Author Topic: Need help with Avast scan  (Read 10654 times)

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ady4um

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Re: Need help with Avast scan
« Reply #15 on: November 22, 2011, 12:52:24 AM »
Short answer: not really.

Explanation: The "long list" shouldn't bother you, specially if those "password protected" files are coming from old restore points. Any file downloaded could potentially have such result, simply because it doesn't depend on you, but on the manufacturer / producer / developer of the file.

Specifically in the case of restore points, they are automatically deleted according to the settings (in Windows). New restore points replace older ones, and free space in your HDD is also a factor (according to your percentage of free space, Windows reserves more or less space for restore points).

Many little settings can be changed in Windows to affect restore points. In general, it's not worth to get onto those little settings, unless you really know what you are doing and the consequences of that.

That's on Windows side. On Avast side, you have some configurations, like maximum size of logs and / or reports (but not *all* the logs and reports are affected by this general setting), or max date to save an old log. As you can see from the specific folders ("log" and "report"), each text file is related to the type of scan or the specific shield that was triggered, so some of them also have some possible configuration.

The bottom line, IMHO, is that the only reason to review a full report is when there is at least one potential problem or infection. The "password protected" result is not such a case.

Nikilet

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Re: Need help with Avast scan
« Reply #16 on: November 22, 2011, 01:30:02 AM »
I have no Adobe on my machine. There is nothing in Revo Uninstaller, no folder in Program Files. A reminder that this laptop runs XP.

I did just go in and shut System Restore off, thus removing all restore points. Will let you know what happens when I run the next scan. If I understood correctly, these files should no longer show up.

Offline Asyn

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Re: Need help with Avast scan
« Reply #17 on: November 22, 2011, 01:35:01 AM »
1. I have no Adobe on my machine.

2. I did just go in and shut System Restore off, thus removing all restore points. Will let you know what happens when I run the next scan. If I understood correctly, these files should no longer show up.

1. Are you sure..?? ;D

I did update Adobe Shockwave today...

2. Correct.
W8.1 [x64] - Avast Free AV 23.3.8047.BC [UI.757] - Firefox ESR 102.9 [NS/uBO/PB] - Thunderbird 102.9.1
Avast-Tools: Secure Browser 109.0 - Cleanup 23.1 - SecureLine 5.18 - DriverUpdater 23.1 - CCleaner 6.01
Avast Wissenswertes (Downloads, Anleitungen & Infos): https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=60523.0

Nikilet

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Re: Need help with Avast scan
« Reply #18 on: November 22, 2011, 01:52:14 AM »
Yes, I have Adobe Shockwave and Flash, but no Adobe Reader in Revo, and there is no Adobe folder at all in my C/Program Files.

Offline DavidR

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Re: Need help with Avast scan
« Reply #19 on: November 22, 2011, 01:57:39 AM »
An update to any of those could result in the creation of a restore point and that is really what we are talking about. It is within the RP48\A0007239.exe that the Adobe and other internal file folders are mentioned (that is where the elements are contained that are going to be used in an update).

Remember we have to best guess what is going on as there really is little to work with other than what is shown in the avast log.
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

ady4um

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Re: Need help with Avast scan
« Reply #20 on: November 22, 2011, 03:08:35 AM »
I did just go in and shut System Restore off, thus removing all restore points. Will let you know what happens when I run the next scan. If I understood correctly, these files should no longer show up.

I'll repeat here what I wrote before. There are 2 separate items about restore points. One thing is the list of available restore points. If you want to go back to a certain restore point, it needs to be listed.

A different thing is the files themselves; those that conform the restore point itself.

Depending on the specific method or tool to "delete" restore points (or setting them "off", disabling them), the real files may or may not be really deleted. One example is CCleaner, which deletes the list, but not the files. There are different methods in Windows itself too.

That's why I said that "deleting" a restore point, or even "disabling the feature", it may or may not actually delete the *files* of old restore points.

In any case, if you re-enable System Restore now, the older ones should not be *listed* in Windows anymore, and new restore point *files* should eventually replace any potential older remnant, if any were to be left from the older restore points.

Nikilet

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Re: Need help with Avast scan
« Reply #21 on: November 22, 2011, 03:17:36 AM »
The option I used was to shut System Restore off, then turn it back on.

Nikilet

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Re: Need help with Avast scan
« Reply #22 on: November 22, 2011, 05:27:53 PM »
I just want to let everyone who posted with me that I ran a scan this morning and nothing was found so it appears I am back to normal.

Turning System Restore off, then back on, thus clearing all the restore points is what seemed to do the trick.

