Does Avast Now Belong To Google Or Did Avast Just Sell Us Out?

[UserA789]

So from being CONSTANLTY asked every program update if I want Google installed and made my default browser... pre-checked so if one isn't paying VERY GOOD attention you just got #scroogled    ... as well as a startup 'Emergency Update' startup entry that for some reason has to also connect to Google?

Why does "avast emergency update" try to connect to google in the background?
I just booted up today, and during the booting:

filename: b055a600-fd6a-417d-a0a4-9d7a9c647cd9.exe;
original filename: 20131121.exe;
company: avast software;
file version: 8,0,0,0;
description: avast! Emergency Update;

tried to connect to 74.125.225.128 (google)

All by it's lonesome little self

Is this normal, if so, more importantly, why?

This is the first time I've seen this behavior.

Comodo firewall reported this, while all outbound traffic is normally scrutinized, accept

c:\program files\alwil software\avast5\avastemupdate.exe
c:\program files\alwil software\avast5\setup\avast.setup
c:\program files\alwil software\avast5\avastui.exe
c:\program files\alwil software\avast5\avastsvc.exe

which have always had total freedom to connect to the internet, outbound, whenever they've wanted.

this one:

c:\program files\alwil software\avast5\setup\emupdate\b055a600-fd6a-417d-a0a4-9d7a9c647cd9.exe

this is the one reported today by comodo for the first time ever.

I have a rule, which states that no program shall connect to the internet silently, in the background.  Only shall a program connect when I manually tell it to do so.  I do make exceptions from time to time, case in point, but this is my standing default rule.

Anyone care to comment?

TIA!

Seriously... you all know this is the very reason most of us left MSFT and started projects like Chrome is for chopices and no forced instances... yet here we are, being forced to Google connect everything, even my Antivirus now.  Tell me more how you protect our privacy, I need a good bedtime story of fiction for my kids?

Sincerely,

A very LONG TIME AND DEDICATED Avast User.

[Tetsuo]

Tell me more how you protect our privacy, I need a good bedtime story of fiction for my kids?

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=139876.0

[UserA789]

First off... Im glad I read your posts and the links they led to.  I almost decided you were going to say its cool and all... but I see your about as p!ssed about this as me.  Furthermore, we can suppress it but we have to download something from Google.

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=139876.45 -what Avast thinks about security and what is called PROFESSIONAL and understanding support.

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=126470.0 -the reasoning Avast uses a Google Product which requires the installation of yet ANOTHER Google add-on product to opt-out (I don't know that counts as opting out... TBH). WHAT A SOLUTION, DID YOU THINK OF THAT BY YOURSELF!?!

To opt out: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
This download add on to opt out of ga.js

polonus

-this is how we OPT OUT... by installing an addon.

Well, what if Im only concerned about the tool being in Avast Internet Security and don't care that a web page uses it. What if I have my OWN website that uses the Google Analytics and I need to know when the rest of the team is going to the site?  What if I suport web page analysis data but do not agree at all with it being a part of my security?

Those questions right there are enough that it should be something we can control via the Avast user interface.  Really, Im not all tin-foil hat and I don't care if google monitors what I click on Newegg or even the Avast website.

IT DOES NOT BELONG IN AVAST

I THOUGHT I WAS BUYING AVAST INTERNET SECURITY NOT GOOGLE INTERNET SECURITY AND MARKETING TSR'!

So its apparently for the Alwil team to better understand its "usage patterns".   

Well... we can start dealing with some VERY different useage patterns as everyone sees Alwil sell out like every other AV company has so far and Alwils new found spot as the leader in AV is brought down by something so silly and just plain common sense.

Well, either Avast comes up with their own thing or gets back to some REAL, while some of you may not think this will affect much; there are STILL those of us out here who are what's called 'old school' when it comes to security... if you didn't build it, you can promise us its secure.

I know that VLK finds now harm in it being part of his program but many of us are getting fed up with the entire Droid Google taking over every electronic device we have.  This was a joke as I followed the threads to the answer which ends at... WAIT FOR IT... WAIT FOR IT... its solution was ANOTHER Google add-on product I would be forced to use if I didn't want the first one.

As Cartman would say...

"DA PH*K!!!"

I don't remember reading that in the SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS or TOS when I bought Avast IS?  How about next time you sale your sole... give us a heads up what your doing.

