Author Topic: How to permanently disable Avast popup advertisement spam?  (Read 16444 times)

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blove

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How to permanently disable Avast popup advertisement spam?
« on: February 06, 2014, 10:08:00 PM »
How to permanently disable Avast popup advertisement spam?

Windows 7
avast! Internet Security
2014.9.0.2013

Offline Para-Noid

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Re: How to permanently disable Avast popup advertisement spam?
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2014, 11:35:48 PM »
What pop-up?
Screenshot?
Dell Inspiron, Win10x64--HP Envy Win10x64--Both systems Avast Free v17.9.2322, Comodo Firewall v8.2 w/D+, MalwareBytes v3.0, OpenDNS, Super Anti-Spyware, Spyware Blaster, MCShield, Unchecky, Vivaldi Browser and, various browser security tools.

"Look before you leap!" Use online scanners before you click on any link.

blove

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Re: How to permanently disable Avast popup advertisement spam?
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2014, 01:25:31 AM »
...
« Last Edit: February 07, 2014, 01:30:15 AM by blove »

blove

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Re: How to permanently disable Avast popup advertisement spam?
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2014, 08:43:38 PM »
Official spam from a product with an anti-spam feature...

Thanks for the acknowledgement of your spam.

It was not the answer I was hoping for, but it is an answer.

It is also the answer that results in me, a LONG time paid user, no longer using or recommending your product due to your "method" of spam.

<br><br><br></font>------ Original Message ------<br>
<b>Received: </b>Tue, 11 Feb 2014 04:05:13 AM CST<br>
<b>From: </b>avast! support &lt;helpdesk@avast.com&gt;<br>
<b>To: </b>xxxxx<br>
<b>Subject: </b>[#xxxxx]: Avast Popup Advertisements<br>
<br><br>

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Hello Benny!<br />
<br />
>I am NOT okay with Avast popup ADVERTISEMENTS<br />
<br />
I understand. Please follow the suggestions xxxxx provided, it should reduce the advertisements, if not remove them.<br />
<br />
>Disabling features can not be the only way<br />
<br />
You're not supposed to disabled any security feature, just set avast! to silent mode, which seems to be exactly what you're looking for. In this mode, the pop-ups are not displayed.<br />
<br />
Please understand that we are commercial company and the advertisements is one of the method how to succeed on the market. We're glad that you paid for the better version of our antivirus after using the free version for so many years. But please understand that you did not pay for a version without any advertisements, but for version that provides more security.<br />
<br />
So again - if you're tired of the pop-up advertisements, please follow the instructions of xxxxx.<br />
<br />
Best regards,<br />
<br />xxxxx, senior technical support supervisor
<br /><br />


Ticket Details<br />
<hr style="margin-bottom: 6px; height: 1px; BORDER: none; color: #cfcfcf; background-color: #cfcfcf;" />
Ticket ID: xxxxx<br />
Department: Technical Support (Consumer AV)<br />
Type: Communication<br />
Status: <font color="#ffffff">On Hold</font><br />
Priority: <font color="#45991c">Normal</font><br />
<br />
Support Center: <a href="https://support.avast.com/index.php?" target="_blank">https://support.avast.com/index.php?</a><br />
</font>


Offline Para-Noid

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Re: How to permanently disable Avast popup advertisement spam?
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2014, 09:04:34 PM »
Those are not spam. They are probably part of an ongoing issue involving wrongly worded
vps updates. To turn these off is simple...

GUI>Settings>Updates>scroll down to and open "details">untick the box shown.  :)
Dell Inspiron, Win10x64--HP Envy Win10x64--Both systems Avast Free v17.9.2322, Comodo Firewall v8.2 w/D+, MalwareBytes v3.0, OpenDNS, Super Anti-Spyware, Spyware Blaster, MCShield, Unchecky, Vivaldi Browser and, various browser security tools.

"Look before you leap!" Use online scanners before you click on any link.

Offline Para-Noid

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Re: How to permanently disable Avast popup advertisement spam?
« Reply #5 on: February 11, 2014, 09:55:43 PM »
I just re-read your post.
Guess what...it seems as if avast is now using this form of advertising.

It should be piggy-backed with a vps update.
Dell Inspiron, Win10x64--HP Envy Win10x64--Both systems Avast Free v17.9.2322, Comodo Firewall v8.2 w/D+, MalwareBytes v3.0, OpenDNS, Super Anti-Spyware, Spyware Blaster, MCShield, Unchecky, Vivaldi Browser and, various browser security tools.

"Look before you leap!" Use online scanners before you click on any link.

