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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: wdsellers on October 06, 2021, 03:44:15 AM

Title: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: wdsellers on October 06, 2021, 03:44:15 AM
I have 265 websites bookmarked as favorites. On Oct 1st, about half of them can no longer connect. I enclosed a sample of one of these sites. Any  help anyone can provide is greatly appreciated. Google advised to check my antivirus software. i've tried firefox, edge, internet explorer and get the same result.
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: davexnet on October 06, 2021, 04:43:29 AM
Do you have HTTPS scanning enabled ?
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: wdsellers on October 06, 2021, 04:53:26 AM
yes it is enabled
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: Asyn on October 06, 2021, 09:36:55 AM
I have 265 websites bookmarked as favorites. On Oct 1st, about half of them can no longer connect.
Hi, probably related to: https://scotthelme.co.uk/lets-encrypt-old-root-expiration/
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: redwolfe_98 on October 06, 2021, 11:48:17 PM
it's possible that the reason the avast program is flagging the website is because the name on the certificate does not match the name of the website.

(it is strange, in my opinion, that the website's certificate is only intended to be used for 2 months)
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: wdsellers on October 06, 2021, 11:52:40 PM
So will this correct it's self?
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: redwolfe_98 on October 07, 2021, 12:06:13 AM
try adding the website to the avast program's "allow" list, to allow access to the website, if that is what you want.

to do that, go to "settings/general/exceptions." then "add exception."
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: wdsellers on October 07, 2021, 03:55:44 AM
added but no change
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: redwolfe_98 on October 07, 2021, 07:33:11 AM
here is a link for reporting the issue to avast:

https://www.avast.com/false-positive-file-form.php (https://www.avast.com/false-positive-file-form.php)

or, you could try contacting avast's "support," for help with the issue.

of course, one way to resolve the issue would be to uninstall the avast program and to use the "windows defender" av-program, instead, assuming that you are running windows 10 on your computer, which would allow you to use the windows defender av-program.

Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: r@vast on October 07, 2021, 04:49:35 PM
I have 265 websites bookmarked as favorites. On Oct 1st, about half of them can no longer connect. I enclosed a sample of one of these sites. Any  help anyone can provide is greatly appreciated. Google advised to check my antivirus software. i've tried firefox, edge, internet explorer and get the same result.


Hi,

Did you receive any error notifications from Avast? I was able to access hxtps://www.wsfa.com/
Disable the shields and see if that makes a difference (Right-click on the Avast Antivirus icon in the system tray > click on Avast Shields Control > select an option)
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: wdsellers on October 07, 2021, 08:05:58 PM
i just removed Avast and no change. About ready to trash the whole computer.
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: bob3160 on October 07, 2021, 08:56:42 PM
i just removed Avast and no change. About ready to trash the whole computer.
What other security related programs are installed on your system?
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: wdsellers on October 07, 2021, 09:25:00 PM
I have removed them all.
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: bob3160 on October 07, 2021, 09:26:43 PM
I have removed them all.
Unfortunately that doesn't answer the question.
You also didn't state what version of Avast is installed and which product.
Sometime it's important to know how what was install got removed.
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: wdsellers on October 07, 2021, 09:34:03 PM
Avast One Essential
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: r@vast on October 08, 2021, 12:39:59 PM
i just removed Avast and no change. About ready to trash the whole computer.

Hi,

It is probably related to the Let's Encrypt expired certificate issue.
Are you on Win7 or Win10?
Try to add these certificates to your device.
Step 1. (Download the certificates)
https://letsencrypt.org/certs/lets-encrypt-r3.der (https://letsencrypt.org/certs/lets-encrypt-r3.der)
https://letsencrypt.org/certs/isrgrootx1.der (https://letsencrypt.org/certs/isrgrootx1.der)
https://letsencrypt.org/certs/isrg-root-x2.der (https://letsencrypt.org/certs/isrg-root-x2.der)

Step 2. (Import the certificates)
Open the Run app in Windows (Win+R)
Type: certmgr.msc
Click on Trusted Root Certification Authorities
Right-click on Certificates > All Tasks > Import (and follow the onscreen instructions to import them)
Restart Windows
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: wdsellers on October 08, 2021, 06:25:35 PM
Can't download or get to that site. It also gives me errors.
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: DavidR on October 08, 2021, 08:08:44 PM
Can't download or get to that site. It also gives me errors.

What errors, a screenshot may help.

