AVG Free Upgraded to 8.0.233

Discussion in 'other anti-virus software' started by JRViejo, Jan 26, 2009.

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  1. JRViejo

    JRViejo Super Moderator

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    Things are a little weird at AVG these days.

    Noticed that FileHippo announced the latest update on January 24th, yet AVG has posted the Installation File being available as of on January 15th.

    The AVG Free Forum post: FREE EDITION PROGRAM UPDATE ISSUES - AVG 8.0.233 states "The AVG Free 8.0.233 update is being provided gradually - not all AVG Free users will be provided with this version immediately." same as the previous version 8.0.200, so version 8.0.176 is what you are still probably seeing in the GUI.

    These are the Program update AVG Free 8.0.233 Fixes & Improvements (found at the bottom of the post):
    Do heed AVG's warnings and let the program update itself whenever that may be. That's what I intend to do, however, I post this for the most adventurous Wilders members who like to try new things.
     
  2. Eice

    Eice Registered Member

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    If you don't want to wait, the AVG 8.0.233 installation file is available for download from the AVG Free website.
     
  3. Macstorm

    Macstorm Registered Member

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    what happened to the earlier replies in this thread o_O i'd swear i've seen posts before here or am i just rambling..
     
  4. progress

    progress Guest

    Do you mean this thread o_O AVG Free 8.0.233 has been installed :p
     
  5. JRViejo

    JRViejo Super Moderator

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    Macstorm, the thread that ance is referring to was for the AVG Paid version; this one is for the Free version.

    ance, did you install 8.0.233 yourself or did it come by way of the normal update? How's it working? Any problems?
     
  6. progress

    progress Guest

    I installed AVG 8.0.233 myself, no problems so far ;)
     
  7. Macstorm

    Macstorm Registered Member

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    Ance & JRViejo, no i mean this thread thanks i think i'm going nuts, i'd swear i've read 3 or 4 posts last night after JRViejo started this topic about AVG Free. Nevermind, sorry for the off-topic.
     
  8. MICRO

    MICRO Registered Member

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    Hello JRV.,

    Do you or any of the readers know anything about this thing that's been added in this .233 version called,
    ' AVG Network Scanner Service ' - AVGnsx.exe ?

    I tried blocking it via OA and my other Firewall but then could NOT surf the net,
    not via Google at least - I should have tried also dumping Google I guess because they appear to be somehow working with AVG, but
    didn't think of it at that same minute.

    As soon as I unblocked this thing I could surf again.

    It might sound OK - but with a bit of thought the mind boggles that this thing is racing around the network actually seeking out Malware, lol - so what is it
    really doing I wonder ?

    Three TCP's of it are running constantly on Curr Ports.
     
  9. Eice

    Eice Registered Member

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    The new AVG Free seems to include a rudimentary HTTP scanner that only works on web pages and scripts (and not binary files or other data). If I had to guess, and from how its connections to non-local IP addresses are all through port 80, I'd say that's what avgnsx.exe is.
     
  10. JRViejo

    JRViejo Super Moderator

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    MICRO, this is what OA says About avgnsx.exe and since I'm still using 8.0.176, it doesn't show in my Task Manager. But its appearance begs the question, did you choose to install either the LinkScanner and/or Web Search (Ask toolbar) feature? That's what Eice is referring to and that .exe is probably related to the LinkScanner.

    I chose not to install either of these features, when AVG 8 first became available, due to all their reported problems and so far, my AVG is flawless. That's why I'm waiting until any version update shows up normally.

    @ ance,
    Since you have the new .233 version, can you verify that you have avgnsx.exe in the Task Manager, provided you also installed the LinkScanner? Can anyone else?
     
  11. MICRO

    MICRO Registered Member

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    Thanks JRV., that OA page is handy for future checks - Originally I opted out of anything other than the basic 8.0
    but months later on another Forum one of AVG's main men described how they had problems but ALL were now fixed, and so I upgraded to include only the LS, not the dreadful "ASK" anything, and not the other charmer "Yahoo", the latter was calling home often so I made a Firewall rule to DENY/BLOCK all of Yahoo's Network Range.

    I guess only time will tell how to get rid of this latest nsx.exe if it can be
    found to be a pain - It is on the Task Manager along with another, rsx.exe,
    System 360k and 232k - there are a few other AVG items on it but I think they were there since 8.0 began.
     
  12. Eice

    Eice Registered Member

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    No, that was not what I was referring to. I said the new AVG Free includes a HTTP scanner. The avgsnx.exe process never appeared in any of the older versions, and I had all features installed.
     
