avast! hates Spyware Terminator

Hello,

Apologies in advance for all the newbie errors and/or fauz pas made : )

For almost a week now, avast! has decided that Spyware Terminator is potentially harmful & will only open it in the sandbox. Is avast! just being silly or is ST actually evil?

PS - where should I have posted this, I’m guessing I’m in the wrong section…?

Many thanks in advance : )

It depends on several things:
The autosandbox process is controlled in the first instance by the file system shield (FSS), the suspect.exe file is scanned before it is allowed to run. If it were infected, it could/should be detected by the FSS, so one reasonable thing in its favour is it hasn’t had a definitive detection.

However, the FSS checks other things amongst those a) is the file digitally signed, b) its location and what it does (this is done in the emulation check). these can trigger a suspicion and it is this suspicion that results in the recommendation to use the autosandbox.

Now the user can accept this decision and run it in the autosandbox or have it run normally and to Remember the answer for this program. Provided of course you are familiar with the program and that it is clean.

  • So what is it that you are trying to do with Spyware Terminator ?

It it were installed I would have though that it would be allowed to run, but if running as a stand alone (portable) app/scan, then avast might well baulk at what it does/can do in the emulation checks.

Hi DavidR,

Thanks for your prompt response : )

I’ve no idea if it is digitally signed or not, how do I check this? I just assumed it was. I did a reinstall about 3 months ago & replaced most of the programs on my laptop, avast! and Comodo firewall were first on board.

Previously I had everything installed together & haven’t had this problem until recently. Spywsare Terminator is installed on my system, it’s not a portable app.

When avast! first decided it didn’t like ST, I tried to run it normally & to Remember the answer but I mustn’t have yelled loud enough as it ignored me and continued with sandboxing it. Since then I’ve just clicked ‘ok’ the required 5 or 6 times when my system starts up so I can use my computer.

Thanks again for your time & expertise : )

Keep in mind that the auto sandboxing feature only suggests that you run
something sandboxed. Should you allow it to run the questionable program
that way and nothing is detected, then the second time you’re asked to
run it sandboxed, simply select to run it regularly and check the box to remember your answer.
Doing this will stop this feature from asking you to run this program sandboxed from then on.

You’re welcome.

Being digitally signed is only one of the things that might be checked, you can right click on the file and select properties if the file is digitally signed it should have a Digital Signatures Tab and that should contain information on its digital signature, image 1 & 2.

Check the avastUI, Additional Protection, AutoSandbox, Settings, from the next window that opens it should list the program that you asked it to remember in the list of exclusions.
Is it there ?
If not you can manually add the file by clicking Add, and the next open dialogue, click the Browse button and navigate to the location of the file and select it. This needs to be the full path to the file that was previously being intercepted by the autosandbox.

Hello there, HI looked in the sandbox last night but didn’t do anything. I went to bed. This morning when Spyware Terminator did its thing, it was no longer in the sandbox. If avasts! powers extend to the telepathic, I’m creeped out AND impressed!

Thank you kindly for your help : )

You’re welcome.