Just clicking the first link (in firefox) shows my download option window (see attached image) so it is acting as I would expect.
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: wdsellers on October 08, 2021, 08:14:27 PM
here you go:
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: DavidR on October 08, 2021, 08:27:30 PM
It looks like you are trying to open the file/link rather than just downloading it.

I just single clicked on the link and firefox asks if I would like to save the file, that is what I opted for. It is then saved to my default folder, I haven't tried to open it at all, but save it.
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: wdsellers on October 08, 2021, 08:48:15 PM
I did a single click and the screenshot shows the  result.
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: DavidR on October 08, 2021, 09:35:29 PM
What browser are you using  ?

If you right click on the link does your browser give the option to Save Link As (mine does, see attached) or similar wording ?
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: wdsellers on October 08, 2021, 10:34:13 PM
I'm using Firefox and it doesnt give me that option. Took it into Edge and got this:
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: DavidR on October 09, 2021, 12:48:35 AM
I have the latest Firefox version 93.0 and the right click menu options haven't changed in a very long time and the Save Link as... option has been there for as long as I can remember.

I have never used Edge, I have avoided it from day one, so I can't comment on that.

But as r@vast mentioned he can connect to wsfa.com also without issue, so no avast alert either.

Something very strange going on.
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: wdsellers on October 09, 2021, 12:51:29 AM
tried right click and gave same error
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: DavidR on October 09, 2021, 03:19:20 AM
Are you using any security based add-ons in your browsers  ?

Some such as Firefox have an option to enforce https connection and you get the occasional error if the site doesn't have https available (though this shouldn't be the issue with this site).

Your last image looks more like a windows Defender style error as windows now has checks on downloads (which I disabled to avoid possible conflict).

Other than this, I'm pretty much out of ideas.
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: bob3160 on October 09, 2021, 01:36:53 PM
It isn't an Avast message.
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: Erick872 on October 12, 2021, 02:38:06 PM
You can also right-click the download link for the CA certificate, select "Copy link address" and paste it in a new tab. That should allow you to download the new certificate.

Had this exact problem and this helped: https://techglimpse.com/dst-root-ca-x3-expired-certificate-error/ - the Step 6 is important because I originally imported it in a wrong folder.
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: wdsellers on October 12, 2021, 03:37:54 PM
i get the same error - can't connect to that site
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: Asyn on October 12, 2021, 03:58:26 PM
i get the same error - can't connect to that site
Download the certs on another device and copy them over.
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: wdsellers on October 12, 2021, 04:05:08 PM
every link people have sent wont allow me to go to the site.
can anyone download the certs and send them in a ZIP?
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: Asyn on October 12, 2021, 04:07:49 PM
every link people have sent wont allow me to go to the site.
As said, download the certs on another device and copy them over.
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: bob3160 on October 12, 2021, 07:25:53 PM
every link people have sent wont allow me to go to the site.
As said, download the certs on another device and copy them over.
Download it to a flash drive once downloaded, take that flash drive to the affected system.
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: wdsellers on October 13, 2021, 03:54:00 PM
i have this one computer and flash drive, nothing works. i give up
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: Asyn on October 13, 2021, 03:59:01 PM
i have this one computer and flash drive, nothing works. i give up
How about family/friends/neighbors, can't you download it there..?
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: wdsellers on October 13, 2021, 04:15:59 PM
just got the certs from someone, downloaded, installed, rebooted, no change
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: Erick872 on October 14, 2021, 03:01:41 PM
Is it possible that you imported the certificate in a wrong directory? I'm asking because it happened to me, and then I followed this article (step 6) and it started working: https://techglimpse.com/dst-root-ca-x3-expired-certificate-error/
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: wdsellers on October 14, 2021, 05:03:26 PM
that link caused the same bad cert error
Title: Re: Is this caused by Avast?
Post by: redwolfe_98 on October 14, 2021, 06:44:38 PM
Is it possible that you imported the certificate in a wrong directory? I'm asking because it happened to me, and then I followed this article (step 6) and it started working: https://techglimpse.com/dst-root-ca-x3-expired-certificate-error/
here are the instructions for installing the new, updated root-certificate-file that is needed, according to "techglimpse." the file's name, from "letsencrypt,"  is "isrgrootx1.der."

doubleclick the file to install it and, when installing it, choose "Place all certificates in the following store" and choose "Trusted Root Certification Authorities."

incidentally, the techglimpse article mentions that up-to-date versions of the firefox browser are not affected by the issue since firefox has its own set of root-certificates, which would be up-to-date.