Any Avast! Antivirus users here?

[Ron Obvious]

I like Avast a lot, but I'm rather irritated that as of the last update it seems to require whitelisting. Any program it doesn't recognise, and that includes all of my own programs get flagged and must be specifically approved. Irritating, because many of my programs run as background processes on my home server and are difficult to whitelist.

Hell, I suppose I should just go their website and find out I need to uncheck something simple. I'm just venting.

[ChromeFoundry]

1. What version?

I'm running 6.0.1367 and am not having this problem. I see version 7.0.1407 is out, so I am cautious of upgrading.

[Ron Obvious]

2. Version 6 something

I'm having a hard time finding out the version number via remote desktop (I'm nowhere near home), but it should be the latest version 6 Free as automatic updates seem to be almost daily occurrences.

[Mnpaul]

3. Is AutoSandbox turned on?

Look under "additional settings&quot left side of main menu) to turn it off

[Ron Obvious]

4. I think it's always been on

It's certainly on but it now seems to think a lot more programs are "suspicious", including ones I've written, but also commercially available programs like Replay Converter. This is on both machines that I'm running Avast (6.0.1367) on. Don't want to update to 7.x because I don't want to reboot the server yet.

Maybe because the executables aren't signed?

[douglas9]

5. Avast 7 Will Install Google Chrome, If You Do Not Pay Attention

Avast 7 has been released a few days ago and it has not only received praises but also criticism by part of the security software’s user base. Users have been complaining about a variety of things, including slow system starts on Windows 7 among other things (Caused by the installation of Microsoft Security Essentials on the machine. The only fix is to uninstall Avast or MSE). Two Ghacks readers have mentioned another issue after upgrading to Avast 7. The software did install the Google Chrome browser on their system, and made it the default system browser.

When you run the Avast 7 installer, you are greeted with a start screen where you can select the express, compatible or custom install options. Express basically installs the antivirus software with the default settings, compatible installs it as a second line of defense in addition to other security software running on the system, while custom install offers the means to select the program modules that you want to install.

The very same page lists another program that will be installed if Avast users do not pay attention to the menu. The lower quarter of the screen advertises Google Chrome, and displays two selection boxes. These boxes are checked by default, so that Avast 7 will install Google Chrome on the system and make it the default browser on the system.

http://www.ghacks.net/2012/02/26/avast-7-will-install-google-chrome-if-you-do-not-pay-attention/

[Ron Obvious]

6. Thanks for the warning!

Chrome's a fine browser by all accounts, but I'm happy enough with Firefox and I might easily have missed this.

I hate this sort of thing. Every since the days of Real Audio, it's been ceaseless vigilance when installing stuff or else wind up with Ask Toolbars, Comic Cursors, WInZip, iTunes, or anything else unrelated and unasked for such as adware.

I run Spybot R&D on occasion to remove such things.

[douglas9]

7. Another Surprise

I don't normally use FF, but after updating to Avast 7, but when i opened my FF this a.m. got the FF addon "permission popup" if i wanted to install the AVAST add on. Guess AVAST tries to install a FF addon too.