Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Mac Security => Topic started by: fssbob2 on December 17, 2019, 07:24:15 PM
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Under Preferences / Personal Privacy there is a setting "Allow usage data to be shared with 3rd parties for analytics". By default it is checked. I can uncheck it; however, as soon as I restart my Mac it is checked again.
Avast Mac Version 14.3 / MacOS 10.15.2
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Hi,
I don't have this trouble with mine. Avast Security 14.2
PS : Sorry didn't see it was with 14.3....just have seen the release, will try this.
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SAme here with 14.3 / Mac OS 10.12.6
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The difference could be MacOS Catalina. I know there are increased restrictions about what can be saved where. It's possible that's resulting in the setting not getting saved.
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The difference could be MacOS Catalina. I know there are increased restrictions about what can be saved where. It's possible that's resulting in the setting not getting saved.
I'm still running Sierra...
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Hi, thanks for the report. We'll test it. It looks like a bug.
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Thanks. Given the current controversy in this area, might be good to get it fixed before one of the computer mags misinterprets it as being intentional. :)
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fssbob2, exactly! However, we were not able to reproduce it :( Any other hints that might help? Is it just this one checkbox that is reset after restart?
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Were you using MacOS Catalina?
I tried checking "Open Avast Security when my computer starts up." It stayed checked after restart.
I tried removing/reinstalling Avast Security, and then unchecking "Allow usage data". Once again it was checked after restart.
By the way, I noticed that after the removal/reinstall, the Avast Online Security Chrome extension WAS NOT reinstalled. I had to reinstall it manually. I believe that previously the Avast Security installer had automatically done that. (It still has a step for Chrome Extension, but it didn't appear to actually work.)
Thanks.
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fssbob2, exactly! However, we were not able to reproduce it :( Any other hints that might help? Is it just this one checkbox that is reset after restart?
Hi, no sorry no other hints.... it's the only checkbox that is reset after restart. Didn't notice an other bug !
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fssbob2, exactly! However, we were not able to reproduce it :( Any other hints that might help? Is it just this one checkbox that is reset after restart?
Hi Lukas - I am also experiencing this in Catalina (Latest release 10.15.2). It appears to be the only checkbox reset after a re-start.
Edit: Added Catalina version number and additional details.
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Not only with Catalina. I have the same with Sierra 10.12.6
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Exactly same problem here, the option is enabled after each restart.
- Avast v14.3
- macOS Mojave v10.14.6
Given the current controversy in this area, might be good to get it fixed before one of the computer mags misinterprets it as being intentional.
Honestly, it could be. Especially when, for instance for their browsers add-ons, they clearly state they "need" to collect all kind of data amongst their users... Way more than what they really need....
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thx for your help with identifying the issue! Our QA found it. This will be fied into next release. Sorry for inconvenience.
This checkbox is used for turning on/off Google Analytics reports of UI usage.
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Hi,
I have this same issue and I'm using Mojave 10.14.6. By the way ... It's already hit the CNET newsletter and some other software newsletters I receive by email. You may want to get this fixed in a hurry to protect your reputation.
Dennis
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Doesn't look good when you have articles like this
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-7948373/Anti-virus-company-Avast-winding-subsidiary-sold-millions-users-sensitive-web-data.html (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-7948373/Anti-virus-company-Avast-winding-subsidiary-sold-millions-users-sensitive-web-data.html)
and yet they have still yet to fix this issues. Should be a simple fix but yet there it is. Still enabled and still collecting. No respect and honour= Rubbish company ethos with greed.
I really don't get a company that got caught red handed with data collection and they have yet to fix this. My opinion is that this is not a bug and they continue to collect information. I hope I can speak for the majority and say that all information should be deleted ASAP. Disgraceful and shameful that companies can get away with this. With European GDPR law we have a clear mandate of what information has been collected and should be deleted from your servers. I can assume you have a hidden policy that bypasses this .
I have removed all of your products and I really do hope that you get prosecuted for this blatant misuse of trust.
We must stand up to these companies and I'm afraid AVAST is one that must be accountable for this disgraceful actions.
You have lost my trust from the early days with my security.
Open source is the only way to go. Can't trust any !!!!!
Took a screen shot and see how long this post get's deleted.
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Hello francocos,
While I understand your frustration, Avast was open and transparent about what is going on from the very beginning. Our CEO apologised and closed the whole business that was being questioned - please read https://blog.avast.com/a-message-from-ceo-ondrej-vlcek
However lets get back to the MacAV :
I'll repeat myself - Mac Antivirus aka Avast Security (including Premium Security, of course) has never ever shared any data with any 3rd party to allow analyse your browsing. We are using only one 3rd party tool - Google Analytics that is used to track users usage of the AV user interface.
With all the respect, I doubt that any AV will go "open source" way. I'm a huge open source fan but in this cat-mouse game with cybercriminals it would be a dead end with only one winner. And unfortunately, those would be the bad guys.
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Dennis46 - Lukas had already advised earlier this month that this would be fixed in the next release.
Lukas - Do you have an estimate on when the next update might be released?
