attachments/capture-png.64575/ It was also detected on execution but the installation is not terminated http://malwaretips.com/attachments/capture2-png.64578/ The installation continutes,,it downloads some files,Another PUP was detected during the download process http://malwaretips.com/attachments/capture3-png.64579/ Again It continues to download http://malwaretips.com/attachments/capture4-png.64581/ http://malwaretips.com/attachments/capture5-png.64582/ I stopped the process using TaskManager The story was also explained here: http://malwaretips.com/threads/avas...ess-although-it-was-found-as-a-malware.47936/
Would be nice if someone renamed the thread to something more generic than a specific version number...
Avast! has quite a few cloud based and offline heuristic mechanism which work only on-execution. So don't be suprised if the file is missed on-demand and caught on execution. Some people on malwaretips forum are mistaking on-exection detection to avast having problems with their DB. So if it misses it in real-time it may catch it while execution.
With the raise of Spyware it's a shame Avast isn't good at all detecting it even with the help of the omnipotent cloud data they gather. Viruses that erase your data and cause local mayhem aren't as common as Spyware nowadays. Personal data gathering via Spyware is where is at now. Why they aren't good at it ? Because they are selling your data. They're Spyware themselves affiliated with Google and other companies.
Hi tekkaman, I'd be very interested in learning more about this. First, about the spyware that Avast is supposed to be detecting / blocking - but isn't -- presumably even intentionally, as your post suggests. And second, about Avast being spyware itself... Are you referring to the Jumpshot stuff? (https://blog.avast.com/2015/05/29/avast-data-drives-new-analytics-engine/) Thanks Vlk
Avast is quite popular and it's installed in most computers I fix. Those computers are always full of toolbars, ads, popups, weird homepages. Things that come with so called "free software". These things are removed by Eset even before you finish download. Avast also suggests the user that Chrome is needed for security when that is spyware in itself. Sometimes it installs Chrome after a program update if the user have it set to automatic. Chrome is like a Cancer. It's spreading everywhere. It even came in my new motherboard disk and it was checked by default in the driver section of the autorun menu trying to trick the user that it's a driver. The link you posted is new to me but proves the main purpose of Cloud "Security" which is just a pretty name for Spyware. Isn't that what Spyware does ? Send usage data to others ? If you pair the data uploaded with the IP address and your internet company that is enough info about you.
Strange because the Avast Browser Cleanup module is meant to kill just these things that you are describing, and to my best knowledge, it's pretty efficient at that. Eset is relatively aggressive when dealing with PUPs, agree. Avast can also kill PUPs on-access (before you finish download etc.) but this setting is not enabled by default. Even though in the latest version, users are prompted to enable it just after installation. Calling Chrome spyware is a bit extreme, don't you think? Cloud security just a pretty name for Spyware? Sorry but I totally disagree. Agreed, but my point was that that's NOT what Avast is doing. We are trying to be very transparent about this. For additional details, please refer to this post on the Avast forum: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=171725.0 Thanks Vlk
very glad to see you can opt out i know i for one would never want any of this info sent to anyone. i agree about chrome being like a cancer lol
Chrome might not be spyware/adware as such, but when it is installed on systems even though users don't want it, I see that as a problem. And I have yet to see a computer with avast! installed that didn't install Chrome as well even though user is already using Firefox, just because it comes pre-checked after EVERY avast! program update. I'm admin for our home computers and the other day I've checked my sister's computer and behold, Chrome was installed on it even though she is using Firefox. I have avast! locked down on her PC with hardened mode enabled and when program update was received, she simply confirmed that dialog since she's not all that much into computers to know what "Chrome" is or to even know she has to uncheck it because she doesn't need it. And that is the current biggest cancer of avast! if you ask me. And I really hate it.
And same goes for all the other crap they bundle with it. If I chose not to install it the first time, what makes them think I want it being offered on all the future updates?
Is the Dropbox client still installed when you use the stub installer? I got Dropbox and there was no opt-in or opt-out given.
Until Chrome puts similar lockdown and vetting for extensions and add-ons in place like Firefox has, I consider it an unacceptable security risk and a malware conduit. I'm seeing quite a few banking trojans and other nasties in Chrome extensions. I'm uninstalling Chrome on sight for the time being. I won't use an AV that pushes it as more secure. Google may get this glaring security hole patched, maybe then my opinion will change. As for the rest of the "optional installs", I agree with RejZor. It is a cancer. Off my list until this is dealt with in a way that makes regular users comfortable NOT installing the extras. The Geek
I have updated my protection tweaks for the R3 release. https://rejzor.wordpress.com/avast-2015-protection-tweaks Tweaks changes only involve newly introduced HIPS function. It's set for higher protection with minimal possible interactivity required from user.
What exactly is that "HIPS"? I find hard to believe they suddenly came out with something Comodo like or even Mamutu's.
