Avira

It's not a bug, it's a feature! =

 

Thanks, Anon!

Well that just confirmed for me that I will be buying a different AV. That is unacceptable!

No ability for end user to have complete control when scans run, or not, is complete B.S.

 

Not sure who is running Avira as a business now, but it seems like every move they made is against the consumer wish! For an outsider it seems like a "spy" is infiltrated in Avira high level of decision with the only purpose to eliminate it from the market..

 

I'm not sure I buy into the conspiracy theory, but it is obvious that somebody at the top thinks everybody needs a nanny.

I don't, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Just provide a good basic AV that I can setup to use the way that works for me. I have been an information technology worker/user for over 30+ years, and I mostly know what I am doing.

What could it hurt to hide an "off" switch somewhere that the newbies won't stumble across it.

 

I agree with you that a switch would be very practical, on the other hand I timed the quick scan and it was a 'quick' 35 seconds scan, nothing disruptive IMO. From their perspective, they use any malware harvested on average computers to further update their signatures and what not...

 

A switch will not solve much.

Avira has to be redesigned from its core, to look and behave like a normal antivirus .

 

+1

 

After testing it for few days I agree.
OTOH if it does what it needs to do...

 

Technically you are probably correct. But it's the principle attitude of the vendor that bugs me. I do not wish to be one of their sentinel "bots". I just want an AV that answers to me. Period.

 

+2

 

How do I uninstall the Opera browser it makes me install? I already have the regular one, I don't want the Avira version and it is still there after I uninstalled the program.

 

I'm using the Pro version, so I don't know what's going on with Avira free AV & Avira Free Security Suite.
Have a look in the following KB articles=
https://support.avira.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000751078-How-do-I-uninstall-the-Opera-browser-
https://support.avira.com/hc/en-us/...ree-Security-Suite-install-the-Opera-browser-

 

Avira Antivirus for Windows, Version 15.0.1910.1604 released on Oct 11, 2019.

https://install.avira-update.com/package/antivirus/win/en-us/avira_antivirus_en-us.exe

Changelog:
https://support.avira.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000109798-Avira-Antivirus-for-Windows

 

It seems that changelog is running a bit behind with the latest version shown:

 

+1
----------

Spoiler

"Fixed crash during repair after detections on on-demand scan"

 

how effective is the ransomware module in Avira Pro? Should there be another dedicated layer? I keep all data away from my computer in disconnected USB storage, but for the sake of argument, is it reliable?

 

https://bestantiviruspro.org/review/avira-review/
-------------------------
Kaspersky Anti-Ransomware Tool
https://www.kaspersky.com/anti-ransomware-tool

 

I have no idea. I have disabled that module and use HitmanPro.Alert for that purpose instead. https://www.hitmanpro.com/en-us/alert.aspx

 

Thanks, but I'm not going to spend any money any more for security, let alone for something that now belongs to Sophos. I was wondering whether Avira uses behavioral technology to detect ransomware or any other method...

 

I hear you, and didn't mean to go off-topic with your question! But it seems there is not much transparency from Avira, and very little informative discussion regarding Avira's technology. I have found very little about their security protection beyond 3rd party AV tests of their conventional signature based file protection.

For that reason, and others, I have decided to switch AV when my Pro subscription runs out in a few months. At this point I am running Avira Pro with all modules disabled, except for the Real-Time Protection, because I have lost trust in them beyond basic AV. They don't really engage with their customer base to explain their technology, beyond glossy marketing jargon, and their official "Avira Answers" forum is rarely helpful. All of their official channels seem geared towards getting completely new users on board. Their tech support is usually effective if something breaks and you open a ticket.

So I am really wasting my money on Avira Pro at this point. That kind of sucks, because Avira has been very good for me in regards to it's core AV features, and it has been the central layer of my security for years.

I am not advising anyone against Avira, just explaining why I no longer find it suitable for my purposes.

My bottom line answer to your question is that for ransomware protection and other advanced security topics, I would rather rely on a company that clearly explains how their stuff works, and that their developers routinely engage the user community with effective Q&A.

 

"Want to know what the future looks like?
We're constantly working on new products and services that will shape tomorrow. Want to be among the very first to see what we're building next? Sign up to be an Avira Beta Tester."

https://betacenter.avira.com/key/websitefooter

 

Thanks Anon, for some reasons I missed reading your post which answers my question: it is behavioural heuristic according to this review. This is good enough for me, even though I keep all my sensitive data disconnected from my laptop just in case...

 

I don't think you can expect them to divulge technical details that might help the competition, after all as users, we only need to be protected against malware. It is a bit like asking Tesla how they build their terrific batteries which allow longer range than others... But I'm not being critical of your feelings, I think if one loses trust over something so intimate as an AV, it is time to switch to something else. My own criterion to eventually switch is the price, they are all getting too expensive, and MS Defender is getting better every year....

 

Expect more to come in that area with the next release (15.0.1910.16xx) in few days.

Spoiler

New Enhanced Offline Heuristics

 

Avira has behaviour based detections. On local clients (sensor detetections (pro) and sensor cloud scan triggers (both pro and free)) and in the cloud backend ("real time" detonation system). The local sensors don't block ransomware like usually done by other products. Like detect and prevent user data file modification, they go for other things. This "classical" ransomware behaviour detection is in the backend "real time" detonation system.

BTW, if you have problems with the quick scan or daily process scan, please PM me. For both, I am the person to blame