Author Topic: What the hell happen to the virus definitions update  (Read 6050 times)

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Offline SpeedyPC

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What the hell happen to the virus definitions update
« on: November 16, 2012, 06:30:07 AM »
When Avast update the virus definitions automatically it went from 4,035,193 something and now it 2,968,255 :o this has happen to me 4 times in each day going back and forth. Next day I get 4 million and the next following day I get 2 million virus definitions, what the heck is going on :o :o :o

Edit my last virus definitions update is 121115-1 16/11/2012 at 9:28:37 AM
« Last Edit: November 16, 2012, 07:24:00 AM by SpeedyPC »
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Offline Asyn

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Re: What the hell happen to the virus definitions update
« Reply #1 on: November 16, 2012, 06:41:51 AM »
Interesting, I'll check it here.
ATM I'm on 2,968,255. Let's see if it changes to 4,x during the day...
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Offline mchain

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Re: What the hell happen to the virus definitions update
« Reply #2 on: November 16, 2012, 08:45:36 AM »
ya, got 2,968,555 here too.

A bit ago (year or more) Avast! did some consolidating of the definitions, and reduced the number from over 3,000,000 to under 2,500,000.  Caused a bit of a ruckus then and some thought the a/v protection was lesser, not more.

Point in case:  Malwarebytes definitions database sizes increase with time, and suddenly get smaller.  Impact of this was that this was caused by definitions for much older spyware/malware, was removed, as they may feel it obsolete and not needed anymore; size of downloaded database fluctuates and thus maybe Avast! is doing the same thing here?

Could be normal housekeeping, is all.
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Offline Asyn

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Re: What the hell happen to the virus definitions update
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2012, 08:53:40 AM »
Could be normal housekeeping, is all.

Housekeeping might be involved, still it shouldn't be an "up/down-situation", like Speedy reported.
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Offline SpeedyPC

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Re: What the hell happen to the virus definitions update
« Reply #4 on: November 16, 2012, 01:21:01 PM »
I'm fully aware about the housekeeping of the virus definitions however it was very strange when it happen, so will check in the morning or lunch time when I get online and do a screenshot if it happen again ;)

PS. I'm not bloody drunk....................................................well I did have a couple of scotch whiskey ::) ::)
« Last Edit: November 16, 2012, 01:23:48 PM by SpeedyPC »
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Offline SpeedyPC

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Re: What the hell happen to the virus definitions update
« Reply #5 on: November 16, 2012, 02:09:38 PM »
Guys it happen again the fifth time just after mid-night tonight at 12:06am through the update and I was about to go to bed see screenshot below.  My last virus definitions update is now 121116-0 number of definition is 4,058,528

What the heck is going on :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o
« Last Edit: November 16, 2012, 02:12:46 PM by SpeedyPC »
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Offline DavidR

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Re: What the hell happen to the virus definitions update
« Reply #6 on: November 16, 2012, 02:23:54 PM »
I haven't a clue what is going on, but then again 'I never' check the number of virus definitions as I feel the number is irrelevant. Since I don't check, I obviously don't notice the fluctuation or get worried about it.
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Offline SpeedyPC

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Re: What the hell happen to the virus definitions update
« Reply #7 on: November 16, 2012, 02:33:13 PM »
I haven't a clue what is going on, but then again 'I never' check the number of virus definitions as I feel the number is irrelevant. Since I don't check, I obviously don't notice the fluctuation or get worried about it.

Well you should worried what happen if the virus definition cut in half again, and how will I know if I'm protected by the numbers of virus definition if a true virus slip through my PC and suddenly Avast forgot to keep the housekeeping up to date.

Edit: Any way I'm going to bed as Avast is given me a bloody headache.
« Last Edit: November 16, 2012, 02:35:28 PM by SpeedyPC »
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Offline DavidR

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Re: What the hell happen to the virus definitions update
« Reply #8 on: November 16, 2012, 02:46:53 PM »
They are just numbers I have always maintained that the number is meaningless, how can you actually count that number when one signature can detect many variants.

For the same sort of reason I don't look in the avast logs, if there is no errors displayed to the screen I leave them alone.
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Re: What the hell happen to the virus definitions update
« Reply #9 on: November 17, 2012, 01:58:58 AM »
David R is correct!  avast! VPS engine is an automated function that  is always combining multiple definitions into a single definition, always automated, always computing, and will never stop.  This is how avast! shrinks those updates for more efficiency!  And this occurs real-time!
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Offline Asyn

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Re: What the hell happen to the virus definitions update
« Reply #10 on: November 17, 2012, 05:22:54 AM »
Interesting, I'll check it here.
ATM I'm on 2,968,255. Let's see if it changes to 4,x during the day...

Fluctuation confirmed.
After today's update it jumped to 4,060,508.
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Offline Asyn

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Re: What the hell happen to the virus definitions update
« Reply #11 on: November 18, 2012, 01:21:26 PM »
Note: After 3 updates the definitions are only increasing, so this (temporary) glitch has been fixed.
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