Author Topic: Can't find exception I created?  (Read 7338 times)

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Offline HansDelbruck

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Can't find exception I created?
« on: January 14, 2020, 05:25:57 PM »
I was in Windows Explorer and ran an .exe file and Avast popped up and tried to block it and asked me if I wanted to create an exception for it, and I did. I figured I could remove it later as it was a one time thing.

But then later I went looking for it and I could not find it. I followed the directions here: but it was not listed there.
https://support.avast.com/en-us/article/Antivirus-scan-exclusions

I went to the Avast folder under "Program Data" and there was a file called "exclusions.ini". In there was the file listed, but I didn't want to mess with it under the assumption that there must be a "correct" way to remove the exception other than modifying a file manually like this.

So what am I doing wrong?

Offline r@vast

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Re: Can't find exception I created?
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2020, 09:24:44 AM »
Hi,

Could you run a repair of Avast, please.
https://support.avast.com/en-ww/article/Repair-Antivirus

If the issue persists, then please add a screenshot (of "exceptions") and
could you also provide a support file id.

Please follow these steps:
1. Open - Avast Premium Security > Click on -  Menu > Settings > General > Troubleshooting > Select - Enable debug logging (at the bottom)

2. To generate the support file, please see this link.
https://support.avast.com/en-ww/article/Submit-support-file

Offline HansDelbruck

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Re: Can't find exception I created?
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2020, 06:42:13 PM »
I ran the repair and no change. Issue still persists.
I would do a screenshot of the exceptions page but I really feel that it is quite unnecessary because it is a blank page. It just looks like a normal page on a PC that has no exceptions. It just has a big green button that says "add exceptions.

If you meant that exclusions.ini file I was talking about then this is what it has in it...

[Global]
ExcludeHashes="C:\profile\file.exe"<sha256=XXXXXXXXX>

I changed the name of the file and the long string of numbers that was the actual hash and replaced it with a bunch of x's. That file.exe is the file that I added the exception for that is not showing up.

Other than this there is another issue. I used to have a few different options for manual scans when I went to "protection-> Virus Scans" but now I have only custom scans.

Offline Cluster-Lizard2014

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Re: Can't find exception I created?
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2020, 01:38:36 AM »
What is C:\profile\.........? Is that really the full path or did you mean C:\Users\username\......exe?

I've never seen C:\profile even as a hidden system file and Googling does not help identify what it might be?

Offline HansDelbruck

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Re: Can't find exception I created?
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2020, 02:36:08 AM »
That's the path to the file that I tried to open. The files was in a folder called "profile" which is in my C: drive. It is an encrypted file that was encrypted with a program that created a self decrypting (.exe) file. When I clicked on the file I got the Avast blocking it.

Offline Asyn

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Re: Can't find exception I created?
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2020, 04:55:54 AM »
...and could you also provide a support file id.

Please follow these steps:
1. Open - Avast Premium Security > Click on -  Menu > Settings > General > Troubleshooting > Select - Enable debug logging (at the bottom)

2. To generate the support file, please see this link.
https://support.avast.com/en-ww/article/Submit-support-file
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 HansDelbruck

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Re: Can't find exception I created?
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2020, 02:16:54 PM »
I have Avast Free. It looks like if you have free you can't do that. It does not allow you to submit a ticket in order to submit your debug file. It provides a link to the knowledge base or back to this forum for support.
-
So ... is anyone else having this kind of problem? Is this a known issue?
« Last Edit: January 27, 2020, 02:19:01 PM by HansDelbruck »

Offline Asyn

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Re: Can't find exception I created?
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2020, 02:28:58 PM »
I have Avast Free. It looks like if you have free you can't do that.
Follow instructions: https://support.avast.com/article/33/ and post your File-ID here afterwards.
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: Can't find exception I created?
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2020, 02:31:01 PM »
I have Avast Free. It looks like if you have free you can't do that. It does not allow you to submit a ticket in order to submit your debug file. It provides a link to the knowledge base or back to this forum for support.
-
So ... is anyone else having this kind of problem? Is this a known issue?
You can't contact support. You can submit your support file and post your ticket # here.
We'll alert Avast once you've submitted the file and posted the ticket#.
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Offline HansDelbruck

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Re: Can't find exception I created?
« Reply #9 on: February 01, 2020, 07:02:37 PM »
OK so here we go. I ran the tool and sent all my info to Avast. The number is L37XV. Does that sound right?
-
So again, the file in question is called exclusions.ini and it has a file listed in it. Inside the program there is nothing listed in the settings section called Exceptions. So the problem I have is that there are no exceptions listed under exceptions list there is an exception listed in that file so how do you get rid of that?

FYI the exclusions.ini file cannot be deleted. I tried.

Offline Asyn

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Re: Can't find exception I created?
« Reply #10 on: February 01, 2020, 07:05:19 PM »
The number is L37XV.
OK, now you need to wait for r@vast.
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 HansDelbruck

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Re: Can't find exception I created?
« Reply #11 on: February 01, 2020, 09:01:05 PM »
In the mean time ... does anyone have any knowledge of the exclusions.in file? Do everyone have one? If you have one does it show the exceptions that are listed in your exceptions list? Is you exceptions list empty?
Anyone is free to jump in. I think if I could get some feedback from some people we could figure this out.

Offline Cluster-Lizard2014

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Re: Can't find exception I created?
« Reply #12 on: February 02, 2020, 01:13:29 AM »
Its found in the, usually hidden, system folder: ProgramData:-

"C:\ProgramData\AVAST Software\Avast\exclusions.ini"

Opens in Notepad or Wordpad and other similar programs.




Offline HansDelbruck

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Re: Can't find exception I created?
« Reply #13 on: February 02, 2020, 06:29:03 PM »
Yeah, that's the file.

My questions are:
1. Why does it get created if the files listed within it are not listed in the Exceptions page of settings? I'm assuming that this is a bug of some kind or something went wrong and this is not correct behavior. I am assuming that if you click to add an exception for file that that exception is supposed to be listed in the exceptions page. But it is not getting added/listed on the exceptions page.
2. How is anyone supposed to know that this file or the entries in it, are even there?
3. I cannot delete the file so how do I "reset" the exceptions/exclusions?

Offline Cluster-Lizard2014

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Re: Can't find exception I created?
« Reply #14 on: February 03, 2020, 01:01:22 AM »
As is usual with files which consider themselves important the default full permissions are for System and Admin only whilst Users only have Read and Read & execute permissions. I'm no way knowledgeable about such matters but it appears that if the System is set as the Owner even if your have admin rights the System settings prevent you from modifying or deleting it.

If you think about it the AV exclusions.ini is important - if it could be modified by an outside source easily then malware could exclude itself from AVAST scans.

You could change the permissions or more likely the Owner status using the Properties > Advanced if you really wanted to so your user account had full permissions for that file. But I strongly recommend you do not.

The answer to your second question: it is because AVAST do not want you or anything else to fiddle with it accidentally or deliberately for the reason previously stated. :)

It might not be a Global Exclusions that added it to the the exclusions.ini, what about the various AVAST shield Settings > Exclusions? Have you checked them?

The AVAST exclusions list seems to be a bit flakey, I've had the whole thing reset to default (no exclusions) when, apparently, adding too many entries. I do not even know if this is what did it for sure but that was the only explanation offered.