New beta version 22.2.2505

[jan.svoboda]

Hi everyone,

there is a new beta version ready - 22.2.2505 (build 22.2.6945).

What's new
You can now easily add rules for new applications in Firewall.
We’ve updated our Windows 11 UI to look more modern, with rounded corners.

What's fixed
Our setup UI had some items that weren’t accessible on low-resolution, high-DPI settings (e.g., 1280x800, 200 DPI). These are now accessible.

Download links
Avast free https://bits.avcdn.net/productfamily_ANTIVIRUS/insttype_FREE/platform_WIN/installertype_ONLINE/build_BETA
Avast premium https://bits.avcdn.net/productfamily_ANTIVIRUS/insttype_APR/platform_WIN/installertype_ONLINE/build_BETA

Enjoy this beta!
We are looking forward to your feedback.

Also please be informed that we would appreciate if you would be so kind and try our Antivirus product based on so called "icarus" setup (installation and update engine) already used for other Avast products but now available also for AV. More information is here: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=264883.0.
Please note that in order to get it, you need to uninstall the current one (automatic migration is not supported at the moment).

AVAST Team

[Asyn]

Thanks Jan, testing it asap...

[NON]

Thanks for the new beta

[Asyn]

Hi, I noticed some issues after the update...

- Tool scanning was disabled (had it set to enabled before)
- Firewall was set to Smart-Mode (always have it set to ASK)
- Lost most of my firewall app rules (had to reimport them)

[Asyn]

What's new
You can now easily add rules for new applications in Firewall.

[Bug-Report] - For testing purpose, I blocked AvBugReport.exe (screenshot) but it connects and sends data anyway.

[wahyushikifujin]

please add feature for firewall Advanced-access Protection targets and defeats new, advanced attacks that other firewalls miss, such as raw data access, timing, and SCM and COM attacks and Full Stealth Mode makes you invisible to hackers.

[HK]

What's new
You can now easily add rules for new applications in Firewall.

[Bug-Report] - For testing purpose, I blocked AvBugReport.exe (screenshot) but it connects and sends data anyway.

Hi Asyn,

thanks for the report. Firewall does not block avast's processes even if you put them on the block list. We're working on a solution how to avoid misunderstandings in this matter.

Best regards,
HK

[Asyn]

What's new
You can now easily add rules for new applications in Firewall.

[Bug-Report] - For testing purpose, I blocked AvBugReport.exe (screenshot) but it connects and sends data anyway.

Hi Asyn, thanks for the report. Firewall does not block avast's processes even if you put them on the block list. We're working on a solution how to avoid misunderstandings in this matter.

Best regards,
HK

Hi HK, many thanks for the info, but I strongly disagree with this approach..!!
If I set a FW to block something, it should do exactly that - no matter what.

Sorry to say, but I still consider that as a bug/flaw in the new Avast Firewall.

[jan.svoboda]

Hi, I noticed some issues after the update...

- Tool scanning was disabled (had it set to enabled before)
- Firewall was set to Smart-Mode (always have it set to ASK)
- Lost most of my firewall app rules (had to reimport them)

Asyn thank you very much for the report. I was able to reproduce first two points and I created a ticket for that.

[Asyn]

Hi, I noticed some issues after the update...

- Tool scanning was disabled (had it set to enabled before)
- Firewall was set to Smart-Mode (always have it set to ASK)
- Lost most of my firewall app rules (had to reimport them)

Asyn thank you very much for the report. I was able to reproduce first two points and I created a ticket for that.

You're welcome.

[tk6]

How thoroughly has this been tested on Windows 7 Pro, 64 bit, with a year 3 ESU, and the latest (February 2022) patches?  With 22.1 and now 22.2 BETA I'm seeing problems with AvastUI startup.  It and AvastSvc consume lots of CPU and system commit memory starts climbing.  The UI comes up as simply a white window, although sometimes it pops up with a message that it's crashed.   Usually, but not always, after killing AvastUI.exe I can click on the Avast Premium Security icon and all starts to run correctly.  It's the same behavior for administrative and non-administrative users.
After the first reboot following an install (clean or update) everything works fine.  Reboot again, and the UI is usually broken.
Given that I see AvBugReport briefly running after a while, I suspect this should be already reported.
Another W7 system without any any ESU patches doesn't exhibit any issues.
Either something is broken in 22.x or Microsoft has made a change in how IPC works with their recent "fix".
On a positive note...  22.2 Beta seems to have fixed boot time USB device scanning (COM port is still broken).
Cheers,  -tk@ieee.org

[Spec8472]

Hello  tk6,

can you please provide Avast support package from the afflicted Windows 7 ESU machine? https://support.avast.com/en-eu/article/33/

Thank you

[tk6]

Report generated with avastsupport.exe.  ID = WKC8Q .   Uploaded by app at about 0845Z 17 Feb.

Also included snapshot from Sysinternals process explorer showing CPU consumption from AvastSvc and broken AvastUI.  System commit was over 20GB before Avast displayed failure notice saying it was broken.  That happened while the support tool was still running.
Killing the remaining AvastUI, then clicking on Avast start menu item caused it to run normally (memory then ~3.5GB).

[Spec8472]

Thank you tk6,

this problem will be fixed in next Beta (probably today). This is a self-defense issue, the parent AvastUI.exe is not correctly recognized on some Windows 7 machines.

[tk6]

Excellent!  I updated to 22.2.6001 (build 22.2.6962.528) and so far so good!  Thanks for the quick response.
It appears that my upload of debug information generated ticket #15124327 in case you need to refer to it.

I do still see one, maybe two issues with 22.2:

serial/COM port scanning is broken by Avast (since 20.1).  See ticket #11394513, but I have a workaround.  USB device scanning was somewhat broken for one of my USB devices, but is now fixed in 22.2 (my serial port workaround masked that bug).

Firefox 98.0 beta 5, now reports "Network Protocol Error" on some sites.  Turning off, then on, HTTPS scanning appears to fix it, so I suspect it's a certificate error of some sort - perhaps in the browser, not Avast.  Release version of Firefox (97) doesn't have a problem.

Again, thanks for the quick fix to the AvastUI bug!