Safezone Browser

[schmidthouse]

Was going to start a new topic however I see there are numerous SafeZone topics.
This only occurs on the W8.1 64Bit installation. The XP SafeZone installation works fine.
SafeZone stopped working for me about a week ago and I have been trying to figure  why it has stopped working when I never had an unresolvable issue before BUT I Cannot figure this one out.

Here's what happens> When I Start SZ the web page never loads any script at all. When opened it is simply "light Blue" No response, nothing just Light Blue.

Here's what I've done> Everything known to man! Repair, Total Uninstall and Clean Install.
                               > Uninstalled ALL OTHER Security software with Vender Clean up Tools (Firewall, MBam etc.) and Still SafeZone justs comes up light Blue.
                               > Reset SafeZone

I read something about Shockwave Player(don't know if even applies) but no errors or messages .

Finally, only ONE event immediately prior to my realizing SafeZone wasn't working was an Avast Emergency Update as OutPost Pro through up the Block/Accept Notification( I accepted)

I'd love to know if anyone else has had SafeZone load Blank Light Blue Page with no Script Loaded?? 

[MainilanLaukaus]

i do have that wierd Safezone browser bug
i did clean install about 5 min ago and its not still working with default settings without nothing changed.

install completled succesfully, ONLY strange thing was when i unistalled avast in control panel and restarted windows back to normal mode, and waited ccleaner to do its job (i have set it to run it to startup) i noticed to low right that there was 2 Malwarebytes icon active.
i opened task manager and there was indeed two mbam.exe running...
some sort of anomaly or was malwarebytes trying to boost computer defence after antivirus software was no more?

well, i restart computer again to normal mode and this time there was just one mbam.exe running.
after that i restarted windows to safe mode to continue the clean install.


another thing...


i also have this strange problem when trying to run Opera 20 or google chrome in avast sandbox when Malwarebytes 2.00.0.1000 is installed.
i have made post for it to malwarebytes forum but get no answers to it.
any ideas for that?
should i make post for it to Genral section?

Malwarebytes 2.00.0.1000 and browser in avast sandbox
https://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?s=e0137f1e6ec875553d6308cb95d625ef&showtopic=144218


Edit: Win7 64bit
Edit2: Avast versio = 2014.9.0.2013

[C00kie]

Hi,
Hope I am posting in the right spot.  My issue is with Safezone.  I use to have Internet Security, with Safezone, and it was running fine; then all of a sudden when I turned it on, it said I was missing a variety of files that it used, I think for saving info???  I tried to install these again, but, never could.  I was using just fine with my bank, then my bank changed their software, and it would not work.  Now I have Premier Avast, and the first issue of missing files, has been taken care of, but, I still cannot access my bank.

I wanted to check here first to see if anyone had any ideas, before checking with support directly.  I did talk to my bank, and one of the IT peeps uses Safezone, but, cannot figure out the issues I am having, and said to check with Avast first.

Any thoughts.  Am basically, someone who knows very little about 'puters.    Running Vista Premium Thanks, C00kie [suspicious][/suspicious]

[mchain]

Was going to start a new topic however I see there are numerous SafeZone topics.
This only occurs on the W8.1 64Bit installation. The XP SafeZone installation works fine.
SafeZone stopped working for me about a week ago and I have been trying to figure  why it has stopped working when I never had an unresolvable issue before BUT I Cannot figure this one out.

Here's what happens> When I Start SZ the web page never loads any script at all. When opened it is simply "light Blue" No response, nothing just Light Blue.

Here's what I've done> Everything known to man! Repair, Total Uninstall and Clean Install.
                               > Uninstalled ALL OTHER Security software with Vender Clean up Tools (Firewall, MBam etc.) and Still SafeZone justs comes up light Blue.
                               > Reset SafeZone

I read something about Shockwave Player(don't know if even applies) but no errors or messages .

Finally, only ONE event immediately prior to my realizing SafeZone wasn't working was an Avast Emergency Update as OutPost Pro through up the Block/Accept Notification( I accepted)

I'd love to know if anyone else has had SafeZone load Blank Light Blue Page with no Script Loaded?? 

Got the exact same issue here too.  Might be worthwhile to start a support ticket w/avast! and report back.  Concomitant with that is an extension crash issue with avast! sandbox when run with Google Chrome; the New Tab page consistently fails to load on startup.

HangOut services module, AdBlock Plus, WOT, all three crash on startup, and the New Tab page never loads.  Refreshing the page never results in reloading any of the three extensions or modules.  Browser just stalls at initial loading with no content whatsoever.  This is when Chrome is run outside of SafeZone only; otherwise, symptoms are exactly as you describe both inside SZ or outside.

Unlike Google Chrome, FF works just fine in avast! sandbox.  No crashes.  Both browsers work just fine in Sandboxie.

Did just trial MBAM version 2.00.0.1000 a few days ago, will check other members' link to see what is going on there.  Could be that the latest 2014.9.0.2016 avast! iteration may have fixes for all above issues, so will check that out.

