Do You Scan For PUP's (Potentially Unwanted Programs?) Why or Why Not?

[Jack 1000]

Hi Avast,

I know that PUP's are not viruses or malware so I currently only scan for them on a rescan, where my computer is doing something funny and both Avast and my free MBAM come up clean.  So far, I have not had to activate PUP's for a very long time.  Do you guys scan for PUP's?  Are all PUPS safe?  Because I think I saw an Avast definitions update in the history list that was a PUP.  I still think there is a bit of confusion with this feature.  Does the Avast Sandbox isolate PUP's?

Jack

[DavidR]

Personally I don't scan for PUPs (a default setting) in on-demand scans, It is also disabled by default in the file system shields, expert settings, Sensitivity, 'PUP and suspicious files.'

It isn't possible to say that all PUPs are safe, as in many cases these are for tools that can be used for good or evil and that intent is the issue. e.g. did you install it, do you know what it does, and do you have a legit purpose for it.

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For many of the above reasons, I believe this is why PUPs aren't scanned for by default as most users would be unable to answer the legitimacy questions. Plus in the case of on-demand scans for the most part these files are inert/dormant and don't present an immediate risk.

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However, in the case of the on-access scanner, the file system shield, there is a case for scanning it as for that to be triggered it would have to be active. Though in the case of PUPs I would also change the Actions settings in the expert settings for PUPs to Ask, rather than send to chest as the first action and No Action for the second.

[Lisandro]

Does the Avast Sandbox isolate PUP's?

Only if the file gets into the other criteria (otherwise, no).

[norel]

I scan for PUPs. I do so because I don't want anything on my system that installed itself without my knowledge. I'm not sure what these programs might do, but if someone went to the trouble of putting it there secretly, it can't be good. Occasionally I get a false positive but I just add it to the exclusions so Avast ignores it.

[Pondus]

I scan for PUPs. I do so because I don't want anything on my system that installed itself without my knowledge. I'm not sure what these programs might do, but if someone went to the trouble of putting it there secretly, it can't be good. Occasionally I get a false positive but I just add it to the exclusions so Avast ignores it.

If you search the virus and worms section, you fined PUP detection for factory installed HP and DELL programs....
nothing wrong with those programs....avast is just telling you they can be...if abused 

so it does not have to be secretly installed

[Dch48]

Yes, I agree with Pondus. I have the scanning turned on and set to ask but I think I'm able to tell whether something is safe for the most part. For most people, I would recommend the scanning for PUP's not happen. The only detections I have seen have been for things that were not malicious at all but were older legacy utilities written for Windows versions prior to XP.