Does Avast upload scanned files for themselves?

[ehmen]

When Avast scans files on a computer, does it also upload them to their cloud and save a copy that stays there?

[DavidR]

NO.

Do I know this for a fact no, but:
1.  what would be the point
2.  your talking hundreds of millions of Avast Users not to mention AVG.
3.  multiply that by the tens thousands (or hundreds) of files on each system.

The only files that may be uploaded are those that may be considered suspect (but don't trigger an alert) for a more detailed analysis.

[EdAgee]

I just did a Google search, entering the following terms into the search engine:

antivirus your files their server

And the first search result at the top of page one was the following:

https://blog.emsisoft.com/en/17153/antivirus-software-protecting-your-files-at-the-price-of-your-privacy/

My read of that page doesn't give me the feeling that a "no" even with that proviso is appropriate without company documentation to confirm a 'no' can be offered here.

But it might require some hard research work to find out if this company fits into any category outlined in that blog post, because experience here is that information such as is needed to answer the question is hard to get from the employees here.

I'd be interested to know whether you are aware of the information provided in that blog post, DavidR? I mean, that you could inform us whether Avast may actually not do as is outlined in that blog post as being a practice with some companies engaged in this business.

I hope you can find time to read that blog post and I'll thank you in advance for taking the time to consider my post here. Thank you.

[DavidR]

Given that this post is very old, June 26, 2015 and some of the references are even older 2014 and it reads a little like an Ad for EmiSoft.
Yes, I did briefly read it, but I won't begin to comment it as it isn't current. 

I have made my points based the original post question.

When Avast scans files on a computer, does it also upload them to their cloud and save a copy that stays there?

Avast over time would scan all of your files (on-demand scans or scans of active files) would it make common sense given the infrastructure requirements to do this for every file for the hundreds of millions of Avast users.

I don't work for Avast but have been an Avast user for over 18 years, so I can't/don't speak for Avast.  I can only speak from my own personal experience and what I have gathered helping out on the forum for the same time frame.

[EdAgee]

I hope that both ehmen and DavidR will excuse me for the time it has taken me to get into the necessary studying to understand the ins-and-outs related to this question.

But firstly, I am surprised by your assertion, DavidR, that information posted on June 26th, 2015 that is about using a cloud server to help reduce overhead would be an article that can be easily dismissed because of the 7 years between then and now.

You honestly don't think cloud servers are used anymore for reducing business overhead?

I'd like to point out a few lines from that article that have me doing extra work to see what's up.

This one, for example:

Many antivirus vendors go one step further: They don’t just upload a unique file identifier, they upload the whole file so it can be analyzed on a cloud server.

I simply don't see how we can easily dismiss that business practice that seemed to be used in 2015 because it was 7 years ago. Well, it might be true that it is no longer the business practice at this time, but without appropriate study it seems to be a bit difficult to assert that the point was made too long ago. Just my style of research, I guess.

The same is true of the following:

3) Collecting the computer’s meta data
Sometimes, collecting meta data about a computer can even be more helpful than collecting data files. Meta data describes all sorts of information such as computer name, user logon name, IP address, country, operating system, running programs, their version numbers, hardware components or similar. Collecting and combining these data points allows someone to sketch a quite precise picture of each computer and derive a certain level of exposure to online threats.

Anyway, I am studying this so I can answer the question properly.

And as a result of my studying I came across a possible error in the End User License Agreement that possibly management would appreciate my pointing out to them so they can do a fix, if it is an error.

The use of the vocabulary "Solutions" in the License Agreement was just about 197 times and in all but one of those it was with an upper-case 'S'. So I assume that is the way it should be in all uses of that particular word in the entire document.

But in the following a lower-case 's' was used:

2. Permitted use of the solution

And my records indicate that is

Version 1.14 (Revised February 22, 2022)

But as in all uses of Agreement, Software, Vendor there were no lower-case letters used as in that one out of 197 cases of Solution(s), I thought maybe something was a bit amiss. So, just in case, I am pointing that out for you management folks.

[EdAgee]

I think an additional element to this research needs to be brought up and this is from the following employees at Security.org:

Aliza Vigderman, Senior Editor and Gabe Turner, Chief Editor.

They last updated this Secuity.org page about Avast this year:

https://www.security.org/antivirus/avast/

Last Updated on Jun 13, 2022

And this is the key point:

Just this year, the Czech Office for Personal Data Protection4 has been investigating Avast after Vice reported that they were selling user data, as evidenced by their privacy policy. As of the most recent statement, posted in February 2020, the office’s president Ivanu Janú said that they’re still investigating the case. However, in response to the original Vice article that accused Avast of selling customer data, Avast preemptively wound down Jumpshot, their data-collecting, digital intelligence subsidiary. We’re anxious to see what the Czech Republic’s counsel on personal data protection has to say about Avast and will update this page as relevant news comes out.

They are referring to this:

https://www.uoou.cz/en/vismo/dokumenty2.asp?id_org=200156&id=1896

I found that from Avast as I was looking for the results of the government investigation. Over two years later and still no results published is sort of perplexing, but I don't presently have data on similar investigations by other such agencies in other nations and so I really don't know if that two years is a common style, or what.

Nevertheless, it is not a situation that can be overlooked and it seems only proper to add the information to this thread.

[bob3160]

I think an additional element to this research needs to be brought up and this is from the following employees at Avast:

Aliza Vigderman, Senior Editor and Gabe Turner, Chief Editor.

