[Wishlist] For avast! 8 - Suggestions and discussion

[user_1000]

I would like to see an option (configurable via the GUI) to delay a virus database update on the system boot (5 minutes or so).

And moreover, this would be a very easy to implement... even if Avast Software has already finalized all the plans for Avast 8.

[Nesivos]

Add an "Approved Program List" feature.   This is different than entering an executable in the "Exclusions List"   It would work like this.

1.   Upon the installation of avast! it would create a lits of all programs on your computer.   As part of the installation process you would see a pop-up of the programs that avast! found during the installation.   All would be approved by default. 

2.  If you wanted to delete a program that avast! found you would go to your favorite uninstaller and uninstall the program.

3.  After the installation of avast!,  avast! would check all future program installs, including silent ones, against your approved list.  If the program is not on the "Approved Program List" avast! would send a pop-up messaage asking if you want to install the program.   If yes you click on "Yes",  if you don't want the program to install, you would click on "No"

4.  If a program is uninstalled it would remain on the "Approved Program List" unless specifically removed.   This way if the user wanted to re-install the program in the future avast! would not ask the user to approve the installation, unless the user specifically removed it from the "Approved Program List"

This feature would work in conjunction with "Auto-Sandbox".   If you approved a program for install avast! would still check to see if it recommends auto-sandboxing the program.

While this is not a direct security feature, it would allow users to monitor the installation of programs.   Preventing the installation of unwanted programs even inf Malware free could improve the computer's performance especially if that unwanted proram ran a process upon "start".   The feature would indirectly improve security because the unwanted program may have some security vulnerabilities that could lead to malware infection.  It general it is a good idea to not have an unwanted programs on your computer.

This would be difference than Windows approved list of programs.   The Windows installation feature checks new program installs against a list of approved programs by Windows which includes hundreds if not thousands of programs that a user will never install.   

[LunarWolf]

My suggestion :

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=108129.msg856685#msg856685

Looking at the latest AV comparatives, avast comes in last for removal. That is bad. Come on.

[asl970]

Add an "Approved Program List" feature.   This is different than entering an executable in the "Exclusions List"   It would work like this.

1.   Upon the installation of avast! it would create a lits of all programs on your computer.   As part of the installation process you would see a pop-up of the programs that avast! found during the installation.   All would be approved by default. 

2.  If you wanted to delete a program that avast! found you would go to your favorite uninstaller and uninstall the program.

3.  After the installation of avast!,  avast! would check all future program installs, including silent ones, against your approved list.  If the program is not on the "Approved Program List" avast! would send a pop-up messaage asking if you want to install the program.   If yes you click on "Yes",  if you don't want the program to install, you would click on "No"

4.  If a program is uninstalled it would remain on the "Approved Program List" unless specifically removed.   This way if the user wanted to re-install the program in the future avast! would not ask the user to approve the installation, unless the user specifically removed it from the "Approved Program List"

This feature would work in conjunction with "Auto-Sandbox".   If you approved a program for install avast! would still check to see if it recommends auto-sandboxing the program.

While this is not a direct security feature, it would allow users to monitor the installation of programs.   Preventing the installation of unwanted programs even inf Malware free could improve the computer's performance especially if that unwanted proram ran a process upon "start".   The feature would indirectly improve security because the unwanted program may have some security vulnerabilities that could lead to malware infection.  It general it is a good idea to not have an unwanted programs on your computer.

This would be difference than Windows approved list of programs.   The Windows installation feature checks new program installs against a list of approved programs by Windows which includes hundreds if not thousands of programs that a user will never install.

what about vista? it already got something like this, i don't think people would want 2 pop-up asking if he/she want to install a program.

[JuninhoSlo]

1:I hope Avast add Avast Secure Line into Avast Internet Security

[Lisandro]

1.   Upon the installation of avast! it would create a lits of all programs on your computer.   As part of the installation process you would see a pop-up of the programs that avast! found during the installation.   All would be approved by default. 

Ok, but... I remember clearly how people blame that the installation process should not be long, people even want to bypass the first basic scanning... I can see people blame in the horizon...

2.  If you wanted to delete a program that avast! found you would go to your favorite uninstaller and uninstall the program.

Do you mean that avast should manage your installed programs? I don't think it's good...

3.  After the installation of avast!,  avast! would check all future program installs, including silent ones, against your approved list.  If the program is not on the "Approved Program List" avast! would send a pop-up messaage asking if you want to install the program.   If yes you click on "Yes",  if you don't want the program to install, you would click on "No"

This is almost a HIPS... I'm quite sure the policy is to be quiet, user friendly... People won't be happy with popups for sure. We, advanced users, are a minimum part of the million of users...

