"Avast Secure Browser," Is this the new Avast browser??

Avast Secure Browser Avast Secure Browser for Windows
1

Hey there, I signed up on here just to ask a question. I’m on Windows 7, 64 bit. Today I noticed that a new browser icon has appeared on my desktop called “Avast Secure Browser.”

https://i.imgur.com/W03mmmP.png

At first the old ‘Avast SafeZone Browser’ icon was still pinned to my task bar, so I got suspicious and scanned this new icon, both Avast and Malwarebytes, said it was fine.

Googling it only gave results about the avast Safezone browser, so that’s why I’m asking here. I hope I’m not making a duplicate post, and sorry if this is the wrong forum for this. I haven’t opened it yet, just to be safe. Opening its file location seems to lead to
“C:\Program Files (x86)\AVAST Software\Browser.”
However, there is a discrepancy, as opening the ‘Avast Free Antivirus’ file location leads to a folder with the same name in the other program files folder. If it was an official browser, shouldn’t they be in the same folder?
“C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast.”

I restarted my computer (after a full Malwarebytes revealed 99 things related to an optional Chrome extension PUP called ‘SearchManager’ that I thought I had already gotten rid of the last time I scanned, i blame my brothers) and the old Safezone’s icon was replaced with one of those broken icons. Trying to use the SafeZone browser says “the item ‘launcher.exe’ that this shortcut refers to has been changed or moved, so this shortcut will no longer work properly.”

Looking inside the ‘AVAST Software’ folder that has ‘Avast’ in it also has a folder called ‘SZBrowser,’ and the sole contents of that folder is a windows batch file named “k”. …I kinda stupidly clicked that one expecting it to just say I needed some other program to open it but it ran a quick command prompt box then the box disappeared too fast for me to see everything else that was written in it other than the word ‘Avast Safezone.’ It doesn’t seem to have done anything, and both Avast and Malwarebytes says the k batch file is clean.

Thank you so much for reading all the way through my post! :smiley: What do you guys think of this, if anyone replies. :slight_smile:

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Well I’ll take a lack of reply within 24 hours as a no, and that nobody knows about it. I will probably just delete this mysterious browser in a few days when I feel like it. Thank-you again to anyone who read and considered my post, even though nobody had an answer for me. :slight_smile:

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Hi Stego,

Yes this is an Avast product, this is our newest browser which will replace Avast Safezone Browser in the upcoming months,

Regarding a response, please accept my apology, best option if you require a response within a time limit would be to contact our support team —> https://support.avast.com/en-en

4

Hello,
I have 270+ days on my licence for Avast Premier and since renewing it, all was working well, that is until the new Safezone browser version 4.58.2552.909 was automatically updated. Now I have no Bank Mode, no bottom bar, no big red button in the bottom right corner and the credit card tells me ‘Safezone browser failed to load’. I run Windows 7, 64bit and have been an Avast customer for a number of years because of the security with Pay mode (Bank mode). I now find I have paid for a product that doesn’t deliver. And yes I have sent a message last week to the support address, but no answer yet, Avast request No.05632984.
I don’t think I’m alone according to forums. Please let me know how I can overcome this problem and quickly…banking doesn’t wait!