Offline essexboy

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Re: How to permanently disable Avast popup advertisement spam?
« Reply #6 on: February 11, 2014, 10:01:37 PM »
This is intriguing as I have yet to experience this... Maybe they like the Cornish :)
« Last Edit: February 11, 2014, 10:09:55 PM by essexboy »

Offline Para-Noid

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Re: How to permanently disable Avast popup advertisement spam?
« Reply #7 on: February 11, 2014, 10:08:08 PM »
I got the news via a PM from AdrianH.

This was to say the least news to me.
Dell Inspiron, Win10x64--HP Envy Win10x64--Both systems Avast Free v17.9.2322, Comodo Firewall v8.2 w/D+, MalwareBytes v3.0, OpenDNS, Super Anti-Spyware, Spyware Blaster, MCShield, Unchecky, Vivaldi Browser and, various browser security tools.

"Look before you leap!" Use online scanners before you click on any link.

Tarantula

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Re: How to permanently disable Avast popup advertisement spam?
« Reply #8 on: February 11, 2014, 10:24:22 PM »
How to remove this "seasonal sale" thing? What happened to the good old Avast?

DavidRAnnArbor

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Re: How to permanently disable Avast popup advertisement spam?
« Reply #9 on: February 11, 2014, 11:09:08 PM »
So if someone wants to buy the AVAST software would you recommend it ?

iroc9555

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Re: How to permanently disable Avast popup advertisement spam?
« Reply #10 on: February 12, 2014, 02:00:14 AM »
This is intriguing as I have yet to experience this... Maybe they like the Cornish :)

To me they like me and they like me not. These advert, piggy- backing VPS alerts, come and goes. Right now I have had several days with regular VPS alerts.


So if someone wants to buy the AVAST software would you recommend it ?

Of course... avast! is great; However, as everything you buy it is better to try it first running the trial version.

qda

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Re: How to permanently disable Avast popup advertisement spam?
« Reply #11 on: February 12, 2014, 07:50:07 AM »
Example from just now.


waking

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Re: How to permanently disable Avast popup advertisement spam?
« Reply #12 on: February 12, 2014, 11:30:00 AM »
How to remove this "seasonal sale" thing? What happened to the good old Avast?

Personally, this trend isn't all that surprising to me. I suspected that there might be a shift in this direction - to more aggressive marketing - when they hired a CEO who is a former Symantec executive: "vice president of worldwide consumer sales at Symantec, running it's international sales organization."

It wasn't hard to predict a similar focus from him at avast!. This is not to suggest that he's imposing his will on the company - more likely that he's fulfilling his mandate from the Board of Directors.

While there's often focus on the growth in numbers of end users of avast! products over the past few years, it's not often mentioned that the company itself has undergone significant personnel growth at the same time. This takes revenue.

Go to the "About Us" -> "Company" link from the avast! home page. Look at the "History" timeline at the bottom. Clicking on each yearly node will give a brief highlight of that year. In 2007 they had 38 employees. In 2008 they had 60 employees. In 2009 they had 100 employees. In 2011 they had over 150 employees. In 2012 they had over 200 employees. In 2013-present it's over 300 employees.

The company has had financial partners pour money into the company's coffers. Such backers expect their investments to pay off - they're not altruistic. See these:

Growth Equity Investor Summit Partners Invests $100M in AVAST Software
Leading Antivirus Software Developer Positioned for Continued Growth
August 23, 2010
http://www.summitpartners.com/Growth-Equity-Investor-Summit-Partners-invests-100-million-in-AVAST-Software.aspx

AVAST expands into the USA (with a little help from our friends!)
https://blog.avast.com/2014/02/07/avast-expands-into-the-usa-with-a-little-help-from-our-friends-2/

Security Software Firm Avast Gets CVC Capital Investment, Now Valued At $1B
http://techcrunch.com/2014/02/05/security-software-firm-avast-takes-cvc-capital-investment-at-a-1b-valuation/

It's not "the little company that could" anymore - it's a major corporation. Expect continued emphasis on aggressive growth - in users, customers, and revenue.

Tarantula

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Re: How to permanently disable Avast popup advertisement spam?
« Reply #13 on: February 12, 2014, 12:54:48 PM »
That's pretty sad. :( Then asking why people use pirated versions of the software is illogical. I don't like the so called aggressive marketing. Who does? Avast is famous enough to not rely on bloatware. Just my honest opinion.

Offline CraigB

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Re: How to permanently disable Avast popup advertisement spam?
« Reply #14 on: February 12, 2014, 02:27:58 PM »
That's pretty sad. :( Then asking why people use pirated versions of the software is illogical.
Why is it illogical ??? not only is it theft and against the law to use pirated software but if ads are added into the paid versions then you are going to receive the same ads with a pirated version as well ::) plus with running a pirated version you are risking having your AV disabled and leaving you with no protection whatsoever.
« Last Edit: February 12, 2014, 02:30:29 PM by craigb »