Here is what support had me do and so far it seems to have resolved the run away process.
Thank you for your report and information. We prepared SP1 for avast 2015 could you try this complex reinstall with it:
Note: more detailed description with screen shots is here:
http://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB94#artTitleNote: please be sure you run all uninstall and cleanup utility as administrator and - which is very important! - you rune it AS ADMINISTRATOR. Be an administrator and run something "as administrator" is not the same so you should do right click on a exe file and choose "Run as Administrator"option.
1. uninstall avast2014 (and 2015if you have it) - you should use our removal utility
(
http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avastclear.exe )
2. restart and delete manually both avast folders. One in Program Files and one in Program Data.
Then check if in the adapter properties in control panels -> network adapter settings is not present "avast firewall NDIS filter miniport". If yes, remove it manually please.
Then go to Windows\System32\DriverStore folder and search for aswndis*.* . If there will be anything with this delete it manually.
3. Turn off Windows firewall and use Microsoft clean up network driver utility:
http://vpn.hpintelco.net/ifcleanup.x86.exehttp://vpn.hpintelco.net/ifcleanup.x64.exe4. then clear all off-line content and cookies from your web browser and download our new BETA release
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=159263.0and install it. Before operating system restart go to avast GUI -> settings -> tools -> Customize setting of avast safezone and reset Safe Zone and you may reset Sand box too.
After successful installation could you double click on you license file to register your copy of avast.
5. Turn on Windows firewall