They last updated this Avast page this year:

https://www.security.org/antivirus/avast/

Last Updated on Jun 13, 2022

And this is the key point:

Just this year, the Czech Office for Personal Data Protection4 has been investigating Avast after Vice reported that they were selling user data, as evidenced by their privacy policy. As of the most recent statement, posted in February 2020, the office’s president Ivanu Janú said that they’re still investigating the case. However, in response to the original Vice article that accused Avast of selling customer data, Avast preemptively wound down Jumpshot, their data-collecting, digital intelligence subsidiary. We’re anxious to see what the Czech Republic’s counsel on personal data protection has to say about Avast and will update this page as relevant news comes out.

They are referring to this:

https://www.uoou.cz/en/vismo/dokumenty2.asp?id_org=200156&id=1896

I found that from Avast as I was looking for the results of the government investigation. Over two years later and still no results published is sort of perplexing, but I don't presently have data on similar investigations by other such agencies in other nations and so I really don't know if that two years is a common style, or what.

Nevertheless, it is not a situation that can be overlooked and it seems only proper to add the information to this thread.

How did you determine that they worked for Avast?
Again, you are responding to very old information.

[EdAgee]

Thank you catching that very careless mistake. They do not work for Avast. They work for Security.org

As for the reference to "very old information" that page was updated on June 13th of this year and they also refer to the investigation as still ongoing this year.

I also studied many sources about that investigation, and just as Aliza Vigderman and Gabe Turner of  Security.org wrote on that page, the results of the investigation have not yet been published.

[bob3160]

Thank you catching that very careless mistake. They do not work for Avast. They work for Security.org

As for the reference to "very old information" that page was updated on June 13th of this year and they also refer to the investigation as still ongoing this year.

I also studied many sources about that investigation, and just as Aliza Vigderman and Gabe Turner of  Security.org wrote on that page, the results of the investigation have not yet been published.

Quoting items from third parties sounds like something important when it really is
mostly based on their opinions. All the facts have long been laid bare.
Re-opening an old topic in the hopes of getting a new outcome to me makes no sense.
I guess you must have a lot of time on your hands.
For me this topic was laid to rest years ago.

[EdAgee]

All the facts have been laid bare.

Are you making a reference to the ongoing investigation by the Czech government? If so, then your statement seems to indicate you can inform us  where we can find the Czech government's final report? I mean, you must have read it to be able to state that all the facts are there for us to read.

Please let us know where we can find that report. Thank you.

[EdAgee]

When Avast scans files on a computer, does it also upload them to their cloud and save a copy that stays there?

And I see that bob3160 knows the answer and has known the answer for a long time:

For me this topic was laid to rest years ago.

Would it be any trouble for you, bob3160, to answer ehmen's question?

I would guess ehmen would appreciate that and I certainly would. Thank you.

[bob3160]

@EdAgee,
It was a question posed to Avast and if they think it needs a reply,
I'm sure they will do so. David has already given a pretty good answer imho.

[EdAgee]

Well, I guess I can understand why you keep widening the strike zone, bob3160, but now you are ignoring a questions that is a direct result of your own statement. If you wish to maintain your credibility you can't dodge questions that are directly based upon your own writings. You stated:

For me this topic was laid to rest years ago.

What allows us to believe you if you won't tell us in what manner this was laid to rest?

In fact, "what" was laid to rest?

Somebody in the Czech government didn't seem to think like that or that investigation would probably not have been started. Spending tax money requires accountability with those paying the taxes, so those Czech officials must not have quite the same read on this as you have.

And then you expand the strike zone to now state that the question can only be answered by an Avast employee? Well, that seems to be how I am interpreting that statement you wrote. Forgive me, if I am misunderstanding what you are writing.

But if you wish to focus on Avast authored pages that relate to all of this, fine.

Here's something that should be given some thought as we give consideration to the OP's post. Given that this is an Online Community where I have not seen any rules stipulating which questions can only be answered by an Avast employee.

As a matter of general practice, we do not sell information that directly identifies you, like your name, address, or email. Under the service provider exception discussed above, we share some of your personal information with our service providers, whom we bind by contract to use the information solely to provide a service for us or on our behalf (for example, we use partners to provide technical support), or in the limited additional circumstances outlined in our Privacy Policy (such as for the purpose of processing payments preventing fraud or to comply with the law).

However, the CCPA’s broad definitions of “personal information” and “sale” may deem the common flow of information in the digital analytics and advertising ecosystem to be a sale.

And that is most definitely from an Avast employee:
https://press.avast.com/privacy-listing/en/do-not-sell

And returning to that about it was a question asked of an Avast employee; wouldn't that then mean DavidR violated some sort of rule you seem to be waving in front of me? Well, at least your same message should be given to him in your content-of-response policing role that you seem to have taken upon yourself in this thread.

[EdAgee]

In the initial stages of my research, ehmen, I was focusing on the part of your post in the title where you used "for themselves" and was trying to get a handle on possible data used for commercial benefit. For their own commercial benefit, as in making money with your data.

Now I think we have to ask about your own account and whether it is for your own business, because if it is, then the answer --- if we exclude "for themselves" --- the answer for businesses is 'Yes' and that is shown on this Avast page:

https://www.avast.com/business/business-hub/cloud-backup-for-small-business

But please let me repeat that with that answer I am removing the "for themselves" part of your query.

[bob3160]

@EdAgee,
I'd like to know what your agenda is since you seem to enjoy beating a dead horse.
Avast is a product and like any product, it's the consumer that decides to either use or not use the product.
The product certainly isn't forced on you and if you're not happy, find something else.
I like David am finished with this topic since the original question has already been answered.