unprotected sensitive documents found: which document? where?

[REDACTED]

After a quick scan with the free version the conclusion was this: unprotected sensitive documents found
How do we know which document it is referring to? Where or what is this document? If we do not know such an answer how do we know if it is a false positive or what?  And the other question is, If we click on the "Resolve All: button how exactly will it be resolved? I hesitate to click on that button not knowing the answer to the above questions.
Thank you

[mchain]

Sensitive Documents is a paid-for option and is not available in Free.

Clicking Resolve All will lead to a sales pitch but no harm done to you if you do click it.  Won't fix anything either.   

[EDIT:]  Just a thought:  You can workaround this by backing up all sensitive and personal documents or information to an USB thumb drive or external drive.  No sensitive data on your system is a safe system.

[DougCuk]

The scan for "Sensitive Data" is appearing in the "Smart Scan" on the Free version (v18.6.2349) for some users.
This has been reported before on this forum and happen to me back in June - and has just happened again.
The Free version has no way to disable this option once it has been added to the scan options.

This rogue setting is being added by the program under certain (unknown) conditions - and we need some way to disable this as it is useless on the Free version. Maybe a standalone "fix" utility to alter the saved config options?

On the previous occasion I was able to "remove" this rogue setting by removing and then reinstating all the default scan options for "Smart Scan". However this time nothing works - even disabling all available Smart Scan options still leaves the "Sensitive Data" item active.

If you click the option to show scan results you can view the items found and see the filenames and locations - clicking Resolve does nothing except clear the scan results report.

[bob3160]

Already reported to Avast. Waiting for an answer.
Here are my results from Smart Scan:

Guess they know I don't intend to buy the sensitive data protection.

[DougCuk]

Avast collected a new definitions update today (2-Sep-2018) and the "Sensitive Data" item in Smart Scan has gone again.
The program has not updated so not sure how or why the config has been fixed - but problem solved.

For anyone still seeing the "Sensitive Data" item showing in Smart Scan:
Try resetting the Smart Scan options by going to Menu->Settings->General->Smart Scan.
Enter the Customise option and tick the "All Files" tick box then OK out
Switch off both Smart Scan sliders (Browser Add-ons and Virus Scan) then OK out and close the program
Then go back and reverse those steps to put everything back as it was (deselect "All Files" and turn on both sliders)
With any luck you should no longer see "Sensitive Data" showing when you start a Smart Scan or see warnings about "Unprotected Sensitive Documents".

[bob3160]

Avast collected a new definitions update today (2-Sep-2018) and the "Sensitive Data" item in Smart Scan has gone again.
The program has not updated so not sure how or why the config has been fixed - but problem solved.

For anyone still seeing the "Sensitive Data" item showing in Smart Scan:
Try resetting the Smart Scan options by going to Menu->Settings->General->Smart Scan.
Enter the Customise option and tick the "All Files" tick box then OK out
Switch off both Smart Scan sliders (Browser Add-ons and Virus Scan) then OK out and close the program
Then go back and reverse those steps to put everything back as it was (deselect "All Files" and turn on both sliders)
With any luck you should no longer see "Sensitive Data" showing when you start a Smart Scan or see warnings about "Unprotected Sensitive Documents".

The problem was most likely solved via the VPS update.
If you still have the problem , check to make sure you're VPS is up to date.

[DougCuk]

It appears the "switch" to alter the setting is contained in some (but not all) VPS Definition updates. I have tried disabling "streaming updates" in Update Settings to try and make it easier to identify when the "switch" command occurs - but so far results are not clear. All I can say is that not all updates reset the Sensitive Data "switch" as machines on the same Update version can have opposite Smart Scan configurations. Every few days  an update adds the Sensitive Data scan item - and more rarely an update deactivates the setting. If a machine misses an update because it is turned off the "switch" doesn't occur and the setting stays unchanged.

I am beginning to think there are two opposing factions inside Avast - one (marketing) wants the setting active for up-selling to the Pro version - the other wants it deactivated as it shouldn't be there in the Free version. This was a common problem with the AVG Free software - conflicting messages created by the marketing and technical teams. This is a bad trend as it just annoys customers and makes them less likely to recommend the product.

[bob3160]

It appears the "switch" to alter the setting is contained in some (but not all) VPS Definition updates. I have tried disabling "streaming updates" in Update Settings to try and make it easier to identify when the "switch" command occurs - but so far results are not clear. All I can say is that not all updates reset the Sensitive Data "switch" as machines on the same Update version can have opposite Smart Scan configurations. Every few days  an update adds the Sensitive Data scan item - and more rarely an update deactivates the setting. If a machine misses an update because it is turned off the "switch" doesn't occur and the setting stays unchanged.

I am beginning to think there are two opposing factions inside Avast - one (marketing) wants the setting active for up-selling to the Pro version - the other wants it deactivated as it shouldn't be there in the Free version. This was a common problem with the AVG Free software - conflicting messages created by the marketing and technical teams. This is a bad trend as it just annoys customers and makes them less likely to recommend the product.

If you have a problem, please start your own topic. Posting in older, no longer active, topics doesn't make much sense. Thanks

[EmeraldAutumn]

@DougCuk
Thanks for adding your comments.  Today I encountered this problem for the first time so apparently it has not been resolved by Avast - perhaps because of competing factions as you suggest.

Your say seem to me a relevant continuation of a topic that is less than 5 months old - especially appropriate since you are adding to your earlier comments on this topic.  Your continuation is  useful since this is the topic which pops up at the top of any StartPage/Google search on the issue. 

[marty1]

This topic is very much relevant again. A regression seems to be happening.
I also encountered the message about sensitive document today in the free version.

For anyone still seeing the "Sensitive Data" item showing in Smart Scan:
Try resetting the Smart Scan options by going to Menu->Settings->General->Smart Scan.

That settings option does not exist any more.

I'm curious how and what Avast recognizes as sensitive documents.
Is it language specific?
Does Avast know your sensitive document IDs?

[Pondus]

I also encountered the message about sensitive document today in the free version.

Sensitive Data Shield - FAQs ( Applies to Avast Premier, Avast Internet Security )
https://support.avast.com/en-us/article/Antivirus-Sensitive-Data-Shield-FAQ

So i guess what you see is a: Buy this and upgrade kinde of message