I still state firmly that the sequence of events was that I turned the computer on after it had been off for about 21 days. I updated Avast and Malwarebytes and ran scans. I got a mile of files showing up in my Avast scan that were marked as password protected. It was only the following day that I updated Shockwave so I don't see how one can have anything to do with the other.

I've just accidentally stumbled on some information in the forum that Avast has apparently caused problems with System Restore for some.

Anyway, I'm just letting all of you know that clearing SR points did the trick, but I wouldn't really want to have to be doing that all the time.

ady4um

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Re: Need help with Avast scan
« Reply #23 on: November 22, 2011, 07:25:30 PM »
I just want to let everyone who posted with me that I ran a scan this morning and nothing was found so it appears I am back to normal.

Turning System Restore off, then back on, thus clearing all the restore points is what seemed to do the trick.

Glad it's working for you.

Quote
I've just accidentally stumbled on some information in the forum that Avast has apparently caused problems with System Restore for some.

That's not exactly what is presented in that other topic. They are talking about Avast, just because this is Avast Forum (and they want a better behaviour or workaround from Avast in relation to the issue). But the issue is present in many other security tools too.

In any case, that issue is completely unrelated to yours. In your case, the report was about password protected files, but the fact that they were in some restore point is almost a coincidence. The same type of report could had been received about some other files in some other folder, with no relation to restore points.

YoKenny

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Re: Need help with Avast scan
« Reply #24 on: November 22, 2011, 10:54:37 PM »
I just want to let everyone who posted with me that I ran a scan this morning and nothing was found so it appears I am back to normal.
Maybe upgrading to IE9 and Firefox 8.0 will help a lot as well.

Please see:

The Benefits of Internet Explorer 9
http://techryder.com/2011/06/14/the-benefits-of-internet-explorer-9

Also Internet Explorer is the basis of all Windows functions.

Quote
Windows Explorer is a file manager application that is included with releases of the Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows 95 onwards. It provides a graphical user interface for accessing the file systems. It is also the component of the operating system that presents many user interface items on the monitor such as the taskbar and desktop. Controlling the computer is possible without Windows Explorer running (for example, the File | Run command in Task Manager on NT-derived versions of Windows will function without it, as will commands typed in a command prompt window). Located in the C:\Windows directory, it is sometimes referred to as the Windows Shell,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Explorer

DonZ63

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Re: Need help with Avast scan
« Reply #25 on: November 22, 2011, 11:09:26 PM »
My experience is that malware loves to hide in XP restore points.

Best software I have found to date to remove that malware is the free version of Emsisoft AntiMalware. Run a full scan or minimally the drive when the restore archives are located and it will zap anything found there. Once removed by AntiMalware, I have never has it return assuming you are running a good AV. Of course if you restore from that cleaned archive, things might be a bit hosed ..............

BTW - IE9 is not an option for WIN XP; only IE8.
« Last Edit: November 22, 2011, 11:14:40 PM by DonZ63 »

YoKenny

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Re: Need help with Avast scan
« Reply #26 on: November 22, 2011, 11:17:38 PM »
My experience is that malware loves to hide in XP restore points.

Best software I have found to date to remove that malware is the free version of Emsisoft AntiMalware. Run a full scan or minimally the drive when the restore archives are located and it will zap anything found there. Once removed by AntiMalware, I have never has it return assuming you are running a good AV. Of course if you restore from that cleaned archive, things might be a bit hosed ..............
I do not trust advice from users that do not post their system configuration in their signature as this shows they do not know what they are dealing with.

As far as I am concerened Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (MBAM) is the best malware remover. 

DonZ63

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Re: Need help with Avast scan
« Reply #27 on: November 23, 2011, 12:31:39 AM »
How about the multiple IT certifications I have plus 30 years IT experience?

I have run MBAM for years; both free and pro versions. I consider the Pro version spyware since MBAM by their own admission will scan your HDD for unregistered software and God knows what else. The free version is so-so. In the years I have run it, it missed more malware than it found. In fact, I can't recall the last time it found anything.

Offline Pondus

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Re: Need help with Avast scan
« Reply #28 on: November 23, 2011, 12:42:28 AM »
Quote
it missed more malware than it found. In fact,
probably true....since they only want fresh samples of executable files not older then 3 month`s....the rest they leave to AV programs.

Quote
I can't recall the last time it found anything.
so do you expect it to find anything    ::)
« Last Edit: November 23, 2011, 12:48:31 AM by Pondus »

DonZ63

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Re: Need help with Avast scan
« Reply #29 on: November 23, 2011, 01:15:43 AM »
Quote
so do you expect it to find anything
No! Which I attribute to Avast!'s effectiveness. On the other hand, I do mutiple scans with multiple malware scanners periodically just to be sure ;)