What is Avast Emergency Updater and why is it in my scheduled tasks?

[igor]

I believe Rejzor described it quite well in some post.
The "emergency update" is as simple as possible, it has nothing to do with the normal update process, it's not really an update. It basically only downloads a file from our server (if any is available - which is normally not the case).
So if this "emergency scenario" occurred, we would have to prepare some fix - a program that would fix the avast! installation. This is just a way of distributing it without the need of user's intervention, nothing else.

[Asyn]

Hope you didn't answer to me, as I know this already.
I just suggested to put some info in the help file or the FAQ, but maybe I wasn't clear enough...

[naren17]

A mystery then.

    I dont think so as i See the emergencyupdate program in my avast software folder in program files...i cant see anything in tasks on my win7 system but i see the tasks on win XP system

I too had the same issue. After applying service release update, emergency avast updater now shows in taskscheduler on win 7 64.

[The Kitchen Sink]

1-Does the program have access to anything else other than downloading a fix for avast?
(if so = Avast! trojan horse?)

2-Does it automatically download a fix or does it have a manual option?
(Having both options is good. An "off switch" would be nice also)

My concerns are not knowing any of you people and reading that you want trust. No offense but I do not trust people I do not know and trying to convince us by using the excuse you are the good guys is never convincing, even if you are. I do not think people having concerns of software that touches sensitive personal property should ever be considered "absurd". That is simply ignorant. People ask questions because we want to understand something.

[CraigB]

1-Does the program have access to anything else other than downloading a fix for avast?
(if so = Avast! trojan horse?)

2-Does it automatically download a fix or does it have a manual option?
(Having both options is good. An "off switch" would be nice also)

My concerns are not knowing any of you people and reading that you want trust. No offense but I do not trust people I do not know and trying to convince us by using the excuse you are the good guys is never convincing, even if you are. I do not think people having concerns of software that touches sensitive personal property should ever be considered "absurd". That is simply ignorant. People ask questions because we want to understand something.

Read reply 45 by igor

[The Kitchen Sink]

I did. My questions are still valid as they are not answered at all. Nor are our concerns less valid as they are not met with adequate responses. The responses from the team I read are disregarding our questions entirely by saying it is nothing important, do not worry about it.

Well as others have stated, this seems like a backdoor. Which it is. We do not get an answer that we can use this function manually or turn it off. We do not know what call outs it makes or if it can be executed by anyone else maliciously or even on accident by other programs.

If you do not understand this simple query of concerns, then you may if something negative happens to your personal property I am certain. Then it won't be amusing to you.

I do not mean what I write as being negative. I am very direct and take such matters of security serious.

[essexboy]

We do not know what call outs it makes or if it can be executed by anyone else maliciously or even on accident by other programs.

It makes a request to the Avast server asking are there any emergency updates that is it.   

You can remove it from the task scheduler  with just a few clicks if you are that concerned about it...  But then under the same rationale you will also need to disable virus data base updates, windows updates etc.  To be honest, and this is my personal opinion there is so much paranoia on the web now   that it is a wonder anyone goes there.  Do not believe all the scare stories about your computer being taken over by the evil geniuses at Google/MS/FBI/Adobe as to be honest an indivdual user is not really a great concern to the criminals, the corporations and banks are the better targets.

I feel it is time that some common sense was applied rather than following the herd instinct,   make your own decisions based on what is fact and evident to you and not what some other numpty says....


OK rant over

[Herrminator]

To be honest, and this is my personal opinion there is so much paranoia on the web now   that it is a wonder anyone goes there.  Do not believe all the scare stories about your computer being taken over by the evil geniuses at Google/MS/FBI/Adobe as to be honest an indivdual user is not really a great concern to the criminals, the corporations and banks are the better targets.

Well, after what happened with version 7.0.1451, I think a little bit of paranoia is in order

The evil geniuses are not necessarily a problem, but human error is.

[CraigB]

Well, after what happened with version 7.0.1451, I think a little bit of paranoia is in order

The evil geniuses are not necessarily a problem, but human error is.

What has the problems of 7.0.1451 got to do with emergency updater  your completely off topic.

[Herrminator]

What has the problems of 7.0.1451 got to do with emergency updater  your completely off topic.

You've been asking why people are paranoid about an automatic updater.

I just gave you one reason 

[CraigB]

What has the problems of 7.0.1451 got to do with emergency updater  your completely off topic.

You've been asking why people are paranoid about an automatic updater.

I just gave you one reason 

There was no valid reason of yours that i could see and with your suspicion level you should just get rid of your computer, why in the world would avast want your private details anyway ? as already mentioned in the other thread the emergency updater is just for pushing out fixes - not for stealing your info.

Dont forget to put on your alfoil hat when you go outside, the government are trying to read your mind 

[Dch48]

Being worried about a feature to automatically fix bugs or prevent exploits of flaws in your security software without you having to do a full update or even reinstall is , to put it simply, paranoid and silly. It's a great feature that will only be used very infrequently , if at all. It also needs to be granted all of the firewall rights it requests.

[JohnnyBob]

I just found out about this and am seriously thinking about dropping avast because of it. I do not want any updates pushed on me for any reason. I'll be looking at MSE, AVG, et alia in the next few days and it is highly likely that I'll dump avast permanently. Avast is becoming a major PITA with recent changes and this is the final straw. I'm getting tired of trying to tweak it back to normality.

[essexboy]

If you go for AVG or MSE I will be here to help clean you up ...  At the end of the day the choice is yours

So prior to finding out about this you were unconcerned ? I am afraid this comes back to my rant about herd mentality

[Dch48]

I just found out about this and am seriously thinking about dropping avast because of it. I do not want any updates pushed on me for any reason. I'll be looking at MSE, AVG, et alia in the next few days and it is highly likely that I'll dump avast permanently. Avast is becoming a major PITA with recent changes and this is the final straw. I'm getting tired of trying to tweak it back to normality.

With all the things you've left out, the worst being the participation in the avast community which is a great boon to the developers, I highly doubt you'll be missed.  You will be sorry though, especially if you go to MSE.