Avast is good, but we report the viral sample not to reply, like this can attack the enthusiasm which everybody reports. The hope can have the reply!
You will not normally receive a reply unless avast require more information.
I believe there should at least be an auto-responder email acknowledging receipt of the sample email, I have been suggesting this for an eternity.
How did you submit the sample ?
Did you also test the sample at virus total ?
VirusTotal - Multi engine on-line virus scanner and report the findings here. I feel virustotal is the better option as it uses the windows version of avast (more packers supported) and there are currently over 30 different scanners.
I think like dengsa… what is the problem with an automatic answer? I see no reason to not adopt this solution, I think there is more pros than cons.
And so do I as my post indicated.
I have been asking for some considerable time and it has fallen on deaf ears, which is a surprise considering the good developer contribution we have on the forums and how easy it would be to set up an auto responder.
An auto responder should at least let the avast user know it has been received and at the very least thank them for taking the time to submit the file.
has anyone already put this on the wish-list?
that would be really nice 
OH yes, but it is somewhat buried in 26 pages of posts (and that has been parred down. Not to mention the numerous topic I have contributed to and said this.
Kubecj, will you listen or not? ;D
I like you submitted a viral sample but have not received any acknowledgement or information.
I now assume it is a waste of my time to submit samples in the future and will cease doing so.
This file was also uploaded to virustotal and AVG reported “Dropper.Delf.AIQ”
Ikarus reported “Behaves LikeWin32.ProcessHijack”.
I detect a complete lack of interest in these samples as no one seems to get any feed back.
If anyone else is interested in looking at my sample let me know your Email address and I will forward same.
Whilst you might think it a waste of time, but if you don’t send samples you will never know one way or the other.
The two detections on VT, I would say one ‘behaves like’ is some form of heuristics which could be wrong, which leaves one detection so that isn’t a clear cut yes this is malware. Avast may well have analysed your sample and found it to be clean, unfortunately we would never know as a) we don’t get an acknowledgement of receipt, nor b) confirmation that it was a virus/malware after analysis.
So you have to continually scan the sample to see if it is detected, not good as if they didn’t receive it you don’t know, nor if it is considered clean would you know. Only if it was malware and it was added to the VPS would you know and then only if you were periodically scanning the samples you sent.
I don’t believe that is because they aren’t interested (that isn’t borne out in the forums), it is IMHO simply not good communication. When people are in the dark without information, they think the worst rather than the best.
That’s not their policy, just that.
Hey… the fact of not having an acknowledgment does not make useless… They do analyze your samples.
They answer (or try to) through the virus database update asap.
DavidR
All I know is that this particular file caused lots of problems with my computer and in the end the only way I could get rid of it was with a system restore.
I had a couple of problems about the same time and I believe this or one other files disabled Avast to gain entry. (I know that has now been fixed in 4.8 )
My computer clock was reset to 365 days earlier.
I had a graphic from this particular file appear middle screen on boot up and a file “winupdater” appeared in the system files. (“winupdater” was from this file or the other file that was found)
To me that’s malware or a virus.
I found the other file when I opened a folder and Avast alerted me.
I then installed Avast 4.8 and did a full boot time scan (overnight) and found 2 more files.
with Win32:Trojan-gen {UPX}.
I’m not executing this file on my computer again after experiencing the previous problems.
But I do know what will happen if I do and that to me is the acid test regardless of the fact that all of the programs (except AVG & Ikarus) on Virus-total say nothing found.
I can send you a copy of the file to run on your computer to convince you if you still have doubts.
I would just like to add that it is discouraging not to get some sort of reply after submitting a sample.
When I submit samples to another AV company which I wont name, I ALWAYS get an automated e-mail to say it was received and will be analysed. If something is found, they often e-mail me again to say it will be added to the next update and thanks for submitting. This makes me want to continue submitting to them.
I have just started trying Avast out and have submitted a few samples and so far the only thing can say that I would like to see improved is some sort of reply (automated or otherwise) after a submission. Otherwise, it seems like a great program with a great online community.
We already complain a lot about this… you’re not alone… tons of other users think the same.