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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: REDACTED on June 22, 2015, 08:22:17 PM

Title: Does the Avast Software Updater uncheck spyware during installation?
Post by: REDACTED on June 22, 2015, 08:22:17 PM

I used the Software Updater included in Avast today for the first time. It updated Skype, 7Zip and Foxit Reader. But if I'm not wrong, Foxit Reader offers to install ad/spy-ware during installation. Does Avast make sure it unticks the box that asks for spyware to be installed? I'm a bit worried now.

Title: Re: Does the Avast Software Updater uncheck spyware during installation?
Post by: Para-Noid on June 22, 2015, 08:37:41 PM

avast does not untick any opt-outs. The fact is avast uses opt-outs.
Try using Unchecky (http://unchecky.com/).

It's quite handy and most of us use it. Unchecky will untick "opt-outs" for you.

Title: Re: Does the Avast Software Updater uncheck spyware during installation?
Post by: Eddy on June 22, 2015, 08:39:54 PM

avast is not "unticking" anything, that is for the user to do.
Foxit Reader came with OpenCandy which installed the browser-hijacking malware Conduit.
Complaints and reaction from Foxit on their own webboard: http://tinyurl.com/qhnbo7g
One of the moderators (who seems to work for Foxit):

Quote

We sincerely apologize for this inconvenience. I'll forward your feedback and experience to our market development team for references and evaluating. PUP means Potentially Unwanted Products.

Let's see.
OpenCandy is not just a pup. It is advertising software and therefore (in my opinion) malware.
It installs (or installed) Conduit which is a browser hijacker which is definably malware.

They claim that they have removed all "crapware" in version 6.2.1
If that is true, I don't know.
I am not using it.

Personally I use Nitro PDF.
Small, works as I want, free, nothing comes bundled with it.

Title: Re: Does the Avast Software Updater uncheck spyware during installation?
Post by: REDACTED on June 22, 2015, 08:49:07 PM

Oh shit, then I am in trouble. Avast installed everything in the background for me without offering me the chance to untick the boxes myself. Shit shit shit, this is the first and the last time I used the Software Updater.

Title: Re: Does the Avast Software Updater uncheck spyware during installation?
Post by: Eddy on June 22, 2015, 09:30:29 PM

Eh, no.
It is not avast's fault but your own.
The software update just says "There is a newer version of the Foxit Reader".
And that is true.
avast didn't installed the Foxit Reader, you did.
Nothing more, nothing less.

I suggest you remove Foxit Reader and follow these instructions:
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=53253.0

Title: Re: Does the Avast Software Updater uncheck spyware during installation?
Post by: REDACTED on June 22, 2015, 09:47:21 PM

No, no, there was a button that said 'Update', I clicked it and without warning avast said: Downloading... then it said Installing... all without asking me anything. I thought it was just going to run the installer and give me the control to see what's installing but it did all of this by itself without warning me.

Title: Re: Does the Avast Software Updater uncheck spyware during installation?
Post by: Eddy on June 23, 2015, 09:04:48 AM

As I said before.
It is you who installed Foxit Reader, not avast.
It is you who clicked on "update", not avast.

The software updater just checks a installed version and checks if there is a newer version.
If there is a newer version, the software updater lets you know.
If you click update, the installer/updater for the new version is downloaded and run.
If you can change things during the update is not up to avast but how the installer/updater is programmed.