Author Topic: Avast 7 Free ( Privacy )  (Read 25579 times)

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nord

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Re: Avast 7 Free ( Privacy )
« Reply #30 on: March 05, 2012, 05:09:23 PM »
Yes, the company is located in Prague, so there's where the data go, too.

Initially.


Offline RejZoR

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Re: Avast 7 Free ( Privacy )
« Reply #31 on: March 05, 2012, 05:40:50 PM »
What are you implying with that? avast! is not selling the data to anyone. Why don't you go accusing Kaspersky, Symantec, AVG and everyone else as well? They use very similar techniques and mechanisms of collecting data. I'd really like to hear what has avast! done to deserve all this. I'd really like to hear that.
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Pindakaas

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Re: Avast 7 Free ( Privacy )
« Reply #32 on: March 05, 2012, 05:47:26 PM »
What are you implying with that? avast! is not selling the data to anyone. Why don't you go accusing Kaspersky, Symantec, AVG and everyone else as well? They use very similar techniques and mechanisms of collecting data. I'd really like to hear what has avast! done to deserve all this. I'd really like to hear that.

Why should i go to them , i dont want to use their products , well i did use Norton before , but i removed it from my computer because they do not take your privacy serious , they are even known to put holes in their security for federal malware ( i dont know if they still do it but ), and AVG is spreading their toolbars in allot of wrappers , which i do not like either , but thats not my point now , i wanted to try something else , i wanted to try Avast , that is why i ask these questions so i can make up my mind if i want to install it or not.

And im not saying Avast is bad or something , they are improving and improving their security products , they have 1 of the best ( if not the best ) free antivirus product in the world  ,  but im not doubting that , i want to know about privacy , if i like something and i want to try it , i want to make sure i am satisfied with it , if i didnt want it i wouldnt even bother posting a thread , i cant fight the whole world.

« Last Edit: March 05, 2012, 05:57:25 PM by Pindakaas »

Offline RejZoR

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Re: Avast 7 Free ( Privacy )
« Reply #33 on: March 05, 2012, 05:57:57 PM »
So, how many times do we have to repeat the same thing that avast! is:
a) not intentionally mining personal data
b) not selling or distributing it to anyone
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Pindakaas

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Re: Avast 7 Free ( Privacy )
« Reply #34 on: March 05, 2012, 06:08:31 PM »
So, how many times do we have to repeat the same thing that avast! is:
a) not intentionally mining personal data
b) not selling or distributing it to anyone

So why i read this then ,

8.1 URLs of visited websites that the Software identifies as potentially infected, together with the information on the nature of identified threats (e.g. viruses, Trojans, tracking cookies and any other forms of malware) and URLs of several sites visited before the infection was identified to ascertain the source of the infection;
8.2 Information and files (including executable files) on your computer identified by the Software as potentially infected, together with the information about the nature of identified threats;
8.3 Information about the sender and subject of emails identified by the Software as potentially infected, together with the information on the nature of identified threats;
8.4 Information contained in emails reported by you as spam or as incorrectly identified as spam by the Software;
8.5 Copies of the files identified by the Software as potentially infected or parts thereof may be automatically sent to AVAST for further examination and analysis;
8.6 Certain information about your computer hardware, software and/or network connection;
8.7 Certain information about the installation and operation of the Software and encountered errors or problems;
8.8 Statistical information about threats detected by the Software; and
8.9 If your version of the Software includes the Website reputation function, which provides information on reputation of web sites as potential sources of malware, and you set the Website reputation function to active, the Software may send AVAST the URLs of all websites you want to visit and the results of your web searches through search engines.


The above information gets send too ,

The information collected by the Software is generally not correlated with any other personal information related to you that AVAST may be processing such as information given by you to AVAST or its distributors or agents during the process of ordering and downloading the Software.

The collected information may be transferred to third parties or to other countries that may have less protective data protection laws than the country or region in which you are situated (including the European Union).

Or am i seeing things wrong , then correct me.

Gargamel360

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Re: Avast 7 Free ( Privacy )
« Reply #35 on: March 05, 2012, 06:33:30 PM »
The EULA is the EULA.  You read it, and if you do not like it, I suggest you change products. 

You quote the EULA, and then ask if you are wrong?   Of course you are not wrong,  you directly quoted the EULA.   "Seeing things wrong"?  Your eyes work fine. 

  It is almost like you are testing?....comparing every statement to the EULA, waiting for some kind of "AH-HA!!" moment when all your darkest fears are revealed to be true and justified.   But you already had your moment when you read the license agreement.   It is as clear a statement as you are going to get from any company, written with legal help to help protect against liability.

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Avast 7 Free ( Privacy )
« Reply #36 on: March 05, 2012, 06:40:14 PM »
The information collected by the Software is generally not correlated with any other personal information related to you that AVAST may be processing such as information given by you to AVAST or its distributors or agents during the process of ordering and downloading the Software.
This question was already answered.

The collected information may be transferred to third parties or to other countries that may have less protective data protection laws than the country or region in which you are situated (including the European Union).
This question was already answered.
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Offline Vlk

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Re: Avast 7 Free ( Privacy )
« Reply #37 on: March 05, 2012, 07:19:31 PM »
The changes in the EULA are obviously related to the new Avast features.
WebRep is one thing -- as the URL database is in the cloud, it's quite obvious that the URLs are being transferred to our servers. Similarly for FileRep (file hashes + metadata).
This is basically how these things work (the database cannot be stored locally, simply because it's a multi-terabyte thing).

