Author Topic: Avast most probably causing google captchas when browsing  (Read 4081 times)

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Offline daxee17

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Avast most probably causing google captchas when browsing
« on: May 28, 2020, 10:00:47 PM »
Hi,

I've made an account so i can post here regarding some findings i've had with avast free version.
So around two days ago i've been getting constant google capthcas requiring me to fill them out everytime i browse.
I've scanned my pc with avast both full system scan and targeted scan. Also used malwarebytes full scan.
Not a single virus was found. I've always been careful on which sites i spend my time.
Im a gamer most of the time, so much of the sites i used are official and clean. I've got only the essential programs on my pc and
a few game launchers. Basically i rulled out all other possibilities and ended up calling my isp.
They've said that my net trafic was fine, nothing was out of the ordinary, we even reset my router two times to the factory settings.
The problem was still there. Finally someone from the isp said to try and turn off my antivirus cause they've been known to cause such problems.
And lo and behold after stressing out for 3 days, the captchas we're gone. I've tried deleting cookies,history clearing the browser and restarting my pc.
And everytime i did the captchas came back when avast was turned on, and we're not present when i restarted my pc with avast turned off.
This leads me to belive that avast is causing some sort of problem where google interpits it as a higher net traffic and requires me to fill out a captcha everytime.
I even did a clean install of avast, and its all the same. avast on-captchas present. avast of, no captchas.
I'm still keeping my antivirus on for now, cause i like having peace of mind knowing im safe from everyday trojans and whatnots when i browse.
Thank you. Im interested if anyone else has been having the same problems lately.
« Last Edit: May 29, 2020, 12:45:29 AM by daxee17 »

Online DavidR

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Re: Avast possibly causing google captchas when browsing
« Reply #1 on: May 28, 2020, 10:16:48 PM »
I have never experienced this in over 16 years of using Avast Free, currently version 20.2.2401 (build 20.2.5130.570) and not 20.3.
My default browser is firefox but occasionally use the Avast Secure Browser.

You don't say what avast version you are using or its build number ?
You also don't mention what browser/s you are using when this occurs ?

Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security

Offline daxee17

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Re: Avast possibly causing google captchas when browsing
« Reply #2 on: May 28, 2020, 10:26:12 PM »
Sorry about that, im using chrome i even did a fresh install thinking maybe it was chrome( i use adblock and avast online security extensions). As far as version i did download a fresh install so its 20.3.2405 (build 20.3.5200.575). I don't know really. I've rulled out everything as far as programs on my pc because im basically bare bones. Only have steam, blizzard launcher and origin as far as game launchers. Using malwarebytes aswell to scan, i'd like to point out that i've never had a virus on my pc. Most of the trojans that i happen to come uppon(2 in a few years) when entering some sites where a few ads do come through avast caught them and i usually do a scan with both avast and malwarebytes right after. I restarted my modem, i've done most of the things i've found that could cause problems as far as information found on the web. The guys from my isp said to try and turn of my antivirus cause they say they could cause exactly such problems. So i did and i notice that everytime i clear my borswer start a new session with avast the captchas reappear, and eveytime i turn off avast and start a new browsing session (cookies and history cleared) the captchas come back. So i really do think its avast. I could very well be wrong but so far when avast is off i never get captchas on google. As soon as i turn avast back on they're back.

Edit: I also did try and turn off avast as soon as i got the captcha on google, did a few refreshes they we're still there, so i turned off avast did a refresh and it wasn't reappearing, did a few more refreshes and searches with avast off and no captchas. I turn avast back on and get a captcha instantly after trying to google something.
« Last Edit: May 28, 2020, 10:39:33 PM by daxee17 »

Offline daxee17

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Re: Avast possibly causing google captchas when browsing
« Reply #3 on: May 29, 2020, 12:02:27 AM »
So after testing for a bunch of times, i've came to the conclusion that its avast thats causing this.
I've turned on avast started a new fresh borwsing sesion in chrome, and was prompted to a captcha to solve before browsing.
I did this mulitiple times the outcome is the same.
Now when turning all avast shields off (turning avast off) and doing the same to clear my browsing sesion(clearing cookies,history etc.) and starting
a new sesion in the multiple times i did try this i have never gotten a prompt to a captcha before browsing. This is the only time these captchas appear, and its when avast is on.