[slightly OFF TOPIC]
HEY... YO... EXECUTIVES/PROGRAMMERS AT AVAST!!!
This is my home computer... NOT A SMART PHONE OR TABLET!!!

Seriously guys... none of you have any issue with this but your all about the big bad Microsoft demon taking over the world?  It's starting to look like while all you 'super-smart' guys were busy worrying about MSFT... someone else came along and did JUST THAT!!!

Im stuck with an almost USELESS tablet unless it can talk to Google (log into a GMail Account), seriously, it plays PS1 games BUT I could not download or play ANY of them until I linked a Google account.  That was my Xperia Z... not low end at all.

Now my Anti-virus... really guys, think about it.

Or is your new Mission "Anything To Make A Buck... Including selling you to Google who LITERALLY gave our meta-data to the NSA and STILL reads every email we get."

Before you argue with the last comment saying they had no choice... go check out MY ISP in my signature and how many times HE has had to give into the NSA or FISA!!!

Oorah Pete Ashdown and XMission!!!  Maybe you can drop Avast and the the Alwil team a line, it seems they have forgotten what protecting privacy is REALLY about.

Oorah #33rd

[bob3160]

Amazing. If you're looking for anonymity, stay of the internet, throw your phone away and hide under a rock
in a place that hasn't yet been discovered. 

[AdrianH]

and whatever you do .......... don't open your fridge !

http://boingboing.net/2014/01/18/your-refrigerator-probably-has.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25780908

[MainilanLaukaus]

yes, hacker can change your fridge to new Terminator

that google thing can't do anything lethal to you or your computer.
but anyway... if you hate that google thing so much, perhaps this can help you to get rid of that, or atleast make them to harder get any information.

add these to your Settings - Active protection - Webshield - block pages (or something like that)

*googleadservices*
*google-analytics*
*google analytics*
*imageads*
*googleads*

*ie100.net*
*googlea*

now i dont know do it work but you can always try, and if it does then you have get yourself some peace of mind

[AdrianH]

The reason Google was used within the GUI was to find out which parts of the GUI were accessed by users.

I seem to remember VLK explaining all of this, and saying that they found many people rarely even open the GUI, and that there were many features that simply went unused.

This is how/why they simplified the avast GUI in this version. They used analytics to give users what they want and use.

You paid for a product online ............ ergo the evil empire will know all about you anyway. Take a pill and relax ))

Maybe one solution would be to unplug the entire USA , after all that is where the NSA and Google reside. 

[bob3160]

The reason Google was used within the GUI was to find out which parts of the GUI were accessed by users.

I seem to remember VLK explaining all of this, and saying that they found many people rarely even open the GUI, and that there were many features that simply went unused.

This is how/why they simplified the avast GUI in this version. They used analytics to give users what they want and use.

You paid for a product online ............ ergo the evil empire will know all about you anyway. Take a pill and relax ))

Maybe one solution would be to unplug the entire USA , after all that is where the NSA and Google reside. 

Nothing is that simple, It's the NSA here and some other Government entity in a different country.
The US isn't the only country that spies on it's residents. 

[essexboy]

The other option is to change your AV solution and accept the consequences of that

Actually, avast! UI is basically web pages - some of them stored locally inside the program, some of them remotely on our servers - so it's the "usual" way how Google Analytics is used, there is no special interaction

A quote from Igor

[AdrianH]

The reason Google was used within the GUI was to find out which parts of the GUI were accessed by users.

I seem to remember VLK explaining all of this, and saying that they found many people rarely even open the GUI, and that there were many features that simply went unused.

This is how/why they simplified the avast GUI in this version. They used analytics to give users what they want and use.

You paid for a product online ............ ergo the evil empire will know all about you anyway. Take a pill and relax ))

Maybe one solution would be to unplug the entire USA , after all that is where the NSA and Google reside. 

Nothing is that simple, It's the NSA here and some other Government entity in a different country.
The US isn't the only country that spies on it's residents. 

I know Bob  ( note the wink) , I live in the spy capitol of the world .......... the UK.    Fart to loudly here and they will send a tax form. ))

 
It just made me laugh, the OP buys an Android tablet then complains about Google .......... the analytics code use within avast was explained and makes sense.

If you want to get rid of Google ads and analytics simply install the MVPS Hosts files , stops avast update poups carrying adverts too