Avast free browser accessing webcam warning

[AyEs]

Hi everyone,

It was suggested that I move my post here

This is a copy of the initial post here https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=262638.msg1602970#msg1602970

Posted yesterday at 08:50:33 AM
Hi everyone,
Just found out that Avast free browser had accessed my webcam. I'm not sure how long it had been doing this. I have the setting set to ask before accessing but that didn't stop it.

To turn access off, I've used two settings:
1. Settings>Privacy>Camera (turned off "allow apps to access camera" and also turned "off allow desktop apps to access camera")
2. Settings>Apps (apps & features)>Camera>advanced settings and turned off "background apps".

I can't say which of these settings blocked access. But I had never turned any of these settings on and I am not sure what the default setting is and whether Avast free browser is able to override these settings. I also found my mic setting had been turned on and I know that last time I used it (a little over a week ago) I had turned it OFF. (Keyboard mic key was showing as off.)

I guess this is the price we pay for a free app!

Take care, beware, be aware

Re: Avast free browser accessing webcam warning
Posted Yesterday at 11:29:16 PM
Hello all,

After posting yesterday, I continued to have issues with the Camera app turning on (the camera light did not always show but a process was created and when I tried to open the Camera app, I got an error message saying it was already in use.) This occurred even when Avast browser was not running and even after using Task Manager to end the associated process. I have also run a Malwarebytes scan (twice) and no threats have been found.

This morning, I am unable to open Avast Browser in my regular log in. (I have two accounts on my laptop: 1 admin, 1 regular user). I suspect that the problem may have come from a website I visited yesterday that was using ActiveX popups. These popups were not being blocked by Avast Browser and no threats were detected nor warnings given.

Now I need assistance to restore my Avast Browser (for my regular user account) along with all the important bookmarks. Can anyone advise on how to proceed?. I will post a new thread for answers to this issue.

Thanks

The request for assistance was also posted here https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=263105.msg1603500#msg1603500

Re: Restoring blocked/locked? Avast browser
Yesterday at 11:35:43 PM
Hello,

I need some assistance to restore my browser with associated bookmarks and also history if possible.

When I try to open the Browser, what looks like a command window flashes very quickly, so quickly that I can't see what it is, and the Browser doesn't open.

See this thread here for how I suspect the problem occurred https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=262638.0

Thanks



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Re: Restoring blocked/locked? Avast browser
« Reply #1 on: Yesterday at 11:51:01 PM »

Maybe it's time for a clean install of the Secure Browser
Download the installer from here, https://www.avast.com/en-us/secure-browser
Download the Secure Browser Removal tool from here, https://download.avastbrowser.com/avast_secure_browser_uninstall.exe
Save your Bookmarks via the Bookmarks Manager if you have custom bookmarks so you can import them when you re-install.
Uninstall Secure Browser via Programs and Features - Reboot
Run the removal tool, reboot, run the installer import your favorites if you saved them.
A video to help with the installation: https://youtu.be/r_VLA0HMLQM
Report back if that's solved the problem or not.
Avast has offered a separate tool to totally remove the Secure Browser if the above instructions don't work.
You can find that tool here, https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=230288.msg1531315#msg1531315


 Re: Restoring blocked/locked? Avast browser
« Reply #2 on: Today at 01:42:49 AM »
Hi,

Thanks for your help. However, the most important thing I need are all my bookmarks. As I can't open the browser to get to the Bookmarks manager, is there another way to save my bookmarks. Are the bookmarks stored in a folder somewhere that I can save and copy back after reinstalling the browser?

Also checked out the link you posted ie https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=230288.msg1531315#msg1531315 and found a bookmarks document in C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Local\AVAST Software\Browser\User Data\Default. Can I make a copy of this, uninstall, then copy it back to the old location?

And do I need to be in safe mode to run the uninstall?

Thanks

[Ekaterina Bayushkina]

Hello, AyEs
1. Avast Browser does not use camera in any way during its work until some extension (like Skype from Chrome store) or page wants to use it. Also some websites ask permissions to use Camera and then those websites can always have acsess to your Camera
ALso, we have WebCam guard extension, which actually helps to avoid such problems.
Are you sure, that you used only ASB during Camera activity?

2. What website exactly did you visit? I need it to recreate the problem with browser non-opening

3. Bookmarks: yes, it should wok, if you copy the file from User Data and paste it back after the reinstall

Have a nice day!

[AyEs]

Hello Ekaterina,

I'm pretty sure that it was through Avast browser that the problem occurred. I was using the free version which does not provide webcam protection. The website I visited was sfhelp.org. It uses activeX and javascript to run popups which the browser did not block. I think the site has been hacked. I've tried to contact them to let them know....

