Avast Software Updater updateing without permission

[REDACTED]

Hello,

today when I started my notebook (Win 7), Avast (11.1.2253) popped up in its main menu. Felt a bit strange but I closed it. A few minutes later Skype was up and running, even though I dont use it anymore. Apparently Avast updated it to the newest version - without asking for permission or showing that it is doing so. The base Settings of Skype seem to be unchanged (not in Auto-Start) and it seems to be the only updated programm.
Happened that to anyone else? Is my system hacked? I already opened a support ticket, and a Scan with Spybot came back negative.

Hope someone knows what caused this.

[REDACTED]

Okay, so now it did exactly the same thing on my older PC. After I started that one, Avast just updated and launched Skype without asking. Why is this happening? It's okay to make pop-ups that inform me of outdated software, but simply updating without permission?

[DavidR]

What version of avast do you have avast Free/Pro/AIS/Premium ?

The free version doesn't have the functionality to 'auto update' any program, in the free version (which I use) it notifies me if there are any programs requiring update. However, If you click the button on that window, it will start the update of that program/s requiring it. 

That said I believe that button may be active if you happen to hit the enter key whilst the window is open, it may well trigger the active button and consequently the program/s would be updated. I always the the X close in the top right of the window and then run the Scan for outdated software option, so I can choose what and when to update a program/s.

Only the paid versions of avast have the auto updating of monitored programs feature.

[REDACTED]

I use Avast Free. I know the normal way to update programs via the Software Updater. But in this case I didnt go into that, it just updated Skype and launched it after the computer started. This is not the regular behaviour, and after that happened on two machines I believe its an mistake by Avast.

[bob3160]

I use Avast Free. I know the normal way to update programs via the Software Updater. But in this case I didnt go into that, it just updated Skype and launched it after the computer started. This is not the regular behaviour, and after that happened on two machines I believe its an mistake by Avast.

It sounds more like a Windows update has occurred and updated Skype.

[REDACTED]

It sounds more like a Windows update has occurred and updated Skype.

The Win Update for my Win 7 is broken (trying to fix that right now, but the Skype-Thing happened before that). For the other machine there were no Win updates either.

[REDACTED]

Okay, so I got my third machine online (Win 8.1) and monitored Avast Software Update. Without me clicking anything it was already downloading the newest Skype version. It installed that version (which then popped up and asked for login) and then redownloaded and aborted with an Error.
Lines of the Win 7 log:

14/06/16 12:21:52    INFO: <1616>  Executing a custom action... EXECUTE
14/06/16 12:21:57    INFO: <1616>  Executing installer <"C:\windows\TEMP\avast_ash2\Skype\skype.exe" /noie /nogoogle /verysilent /qn /norestart>
14/06/16 12:21:57    INFO: <1616>  DETECTED_INSTALLATION_FOLDER = <C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Phone\>
14/06/16 12:21:57    INFO: <1616>  DETECTED_CURRENT_VERSION = <7.0.60.102>
14/06/16 12:21:57    INFO: <1616>  DETECTED_LANGID = <neutral>
14/06/16 12:24:35    INFO: <1616>  DETECTED_INSTALLATION_FOLDER = <C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Phone\>
14/06/16 12:24:35    INFO: <1616>  DETECTED_CURRENT_VERSION = <7.24.0.104>
14/06/16 12:24:35    INFO: <1616>  DETECTED_LANGID = <neutral>
14/06/16 12:24:35    INFO: <1616>  Update successful. current version = 7.24.0.104

Still havent heard back from support, but its kinda weird. Only Skype get auto-updated, but no matter what Windows I use. Does anybody else has that problem?

[REDACTED]

Avast (11.1.2253) 

I use Avast Free.

Maybe the first thing you should do is update AVAST to Version 11.2.2262

[REDACTED]

Maybe the first thing you should do is update AVAST to Version 11.2.2262

My desktop machine is on Version 11.2.2262, the machine with Win 8.1, too. My problem is with the unauthorized updates. I don't want to uninstall the Software Updater, because he is helpful for getting updates quickly. But there are programs that I dont want to update because they are less useful in the newer versions.

[MartinZ]

Hi,

yes we turned on the auto updates for Skype only for security reasons. You can disable it by placing Skype on Ignore list

[REDACTED]

Hi,

yes we turned on the auto updates for Skype only for security reasons. You can disable it by placing Skype on Ignore list

Thank you for that explanation. But I hope this is a very rare case of forced update. Because I would like to decide what and when I update (eg VLC I dont want to update because the Audio settings are getting worse). Maybe you could do a pop-up if there are security updates in the future?

[MartinZ]

Yes this is very rare, we forced update like this for the first time.