Author Topic: Remove sensitive documents from smartscan?  (Read 5067 times)

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Offline bob3160

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Re: Remove sensitive documents from smartscan?
« Reply #15 on: April 26, 2019, 12:10:38 AM »
The SmartScan process has been updated with new settings and a new interface.
My Avast Free shows as v19.4.2374 (build 19.4.4318.456)

The old circular progress UI has gone - now just shows a percentage completed figure.
But more importantly (so far) the "Sensitive Data" scan item has disappeared on my system.
Hopefully this update includes a permanent fix for this long standing annoyance.
I have the same version and build as you but, I still have the old circular scan which still shows Sensitive Data
and ends up with the sales pitch.
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Offline DougCuk

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Re: Remove sensitive documents from smartscan?
« Reply #16 on: April 26, 2019, 11:10:45 AM »
I am now seeing the new SmartScan on two of my computers here in the UK - one Win7 & one Win10.

But it looks like we are going to have the same problem with extra scan items appearing on some computers - as the Win10 computer is showing a third scan item titled "Advanced Issues" - which leads to an online ad for the paid version. It is pushing specific modules based on the scan results - in my case Sensitive Data Shield, Ransomeware Shield, Advanced Firewall and something called Real Site.

The SmartScan pauses on a results screen after each section (Browser Threats, Viruses & Malware etc) and awaits a mouse click - but the scan continues in the background and you can click through all the results screens when you are ready. You can stop the scan but only after you have viewed any results screen(s).   

I have two screen caps - one of the new scan in progress and one of the Advanced Issues scan result

Offline cbino

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Re: Remove sensitive documents from smartscan?
« Reply #17 on: April 27, 2019, 04:03:40 PM »
Version 19.4.2374 (build 19.4.4318.456) of Avast Premier, without having installed the Sensitive Data module, and Free continue to scan (on my PC with the latest version Win 10), contrary to what DougCuk states, sensitive documents exactly as it has always done!
What other users say about it!

Offline rocksteady

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Re: Remove sensitive documents from smartscan?
« Reply #18 on: April 28, 2019, 10:25:51 AM »
I just ran Smart Scan on my Win10 1809, Avast 19.4.2374 (build 19.4.4318.456).
Here it now has the new horizontal progress line format same as illustrated by DougCuk. I guess it is being rolled out in time.
I have lost trust in Smart Scan, so stopped it after just 5secs. I'm not interested in the report and the consequential ads for paid products at the end.

Offline DougCuk

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Re: Remove sensitive documents from smartscan?
« Reply #19 on: April 28, 2019, 11:47:17 AM »
For my own personal usage of Avast Free the behaviour of SmartScan is a minor annoyance.

However I have recommended Avast Free to most of my family, friends and customers of my computer support business - and when the program starts showing warnings designed to scare the user I do not approve. Adverts that inform and recommend the advantages of the paid for program are fine - but adverts disguised as alarmist scan results are in in my opinion not acceptable advertising. 

Screens appearing as part of a scan result - that imply you are at risk of ransomware attack and hackers stealing your private data, passwords and credit card details - are obviously designed to scare the user into parting with their money.     

The new SmartScan is actually worse than the previous version - it is now targeting more than just Sensitive Document risks.
Is this really an acceptable advertising strategy?

Offline DavidR

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Re: Remove sensitive documents from smartscan?
« Reply #20 on: April 28, 2019, 04:30:19 PM »
@ DougCuk
Personally I feel the Smart Scan is pretty damn dumb, it is counter intuitive.  If the so called marketing gurus think this is going to have people buy additional Avast products, they need to go back to school.  I would see people just stopping using the so called smart scan altogether, or worse still stop using avast completely.

I rarely use the Smart Scan outside of testing (and forum questions) and the main area of concern would be the network/WiFi scan if that doesn't show any issues, then why would I run this every time a smart scan runs. 

For as long as the smart scan has been in existence, users have had very little control over what is run, so I don't bloody run it.

- With a resident (on-access) scanner the need for on-demand scans is much depreciated. For the most part dormant/inert files are being scanned, the other active files are going to be scanned by the resident shields when they are activated. 

If this is correct (personally I believe so) there is little else worth running the smart scan for (WiFi exception mentioned) as these additional scans (that we have no control over) are for paid products, ads in other words.
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Offline cbino

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Re: Remove sensitive documents from smartscan?
« Reply #21 on: April 28, 2019, 08:03:58 PM »
The problem we say about the "advertisements" does not only concern the free version, but unfortunately also the paid ones.
I tried several times to install the Premier version by unchecking the modules that do not interest me. Well, the Intelligent Scan is also performed for the non-installed modules and among them precisely Sensitive Data. Ultimately you pay but then you are not free to decide what to install and this I find at least original!

Offline DavidR

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Re: Remove sensitive documents from smartscan?
« Reply #22 on: April 28, 2019, 08:24:35 PM »
The problem we say about the "advertisements" does not only concern the free version, but unfortunately also the paid ones.

I tried several times to install the Premier version by unchecking the modules that do not interest me. Well, the Intelligent Scan is also performed for the non-installed modules and among them precisely Sensitive Data. Ultimately you pay but then you are not free to decide what to install and this I find at least original!

As I said:
Quote from: DavidR
Personally I feel the Smart Scan is pretty damn dumb, it is counter intuitive.  If the so called marketing gurus think this is going to have people buy additional Avast products, they need to go back to school.  I would see people just stopping using the so called smart scan altogether, or worse still stop using avast completely.

This I feel goes double for those with paid versions of avast, you have to uncheck options not to see promotions for other avast programs, etc.  These such options in a paid version of avast in my opinion should be opt_in and not opt_out by default.
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