Avast WEBforum

Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: SpeedAgent on April 30, 2013, 03:49:36 PM

Title: Just upgraded from Free Avast and things are worse.
Post by: SpeedAgent on April 30, 2013, 03:49:36 PM
Last week I upgraded when my "free" version of Avast expired.  It was only $30 for 3 PCs.  Immediately after activating the license I got a very odd spam email, one I have not seen before and is uncommon in my inbox.  I tried not to think much of it until other things started to work differently.  I now get pop ups on some website that I never got pop ups on before.  Also, this morning my scroll feature stopped working on my laptop pad.  I assumed some malware or virus had infected my system.  Avast updated itself this morning, but did not indicate any problems.  I ran SpyHunter and within 10 seconds it quarantined a pretty serious malware infection. 

My question is- What is going on here?  I have paid $30 for protection that seems to have no intent to protect and may not even have the ability to detect, let alone protect.

I'm considering just calling and asking for a refund.  Has anyone else experienced this?  I don't need this hassle if the product is ineffective.

Chris
Title: Re: Just upgraded from Free Avast and things are worse.
Post by: essexboy on April 30, 2013, 04:09:03 PM
What did spyhunter detect ?
Title: Re: Just upgraded from Free Avast and things are worse.
Post by: Pondus on April 30, 2013, 04:23:38 PM
Quote
I ran SpyHunter and within 10 seconds it quarantined a pretty serious malware infection. 
no security program have 100% detection

so as Essexboy said what file did spyhunter detect, and where was it located.... full file path

Title: Re: Just upgraded from Free Avast and things are worse.
Post by: SpeedAgent on April 30, 2013, 06:02:59 PM
SpyHunter does not seem to have a quarantine history so I do not have the path, but it was a web traffic malware that was rated medium/high risk.  I have not had malware detected by SpyHunter for at least six months so with the various new issues I'm suspecting that Avast is not the right solution for me.  I was better off before I bought it.

Title: Re: Just upgraded from Free Avast and things are worse.
Post by: essexboy on April 30, 2013, 07:10:14 PM
By that do you mean a PUP..  Ie some toolbar or the like ?  If it was web bound malware then webshield would have blocked it SpyHunter must have some sort of log
Title: Re: Just upgraded from Free Avast and things are worse.
Post by: SpeedAgent on May 01, 2013, 02:51:57 PM
I have the path- the malware was removed yesterday by SpyHunter, but it is back this morning.  Avast still did not see it.  Here is the path:

C:\Users\ChrisM\Appdata\Local\Google\Chrome\UserData\Default\WebData:mywebsearch.com

If anyone can be of assistance it would be very helpful.  My pointer/scroll stopped working again so I assumed I had a bug and ran spyware- yep, it was back.

Chris
Title: Re: Just upgraded from Free Avast and things are worse.
Post by: Pondus on May 01, 2013, 03:48:08 PM
Quote
C:\Users\ChrisM\Appdata\Local\Google\Chrome\UserData\Default\WebData:mywebsearch.com
browser hijacker, try this
run AdwCleaner..... click delete.... post log here
you find it here  http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=53253.0

to check for any leftovers, also attach a OTL diagnostic log

Title: Re: Just upgraded from Free Avast and things are worse.
Post by: essexboy on May 01, 2013, 04:05:25 PM
Websearch is not classified as a virus but as a PUP, as believe it or not some people install that voluntarily, and they would get annoyed if Avast removed it
Title: Re: Just upgraded from Free Avast and things are worse.
Post by: SpeedAgent on May 01, 2013, 04:42:06 PM
I did the AdwCleaner and restarted and the MyWebSearch.com came back.  I ran spyhunter again and it removed it then I sent Enigma (spyhunter developer) a support ticket to see if there was something they could do.  I'm assuming every time I open my browser it will return.
Title: Re: Just upgraded from Free Avast and things are worse.
Post by: essexboy on May 01, 2013, 04:44:25 PM
I could have a look if you wish.. What browser is it in .. If FF are you synching it with an online backup ?

 Download OTL (http://oldtimer.geekstogo.com/OTL.exe)  to your Desktop
Secondary link  (http://www.itxassociates.com/OT-Tools/OTL.exe)
(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/73555776/OTL_Main_Tutorial.gif)

netsvcs
BASESERVICES
%SYSTEMDRIVE%\*.exe
/md5start
services.*
explorer.exe
winlogon.exe
Userinit.exe
svchost.exe
winsock.*
/md5stop
CREATERESTOREPOINT


Title: Re: Just upgraded from Free Avast and things are worse.
Post by: Aventador on May 01, 2013, 11:30:35 PM
Its a toolbar people. Not malware.  ::) SpywareHunter is a joke of a program anyways. MBAM is far superior and FREE. Mywebsearch comes prepacked with other installers. You will find it in Add/Remove programs.

http://home.mywebsearch.com/

https://www.virustotal.com/en/url/381bfd0d85bd564913e7800d30a26f57356ca3a8b5f6cb1cfbafc548766b3011/analysis/

http://malwaretips.com/blogs/remove-mywebsearch/
Title: Re: Just upgraded from Free Avast and things are worse.
Post by: Pondus on May 02, 2013, 12:19:26 AM
@Aventador 
yes we know what mywebsearch is, it is not the first time we see it.... search the forum
Title: Re: Just upgraded from Free Avast and things are worse.
Post by: Aventador on May 02, 2013, 02:17:20 AM
@Aventador 
yes we know what mywebsearch is, it is not the first time we see it.... search the forum

Didn't say you or the forum. I was referring to SpeedAgent. Essexboy is good at what he knows but there is no reason to over do it and rush in with the OTL. Education goes a long way. Also if he enables "PUP" and does a scan the Avast will see it. Either way its not an infection or malware related.
Title: Re: Just upgraded from Free Avast and things are worse.
Post by: DavidR on May 02, 2013, 12:48:50 PM
Sorry but SpeedAgent is trying to get rid of it.

Having tried a common tool AdwCleaner to remove the mywebsearch toolbar, it is back. So the suggestion to use OTL to try and find what is bring it back and eradicate that is more than justified.

If it is on your system and you didn't expressly want it then it is Unwanted and why SpeedAgent wants rid of it.
Title: Re: Just upgraded from Free Avast and things are worse.
Post by: Aventador on May 02, 2013, 11:01:54 PM
The toolbar can be remove via Add/Remove programs. Also remove it from Firefox and or Chrome by going into your add ons and removing it. Then reset your homepage and search engine. Its that easy. Just like the Ask toolbar.
Title: Re: Just upgraded from Free Avast and things are worse.
Post by: DavidR on May 02, 2013, 11:04:59 PM
If it were that easy why did the AdwCleaner remove it yet it came back again, there is more to this one than meets the eye, so I would leave it up to essexboy to find out why.
Title: Re: Just upgraded from Free Avast and things are worse.
Post by: Pondus on May 02, 2013, 11:16:44 PM
all the crap files it leaves behind will still be there....

anyway, you do it your way and we do it the essexboy way   ;)