Author Topic: [URGENT] AVAST! AUTOSANDBOX & DROPBOX BUG  (Read 11814 times)

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achitots

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[URGENT] AVAST! AUTOSANDBOX & DROPBOX BUG
« on: June 28, 2011, 08:48:05 PM »
Hi guys, I've encountered a problem! I need help ASAP.

Here is a detailed steps of what had actually happened:

Applications involved: Dropbox, Dropbox Folder Sync and Avast! Antivirus Free
OS: Win 7 Home Edition 32-bit

1. I chose 3 folders from the desktop and right click 'Sync with Dropbox'.
2. This pop-ups
3. Option selected is 'Open in Sandbox (recommended)', and clicked Ok.
4. 3 folders are now gone from the desktop.
5. Another 3 empty folders with same names are then system-generated in my Dropbox folder.

I'm wonder: what actually happened when Sandbox accessed the application and where did my files went to.

I hope moderators, programmers, developers of Avast! can look into this matter.

Please, please help me! Its urgent, I need to recover the files ASAP! Thank you very much.

Rgrds,
Achitots

Offline DavidR

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Re: [URGENT] AVAST! AUTOSANDBOX & DROPBOX BUG
« Reply #1 on: June 28, 2011, 09:11:44 PM »
This is how the autosandbox functions, when closed all data from that sandbox session is removed, that is the point of running something in a sandbox to isolate it from your system. Now I don't know how that would interact with dropbox as the sandbox is meant to be isolated from your system.

If you are happy that this is a dropbox function and it is clean, then have avast Open it normally (not in the sandbox) from the drop down list of options. Also check the remember my answer for this program and you won't be troubled by it asking to run it in the sandbox again.

I have no idea why the folders would be gone from the desktop as essentially they should have been isolated from the actual sandbox. How to get them back I can't answer as I don't use dropbox, do they not have backups as I'm sure this type of thing will have happened in the past (not necessarily related to your problem) or from your backups.
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achitots

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Re: [URGENT] AVAST! AUTOSANDBOX & DROPBOX BUG
« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2011, 02:57:20 AM »
Hi David, thanks for responding! :)

Can I ask if you are one of the offical developers/programmers of Avast? If no, then could you please guide/refer me to them? Sorry to trouble you.

I mean, how could my files from the desktop folders go missing? And where did they went to... I tried searching the names of the files but to no avail. :(

Again, sorry to trouble and thank you very much! :)

Offline DavidR

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Re: [URGENT] AVAST! AUTOSANDBOX & DROPBOX BUG
« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2011, 03:40:45 AM »
I'm just an avast user like yourself.

I don't understand how they can go missing either as essentially they should have been isolated. But if you were able to connect to the dropbox anything that you did would be discarded when you closed the instance of junction.exe running inside the the sandbox. This may have resulted in the actual content in the dropbox also being discarded, so the sync feature in dropbox would set all to the same.

I can try to draw some attention to this topic.
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achitots

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Re: [URGENT] AVAST! AUTOSANDBOX & DROPBOX BUG
« Reply #4 on: June 29, 2011, 06:03:04 AM »
Hi David, really appreciate your help and pro-active replies! xx :)

Offline avadas.de

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Re: [URGENT] AVAST! AUTOSANDBOX & DROPBOX BUG
« Reply #5 on: June 29, 2011, 08:24:50 AM »
Hi,

maybe it is a good idea to change the syncing application anyway, since Dropbox had quite some big security issues lately. I know this doesn't help with your actual problem, but maybe it is worth thinking about.
« Last Edit: October 24, 2013, 12:45:06 PM by avadas.de »
Feel welcome to also visit the German Avast Community Forums for support and discussions with other security specialists as well as beginners!

Avast 19.6.2383 German Release Notes

achitots

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Re: [URGENT] AVAST! AUTOSANDBOX & DROPBOX BUG
« Reply #6 on: June 29, 2011, 10:40:27 AM »
Hello! But right now, I'll channel my resources towards retrieve my folders & files back instead.  Thanks for your alternative suggestion! Really appreciate your responses! :)

Offline DavidR

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Re: [URGENT] AVAST! AUTOSANDBOX & DROPBOX BUG
« Reply #7 on: June 29, 2011, 02:24:29 PM »
Hi David, really appreciate your help and pro-active replies! xx :)

You're welcome, hopefully it will get a positive response.

Edit: I have been rummaging round in the dropbox site and I don't know if this Help item will be of use, http://www.dropbox.com/help/11.
« Last Edit: June 29, 2011, 02:26:25 PM by DavidR »
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Offline DavidR

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Re: [URGENT] AVAST! AUTOSANDBOX & DROPBOX BUG
« Reply #8 on: June 30, 2011, 12:54:50 PM »
Update: I have had a response and someone is looking into this topic and the use of dropbox. Hopefully they can get back to us soon.
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security

Offline Lisandro

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Re: [URGENT] AVAST! AUTOSANDBOX & DROPBOX BUG
« Reply #9 on: June 30, 2011, 12:59:34 PM »
Why don't you send junction.exe to www.virustotal.com, check, and just make an exception into avast autosandbox?
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Offline DavidR

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Re: [URGENT] AVAST! AUTOSANDBOX & DROPBOX BUG
« Reply #10 on: June 30, 2011, 01:20:38 PM »
I doubt that would resolve anything as the file system shield hasn't alerted on it, it has just passed it to the sandbox.

I have suggested the exception in my first reply, but the main thing that achitots is concerned with right now is getting back his drop box folders/files.
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Hermite15

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Re: [URGENT] AVAST! AUTOSANDBOX & DROPBOX BUG
« Reply #11 on: June 30, 2011, 03:49:26 PM »
junction.exe is no malware anyway. IIRC that's an MS (sysinternals) program that brings junction points (aka sym links) support when it's not there out of the box, i.e. on XP.

 As to why the OP uses it, the answer is simple, Dropbox doesn't allow the syncing of any folder in Windows: all dropbox synced files reside in one chosen folder (with subfolders etc...). So the trick to sync external folders is to use... sym links.


 ... edit: and yeah, he shouldn't have allowed avast sandbox to take care of the process, must have generated a huge mess.
 
« Last Edit: June 30, 2011, 03:51:52 PM by logos »

Offline Lisandro

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Re: [URGENT] AVAST! AUTOSANDBOX & DROPBOX BUG
« Reply #12 on: June 30, 2011, 03:54:58 PM »
I never used Dropbox because I never managed to sync other folders besides the only one it allows.
I won't research tricks for it as any other online syncing tool allow multiply folders (like SugarSync).
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Hermite15

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Re: [URGENT] AVAST! AUTOSANDBOX & DROPBOX BUG
« Reply #13 on: June 30, 2011, 04:24:42 PM »
I never used Dropbox because I never managed to sync other folders besides the only one it allows.
I won't research tricks for it as any other online syncing tool allow multiply folders (like SugarSync).

yeah okay tech you don't do that but many others do, including the OP of this thread. Now don't get me started with SugarSync ;D

Offline Lisandro

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Re: [URGENT] AVAST! AUTOSANDBOX & DROPBOX BUG
« Reply #14 on: June 30, 2011, 04:48:09 PM »
Now don't get me started with SugarSync ;D
Why not? Any complain about it? Any problem that I should be aware of? ???
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