I would like to add my 2 cents to this.
I am running XP(SP3) and using Zone Alarm. Contrary to popular belief, Emergency Update runs more often then just at start up.
Zone alarm tells me when a new program (or a revised version of an old program) wants to access the internet. It will remember my selection, but the Emergency Update seems to get launched from various locations, and various program names too, confusing Zone Alarm, (and me too.)
Locations Zone Alarm has tracked for this include:
...\Avast\Setup\emupdate\(some very long hex number).exe
There are 4 different very long file names in this folder
..\Avast\Setup\(a different very long hex number).exe (without the emupdate sub folder)
(again, 3 different very long file names for this.)
...\Avast\AvastEmUpdate.exe
It is almost like there are several developers at Avast, and they don't communicate with each other and standardize a location for this. It is very annoying.
Having a program to make sure Avast is properly intact is a good idea, but...
#1 that supervisor program should NOT access the internet,
#2, it should run at start up, and have options in the user settings to be able to run more or less often, and,
#3 maybe even shouldn't exist because Windows already has a method of keeping track, it is called Security Center.
My guess is I am going to hear a lot of flack about using Zone Alarm instad of the firewall that came with Avast,
but in my opinion, all the other firewalls I have tried are too quiet. They allow access to the internet from programs without alerting me, and I don't like that.
Also, I can hear you saying, "Well the file names and locations are randomized so viruses can't disable the emergency update"
Ok, I see that, but PUBLISH THAT in documentation somewhere so we, as end users, understand and are less frustrated.
Just my 2 cents.
Mark.