While this is not a direct security feature, it would allow users to monitor the installation of programs.   Preventing the installation of unwanted programs even inf Malware free could improve the computer's performance especially if that unwanted proram ran a process upon "start".   The feature would indirectly improve security because the unwanted program may have some security vulnerabilities that could lead to malware infection.  It general it is a good idea to not have an unwanted programs on your computer.

If people give UAC access at the beginning and the setup includes bloatware software and the user goes clicking, clicking... avast! won't be able to stop crap...

[Lisandro]

I hope Avast add Avast Secure Line into Avast Internet Security

For an extra price? Hmmm... will people go for it even other AV solutions do not include a VPN in the price?

[DavidR]

I hope Avast add Avast Secure Line into Avast Internet Security

For an extra price? Hmmm... will people go for it even other AV solutions do not include a VPN in the price?

When you consider how much it costs as a stand alone Avast Secure Line VPN product, there is no way it could be included in the AIS product at the same price. If you added the full cost of the Avast Secure Line VPN to that of the AIS, then the AIS product would be completely uncompetitive with other suites. Especially when the other suites don't include a VPN.

[Lisandro]

When you consider how much it costs as a stand alone Avast Secure Line VPN product, there is no way it could be included in the AIS product at the same price. If you added the full cost of the Avast Secure Line VPN to that of the AIS, then the AIS product would be completely uncompetitive with other suites. Especially when the other suites don't include a VPN.

We think the same...

[MrBrody]

Hi,
this may be either a newbie problem, or a suggestion if there is no way to improve it at the moment.
I do a lot of small fortran programs, always creating new ones for small tasks.
And EVERYTIME I try to lauch a new fortran program for the first time in a very new folder, the sandbox feature activates and I have to do 3 annoying clicks for this particular program to run correctly the next time, and then re-launch the program. And do the same for all programs, as I have several programs to run in a row. I understand why avast panicks, because the .exe I make are new and never seen on the web (at least).
Wouldn't there be a way to work around this issue? For instance, one could add its programming language compiler as a "safe source of .exe files", so that if a .exe file has been created by the compiler installed on this machine, and the owner said that this compiler is safe, then let it be?
Just asking, I know nothing of the internals of an antivirus!
Thanks

[Lisandro]

Hi,
this may be either a newbie problem, or a suggestion if there is no way to improve it at the moment.
I do a lot of small fortran programs, always creating new ones for small tasks.
And EVERYTIME I try to lauch a new fortran program for the first time in a very new folder, the sandbox feature activates and I have to do 3 annoying clicks for this particular program to run correctly the next time, and then re-launch the program. And do the same for all programs, as I have several programs to run in a row. I understand why avast panicks, because the .exe I make are new and never seen on the web (at least).
Wouldn't there be a way to work around this issue? For instance, one could add its programming language compiler as a "safe source of .exe files", so that if a .exe file has been created by the compiler installed on this machine, and the owner said that this compiler is safe, then let it be?
Just asking, I know nothing of the internals of an antivirus!
Thanks

Use the exclusions lists (you can add a folder or use wildcards c:\compiledexefiles\*.exe). But this is not a thread for solving issues but rather to new features and suggestions.

[schmidthouse]

1:I hope Avast add Avast Secure Line into Avast Internet Security

Well I've read both sides of the suggestion (as well as suggested this also).
Cost seems to be the negative. If there are other 'Internet Security Suites' out there that are "Free". Agnitum and Comodo come to mind.
Why not provide AIS for free or parts of it and then charge a respectful $ for the Full Suite (include Secure Line)
Anyway, I did notice that CIS does offer something called 'trust connect' in their 2012 IS Complete Suite for 30 some dollars.......so 
It's just a suggestion 

[warlock]

Oft, but not often enough repeated request - finally remover the stupid registration in free version. You can't imagine how big of a problem it is for a normal user to register (and more importantly reregister) their avast. I can't even count the cases when I found totally junk infested PCs with outdated avast with expired registration (suffice to say they are now running security essentials, it's less secure, but still way more secure than outdated avast). You really aren't doing the Internet any safer by insisting on this totally pointless annoyance.

[Para-Noid]

i just want option for "automatic shutdown after scan finished" 

It's already there in the "schedule this scan" setting. 

[Para-Noid]

I have three suggestions...

1) Have Chrome "opt-in" and not opt-out.
2) Have Script Shield work in Chrome.
3) Automatically scan USB drives.