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Consumer Products => Avast SecureLine VPN => Avast SecureLine VPN for Mac => Topic started by: Kimberly68 on July 12, 2022, 04:37:04 AM

Title: Avast VPN has suddenly created an 'Other' user on Mac
Post by: Kimberly68 on July 12, 2022, 04:37:04 AM

About 3 or 4 weeks ago my Mac upon startup only had one user to log into the machine. Suddenly an 'Other' user has shown up so upon startup I see my user name and this 'Other' user. After working with Apple for about a week they determined it was probably Avast Security so I uninstalled that but that wasn't it. I then unistalled the VPN, Cleanup and AntiTrack and started to install one app at a time. Turns out it was the VPN that created this 'Other' user. Anyone else have this problem and is there a solve for it? I've had Avast for 2 or 3 years now and this is the first time this issue has ever turned up.

Title: Re: Avast VPN has suddenly created an 'Other' user on Mac
Post by: krahulik on July 12, 2022, 07:18:24 AM

Hi,
Avast SecureLine VPN started to create a service user '_avastsecurelinekillswitch' since the last update. The Kill Switch functionality uses it for DNS queries during a VPN session establishment. Similarly to other service users in the system, the user is marked as hidden not to be visible in a login window. Could you please tell me what is your operating system version? The login window can behave differently on computer launch; after user logout; with fast user switching and even be replaced with some custom solution (i.e. Microsoft). Do you see the 'Other' user in all or only in some specific login situations?

Thank you very much for letting me know about the issue,
Martin

Title: Re: Avast VPN has suddenly created an 'Other' user on Mac
Post by: Kimberly68 on July 12, 2022, 10:35:23 PM

Hello Martin, I am on Big Sur 11.6.7. I only see the 'Other' user upon machine startup or restart. I don't see 'Other' in my Users and Groups in the system prefs. I also haven't noticed it anywhere else. Just upon machine startup.

Title: Re: Avast VPN has suddenly created an 'Other' user on Mac
Post by: krahulik on July 13, 2022, 11:07:35 AM

Hello Kimberly,
thank you very much, I will try to investigate the cause.

Title: Re: Avast VPN has suddenly created an 'Other' user on Mac
Post by: Kimberly68 on July 13, 2022, 05:18:50 PM

Thank you!

Title: Re: Avast VPN has suddenly created an 'Other' user on Mac
Post by: Kimberly68 on August 15, 2022, 04:18:14 AM

Any update on this?

Title: Re: Avast VPN has suddenly created an 'Other' user on Mac
Post by: Kimberly68 on September 23, 2022, 03:10:34 AM

I tested this last night and it appears the mysterious 'other' user is now gone. Whatever ya'll did it worked.  :D