[schmidthouse]

Thanks mchain, appreciate your input and insight as I had no idea.
Well support ticket in not the way I'll go. Don't want nor need the grief.
THE SafeZone module was working just fine on W8.1 until a Backdoor Avast Update and that trashed it.
I might add that this happened about 3 weeks ago now with the Finished Version. I installed the beta in hopes it would resolve the issue, It didn't.
At this point I need a functional Safe Banking system on W8.1 as my main OS.
I may try SafeZone again in 2015.

PS  You could open the ticket if you have the same issue.

BTW no SafeZone issue at all with my xpSP3 

[mchain]

Thanks mchain, appreciate your input and insight as I had no idea.
Well support ticket in not the way I'll go. Don't want nor need the grief.
THE SafeZone module was working just fine on W8.1 until a Backdoor Avast Update and that trashed it.
I might add that this happened about 3 weeks ago now with the Finished Version. I installed the beta in hopes it would resolve the issue, It didn't.
At this point I need a functional Safe Banking system on W8.1 as my main OS.
I may try SafeZone again in 2015.

PS  You could open the ticket if you have the same issue.

BTW no SafeZone issue at all with my xpSP3 

I do and did.  That is, I avoided the notorious free(?) 888 phone support and went directly to email support, as SZ is used sporadically, but when it is needed, I need it to run properly.  We'll see how that goes.      Should get some support on this as this is a paid-for product and all version updates prior are/have been made as clean installs only.

[schmidthouse]

Thanks mchain, appreciate your input and insight as I had no idea.
Well support ticket in not the way I'll go. Don't want nor need the grief.
THE SafeZone module was working just fine on W8.1 until a Backdoor Avast Update and that trashed it.
I might add that this happened about 3 weeks ago now with the Finished Version. I installed the beta in hopes it would resolve the issue, It didn't.
At this point I need a functional Safe Banking system on W8.1 as my main OS.
I may try SafeZone again in 2015.

PS  You could open the ticket if you have the same issue.

BTW no SafeZone issue at all with my xpSP3 

I do and did.  That is, I avoided the notorious free(?) 888 phone support and went directly to email support, as SZ is used sporadically, but when it is needed, I need it to run properly.  We'll see how that goes.      Should get some support on this as this is a paid-for product and all version updates prior are/have been made as clean installs only.

Thanks Mchain. I'll watch this topic closely. It's good to have some help/support. 

Or at the very least, someone else is going through the same crap as I am.

[mchain]

@ schmidthouse,

When I open SZ, Chrome comes up and displays the following url:  hxxp://program.avast.com/api/?action=2&p_elm=15  (link disabled for safety)

Web page is blue, just as you've noted.

Odd.

Also, when ticking the security info box just to the right left of the url, I get "This connection is untrusted" and two other notations as well in the drop-down box.  You getting that also?

Got a reply from avast! email support suggesting I remove "an avast add-on" (unspecified) by running a change operation on avast! to remove that add-on so that is where we are now.  AOS is not installed, and should not affect proper operation of Chrome in SZ even if it was installed  anyway, as no extensions of any kind are run in that environment.

[schmidthouse]

@ schmidthouse,

When I open SZ, Chrome comes up and displays the following url:  hxxp://program.avast.com/api/?action=2&p_elm=15  (link disabled for safety)

Web page is blue, just as you've noted.

Odd.

Also, when ticking the security info box just to the right left of the url, I get "This connection is untrusted" and two other notations as well in the drop-down box.  You getting that also?

Got a reply from avast! email support suggesting I remove "an avast add-on" (unspecified) by running a change operation on avast! to remove that add-on so that is where we are now.  AOS is not installed, and should not affect proper operation of Chrome in SZ even if it was installed  anyway, as no extensions of any kind are run in that environment.

I have recently read in another post by a user who was offered that same suggestion from Support but the issue is more complex then that. I mean I did that right off and made not difference.
When I attempted to use SZ there was nothing loaded really, If I went to the right upper corner to access Tools, Settings etc nothing opened. I tried Manage addons or something like that and I got another Blank Blue Page with absolutely no response.

[Charyb-0]

I am posting here so I can follow this topic.

When I open SafeZone, the SZ desktop opens but there is no sign of a browser. This happened recently.

[mchain]

i do have that wierd Safezone browser bug
i did clean install about 5 min ago and its not still working with default settings without nothing changed.

install completled succesfully, ONLY strange thing was when i unistalled avast in control panel and restarted windows back to normal mode, and waited ccleaner to do its job (i have set it to run it to startup) i noticed to low right that there was 2 Malwarebytes icon active.
i opened task manager and there was indeed two mbam.exe running...
some sort of anomaly or was malwarebytes trying to boost computer defence after antivirus software was no more?

well, i restart computer again to normal mode and this time there was just one mbam.exe running.
after that i restarted windows to safe mode to continue the clean install.


another thing...


i also have this strange problem when trying to run Opera 20 or google chrome in avast sandbox when Malwarebytes 2.00.0.1000 is installed.
i have made post for it to malwarebytes forum but get no answers to it.
any ideas for that?
should i make post for it to Genral section?

