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UPDATED: Avast has fixed your Virus problems: Block the internet

WMGroomAK
By WMGroomAK
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Posted (edited)

In a funny issue affecting some Avast free antivirus version users, the most recent update released on Wednesday night is blocking internet access...  From the Bleeping Computers article:

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/software/avast-antivirus-update-blocks-internet-access/

Quote

The issue seems to have been caused by an update Avast released late Wednesday night. Hours after the update, users started complaining about the problem, flocking to the company's support forum.

AvastForumPosts.png.b3a4a2f671afc82f67a9097a95db2c03.png

Many of these complaining users reported they were using Avast's free antivirus version.

 

While users could still connect to the Internet after they temporarily disabling the Avast antivirus, some users reported fixing the issue for good by uninstalling the antivirus and performing a clean install. Later, Avast team members started recommending the same thing.

 

"I tried doing a repair too. It didn't help," an Avast user wrote on their forum. "I then Uninstalled and re-downloaded. That did the trick."

 

An Avast spokesperson did not respond to Bleeping Computer's request for comment, so we can't know for sure how much of Avast's userbase is affected.

 

So it appears that in order to file a complaint to Avast, you need to disable your antivirus in order to get online.  As for a 'fix', it appears that you have to uninstall Avast, re-download and install it.  I guess one thing that can be said, is if you're not online, you won't download a virus. xD

 

UPDATE:  So an Avast spokesperson got a hold of Bleeping Computers with the following statement:

 

Quote

We have identified that the problem is caused by an update issue of the dynamic link library (dll), which is part of the WebShield feature. We are preparing a patch that we will provide to the small number of users affected as soon as possible.

A question that pops into my mind immediately is if the original update broke the link to the internet then how are they going to roll out a patch to the computers?  

Edited by WMGroomAK
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Posted

No internet = no virus. Easy

Main PC |CPU - i7-6700k|GPU - R9 290x tri-x 4gb|RAM - 16gb ddr4|MOBO - MSI z170 - A PRO|HDD - WD 1TB/240gb Sandisk |PSU - 700w Raidmax

Laptop |CPU - i7 4720hq|GPU - 960m 2gb|Ram - 8gb 2x4|Model - y50-70 Touch|SSD - 240gb Patriot drive|Display - 1920x1080 IPS touch

 

 

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Avast, the Norton of 2017.

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Posted

Waiting for the can't catch an Internet virus without Internet meme...

 

 

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That's got to be the most secure antivirus software ever.

CPU: Intel i7 3970X @ 4.7 GHz  (custom loop)   RAM: Kingston 1866 MHz 32GB DDR3   GPU(s): 2x Gigabyte R9 290OC (custom loop)   Motherboard: Asus P9X79   

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Posted

Mines been auto updating for all this time, and it hasn't blocked my desktop's connection to the internet. Its the same for the laptop I set up for my sister as well as my own laptop.

"We also blind small animals with cosmetics.
We do not sell cosmetics. We just blind animals."

 

"Please don't mistake us for Equifax. Those fuckers are evil"

 

This PSA brought to you by Equifacks.
PMSL

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  • Author
3 minutes ago, Dabombinable said:

Mines been auto updating for all this time, and it hasn't blocked my desktop's connection to the internet. Its the same for the laptop I set up for my sister as well as my own laptop.

Do you know when your last update rolled out?  Just caught an update to the article that they identified the problem was caused by an update issue of the dynamic library link and that they were preparing a patch to go out to the affected users.

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2 minutes ago, WMGroomAK said:

Do you know when your last update rolled out?  Just caught an update to the article that they identified the problem was caused by an update issue of the dynamic library link and that they were preparing a patch to go out to the affected users.

The last update is from early this morning, 12/5/2017 3:33AM, received 2 minutes ago.

"We also blind small animals with cosmetics.
We do not sell cosmetics. We just blind animals."

 

"Please don't mistake us for Equifax. Those fuckers are evil"

 

This PSA brought to you by Equifacks.
PMSL

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1 minute ago, Dabombinable said:

The last update is from early this morning, 12/5/2017 3:33AM, received 2 minutes ago.

