VLC Media Player Version 3.0.9.2 has Adware??

[LegalAlien]

Hello, everyone,

I'm new here.   

I wanted to update my VLC Media Player to Version 3.0.9.2 and got a message from Avast that it contained Adware. 
Does anyone know if that is correct?  Is it a false alarm?

Thanks for your replies.

[Asyn]

Where did you download it..?

Test the file at VT (https://www.virustotal.com) and post the link to the result here.

[Pako7]

Is that VLC a beta  one?? because the stable VLC version is 3.0.8  .. i  even checked their Official website and it stated the same thing ... And the version on my computer is 3.0.8 ..

Only saw your version on some Junky websites which Avast Online Security marked as unsafe

[rocksteady]

Maybe this item in our forum would not have helped.
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=9671.msg1542187#msg1542187

[abruptum]

Junky websites ?

  https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/vlc_media_player.html


  https://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Video/Video-Players/VideoLAN-Client.shtml


  https://www.videohelp.com/software/VLC-media-player

[Turnip]

Hi
I downloaded from majorgeeks, had no warning from avast.

Is working like a charm

[Cluster-Lizard2014]

As others here have said the current stable version is still v3.0.8.

If you're downloading nightly builds from the VLC web site itself the warning is there in big letters:-

"The nightly builds are UNSTABLE and may not work at all. There is absolutely NO SUPPORT for it from the VideoLAN Team."

Why those web sites are offering v3.0.9.2, and they are, with no warning it is beta at best I have no idea. But since they are not the approved source for official VLC updates what unwanted extras any of them may or may not include: who knows?

If AVAST says it contains a PUP or adware what's the problem just accepting that and sticking to v3.0.8 downloaded from the official source and just waiting until the next, approved stable update is made available?

https://www.videolan.org/index.html   

 

[Turnip]

If I got a warning from avast I would have taken notice, but  I didn't. So please read before making a general remark.

[bob3160]

As others here have said the current stable version is still v3.0.8.

If you're downloading nightly builds from the VLC web site itself the warning is there in big letters:-

"The nightly builds are UNSTABLE and may not work at all. There is absolutely NO SUPPORT for it from the VideoLAN Team."

Why those web sites are offering v3.0.9.2, and they are, with no warning it is beta at best I have no idea. But since they are not the approved source for official VLC updates what unwanted extras any of them may or may not include: who knows?

If AVAST says it contains a PUP or adware what's the problem just accepting that and sticking to v3.0.8 downloaded from the official source and just waiting until the next, approved stable update is made available?

https://www.videolan.org/index.html   

I have the latest installed 3.0.9.2 have no ads and no warning from Avast.
Don't know what you saw.

[Cluster-Lizard2014]

I did not see anything because I haven't downloaded v3.0.9.2.

It would help if people here actually read the original post - none of you have any idea where he downloaded it from so it is almost pointless saying you did not have any warnings from AVAST when using Majorgeeks or wherever.

The OP was warned by AVAST about the download they found for v3.0.9.2 and that's what I was commenting on, nothing else accept that for most users there's no real point updating VLC until the next official stable update is released.

I'm sure that other web sites hosting the beta VLC v3.0.9.2 update are not all going to have added PUPs or adware and are as trustworthy as you'd hope but except as a suggested alternative source for the download its not actually answering the OPs question:-

"Is it a false alarm?"

The answer should have been no, the download you used could be dodgy if AVAST says it is. Submit it for testing to check that. This is exactly what Asyn recommended.

[Turnip]

I was referring to myself, where I have downloaded it from.

Just be careful when you get of your high horse

[bob3160]

Let's keep it civil. Thanks.

[Cluster-Lizard2014]

Robust discussion that is all and very civil.

[LegalAlien]

Thanks for all of your replies!  And very sorry that I myself am just getting round to reply to you today!  (I was busy doing many things, but was not at my computer.)

I realize now that my question did lack a bit of background information, which I'd like to provide.

"Where did you download it..?"
The new version was automatically downloaded by an "updater", which I have now identified as the "UDT Updater". 

And the current Avast message is that Avast has interrupted the connection to update.am.de because it is infected with "URL:Blacklist".

I have searched the web for the UDT Updater have found a link, here
https://www.vlc-forum.de/thread/3264-udt-exe/
which states
1) that the UDT Updater is automatically installed with VLC whenever VLC is downloaded from the German VLC website, and
2) that Avast identifies the UDT Updater as a threat.

The suggestion under that link is simply to deinstall the UDT Updater, which is what I have done.  I hope that that solves the problems.

Again: Thanks to all for your helpful remarks!

[bob3160]

Thanks for all of your replies!  And very sorry that I myself am just getting round to reply to you today!  (I was busy doing many things, but was not at my computer.)

I realize now that my question did lack a bit of background information, which I'd like to provide.

"Where did you download it..?"
The new version was automatically downloaded by an "updater", which I have now identified as the "UDT Updater". 

And the current Avast message is that Avast has interrupted the connection to update.am.de because it is infected with "URL:Blacklist".

I have searched the web for the UDT Updater have found a link, here
https://www.vlc-forum.de/thread/3264-udt-exe/
which states
1) that the UDT Updater is automatically installed with VLC whenever VLC is downloaded from the German VLC website, and
2) that Avast identifies the UDT Updater as a threat.

The suggestion under that link is simply to deinstall the UDT Updater, which is what I have done.  I hope that that solves the problems.

Again: Thanks to all for your helpful remarks!

This goes back a while but explains why some people ind up with ads and so do not.
It's all in where you get your download. https://blog.l0cal.com/2015/06/02/what-happened-to-sourceforge/