Avast AvEmUpdate.exe Acting Like Malware - How Do I Turn It OFF?

[REDACTED]

I have enjoyed using Avast, but currently the above program is acting like malware.

1. I've turned off all automatic updates in the Avast Settings because Avast kept interfering with my Internet if I tried to do things online during the updates. I now update manually at my discretion.
2. There are no Avast automatic updates scheduled in my Scheduled Tasks screen for Windows.
3. I found today that Avast's AvEmUpdate.exe is disrupting my internet. I went to the file and tried to rename or remove it -- nothing worked. I'm told that I don't have the ability to alter the file, which is utterly ridiculous. I don't have automatic updates turned on. Nothing from Avast should be running at this point without my permission.

Note: And this IS an Avast program and not a virus. I've checked that as well.

I want this thing stopped NOW.

It has been disrupting my ability to work. I have health problems and have to work around my symptoms. I can't afford this level of disruption, especially when I'm already having problems with my cable internet when this program isn't running. I don't need both problems in my life right now.

Who do I contact to get rid of the Avast Emergency updater. I don't want it running and I certainly don't need it running.

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UPDATE:

I don't know how to edit my original post. So, here's an update.

I suddenly realized that maybe there was a separate Hidden Tasks option in the Scheduled Tasks window. After some searching based on my OS version, I found out that this task was purposely hidden (again, like malware) by Avast on my system.

I've now disabled it. Avast had the AvEmUpdate set to run every FOUR hours. Why the hell would anyone need or want Avast to update in ANY way every FOUR hours every day?

[kwiq]

Hi jherara,
it is emergency update it is not needed in normal Av run but it may safe yours pc live if
something goes wrong.

[Pondus]

I don't know how to edit my original post......

Top right corner ... Modify

Why the hell would anyone need or want Avast to update in ANY way every FOUR hours every day?

Depends what updates you mean? Avast recive signature updates evry 5-15 minutes and have done so since 2012

Stream updates  >>  https://press.avast.com/avast-software-streaming-updates-for-all-with-the-newa-avast-7

I went to the file and tried to rename or remove it -- nothing worked. I'm told that I don't have the ability to alter the file, which is utterly ridiculous.

If it was easy then malware could also do it .... if it can be removed you probably need to turn off selfprotection first

[REDACTED]

Kwiq -- Thank you for your concern, but it's been causing me more harm than good of late. I'm happy I found a way to shut it off.

Pondus -- Thank you for your reply.

I've been sick all day and kept looking for an "Edit" option. I did notice the Modify after I wrote the Update post, but I didn't really care at that point to fix it. I'm extremely tired and wasting time on Avast was not how I planned to spend my afternoon.

As for renaming and removal: I get that it would easier for someone else who has malicious intent, but the point of this is that I'm extremely fed up with Avast hiding things or making them so difficult for the actual user to adjust. Users should be able to turn off updates in the settings without then having to search high and low in their computers for additional settings that they need to adjust outside of the program interface. It's ridiculous.

As for what updates I mean: Again, any updates that cause disruption to my internet connection. As for the signature updates.  I had no idea. Thank you for sharing. I did though turn off the virus database updates so that I can update them manually. I truly hope that there's not something else hidden going on that might in some way be adversely impacting my internet connection.

[DavidR]

<snip>
As for what updates I mean: Again, any updates that cause disruption to my internet connection. As for the signature updates.  I had no idea. Thank you for sharing. I did though turn off the virus database updates so that I can update them manually. I truly hope that there's not something else hidden going on that might in some way be adversely impacting my internet connection.

I don't know if you are aware, but by disabling the virus database updates, you also lose the streaming updates.  Whilst the streaming updates happen more frequently, they are measured in KB not MB and don't seem to impact performance on my systems. 

The actual virus definition updates happen a few times a day and again I don't see any real impact on their being on automatic update.

Yesterday there were only 3 VPS updates, but there will have been many much smaller streaming updates, mine range in size from 1KB to 3KB.  No or negligible impact on any of my systems.

[bob3160]

@ jherara,
You should also realize if turning thing off or changing things are made easy, it also makes it easy for the bad guys to make those changes.
Avast is designed to protect you from those bad guys and under normal circumstances, the default setting keep you safe and protected.
Changes can still be made but not easily and that's done by design.

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DavidR - Thank you for clarifying the impact of the automatic updates on your systems Sadly, I have had problems with Avast updates in the past and then recently as I wrote in my original post. So, it might not impact you, but it has been impacting me, which is why I posted on here in frustration about Avast not allowing me to choose the level of risk I'm willing to take (i.e.  automatic vs. manual updates). When I turn off the updates in the program, I fully expect that program to not act like malware that still performs updates in the background without my permission while slowing my computer down and hiding the tool to turn off those updates.

bob3160 - Pondus already pointed out about the bad guys. I'm very much aware. I have been very much aware this entire time. I'm sure you're just trying to be helpful, but it's kind of starting to feel like people are just writing off this issue as my being a naive computer user. I'm far from it. I understand the risks. IF Avast didn't cause problems for me when updating automatically in the background, I would keep the automatic updates turned on. Alas, it does cause problems. So, again, I perform updates at MY discretion. I'm not denying the risk. That's my choice. Plenty of people weigh pros and cons. The cons related to Avast updating itself have outweighed the pros in my mind.

[bob3160]

Your computer, your choice.