Author Topic: why does avast download mpas-fe.exe ?  (Read 4603 times)

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aleksazr

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why does avast download mpas-fe.exe ?
« on: December 02, 2011, 01:57:44 AM »
I'm new to avast, using the free version.

Besides avast, I also have comodo firewall.
Comodo shows which program is downloading something.

At one time, my connection was used by avast, and I thought
it was getting the update, but avast was actually downloading

http://download.windowsupdate.com/msdownload/update/software/defu/2011/11/mpas-fe_c9ad2bd3cb949ade45f511b81906118f21677160.exe

That file belongs to Windows Defender - why was avast downloading it?

Yes, at that time windows defender was enabled (it is disabled now),
but it was avast downloading it, not defender (or so says comodo)

Is that normal?

edit: I got the link by viewing avast's real-time shields->web shield, last page scanned
« Last Edit: December 02, 2011, 02:05:27 AM by aleksazr »

Gargamel360

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Re: why does avast download mpas-fe.exe ?
« Reply #1 on: December 02, 2011, 02:02:54 AM »
Well, the Web Shield works as a local proxy....so you will see that it looks like Avast! is downloading it simply because it is being picked up by the Web Shield first.   

edit:though you are referring to the Network Shield, same thing applies, as it is scanning all network traffic.
« Last Edit: December 02, 2011, 02:04:49 AM by Gargamel360 »

Offline DavidR

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Re: why does avast download mpas-fe.exe ?
« Reply #2 on: December 02, 2011, 02:03:36 AM »
Avast isn't downloading it, it is going through the avast localhost proxy the web shield (controlled by avastSvc.exe) intercepts http traffic and routes it through the localhost proxy so that it can be scanned.

So I would examine your logs or post the content showing this activity.
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ady4um

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Re: why does avast download mpas-fe.exe ?
« Reply #3 on: December 02, 2011, 02:04:43 AM »
The traffic is passing through Avast, so Avast can scan it. It is probably Windows Update that is downloading for Windows Defender, which was probably set to update itself before the daily Windows Defender scan.

Well, that's my guess.

You would probably see the same using other tools besides the firewall.

aleksazr

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Re: why does avast download mpas-fe.exe ?
« Reply #4 on: December 02, 2011, 02:07:30 AM »
Well, the Web Shield works as a local proxy....so you will see that it looks like Avast! is downloading it simply because it is being picked up by the Web Shield first.   

edit:though you are referring to the Network Shield, same thing applies, as it is scanning all network traffic.

My mistake, it was actually web shield, and I have now changed that in my first post..

aleksazr

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Re: why does avast download mpas-fe.exe ?
« Reply #5 on: December 02, 2011, 02:10:27 AM »
It is probably Windows Update that is downloading for Windows Defender, which was probably set to update itself before the daily Windows Defender scan.

I had windows update disabled at that moment, only defender was enabled.
And I have defender now disabled as well.

aleksazr

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Re: why does avast download mpas-fe.exe ?
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2011, 11:06:55 AM »
Avast isn't downloading it, it is going through the avast localhost proxy

And that makes comodo firewall think that avast is downloading,
while it is actually defender. What if I wanted comodo to block defender?

I have comodo set on custom policy, which makes it
ask me for my approval for every net connection.
But it didn't ask me in this case.

Not sure if that was the case because avast was practically disguising defender,
or because I have c:\windows\system32\svchost.exe and system enabled
in comodo and defender was treated by comodo as system.

So I'm a bit confused now... what if some other app decides to download
something, and comodo sees avast - and not the real app?


BTW, this post is tightly connected to comodo firewall,
but I could be using any other firewall - and avast shouldn't
disguise any app, no matter which firewall used.

Offline DavidR

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Re: why does avast download mpas-fe.exe ?
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2011, 11:32:47 AM »
I guess it isn't smart enough to see the parent application that is using the localhost proxy.

I say guess as I have never used the Comodo firewall, mine Outpost has stood the test of time and I don't see anything like that.
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