Avast false positives?

[Plastic Nev]

As usual, started the computer, then Avast gave the normal notification the virus data base had been updated.

Next thing is I am informed it had stopped a trojan-gen. the file path was unbelievably Malwarebytes, and a second alert came up as the same trojan, with file path as McAfee site advisor.

For now I have removed Avast after reporting the possible false positive to them and installed the Microsoft MSE.

Any one else finding Avast giving possible false positives, it will be of possible use for our security staff if reported in this thread.

 

Nev.

[etavares]

I'm using avast...hasn't had an issue and I just ran an MBAM scan. Check that...on the update it blocked the download of a file. That's annoying! I'm reporting it here and on MBAM forum.

 

http://www.avast.com/contact-form.php?loadStyles

 

[Plastic Nev]

That happened on my laptop Etavares, MBAM was a couple of days out of date so it tried to update and Avast blocked a file for me too. I went into Avast and turned it off for an hour, MBAM updated successfully then. Laptop now off for now as not needed anyway. It seems to stem from the latest Avast virus data base update as all was OK yesterday.

 

Nev.

[Bluesplayer.]

Hi - just updated Malwarebytes free version and then did a manual update of Avast 6.0.1367 and no problem to report.

Very strange.

[Plastic Nev]

Now seen a similar report on a general forum too, seems a bit hit and miss with some folks finding no problem.

 

 

Edit to add=

Avast have now seen and removed the false positive and issued a new update to fix it.

More here on the Malwarebytes forum.

 

http://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?showtopic=105765&st=0&p=523771entry523771

 

Nev.

[etavares]

There are still some odd things with the last day or two's worth of updates. I could put TEXT on this page that will trigger an Avast alert. One of my colleagues found that out. It's not a virus...and not malicious...and the kind of text we need to fix a thread. But, imagine someone using avast coming to our forum, opening a thread and getting a warning from Avast about the website.

[RandyL]

Thanks Gene. I copy that.

[Plastic Nev]

Avast is staying off the main system and relying on MSE for now until I hear all is OK again. Though might just stay with MSE, it has enough going for it, at least until Microsoft do something similar and mess it up. :)

 

Nev.

[Starbuck]

Though might just stay with MSE, it has enough going for it, at least until Microsoft do something similar and mess it up.

Strangely enough M$ seem to have a good and reliable product with MSSE and very little in the way of false positives.

Let's hope this continues.

[handbaggirl]

I seem to have had this happen to me, a couple of weeks back i was having a nightmare with any browers, hanging, not responding etc, the i got avast telling me i had virus in adobe and mcafee site advisor, i removed them both but when i downloaded the newest mcafee i got avast telling me it was infected, im now without it as im scared to download it, i though maybe the first site was a fake site so i tried another and again avast said it was infected...so is this a false positive and should i go and get mcafee again? having said this since i removed it no more browser problems

[Plastic Nev]

I know you are having the Avast issue looked at elsewhere so best not to do more until that is sorted one way or the other.

 

However for information only, I did see that the Mozilla Firefox people had found a problem with McAffee site advisor causing a problem with memory leakage. McAfee have since altered their software to prevent that.

 

Nev.

[handbaggirl]

yes, im having some help with avast going awall, im not doing anything that will cause any upsets till i can see if i can find and fix what i have :)

[I4n]

About a week ago, Avast offered a product Update to a newer version, as I have used Avast for years I just clicked to accept. Once the laptop restarted I kept getting "adapter reset by host" pop ups and was unable to get onto any websites (strangely I could get Facebook & nothing else !).

 

I uninstalled Avast and switched to Avira.

[pitfall]

I went to My Sons today, to up-date his adobe flash, spywareblaster and firefox. I managed to up-date spywareblaster then avast said I needed to update it. I was offered the basic free one or buy/trail one, I just updated the free one. I took the ticks out of the mcafee and something else. then done all the updates. I decided to do a quick scan with avast, it come up with 1 threat. windows \ dyfucadi.ocx

win32:trojan-gen. I put it in the chest, as I've never used avast before. Then tried to close avast, but it said it would scan and re-boot then close. took about 1/2 hour or so. Do You know if I need to do anything else, when I next go over. thank you.

[etavares]

You should be OK. Has avast picked up anything else? Any weird behavior of your computer since then? If yes to any of those, please follow these instructions and post a new topic in the Malware Infection Removal subforum.

[pitfall]

Thanks Etavares, I'll check it next time I'm over there.