Author Topic: avast fake "perfomance" issue - misleading in-app advertising  (Read 2847 times)

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Offline Aditza

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avast fake "perfomance" issue - misleading in-app advertising
« on: August 26, 2017, 08:07:06 PM »
Avast has a RED exclamation mark on the tray icon and this warning in the interface... what would it be? let's see...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ajeflljzbalfa57/avast-scam-1.png

oh oh, ominous "undefined" issues... let's try to resolve them...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/knwcbprw49zd3ij/avast-scam-2.png

eww.. it's a marketing push for Cleanup Premium. wtf?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ej0223pksnb6ti2/avast-scam-3.png

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5bis5skbbqly79y/avast-scam-4.png

Offline Asyn

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Re: avast fake "perfomance" issue - misleading in-app advertising
« Reply #1 on: August 26, 2017, 08:13:59 PM »
Where did you download Avast..!?
Never saw anything like "Almost Quick Scan", it should say "Smart Scan".
W8.1 [x64] - Avast Free AV 23.3.8047.BC [UI.757] - Firefox ESR 102.9 [NS/uBO/PB] - Thunderbird 102.9.1
Avast-Tools: Secure Browser 109.0 - Cleanup 23.1 - SecureLine 5.18 - DriverUpdater 23.1 - CCleaner 6.01
Avast Wissenswertes (Downloads, Anleitungen & Infos): https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=60523.0

Offline Aditza

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Re: avast fake "perfomance" issue - misleading in-app advertising
« Reply #2 on: August 26, 2017, 08:23:39 PM »
the "Almost quick scan" is a custom scan i created manually - look at the breadcrumbs path on top, you'll see it's in the "Other scans" category.
It's actually a quick scan but tweaked to scan a few more areas, so i named it "Almost..."


and avast was installed from https://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_pro_antivirus_setup_offline.exe


Offline Asyn

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Re: avast fake "perfomance" issue - misleading in-app advertising
« Reply #3 on: August 26, 2017, 08:25:48 PM »
Got it. ;)
Just get rid of Cleanup if you don't want/need it.
-> https://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB96#artTitle (Add/Remove components)
W8.1 [x64] - Avast Free AV 23.3.8047.BC [UI.757] - Firefox ESR 102.9 [NS/uBO/PB] - Thunderbird 102.9.1
Avast-Tools: Secure Browser 109.0 - Cleanup 23.1 - SecureLine 5.18 - DriverUpdater 23.1 - CCleaner 6.01
Avast Wissenswertes (Downloads, Anleitungen & Infos): https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=60523.0

Offline DavidR

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Re: avast fake "perfomance" issue - misleading in-app advertising
« Reply #4 on: August 26, 2017, 08:28:52 PM »
Don't install everything when installing avast free, do a custom install and only install components that you want or need.  As far as I'm concerned, browser cleanup and avast cleanup don't fall into that category, there are others.  If you have these components installed if you run a Smart Scan then these additional components are very likely to generate these marketing ads.

Rarely do I see these ads/marketing, partly because I rarely run on-demand scans, a depreciated value in a resident on-access antivirus.

Why not use CCleaner from Piriform, recently purchased by Avast Software, use the free version it does most of the things that Avast

EDIT: From your Reply #2 you say that you used the files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_pro_antivirus_setup_offline.exe, yet your images show the avast free version has been installed and not Avast Pro, which you could disabled ads.
« Last Edit: August 26, 2017, 08:32:13 PM by DavidR »
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security

Offline Aditza

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Re: avast fake "perfomance" issue - misleading in-app advertising
« Reply #5 on: August 26, 2017, 08:38:02 PM »
oh, i actually downloaded the free but linked pro up there.

i usually copy the link in the forum from https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=205786.0
and change http to https for the files server link. I think i copied the pro link for that reply *blush*

and P.S... that's the thing.. not even the free Cleanup is installed. the attached pic shows how i have it installed and even then the warning/ad for Cleanup Premium still appears.
« Last Edit: August 26, 2017, 08:40:51 PM by Aditza »

Offline Asyn

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Re: avast fake "perfomance" issue - misleading in-app advertising
« Reply #6 on: August 26, 2017, 08:40:44 PM »
oh, i actually downloaded the free but linked pro up there.

i usually copy the link in the forum from https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=205786.0
and change http to https for the files server link. I think i copied the pro link for that reply *blush*
Doesn't matter, Cleanup is a standalone product anyway.
W8.1 [x64] - Avast Free AV 23.3.8047.BC [UI.757] - Firefox ESR 102.9 [NS/uBO/PB] - Thunderbird 102.9.1
Avast-Tools: Secure Browser 109.0 - Cleanup 23.1 - SecureLine 5.18 - DriverUpdater 23.1 - CCleaner 6.01
Avast Wissenswertes (Downloads, Anleitungen & Infos): https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=60523.0

