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Avast's underhanded tricks, looking for alternative with boot time scan

TORPC
Grafter
Posts: 5,163
Registered: ‎08-12-2013

Avast's underhanded tricks, looking for alternative with boot time scan

I have only noticed this since recently updating to the latest version of Avast
An option called SafePrice which when you surf (has now appeared)
Using the nice 25.5o weather for the example







To turn it off right click on the Avast online security green icon, in the top right of your browser

Then choose options, & a new page will open with other default opptions like Allow submission of anonymous data to enhance our services

Just untick the options you do not want & click on save
It is bad enough that the have added
Software Updater
Grime Fighter
Yet, apart from the detection rates, they have gone the same way as AVG
Why OH!! why, do these companies think they know best
13 REPLIES 13
gleneagles
Aspiring Legend
Posts: 11,105
Thanks: 2,459
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Registered: ‎02-08-2007

Re: Avast's underhanded tricks, looking for alternative with boot time scan

Thanks for flagging this up, Avast require you to reregister every 12 months and I note they want £19.99 for the paid version however if you opt to continue with the free version a message pops up to say as a special offer it's available for £9.99 .
From what I have read the free version for the average home user is just as good as the paid version.
Not that I use any version but was aware of the above as SWMBO uses windows.
We are born into history and history is born into us.
7up
Community Veteran
Posts: 15,824
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Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: Avast's underhanded tricks, looking for alternative with boot time scan

I'm also annoyed with avast. Every now and then I double click a program I've written which stores all my postal correspondence and avast decides to analyze it in a sandbox thus delaying the program starting and then closing it when it's finished analyzing it.
I continue to turn this off repeatedly yet every week avast somehow reactivates it.
I am sick of it.
I need a new signature... i'm bored of the old one!
shutter
Community Veteran
Posts: 22,206
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Registered: ‎06-11-2007

Re: Avast's underhanded tricks, looking for alternative with boot time scan

I`m using the FREE version of Avast... and have not had any of those problems..... the only problem I have with it, is it keeps giving out popup messages which I ignore and just close them down.
It does annoy me that it scrutinises every Youtube video as it starts, but I`m used to that, and just restart the video and it plays "normally"...
Mayfly
All Star
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Registered: ‎04-06-2009

Re: Avast's underhanded tricks, looking for alternative with boot time scan

I've seen on another form where avast installed dropbox because it was pre-ticked. Whilst you need to be careful when downing loading software from certain sites I wouldn't expect any AV software to install anything on my PC without asking.
drj
Aspiring Pro
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Registered: ‎30-03-2011

Re: Avast's underhanded tricks, looking for alternative with boot time scan

I was recently looking at an IP Camera at Dabs.com - when all of a sudden and totally unexpectedly, Avast popped up and told me it was available at Argos £15 cheaper.
When I clicked on the pop-up it took me to Argos's site - but showed me a Router!
So it's hopeless as well as annoying. I shall be investigating the menu as noted in the OP - thanks.
drj
Aspiring Pro
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Registered: ‎30-03-2011

Re: Avast's underhanded tricks, looking for alternative with boot time scan

In Firefox you have to left-click on the Avast button then select "Settings" at the bottom of the pop-out panel that appears.
However the SafePrice option was unticked (or maybe partially ticked? I think the relevant button may have had a border round it which I cannot now replicate.
drj
Aspiring Pro
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Registered: ‎30-03-2011

Re: Avast's underhanded tricks, looking for alternative with boot time scan

Here's the curious "bordered" button as found when I opened Avast in Chrome as noted in the OP - no indication as to what it means.
Interestingly Avast also wasn't running initially in Chrome...

TORPC
Grafter
Posts: 5,163
Registered: ‎08-12-2013

Re: Avast's underhanded tricks, looking for alternative with boot time scan

The left click is the same for Chrome
drj
Aspiring Pro
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Registered: ‎30-03-2011

Re: Avast's underhanded tricks, looking for alternative with boot time scan

I have to admit I didn't try...
Scribe
Grafter
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Registered: ‎05-02-2011

Re: Avast's underhanded tricks, looking for alternative with boot time scan

No sign of it in Maxthon, Smiley  but just had a look in Firefox and IE. It's there in the Add-on list - but disabled. When (just out of curiosity) I started Chrome, a message popped up telling me that Avast had installed a program, and did I want to remove it - yes!!
So it would seem that Avast installs it automatically in popular browsers, but it's easy enough to disable or delete it from the Extensions/Add-ons.
chrcoluk
Grafter
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Registered: ‎11-12-2013

Re: Avast's underhanded tricks, looking for alternative with boot time scan

avast is still probably the best free a/v I have used but I think its defenitly going downhill.
The UI is becoming less efficient to use (that old horrible simplicity concept), there is random large slowdowns on certian types of scanning, the auto sandboxing I disabled as I found it to not work reliably and as reported can also be quite slow.
Plus popups are becoming excessive.  I only use it on my testing rig, both my laptop and main pc have paid nod32 subscriptions.
7up
Community Veteran
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Re: Avast's underhanded tricks, looking for alternative with boot time scan

Quote from: chrcoluk
The UI is becoming less efficient to use (that old horrible simplicity concept), there is random large slowdowns on certian types of scanning, the auto sandboxing I disabled as I found it to not work reliably and as reported can also be quite slow.

And in my case it keeps turning itself back on  Angry
I need a new signature... i'm bored of the old one!
TORPC
Grafter
Posts: 5,163
Registered: ‎08-12-2013

Re: Avast's underhanded tricks, looking for alternative with boot time scan

Update
Avast has removed the SafePrice from the Chrome browser
That said, it was after following Googles advice
[quote= http://aos.avast.com/upgrade/1011]
SafePrice is no longer part of the Chrome extension
We have followed Google's advice and implemented their Single Purpose Policy to improve user experience of Avast Online Security extension. As the result we have withdrawn the SafePrice functionality from the Avast Online Security extension for Chrome.
You do not have to miss the opportunities for safe shopping, to explore better prices and to save money with coupons while you shop. The Avast SafePrice is now available as a standalone extension for Chrome.
However it decided to default the setting for the DO NOT TRACK feature with every one unticked, therefore you are now being tracked, AGAIN, until you manually revert the setting back to your preferred settings