Thanks

PS There is more discussion on this here https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=263105.msg1603500#msg1603500. While trying to run the .bat file, I turned on safe mode, and when my laptop rebooted, it hung before getting to the log in screen. So I've had to do a complete reset which saved all my documents but removed all my apps.

[Ekaterina Bayushkina]

Ok, we will investigate Camera issue

About your PS part, could you please describe it step by step what you did and what was expected/actually happened
Thanks

[AyEs]

Hi Ekaterina,

I'm not sure where you would like me to begin so I'll start at the top.

I opened sfhelp.org. I was logged into my regular user account. (I also have a separate admin account on my laptop.) It was the firs time I had been to the site. It didn't happen immediately but not long after opening the page a popup appears. I was a little concerned as I was aware the ActiveX and Javascript could be used to install items on my laptop but I assumed that if anything was dangerous Avast Secure browser would detect and block it. I did not check to see if there were settings in Avast where the users can control this. I did not alter any privacy/security settings ie the defaults were set.

Shortly (luckily) after this, I adjusted the location of my laptop and noticed a light in the webcam. I initially thought this was a reflection of the sun due to where I was sitting. Then I turned access off by:
1. Settings>Privacy>Camera (turned off "allow apps to access camera" and also turned "off allow desktop apps to access camera") (I also checked location and microphone settings)
2. Settings>Apps (apps & features)>Camera>advanced settings and turned off "background apps".

I initially though that this had solved the problem. By this time I had opened Task Manager and was monitoring it for the Camera app. Even after ending the process and even with the browser closed, a process for the Camera app was still at times being created and ended. I had also tapped over my webcam so I was not watching the webcam light.

Then I went through the process of uninstalling the browser several times. After doing the uninstall and reinstall, the browser would open fine in my admin account but in my regular account what look liked a command window would very briefly open but the browser did not.

Unfortunately, I failed to thoroughly read the post that included your comments on the.bat file, so I was delayed in finding this. Finally, when I had time again - I think this was about 3 days later - I went into the admin account on my laptop, ran system configuration and selected diagnostic startup. This ran and rebooted my laptop but the log on screen never appeared. I waited for sometime. The laptop went into sleep mood. The logon screen never appeared.

I hope this helps.

Regards

[Ekaterina Bayushkina]

Hello, again, i have more questions, cuz i cannot reproduce any of this 

1.

It didn't happen immediately but not long after opening the page a popup appears.

  - What popup exactly? system/browser/website popup? Was it warning or just information?
2. Do you use our Avast Antivirus(or any antivirus)? If yes, could you please run the diagnostics?
3.

I failed to thoroughly read the post that included your comments on the.bat file,

  - what comment? can you attach the link

seems like you caught something on internet and unfortunately our browser can catch a lot things but for more detailed diagnostic of internet traffic the AV is needed.

 

[AyEs]

Hello, again, i have more questions, cuz i cannot reproduce any of this 

1.

It didn't happen immediately but not long after opening the page a popup appears.

  - What popup exactly? system/browser/website popup? Was it warning or just information?
It was a browser popup that provided some information and suggested that the reader change their browser setting to enable ActiveX and I think JavaScript. I didn't change any browser settings. I assumed is was an ActiveX popup.

2. Do you use our Avast Antivirus(or any antivirus)? If yes, could you please run the diagnostics?
Yes, I was running Avast antivirus but as my laptop crashed, I had to do a Reset. This removed all the non-standard apps (including Avast Antivirus) that I had installed along with all the associated data, so sorry I can not run the diagnostics.

3.

I failed to thoroughly read the post that included your comments on the.bat file,

  - what comment? can you attach the link
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=230288.msg1531315#msg1531315 where you posted

Hello, guys
Well, this task is still at work of our developers, and after we finish - we still need to provide a new release for publishing of new, fixed version, so, unfortunately, at the moment it is not ready 

BUT, i have one way, that can help:
1. uninstall the browser
2. switch off antivirus self defense (general settings - troubleshooting - disable Self-defense)
3. download this .bat file https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CZE64aD5uE7Wzh-aCIzdaesgeRiRok_X/view?usp=sharing
4. run it as admin

this file will clean all possible browser steps on your machine and after that the browser installation should be totally clean

Or, without .bat you can try to follow the instructions on the first page of this topic from @thermoduric

Thank you for understanding and have a nice day!

seems like you caught something on internet and unfortunately our browser can catch a lot things but for more detailed diagnostic of internet traffic the AV is needed.