Avast free sandbox question

[awxb]

Hi,

I'm new here so I hope I'm writing this to a correct subforum. The other I was browsing the web when a suspicious popup site came on. I didn't really pay much to attention to it when suddenly avast warned me that an .exe file is apparently trying to launch itself. There was like a counter in Avast (I think 30 seconds and counting down) and when it reached zero it said that there is not enough evidence regarding the .exe file or something along those lines. Therefore I am a little worried. What does that mean? Was that .exe launched anyway, because I'm quite sure it was something mallicious? I tried checking one log file in the avast directory, but I couldn't find any signs of this operation (can this history be checked elsewhere). I've scanned the computer and nothing was found. So if anyone has more experience or has something like this happened to them, what is your opinion on this?

Any help would be appreciated.

[.: L' arc :.]

That's avast Sandbox at work. You'll know something is running in sandbox when there's a red outline on the application window.

The avast! Sandbox is a special security feature which allows you to run potentially suspicious applications automatically in a completely isolated environment. Programs running within the sandbox have limited access to your files and system, so there is no risk to your computer or any of your other files. This feature is connected to the FileRep cloud feature which identifies new files for additional analysis. So now we are able to warn you even before we have had the opportunity to examine this malware in our Virus Lab.

As the file was run in sandbox (which is isolated from all your files) then it shouldn't have infected your system. Also, files created in sandbox are deleted once the sandboxing operation is completed so it's likely that you won't find the *.exe file anywhere on your computer.

More info: What is the avast! AutoSandbox and how does it work?

[awxb]

Thanks a lot. It got me worried for a second.

[awxb]

After I read more about the sandbox, I have to ask what I was worried about from the start. After the count ended and avast said that there is not evidence on the .exe file, is there a chance this file was dropped out of sandbox and than normally runned by the system? Thanks in advance.

[.: L' arc :.]

Once the sandbox operation was dropped, all the files associated with it were deleted. The *.exe file you mentioned must be re-downloaded and re-run manually (that is, as per your consent) right after that.