7760a2d6-f6fd-475d-a11e-a4a073fa42fd.exe and suchlike connecting to Google

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Could someone please explain to me what these random file names are in the directory C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\Setup ? There are 3 other similarly-named files in the Avast setup folder and I cannot find info about them online because they seem to be unique.

My Firewall picks these files up trying to connect to the internet. The last time one popped up I checked out the IP address and it was 173.194.41.65 - Google!! Why would an Avast setup file be contacting Google?! (I have not allowed Avast to install any Google products.)

I’m also keen to know why these files have such cryptic names? And why they seem to come and go? It’s odd, but the file mentioned here, picked up by my firewall, is no longer in the said folder.

2

PS: My Avast! Free Antivirus version number is 2014.9.0.2011.

3

Those random files are the avast emergency update files so you should be allowing otherwise you wont be getting the fixes offered.

4

Okay, thanks!

But why does the destination IP address belong to Google, not AVAST?
IP addresses are as follows: 173.194.113.132 | 173.194.113.133 | 173.194.41.67 | 173.194.41.64 | 173.194.41.73 | etc - all Google

5

Are you using Chrome as your browser? ???

6

I think it has to do with some minor data transferring that require Google analytics.

7

I use Firefox and block Google-Analytics with NoScript.

If 7760a2d6-f6fd-475d-a11e-a4a073fa42fd.exe is there to download AVAST emergency update files, then why is it not contacting AVAST servers? Surely such files should come from AVAST, not Google? Also, if I allow the contact, I don’t subsequently see the usual notice that AVAST has been updated.

8

I don’t know why it does it that way and yes the emergency updates are not related to the regular VPS updates so they are silent.