Author Topic: "Install Helper Tool" Issue  (Read 6752 times)

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"Install Helper Tool" Issue
« on: December 02, 2017, 06:57:45 PM »
I have been having issues doing a full scan on my computer (after an hour or so it says it has lost connection with Avast) and today it caught that JS:Crptonight Trj file that everyone is complaining about.

I went in to make sure I had the most current version of Avast and I was not logged in, which is unusual. I logged in and now Avast is asking me to "Install a new helper tool". I have never seen this prompt before and I can't upgrade the virus definitions or program without getting this prompt. I entered my info once to install the helper, and it is still giving me the same prompt if I try to upgrade the program or virus definitions.

It also won't let me pull up my account info. It says I am not connected to Avast and must log out and log back in.

I have looked through the messages here and it sounds like this is a legit Avast pop-up, but I want to confirm this with an official Avast person why it keeps on coming up in my Avast. And I also don't understand why I am having log-in issues when I haven't ever had this problem before!
« Last Edit: December 02, 2017, 08:05:23 PM by coffeeshopphotography »

Offline Pondus

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Re: "Install Helper Tool" Issue
« Reply #1 on: December 02, 2017, 07:46:39 PM »
A screenshot of the message would probably help those who may know


Offline SteveF

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Re: "Install Helper Tool" Issue
« Reply #2 on: February 23, 2019, 09:07:33 PM »
I am getting this as well.  I went to re-login in to my avast account in the Avast.app and I get a pop-up that requires me to give it Admin rights to install a helper tool.  What the helper tool does, what its privacy policy is, and what it will fail to help with are all not specified.  So I cancel the pop-up and then get a "failed to log into Avast, reset password" screen.

Screenshot: http://prntscr.com/mp6e0a

Offline woodbury2

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Re: "Install Helper Tool" Issue
« Reply #3 on: February 25, 2019, 02:48:07 AM »
I have been running the free version for quite some time without any problems.  But on 23 and 22 FEB 2019, I got incomplete scans. 7005. Contact to antivirus engine lost.  I do not understand.  I uninstalled, reinstalled, ran the scan with the same results.  I did an uninstall a total of 4 times and an equal number of reinstalls.  No dice.  I would scan for an hour and change or maybe only 15 or 20 minutes.  It is completely uninstalled from my MAC. I was ready to purchase the full system till this occurred.  Any ideas or help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Offline ondrej.kolacek

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Re: "Install Helper Tool" Issue
« Reply #4 on: February 25, 2019, 01:50:13 PM »
Hello,
do you use an old version of Avast? I think in 13.11 we have reworked the scanning process so that these issues do not happen. Please send us support package (https://support.avast.com/en-eu/article/Submit-Mac-Security-support-file) if you are indeed on the newest version and this is still happening.
Kind regards,
Ondrej Kolacek

Offline woodbury2

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Re: "Install Helper Tool" Issue
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2019, 05:41:37 AM »
Thank you for the response and I apologize for the delay in getting back. For about a year or so, I would run both the free Avast and free Malware Bytes.  Never a conflict, never a problem.  They only ran when I opened the program and requested a scan.  I freely accepted any upgrades that came along.

I uninstalled Avast completely and figured I would just use the other program, malwarebytes, since Apple recommended it. I took a chance and accepted the trial premium version and activated the real time protection.  My MAC slowed to a crawl on start-up.  The real time protection, or the entire premium version was eating up the cpu and I would get the spinning beach ball. It took an apple tech to get me straightened out and uninstall the program.  My system runs fine now. 

It is an early 2009 iMac, running El Capitan 10.11.6. Apple thinks my system  might just be getting too old to work with some of the software, or if it works, might slow the system down. And it was suggested that I look at getting a newer iMac within the next year.

So I am hesitant to install any anti-virus software now.  I am not tech smart and when the computer had performance problems, I feared the worst.    Malwarebytes would complete a scan in a couple of minutes and scan 11,000 plus object and report nothing found.   I would then run Avast because I liked the deep scan that Avast performed, 900,000 plus files even though it took over an hour.  And it initially found a few items that malwarebytes missed, adware. That was about a 10 months ago.  After that, neither program found anything. I do miss the feeling of security, just not sure I want to try again. To be honest, while apple recommended free malwarebytes, I always felt better with running Avast.  My system is old.  I worry that I will download a version of Avast that will cause my system to run slow.


Offline bobcoulson

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Re: "Install Helper Tool" Issue
« Reply #6 on: April 01, 2019, 05:07:25 PM »
This just happened to me today and I am running 13.12.  I need to run an Avast scan and it won't allow it unless I allow my Mac Security install a helper app which needs an exception to the security selection "App Store and identified developers".   Why would Avast Software a.s. not be an "identified developer"?  Also, why does the button at the bottom:  "Continue without real time protection (not recommended)"  not allow me to continue to scan my hard drive? 

I find this whole experience more than a bit disturbing.

Offline .: Mac :.

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Re: "Install Helper Tool" Issue
« Reply #7 on: April 06, 2019, 02:58:42 PM »
The helper enables the background scanning, so you would still be able to run a manual scan without it. "Identified Developer" essentially are those who have paid apple to have their certificate so this could be an issue with that certificate but will let the devs comment on that one.
"People who are really serious about software should make their own hardware." - Alan Kay

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Re: "Install Helper Tool" Issue
« Reply #8 on: April 08, 2019, 01:49:23 PM »
I have some additional details here from Avast - the popup is due to changes in MacOS High Sierra and newer where all kernel extensions require user approval. So in this case these are normal, and unless Apple changes their policy will be required for now.
"People who are really serious about software should make their own hardware." - Alan Kay

Offline lukas.hasik

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Re: "Install Helper Tool" Issue
« Reply #9 on: April 09, 2019, 11:24:44 AM »
Hello,
macOSX 10.13 aka High Sierra brought new flow where user has to approve kernel extensions(aka kext) installation (details [1]). Avast AV needs kernel extensions for real time protection - file shield, web shield, mail shield and ransomware shield. When you install the AV on a new system then you need to open "System Preferences > Security&Privacy" and approve "Avast Software a.s." as identified developer. Any kext installation on system from 10.13 will require this steps. We don't now about any way how to workaround it or make a agreement with Apple.

MacOS shows it's own dialog at the time of kext installation however it's easy to miss and it doesn't explain what has to be done to make the AV work fully. We are warning user in main UI (details in [2]) and with popup that an action is required. The product is not fulfilling its promise without the kernel extensions. You can use it for scanning - on-demand scan works properly. But the main advantage of today's AV is in the protecting you in real time.
 
We'd love to simplify the flow but it's up to the system.
Lukas

[1] https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/technotes/tn2459/_index.html
[2] https://support.avast.com/en-ww/article/Mac-Security-High-Sierra-allow-extensions
Quality is also a feature.