New beta version 23.7.6071

[Karel Šťavík]

Hi everyone,

there is a new beta version ready - 23.7.6071 (build 23.7.8291).

What is fixed
- Internal changes related to Firewall and Webcam components
- Shredd files from right-click windows context menu works now correctly

Download links
Avast Free: https://honzik.avcdn.net/setup/avast-av/beta/avast_free_antivirus_online_setup.exe
Avast Premium: https://honzik.avcdn.net/setup/avast-av/beta/avast_premium_security_online_setup.exe
Avast Clear: https://honzik.avcdn.net/setup/avast-av/beta/avast_av_clear.exe

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

AVAST Team

[NON]

Thanks for the new beta

[ccm582]

This is worst beta ever.

Before this beta, the Firewall UI only hangs when opening or modifying Application Rules. Now it hangs when we try to open the Firewall Rules. Why can't Avast Free use Avast One's UI which is smooth and fast and doesn't hang?

In Ransomware Shield Protected Folders list, the green checkmarks are no longer placed on top of each folder symbol. Instead they are all over the place. Clicking one selects the folder several lines down. Please fix this.

It seems the developers are heading in the wrong direction making Avast Free worse.

[Karel Šťavík]

This is worst beta ever.

Before this beta, the Firewall UI only hangs when opening or modifying Application Rules. Now it hangs when we try to open the Firewall Rules. Why can't Avast Free use Avast One's UI which is smooth and fast and doesn't hang?

In Ransomware Shield Protected Folders list, the green checkmarks are no longer placed on top of each folder symbol. Instead they are all over the place. Clicking one selects the folder several lines down. Please fix this.

It seems the developers are heading in the wrong direction making Avast Free worse.

Hello, we are sorry for such issues. Can you please generate the support package (and share the package ID) and send it to us? We will analyze it. And please if possible please attach also the screenshot of the broken Ransomware Shield UI please - I see everything correctly on my PC with latest beta + latest UI version. Thank you.

[petr blatny]

Hello ccm582,

I'm trying to induce the reported issues, unfortunately I don't see them in my case. Related to FW it can be connected to the data (list of application, created rules, etc). - is it possible to provide a video of the FW issue please?
And related to the ransomware shield, I still see the some UI we have there for ages, maybe you are facing some bug. Can you please provide a screenshot?
And last ask, could you please confirm, that you have UI version 769 or newer? It is visible in about dialog.

Thank you very much
Petr

This is worst beta ever.

Before this beta, the Firewall UI only hangs when opening or modifying Application Rules. Now it hangs when we try to open the Firewall Rules. Why can't Avast Free use Avast One's UI which is smooth and fast and doesn't hang?

In Ransomware Shield Protected Folders list, the green checkmarks are no longer placed on top of each folder symbol. Instead they are all over the place. Clicking one selects the folder several lines down. Please fix this.

It seems the developers are heading in the wrong direction making Avast Free worse.

[ccm582]

The FW issue being slow and hanging had been around since last year and I brought it up many times. Since this beta is unusable for me, I uninstalled it and installed the last stable Avast Free version 23.6.6070 (build 23.6.8271.762). The UI is 1.0.769. The UI in this version is more stable but it does hang after modifying or deleting a rule.

Attached is partial screenshot of the Protected Folders list in RW Shield. Maybe due to the program's DPI settings in Windows 10. But the other pages are ok.  This page even looks messy in Avast One's RW list.

I am thinking of switching to stable Avast One instead of trying out betas which don't seem to improve after more than a year of testing. But it doesn't have 'Scan All Files' in File Shield leaving possibility of malware in extensions it doesn't scan when opened.

Is it safe for an AV to only scan some extensions? And does Avast One have the same Network Rules as Avast Free? Do Network Rules override Application Rules? For example, if I allow a program to have TCP/UDP inbound connection but Network Rules block inbound TCP/UDP, will have the program allow inbound?

[petr blatny]

Thank you for the screenshot. Looks really like an DPI issue. The green check should be part of folder icon. We will check that. It can help us if you can share DPI and resolution. Related to the FW I will ask our FW team to respond.

[ccm582]

Hi petr,

I finally figured out why the Firewall UI hung and fixed the problem.

I used AvastClear and did a clean install of this beta. The RW folder list problem is still there. Attached are my Windows 10 Display Settings. Hope you can fix this in next beta.

But after a clean install, the Firewall UI no longer hung. But when I restored my backup settings, the UI hung again. So the problem is in Backup and Restore Settings. I think when we backup our settings, the Backup is incompatible with Restore. I have to do another clean install and manually change the settings again which is tedious esp. with Firewall Application Rules. I think you should work on this.

So I take back what I said earlier about this beta. My apologies.

Please answer my earlier questions:

Is it safe for an AV to only scan some extensions?

Does Avast One have the same Network Rules as Avast Free?

Do Network Rules override Application Rules? For example, if I allow a program to have TCP/UDP inbound connection but Network Rules block inbound TCP/UDP, will have the program allow inbound?

The Avast Certificate for HTTPS scanning are not installed in Chrome and Firefox but installed in Brave browser. But Avast can still detect malware in Chrome and Firefox without Avast Certificate. Is this intentional?

[HK]

Hi ccm582,

Does Avast One have the same Network Rules as Avast Free?

Yes, both editions have the same rules. The difference is that Avast Free/Premium allows you to add your own network rules or modify basic rules.

Do Network Rules override Application Rules? For example, if I allow a program to have TCP/UDP inbound connection but Network Rules block inbound TCP/UDP, will have the program allow inbound?

Yes, network rules have the higher priority over the application rules. Please note that it always depends on the order, network rule on the top overrides rules bellow.

The Avast Certificate for HTTPS scanning are not installed in Chrome and Firefox but installed in Brave browser. But Avast can still detect malware in Chrome and Firefox without Avast Certificate. Is this intentional?

Yes, this is intentional. There are some browsers or connections where Web shield still needs to substitute the original certificate (e.g. Internet Explorer, old MS Edge), but it is not required on majority of connections (on Chrome, Firefox, Opera, new MS Edge, ...).

Regarding the issue with Firewall UI, could you please share the backup? I would like to check your rule set to determine what is the cause of hanging UI.

Best regards,
HK

[ccm582]

Many thanks for the clarifications, HK.

I decided to use Avast Free instead of Avast One since the AF UI doesn't hang so much now, mainly because I can customise and edit many settings like Firewall and Exceptions. A1 feels lighter but it doesn't scan all files and its VPN is not safe without Kill Switch for free users.

As Restore of settings caused my fresh installation to hang, I had to manually recreate every Setting including Firewall Application Rules. I then did a backup again. I then did a Restore to test. The UI now doesn't hang any more than before Restore. I think that Restore hung Avast Free because the backup contained elements of previous Betas. I no longer have the earlier Backups so I can't send them to you. But I'm glad this Restore problem is solved. I just have to make sure I don't restore from a previous beta's backup.

As for Firewall UI, it still hangs a bit. If I have many Application Rules, and I delete or modify one, it takes several seconds for the UI to process the change causing the UI to hang for that time.

I had earlier reported that Backup does not restore the apps and settings for Do Not Disturb mode. Now I found out that a video player which I added to DND in full screen still shows pop-ups from Firewall Ask. It doesn't show pop-ups from malware pop-ups.