Online DavidR

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Re: Avast most probably causing google captchas when browsing
« Reply #4 on: May 29, 2020, 01:25:18 AM »
I still don't know if you are using Avast Free or Avast Premium Security (APS) ?
APS has a firewall and that could have an impact, as could the use of a VPN, etc.

Not all sites use captcha, so I can't understand how you would be getting it on all sites or is this specific sites ?
Some examples might help as I could see if I get a captcha popup.

Even on sites that have captcha my uMatrix add-on might block the iFrame from appearing and the site still displays.

Just because you turn of Avast and it stops doesn't mean that is the issue, with a conflict, stop one element of that conflict, then no conflict, but that isn't total confirmation.
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security

Offline daxee17

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Re: Avast most probably causing google captchas when browsing
« Reply #5 on: May 29, 2020, 02:28:15 AM »
I understand what you're implying.
Im using avast free version. The way this problem is:
I open chrome and it opens the home page which is the google search page.
So i type in something im searching for, press enter and instead of getting
the results i'm instead greeted with a captcha box that wants me to check that im not a bot and
makes me discern certain objects in pictures( i think most know what captchas are).
Under that box is your ip adress and a message saying that google has detected an unusual ammount of traffic
coming from this device. so it wants to verify if you're a bot or not. when you fill out the captcha you can then continue on
and browse normally. Now again, i've scanned my pc with malwarebytes(both scans, the threat scan and the targeted scan that targets both drives) same with avast. And it all comes out clean. Also i dont have any programs that would be considered suspicious. Only have what comes with win 10, skype, game platform launchers(steam,origin,battlenet) and google earth pro that i use sometimes. Thats it. Rest are drivers and redistributables. So i can somewhat safely say that its not a malware on my pc. Or a program thats doing something malicious. The last thing i did was reset my modem to the factory settings and set it up again. Still the problem was there. So as i said in my earlier posts i contacted my isp. I've explained to them all of this mention here, they've checked my modem status and settings from their side. They did a restart. They also said that the traffic in the last 2 weeks was completely normal. But they did mention to check and see if i get the same problem when i deactivate my antivirus as how they stated they are known to cause those kinds of problems. So i did as mention above, i've tested it with avast on and off multiple times and everytime the results are the same. So far i've instanlled a different AV and the problem wasn't coming back. As you said, ill wait and see. As im not a soft eng i have no understanding how avast if it could, would cause this. But i do know that when avast is off i don't have this problem.
Thank you David for trying to understand my problem,and give your opinion :)
« Last Edit: May 29, 2020, 02:31:24 AM by daxee17 »

Online DavidR

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Re: Avast most probably causing google captchas when browsing
« Reply #6 on: May 29, 2020, 02:40:00 PM »
Whilst I'm not entirely sure if this is the issue, but Google are I believe using a new function not https, etc. (called QUIC).

Avasts Web Shield has a setting to be able to scan QUIC transmissions.
You could try disabling that setting in the Avast Menu > Settings > Protection > Core Shields > Web Shield - Enable QUIC/HTTPS3 scanning.  Attached image 1. 

I have this enabled on my system and I'm not experiencing this with Firefox.  So I tried a Google search using the Avast Secure Browser, a chromium based browser and no captcha windows opened.  Attached image 2.

If that doesn't resolve it try disabling a single shield at a time to try and pin down the area of conflict, start with the above suggestion first and try a reboot to ensure any setting change takes effect (though you shouldn't need that, belt and braces).  If it doesn't make a difference, disable the web shield and reboot, check again, etc.

Unfortunately I fear your ISP is clutching at straws rather than working from experience.
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security

Offline KiwiDirk

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Re: Avast most probably causing google captchas when browsing
« Reply #7 on: February 18, 2022, 06:23:33 PM »
I can confirm that I've started seeing this behavior shortly after upgrading Avast to a paid version.

Just turned off QUIC/HTTPS3 per DavidR's suggestion, so hopefully that's it. But this is not grabbing at straws. I've used this PC for work only for a long time and all of a sudden this starts just after upgrading Avast, it's almost certainly related.