Avast latest update re-installed explicitly uninstalled components

[Rundvleeskroket]

I just updated to the latest Avast Free (23.4.6062 (build 23.4.8118.762)). My firewall (not Avast) started detecting many connections from aswidsagent.exe

As it turns out: Avast re-installed Behavior shield without my consent. It also installed Ransomware shield, and Cleanup.

None of these components were installed before the update, and I have in the past explicitly uninstalled them.

So, once again, Avast is ignoring my preferences and choice of components. Why the hell even give users options if you'll do as you please??

I'm genuinely pissed off. Respect users' choices! These shenanigans make you unreliable. Not what you want an AV to be.

[lukas.hasik]

it seems like a bug - would you mind to either share logs or provide steps to reproduce?
- https://support.avast.com/en-eu/article/submit-support-file

[Rundvleeskroket]

I was on 23.3. Win7 Ultimate 64-bit. I use manual update for program version, and auto update for definitions.

I got a popup telling me my program version was out of date, and I updated manually and did a reboot. After that I was on 23.4 and these unwanted components had been installed.

The only components installed should be: File shield, Mail shield, and Web shield. Plus Anti-rootkit/Anti-exploit, which doesn't seem to fall under any specific shield. Nothing more.

After reboot Behavior shield + Ransomware subcomponent were present and active. Plus the Cleanup component was also installed.

These are components which I have uninstalled previously. Years ago. Usually a program update does not change this. This time it did. I don't know why. It certainly seems like errant behavior.

I have since uninstalled these components once again, and so far Avast hasn't tried to add them back.