I'm thinking they might have patched the update before it got to your download.  Sounds like they were aware of the issue and preparing a patch about 2.5 hours ago.  Would still be curious as to how they plan on getting this patch to affected users...

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5 hours ago, djdwosk97 said:

Avast, the Norton of 2017.

Norton isn't THAT bad.  lol

 

Honestly aside from one or two false positives over the years the only major issue I've had with Norton is it somehow messes up the fingerprint sensor driver on my laptop.  

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1 minute ago, Bleedingyamato said:

Norton isn't THAT bad.  lol

 

Honestly aside from one or two false positives over the years the only major issue I've had with Norton is it somehow messes up the fingerprint sensor driver on my laptop.  

Supposedly Norton is good now, but Norton used to be a bloated disaster -- and that's now Avast.

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Posted

Is it me or anti-virus programs are increasingly unneeded?

 

Windows Defender does the job for me. Have Malwarebytes Premium running in the background but it's never quarantined or blocked anything.

 

Safer browsing habits maybe? No more downloading sexyteengirl.exe on Limewire?

Desktop: 7800x3d @ stock, 64gb ddr4 @ 6000, 3080Ti, x670 Asus Strix

 

Laptop: Dell G3 15 - i7-8750h @ stock, 16gb ddr4 @ 2666, 1050Ti 

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Just now, Raskolnikov said:

Safer browsing habits maybe? No more downloading sexyteengirl.exe on Limewire?

That doesn't help when you have malicious ads ending up on legitimate sites.

PSU Tier List | CoC

Gaming Build | FreeNAS Server

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i5-4690k || Seidon 240m || GTX780 ACX || MSI Z97s SLI Plus || 8GB 2400mhz || 250GB 840 Evo || 1TB WD Blue || H440 (Black/Blue) || Windows 10 Pro || Dell P2414H & BenQ XL2411Z || Ducky Shine Mini || Logitech G502 Proteus Core

Spoiler

FreeNAS 9.3 - Stable || Xeon E3 1230v2 || Supermicro X9SCM-F || 32GB Crucial ECC DDR3 || 3x4TB WD Red (JBOD) || SYBA SI-PEX40064 sata controller || Corsair CX500m || NZXT Source 210.

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1 minute ago, djdwosk97 said:

Supposedly Norton is good now, but Norton used to be a bloated disaster -- and that's now Avast.

Norton trying to run on 512MB of RAM with 32MB shared for the IGPU...FML back in 2004.

"We also blind small animals with cosmetics.
We do not sell cosmetics. We just blind animals."

 

"Please don't mistake us for Equifax. Those fuckers are evil"

 

This PSA brought to you by Equifacks.
PMSL

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1 minute ago, djdwosk97 said:

That doesn't help when you have malicious ads ending up on legitimate sites.

Must be Adblock then.

 

 

Desktop: 7800x3d @ stock, 64gb ddr4 @ 6000, 3080Ti, x670 Asus Strix

 

Laptop: Dell G3 15 - i7-8750h @ stock, 16gb ddr4 @ 2666, 1050Ti 

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1 minute ago, Raskolnikov said:

Must be Adblock then.

 

 

Adblock doesn't always work, not to mention it prevents a lot of sites from working properly. 

PSU Tier List | CoC

Gaming Build | FreeNAS Server

Spoiler

i5-4690k || Seidon 240m || GTX780 ACX || MSI Z97s SLI Plus || 8GB 2400mhz || 250GB 840 Evo || 1TB WD Blue || H440 (Black/Blue) || Windows 10 Pro || Dell P2414H & BenQ XL2411Z || Ducky Shine Mini || Logitech G502 Proteus Core

Spoiler

FreeNAS 9.3 - Stable || Xeon E3 1230v2 || Supermicro X9SCM-F || 32GB Crucial ECC DDR3 || 3x4TB WD Red (JBOD) || SYBA SI-PEX40064 sata controller || Corsair CX500m || NZXT Source 210.

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