Question about hardened mode combined with silent mode

[Kees1958]

Long time user of Microsoft Defender, but returned to Avast after Defender eating taskbar items.

The PC's where I have installed Avast on are using Microsoft only (Office and Edge) with Zoom (installed in Programs Files) and on one PC a photo-book application (which is a signed executable located in user folders and is allowed by Avast in hardened mode). Those users never install software, so any software other than Microsoft signed, Zoom or (Albelli) photo-book should not be allowed. Oldest hardware is 1.5 year old, so all drivers should be co-signed by Microsoft.

I really loved the silent security of Defender for family members that is why I have set up Avast in HARDENED mode using AUTOMATIC response/recovery in SILENT mode.

What I hope to achieve is that AVAST takes all decisions and does not bother the user with questions or popups.

Questions to the experts on this forum: have I set up Avast correctly (feel free to provide tips on further silencing and hardening Avast)

Thanks in advance

Regards

Kees1958

[Kees1958]

No one has an answer, what do the uberevangelists know about this @DavidR @bob3160 @NON

I looked at the help documentation, but that is not actual anymore

[DavidR]

I honestly don't know where you are making these changes.  Nor do I know exactly what Program and version/build you are using.

- the Hardened Mode (settings > protection > core shields > Malware (and PUPs)) as far as I'm aware isn't directly connect to Silent mode (Tray Icon option).
- the  settings > performance > do not disturb mode, does have a number of settings and for the most part Avast populates this area (though you can manually add apps.  But again I don't know if that is the area you are talking about.

Which is why I didn't respond initially.  I also have the Avast Free version and that has limitations on Silent Mode

[Kees1958]

David,

First of all thank you very much for responding.

I am using the Avast Free  22.12.6044 (version 22.12.7758.769)

In the GENERAL section there is an option NOTIFICATIONS which has a tick/select box called "Silent mode" (Don't show any popups and alerts)

In the PROTECTION section there is an option CORE shields whuch has several tick/select boxes. One is called "Fix automatically" and another is called "Enable Hardened Mode"

My Question: what is be the behaviour when Avast
a) finds a malware and automatically fixes it
b) blocks a program due to hardened mode

I hoped it would do so silently (so without informing the user). But you are saying silent mode is not connected with hardened mode.

What does silent mode do (something is lost in translationfor me because I interpretate your answer that silent mode makes the system tray icon silent)

[DavidR]

A.  I would say it is highly unlikely that Avast could fix any malware automatically. 
This was typically related to viruses that would change a file, were most malware is completely malicious.  So it I guess move on to the next option and then the finale option deletion.
I feel this could lead to a serious issue in regard to any possible false positive if it gets to deletion (and you wouldn't know about it, if something gets broken).

B.  Too all intents the user is unlikely to know about it, other than something not working.
This old topic might help, https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=304475.0 - but things could well have changed in that time frame. 
This support page is a little later and may also help - https://support.avast.com/en-gb/article/antivirus-shield-settings/#pc -
I don't use hardened mode as I do want to know if anything security related, so I have little practical experience of it.

Silent mode is essentially popup related, but may have additional impact, a long time ago there used to be some notifications in the system tray icon area (bottom right corner of the screen).  Again that some time ago and as I don't use Silent Mode or Hardened mode I'm working partly from memory and time marches on relentlessly.

[Kees1958]

David,

Thanks for your response. As for false positives, I am not afraid for that since all hardware is less than 1.5 year old (all Windows co-signed drivers) and use Mircrosoft only software (with Zoom and only one uses less known photobook sofware, which is signed and exists a decade or so). Avast hardened mode works well/

The official documentation is a little  out dated. This probably means that it is of low importance (not many people using it). Thanks for your explanation and additional links. I decided to disable silent mode.

Regards

Kees

[DavidR]

You're welcome.