Author Topic: Customer Privacy  (Read 3321 times)

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Customer Privacy
« on: September 04, 2015, 07:27:44 PM »
Can anyone here please tell me what stance Avast has in passing on user/customer private information including IP adresses & browsing habits to third parties.
Also can anyone explain that when using I'm using Avasts software my own vpn shows DNS leaks and when I investigate I find a registered avast ip? which is located in honey lane London.
this leads me to believe that they are holding out and therefore exposing me as once I stop using their software all leaks disappear.
I am a visual artist I have nothing to hide but refuse to be spied on, tracked or treated as a commodity for greedy data miners, if I share information I want to share on my terms not to be cheated, lied to or gazumped in to it.   


Offline essexboy

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Re: Customer Privacy
« Reply #1 on: September 04, 2015, 07:30:50 PM »
In that case uninstall the programme... 

No data is  passed to third parties it is all used to protect you by monitoring web sites visited.  Anonymously, every identifiable element is stripped out . 

In my opinion this privacy malarkey is now verging on paranoia

Offline schmidthouse

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Re: Customer Privacy
« Reply #2 on: September 04, 2015, 07:43:02 PM »
In that case uninstall the programme... 

No data is  passed to third parties it is all used to protect you by monitoring web sites visited.  Anonymously, every identifiable element is stripped out . 

In my opinion this privacy malarkey is now verging on paranoia

+1
I would also add that in reality, if you want privacy stay off the internet. :)

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Re: Customer Privacy
« Reply #3 on: September 04, 2015, 08:16:37 PM »
You should also take a look at this https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=171725.0
It can be turned off within AOS or by not installing/uninstalling the module. You should also consider unticking 'Participate in the Avast community' if you want to minimise Avast's data collection.

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Re: Customer Privacy
« Reply #4 on: September 04, 2015, 08:18:57 PM »
Shmitmouse said "I would also add that in reality, if you want privacy stay off the internet

lol, you can be 'annoamouse' and still use the internet

essexboy added "In that case uninstall the programme.
>No data is  passed to third parties,
>it is all used to protect you, >>>
>in my opinion this privacy malarkey is now verging on paranoia.


I pay for avast but I didn't ask to pay for my ip details to be re routed and exposed, that is not protecting me.
privacy is something I take seriously, I do not go out my house leaving all the doors and windows open with signs outside advertising the fact that I am exposed.





If anyone already has a secure vpn router with a reliable service and its configured correctly all you need to do is disable Avasts "Secure DNS" in settings if you don't know how to do this 'Alexander Harrison' wrote clear concise instructions on how to here - https://support.opendns.com/entries/57943894-Avast-2015-Security-Suite-Secure-DNS-and-OpenDNS
After which just run www.dnsleaktest.com and that will then show your avast leak has disappeared.

if you do not have a reliable vpn service and don't care about your ip being leaked just keep using avasts secure dns.


Thanks for your help, much appreciated.


Scotsmist

Offline essexboy

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Re: Customer Privacy
« Reply #5 on: September 04, 2015, 08:41:38 PM »
There is more personal data on facebook and twitter than Avast could ever collate about you .. 

Quote
I pay for avast but I didn't ask to pay for my ip details to be re routed and exposed, that is not protecting me.
privacy is something I take seriously, I do not go out my house leaving all the doors and windows open with signs outside advertising the fact that I am exposed.
Your ip details are not being exposed to anyone, all Avast know is that someone has accessed x website and nothing untoward was detected there .  If anything was detected on that site then the data would be used to warn other Avast users worldwide that it is not the place to go..  This is the protection you are paying for 

Offline abruptum

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Re: Customer Privacy
« Reply #6 on: September 04, 2015, 09:20:36 PM »
In my opinion this privacy malarkey is now verging on paranoia
˝Just because You're paranoid doesn't mean They're not after You˝
  Henry Kissinger

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Re: Customer Privacy
« Reply #7 on: September 04, 2015, 09:24:15 PM »
Quote
Your ip details are not being exposed to anyone, all Avast know is that someone has accessed x website and nothing untoward was detected there .  If anything was detected on that site then the data would be used to warn other Avast users worldwide that it is not the place to go..  This is the protection you are paying for.
True for the 'Avast community' cloud, but Jumpshot goes much further.