  13. JRViejo

    JRViejo Super Moderator

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    Eice, thank you for correcting my statement. When I read your mention of HTTP, I thought of this FAQ What is the LinkScanner, specifically this quote "At the same time, the LinkScanner also checks all Internet addresses typed into the address bar of your browser, or linked on other websites." Since Internet addresses are HTTP, that's where my mind was at in my reply.

    According to the AVG Free User Manual, June 2008, Page 33, AVG only mentions these components: Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware, LinkScanner, Resident Shield, Update Manager and AVG Security Toolbar as part of the Free version. Because this new .233 version is not being distributed via normal updates, perhaps they are waiting until they iron out all the bugs before posting a new manual.

    Could you take a screen capture of this HTTP scanner, if possible, especially if it shows in Tools > Advanced settings... and post it.
     
  14. JRViejo

    JRViejo Super Moderator

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    MICRO, just FYI. I have the following AVG processes running in my 8.0.176, after working the PC all day:

    avgwdsvc.exe - AVG Watchdog Service - 2,952K
    avgrsx.exe - AVG Resident Shield Service - 32,448K
    avgemc.exe - AVG E-Mail Scanner - 900K
    avgtray.exe - AVG Tray Monitor - 688K

    Checked with Process Explorer and perhaps you could use this program to find out what avgnsx.exe says. ;)

    Edited: Sorry MICRO, didn't see your ' AVG Network Scanner Service ' - AVGnsx.exe ? in your post.
     
    Last edited: Jan 30, 2009
  15. Eice

    Eice Registered Member

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    The Web Shield doesn't show up anywhere in the UI at all, nor does there seem to be any method to disable it without resorting to more unorthodox means. Turning off the Resident Shield doesn't seem to disable it. What I've noticed so far however is that it works only on web pages and scripts - it's blind to malware binaries, leaving those for the Resident Shield to handle.

    Here's a screenshot of the alert window on WinXP.

    Incidentally, has anyone noticed that the Surf Shield is now also ticked on by default (alongside the Safe Search feature that's always been available) and cannot be turned off?
     

    Attached Files:

  16. progress

    progress Guest

    avgwdsvc.exe
    avgrsx.exe
    avgnsx.exe
    avgtray.exe

    I think the Surf Shield was only available in paid versions of AVG. So AVG Free only misses the Anti-Rootkit compared to AVG Anti-Virus? :blink:
     
  17. JRViejo

    JRViejo Super Moderator

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    Eice, so it looks like AVG has now included the Web Shield in the Free version as well. o_O In the Paid version AVG Anti Virus 8.0 User Manual, page 70, it shows that the Web Shield can be accessed via Tools > Advanced settings and disabled there. Is it there on the new Free version?
     
  18. JRViejo

    JRViejo Super Moderator

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    ance, thanks! So you don't have the email scanner (avgemc.exe) running, correct?

    Can you use the Process Explorer program (it doesn't install) mentioned in my previous post to see what avgnsx.exe relates to?

    Edited: ance, disregard, I see MICRO's ' AVG Network Scanner Service ' - AVGnsx.exe ? posting.
     
    Last edited: Jan 30, 2009
  19. progress

    progress Guest

    No :shifty:
     
  20. JRViejo

    JRViejo Super Moderator

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    WOW! ance, there are a ton of problems in the AVG Free Forum with this new version; be happy that yours is working well. :)
     
  21. Eice

    Eice Registered Member

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    I'm kind of undecided over how they're making the Web Shield so invisible to users and making it un-disable-able, but I think the addition itself is a very good thing. It really provides a lot of protection that the free version originally didn't. For example: previously the users of the free edition received virtually no protection at all against the AntiVirus 2009 rogue scanners, because it was just impossible to keep up with all those variants. Now at least the free edition gets a basic Web Shield to block the rogue sites so people can't download them.
     
  22. progress

    progress Guest

  23. m00nbl00d

    m00nbl00d Registered Member

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  24. progress

    progress Guest

    AVG Free 8.0.233 has the Surf Shield and it blocks the test exploit :thumb:

    Avira failed ... :(
     
  25. m00nbl00d

    m00nbl00d Registered Member

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    I thought that the free version only had LinkScanner Lite, which would only give a rating on your searches in Google, Yahoo and MSN, in both IE and Firefox?

    I guess AVG decided to include it (LinkScanner Pro), also, in the Free version, then? If yes, great move by AVG. Have you tried it on IE? Would it stil protect you, if you were using Opera?

    I'm not surprised Avira failed. At the moment, no other tool than LinkScanner Pro, as far as I know, provides that same protection. Or, at least, at the same level.

    HauteSecure also offers a very good protection, based on behavior, very soft HIPS and soft sandboxing and malicious domains blocking.

    I guess that LinkScanner Pro and HauteSecure are the top ones on that field. Just my opinion. They work great together. ;) More basis are covered. Prevention is the way.

    Best regards
     
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