Regarding the "personally identifiable information" clause - please note that the term "personally identifiable" is quite stringent. For example, the IP address is considered as "personally identifiable" (at least in the European jurisdiction). Yes, we have to work with your IP addresses (because that's how communication on the Internet works). Yes, we do store server-side logs (containing this info), as without them, we wouldn't be able to troubleshoot any infrastructure problems.

Regarding the transfer of the information to third parties or to other countries. Well, this is a bit subtler. We reserve the right to work with technology partners, and if useful, share some information with them (e.g. number of users running each version etc). The clause is probably little too vague (or too scary) - the EULA was written by our law firm and they always try to put in more than less.

(Same applies e.g. to the tracking cookies mentioned there -- avast currently doesn't do anything with these but they're still mentioned there)...

Thanks
Vlk
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FlyingRobot

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Re: Avast 7 Free ( Privacy )
« Reply #38 on: March 05, 2012, 08:16:56 PM »
WebRep is one thing -- as the URL database is in the cloud, it's quite obvious that the URLs are being transferred to our servers. Similarly for FileRep (file hashes + metadata).
Regarding the avast 7 WebRep:

- What portion of the URL is sent to avast?  Just hostname?  Hostname and some path?  Hostname, path, and query params? 
- Will WebRep send such information to avast when the user is visiting a site via HTTPS?  If so, is that only done when a user is using a search engine via HTTPS (to provide reputation info for sites listed in the results) or is it also done in some other cases?

Regarding the avast 7 FileRep:

- What is the metadata that is sent?  Does it vary based on filetype?
- A wide range of filetypes can contain some kind of threat (executables, various "office" type files that support macros, at least some types of media files, some image files too IIRC).  Will FileRep only send you information about traditional executable file types or will it also send information about such other filetypes?

PS: I hope you understand that some of us aren't casting aspersions regarding your handling of information.  We just want to understand what the software on our machine might send to you. 
« Last Edit: March 05, 2012, 08:18:50 PM by FlyingRobot »

Pindakaas

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Re: Avast 7 Free ( Privacy )
« Reply #39 on: March 05, 2012, 08:18:19 PM »
The changes in the EULA are obviously related to the new Avast features.
WebRep is one thing -- as the URL database is in the cloud, it's quite obvious that the URLs are being transferred to our servers. Similarly for FileRep (file hashes + metadata).
This is basically how these things work (the database cannot be stored locally, simply because it's a multi-terabyte thing).

Regarding the "personally identifiable information" clause - please note that the term "personally identifiable" is quite stringent. For example, the IP address is considered as "personally identifiable" (at least in the European jurisdiction). Yes, we have to work with your IP addresses (because that's how communication on the Internet works). Yes, we do store server-side logs (containing this info), as without them, we wouldn't be able to troubleshoot any infrastructure problems.

Regarding the transfer of the information to third parties or to other countries. Well, this is a bit subtler. We reserve the right to work with technology partners, and if useful, share some information with them (e.g. number of users running each version etc). The clause is probably little too vague (or too scary) - the EULA was written by our law firm and they always try to put in more than less.

(Same applies e.g. to the tracking cookies mentioned there -- avast currently doesn't do anything with these but they're still mentioned there)...

Thanks
Vlk

Ok thanks for clearing that up , you say if useful share some information with them , like number of users running each version , what else ?

Because numbers of users running each version is not really personal information.

I ask much but i want to be sure.

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Re: Avast 7 Free ( Privacy )
« Reply #40 on: March 05, 2012, 09:42:24 PM »
@ Pindakaas,
If you're worried about your privacy, why are you on the internet ???
Sorry but if I where to read every Eula that comes with a program before I install it, I wouldn't be using
99% of them. Most of the legal jargon that appears in there is written to protect the company in case some one there screws up.   ;D





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Offline Vlk

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Re: Avast 7 Free ( Privacy )
« Reply #41 on: March 05, 2012, 09:53:08 PM »
Guys, these are all legitimate question and I appreciate them.
But I have to get some additional info, as frankly, I don't know the answers to all the questions. Let me follow up with you tomorrow.

Thanks
Vlk
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Pindakaas

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Re: Avast 7 Free ( Privacy )
« Reply #42 on: March 05, 2012, 11:07:26 PM »
Guys, these are all legitimate question and I appreciate them.
But I have to get some additional info, as frankly, I don't know the answers to all the questions. Let me follow up with you tomorrow.

Thanks
Vlk

Ok thanks , appreciate it.

Pindakaas

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Re: Avast 7 Free ( Privacy )
« Reply #43 on: March 07, 2012, 03:36:48 PM »
Guys, these are all legitimate question and I appreciate them.
But I have to get some additional info, as frankly, I don't know the answers to all the questions. Let me follow up with you tomorrow.

Thanks
Vlk

Any details yet ?

Gargamel360

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Re: Avast 7 Free ( Privacy )
« Reply #44 on: March 08, 2012, 07:38:28 PM »