Offline bob3160

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Offline Asyn

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Re: avast fake "perfomance" issue - misleading in-app advertising
« Reply #8 on: August 26, 2017, 08:47:14 PM »
and P.S... that's the thing.. not even the free Cleanup is installed. the attached pic shows how i have it installed and even then the warning/ad for Cleanup Premium still appears.
Well, that's strange.
Best you perform a clean, custom! reinstall..!!
W8.1 [x64] - Avast Free AV 23.3.8047.BC [UI.757] - Firefox ESR 102.9 [NS/uBO/PB] - Thunderbird 102.9.1
Avast-Tools: Secure Browser 109.0 - Cleanup 23.1 - SecureLine 5.18 - DriverUpdater 23.1 - CCleaner 6.01
Avast Wissenswertes (Downloads, Anleitungen & Infos): https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=60523.0

Offline Aditza

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Re: avast fake "perfomance" issue - misleading in-app advertising
« Reply #9 on: August 26, 2017, 08:48:58 PM »
*sigh* if Avast is going to keep that ad there on purpose then at least please disable the silly red exclamation mark on the tray icon. :(


Offline Asyn

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Re: avast fake "perfomance" issue - misleading in-app advertising
« Reply #10 on: August 26, 2017, 08:51:06 PM »
*sigh* if Avast is going to keep that ad there on purpose then at least please disable the silly red exclamation mark on the tray icon. :(
No exclamation mark but a "1", check your notification center.
W8.1 [x64] - Avast Free AV 23.3.8047.BC [UI.757] - Firefox ESR 102.9 [NS/uBO/PB] - Thunderbird 102.9.1
Avast-Tools: Secure Browser 109.0 - Cleanup 23.1 - SecureLine 5.18 - DriverUpdater 23.1 - CCleaner 6.01
Avast Wissenswertes (Downloads, Anleitungen & Infos): https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=60523.0

Offline bob3160

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Re: avast fake "perfomance" issue - misleading in-app advertising
« Reply #11 on: August 26, 2017, 08:57:04 PM »
*sigh* if Avast is going to keep that ad there on purpose then at least please disable the silly red exclamation mark on the tray icon. :(
That's not an ! but a 1 and indicates One notification.
Open the User Interface, select the Notification and clear it.
Free Security Seminar: https://bit.ly/bobg2023  -  Important: http://www.organdonor.gov/ -- My Web Site: http://bob3160.strikingly.com/ - Win 11 Pro v22H2 64bit, 16 Gig Ram, 1TB SSD, Avast Free 23.5.6066, How to Successfully Install Avast http://goo.gl/VLXdeRepair & Clean Install https://goo.gl/t7aJGq -- My Online Activity https://bit.ly/BobGInternet

Offline Aditza

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Re: avast fake "perfomance" issue - misleading in-app advertising
« Reply #12 on: August 26, 2017, 09:00:29 PM »
*headscratch* indeed there's a notification.. that my custom scan has completed successfully and no issues were found.

Weird choice of a colour then, a red tray icon marker for a green condition status.
And that number font is barely readable even on a full HD screen :(

Is nobody doing UI usability testing for such small-size elements that are designed to be always on screen?

Offline Asyn

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Re: avast fake "perfomance" issue - misleading in-app advertising
« Reply #13 on: August 26, 2017, 09:02:00 PM »
*headscratch* indeed there's a notification.. that my custom scan has completed successfully and no issues were found.

Weird choice of a colour then, a red tray icon marker for a green condition status.
And that number font is barely readable even on a full HD screen :(

Is nobody doing UI usability testing for such small-size elements that are designed to be always on screen?
The devs are already working on it...
W8.1 [x64] - Avast Free AV 23.3.8047.BC [UI.757] - Firefox ESR 102.9 [NS/uBO/PB] - Thunderbird 102.9.1
Avast-Tools: Secure Browser 109.0 - Cleanup 23.1 - SecureLine 5.18 - DriverUpdater 23.1 - CCleaner 6.01
Avast Wissenswertes (Downloads, Anleitungen & Infos): https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=60523.0

Offline DavidR

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Re: avast fake "perfomance" issue - misleading in-app advertising
« Reply #14 on: August 26, 2017, 10:20:15 PM »
oh, i actually downloaded the free but linked pro up there.

i usually copy the link in the forum from https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=205786.0
and change http to https for the files server link. I think i copied the pro link for that reply *blush*

and P.S... that's the thing.. not even the free Cleanup is installed. the attached pic shows how i have it installed and even then the warning/ad for Cleanup Premium still appears.

Well I have just ran a Quick Scan, whilst I didn't get an exclamation point (nor any number) over the tray icon on completion of the scan even. I did get the little 1/4 panel at the bottom of the UI for the improve performance click bait. The 1/4 panel has essentially been an ad/promo click bait window.

My system I used (my win10 Home 64bit laptop) is anything but lacking performance.
Acer Aspire F15 F5-573, Intel Core i5-7200U @2.50GHz to 3.1GHz, 8GB DDR4 RAM, GeForce  GTX 950M 4GB DDR5, 256GB SSD primary drive 1TB HDD secondary drive.
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security