Malwarebytes 2.00.0.1000 and browser in avast sandbox
https://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?s=e0137f1e6ec875553d6308cb95d625ef&showtopic=144218


Edit: Win7 64bit
Edit2: Avast versio = 2014.9.0.2013

As Malwarebytes 2.0.0.1000 is still a beta, bugs are to be expected. 

Removal of the latest version (2.0.0.1000) running in a trial version, resulted in a fix of slower cold boot times, slower operational issues, and a display of a transient window flash when MBAM was closed as the system either rebooted, shut down, or was logged off.

Cold boot times increased to 1:20-25 vs. 0:45-56 as it was before install of the beta.  Windows called to desktop took approximately 2-3 seconds longer than usual to display.  Exiting the MBAM icon in system tray before any termination of a user session would prevent the window flash seen by user MainilanLaukaus, but the flash would be seen if the icon was not terminated before termination of a user session.

Removal of the beta restored system to prior speed and responsiveness; both boot times and window calls are back to where they were before.

As for the issue of Google Chrome not opening properly in the avast! sandbox, the following actions were taken based on findings related to both the sandbox and general slower operation of the system:

• Downloaded the latest AIS installation file and procured the aswclear.exe file that goes along with it.
• Ran Programs and Features and uninstalled MBAM normally.  Rebooted.
• Uninstalled AIS version 2014.9.0.2013 via Programs and features.  Rebooted thrice.
• Moved aswclear.exe to the desktop and ran executable on desktop.  It asked if I wanted to automatically reboot into Safe Mode and then clicked yes.
• Ran aswclear.exe in administrative mode using Safe Mode.

This is where things got a bit interesting.  I checked for any left-over avast remnants.

As expected, there was no Avast folder,  BUT there was an avast! sandbox folder still in place just below where the avast program folder should have been.

Expanding this folder revealed several unexpected folders inside it:

• Folder C:\ drive with some contents of the C:\ drive listed
• Limted user folder with all limited user contents inside
• A WOW64 folder

Checking elsewhere on the C:\ drive revealed all folders found inside the avast! sandbox were also present elsewhere and where they should be.  Next action was to tell aswclear.exe to remove the entire avast! sandbox folder and all contents within it.

A normal uninstall should have removed/deleted the avast! sandbox folder but did not.

Rebooted and nothing was amiss at all on reboot.

Did a clean install of AIS version 2014.9.0.2016 and rebooted thrice. 

All prior issues are now fixed. 

• Google Chrome now opens properly in avast! sandbox
• Firefox 28.0 was unaffected in operation in avast! sandbox before and after changes were made
• SafeZone Browser now works properly and as it should

If you are seeing this url in address bar of SF Browser, then something is stopping it from connecting properly to avast! servers:  hxxp://program.avast.com/api/?action=2&p_elm=15 is what is displayed in the address bar if Chrome appears. 

[EDIT:]  Correct url (when it works) is this:  hxxp://www.avast.com/en-us/lp-safezone?utm_campaign=SafeZoneStart&utm_source=prg_fav_90_0&utm_medium=prg_lnkutm_content=en-us_safezone?-start&p_elm=15&p_lid=en-us&p_lng=en&p_lqe=0&p_lst=0&p_lsu=0&p_pro=0&p_bld=empty&p_vep=9&p_ves=0&p_vbd=1482

[mchain]

I am posting here so I can follow this topic.

When I open SafeZone, the SZ desktop opens but there is no sign of a browser. This happened recently.

Let the SZ desktop open, and then right-click the earth icon lower left corner and select New.  Works now?

[EDIT:]  For some reason, SZ GC version is this:  Version 28.0.1500.71 (209842)  A little out of date?

[schmidthouse]

@ Mchain
Thanks very much for the time you spent and the detail explanations of your findings.
You have shared some interesting info, both with the apparent affects of MBam on Avast modules and Avast Remnants left after Uninstall.
Appreciated.

[MainilanLaukaus]

Thank You!

i did clean install and now removed that sandbox folder with aswclear.exe.

every browser i tried works now in avast sandbox with MBAM 2.00.0.1000 installed.
even the Avast! SafeZone Browser is working.

Thank You mchain

[mchain]

You both are welcome.  Glad to help.   

Since this version of the SZ browser is behind the curve (obsolete) and is in place in a security environment, I suggest routinely accessing the History section of GC at the end of every session and manually deleting all visited sites using the "End of time" parameter.  This should have the effect of keeping the browser cleaner as well as safer to use in the long run.

It's avast's responsibility to update their SZ GC browser, I think, as this is not the general publicly released version generally used outside of SZ.

@ MainilanLaukaus,
@ schmidthouse,

Appears to be an issue originating with the zombie avast! sandbox folder.  Who knew?