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However lets get back to the MacAV :
I'll repeat myself - Mac Antivirus aka Avast Security (including Premium Security, of course) has never ever shared any data with any 3rd party to allow analyse your browsing. We are using only one 3rd party tool - Google Analytics that is used to track users usage of the AV user interface.
Why does the option to opt-in sharing your data exist then?
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With all the respect, I doubt that any AV will go "open source" way. I'm a huge open source fan but in this cat-mouse game with cybercriminals it would be a dead end with only one winner. And unfortunately, those would be the bad guys.
Have you ever heard of Clam AntiVirus (ClamAV)? It is a free software, cross-platform and open-source antivirus software.
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Have you ever heard of Clam AntiVirus (ClamAV)? It is a free software, cross-platform and open-source antivirus software.
Well, that's most probably the reason why its detection rates are miserable.
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However lets get back to the MacAV :
I'll repeat myself - Mac Antivirus aka Avast Security (including Premium Security, of course) has never ever shared any data with any 3rd party to allow analyse your browsing. We are using only one 3rd party tool - Google Analytics that is used to track users usage of the AV user interface.
Why does the option to opt-in sharing your data exist then?
Because when GDPR came, we have taken the same options as Windows version (as provided by our legal team) in a hurry and added them there so that if we ever needed them, they would be there (with user already having a chance to modify them). In 14.4 we will remove all options that are not really used and relabel the checkboxes to be more specific for the rest.
Regarding the checkbox reverts, the fix should get out shortly in a hotfix. We apologise, it has been triggered by an unrelated license logic change which interacted with the relevant code, and our testers unfortunately did not catch it.
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We released a new version that should fix the issue of the reverting "Allow usage data". We removed this option as MacAV never shared data with Jumpshot. The whole layout of Privacy tab in Preferences was changed to make it more understandable for users.
There is new option "Share app-usage data with 3rd-party analytics tools to improve this app." that should turn on/off sending of user interface usage to Google Analytics (GA).
Please make sure that you have version 14.3 (c3875f8ddaf9) - see list of changes at https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=210570.msg1429568#msg1429568
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It works ! thanks
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I have disabled automatic updates, but it has updated anyway to 14.3 and enabled Share app usage with Avast, under privacy. Also please beware, your privacy settings are ignored for other subproducts, so basically they are still screwing you.
Avast is NOT trustworthy. Spreading FUD with WiFi inspector, Ransomware, forced updates, FUD notifications for uneducated people.
Come on, I just do not believe that this is a bug. It is just an intentional introduction of a bug, so you are not responsible for oops... we just did it. You have no excuse to steal our private data and sell it.
I am migrating all our user base to alternative.
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I have disabled automatic updates, but it has updated anyway to 14.3 and enabled Share app usage with Avast, under privacy. Also please beware, your privacy settings are ignored for other subproducts, so basically they are still screwing you.
Avast is NOT trustworthy. Spreading FUD with WiFi inspector, Ransomware, forced updates, FUD notifications for uneducated people.
Come on, I just do not believe that this is a bug. It is just an intentional introduction of a bug, so you are not responsible for oops... we just did it. You have no excuse to steal our private data and sell it.
I am migrating all our user base to alternative.
There is no forced update. There are emergency updates to address security concerns.
It's your computer and has always been your choice.
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I have disabled automatic updates, but it has updated anyway to 14.3 and enabled Share app usage with Avast, under privacy. Also please beware, your privacy settings are ignored for other subproducts, so basically they are still screwing you.
Avast is NOT trustworthy. Spreading FUD with WiFi inspector, Ransomware, forced updates, FUD notifications for uneducated people.
Come on, I just do not believe that this is a bug. It is just an intentional introduction of a bug, so you are not responsible for oops... we just did it. You have no excuse to steal our private data and sell it.
I am migrating all our user base to alternative.
Hi,
I have done the latest update from yesterday and when you untick a box concerning privacy and what you want to be or not shared, it doesn't reset ticked by default whenyou restart your computer....with Avast 14.3 (c3875f8ddaf9). the latest update from yesterday. Maybe you don't have the last one. If you make a manual update it will work. You can also download the last version here : http://mac-av.u.avcdn.net/mac-av/10_10/AAFM/avast_security_online.dmg (http://mac-av.u.avcdn.net/mac-av/10_10/AAFM/avast_security_online.dmg)
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Silvio2, I assume that it's too late to ask you about logs however if unchecked the "Turn on automatic updates" in Preferences > general then the product will not update automatically. However it will update when you hit UPDATE NOW button.
I'd like to emphasise that our MacAV hasn't been collecting any data.
I have disabled automatic updates, but it has updated anyway to 14.3 and enabled Share app usage with Avast, under privacy. Also please beware, your privacy settings are ignored for other subproducts, so basically they are still screwing you.
Avast is NOT trustworthy. Spreading FUD with WiFi inspector, Ransomware, forced updates, FUD notifications for uneducated people.
Come on, I just do not believe that this is a bug. It is just an intentional introduction of a bug, so you are not responsible for oops... we just did it. You have no excuse to steal our private data and sell it.
I am migrating all our user base to alternative.