Avast Webshield blocking downloads

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

I haven’t noticed any updates to Avast but in the past two days I noticed I can’t download a podcast when my webshield is up.

This my version info: http://s24.postimg.org/8q926rhzp/Untitled.png

The podcast in question is Giant Bomb’s Bombcast. It’s a pretty well known site, owned by CBS and has proper certificates and everything so there’s no reason it’d get flagged by anti-virus software. More importantly I’ve downloaded from this site for the past two years that I’ve had Avast and never had any issues. Now it blocks the download through the site itself (giantbomb.com) and through the iTunes program as well. I have to disable WebShield in order for it to work.

I’m posting this issue because I’m wondering if I might run into other issues and this is just the first sign. Any help would be appreciated.

2

Have you tried a different browser ?

The podcast is working without a problem for me in FireFox 43, Maxthon 4.4.8.1000 and Chrome 31.0.1650.48
Not in IE 8 and Opera 12.17

3

Not sure what Podcast, or if any that you can’t download or do you mean just play ?

I just tried a random one -www.giantbomb.com/podcasts/giant-bombs-game-of-the-year-2015-day-two/1600-1449/. I clicked the Download mp3 file and it started playing it, not what I would expect from a download link.

Right clicking on the Download mp3 button and selecting Save Link as (in Firefox 43.0.3) latest avast free version on XP Pro SP3 and it started downloading immediately.

Are you getting any errors displayed to the screen ?

What avast version are you using free/pro/ais/premier, also what version number (11.1.2245 being the latest) ?

4

I get a security alert on that link: - http://s24.postimg.org/8q926rhzp/Untitled.png
Just break it. Risky behavior was been alerted on that site.
Consider for that alert the landing here: http://www.domxssscanner.com/scan?url=http%3A%2F%2Fs24.postimg.org%2F8q926rhzp%2FUntitled.png
-http://s24.postimg.org
Detected libraries:
jquery - 1.7 : -http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.7/jquery.min.js
Info: Severity: medium
http://bugs.jquery.com/ticket/11290
http://research.insecurelabs.org/jquery/test/
jquery - 1.7.2 : (active1) -http://s24.postimg.org
Info: Severity: medium
http://bugs.jquery.com/ticket/11290
http://research.insecurelabs.org/jquery/test/
(active) - the library was also found to be active by running code
2 vulnerable libraries detected

polonus (volunteer security analyst and website error-hunter)

5

No security alert, I just view the about avast image that is there.

That may because of NoScript and or RequestPolicy add-ons in firefox 43.0.3.

6

So did I.

7

I just googled “image hosting” and used that website because imgur was down when I made the thread.

It appears that disabling web shield continues to solve the problem for each podcast every day, and I haven’t seen other problems pop up. I was expecting response akin to “yeah I’ve had problems too!” but if it’s just me then maybe they’re uploading the podcast in a different way because it’s over the Holidays and they’re doing it remotely so it’s flagging it. So it might go away when they come back the first tuesday of January. If not I’ll report back.

8

Disabling Web Shield certainly leaves you unprotected and is not a recommended alternative.

9

No it’s not, but the responses haven’t suggested an alternative, and I wanted to listen to the podcast. I only turn it off for the duration of the download (less than a minute).

I just tried a random one -www.giantbomb.com/podcasts/giant-bombs-game-of-the-year-2015-day-two/1600-1449/. I clicked the Download mp3 file and it started playing it, not what I would expect from a download link.

Right clicking on the Download mp3 button and selecting Save Link as (in Firefox 43.0.3) latest avast free version on XP Pro SP3 and it started downloading immediately.

Are you getting any errors displayed to the screen ?

What avast version are you using free/pro/ais/premier, also what version number (11.1.2245 being the latest) ?


That is indeed the podcast. With webshield up the podcast will not play, and will not download. Windows will initiate a download, like I can pick a place where to save it on my computer, but it will sit at “0kb a second” until I turn off web shield, then it will immediately start downloading. I can reproduce this issue 10 out of 10 times.

Changing the browser does not make a difference. I usually use Chrome. I tried FireFox and Internet Explorer and it made no difference. And again, web shield affects downloads that go through iTunes, as in the actual program, which is devoid of a browser at all. Downloads in iTunes will also sit at 0kb a second until I disable Web Shield, this I can also reproduce 10 out of 10 times.

My program version is 11.1.2245, as shown in my first post. The “Virus definitions version” is 151230-1." I pay for this version of Avast. I don’t know why a generic image hosting website is being flagged on this website. That’s a little absurd.

Additional information: I have a credit card and I was checking my recent transactions, but the tab would not load. I’ve never had issues before. The website itself was working but when I specifically clicked “Recent transactions” the website would load forever, without actually getting to the page. On a hunch I disabled Web Shield, and the “recent transactions” tab loaded instantly. It appears this is affecting more than just the podcast.

Did a new version of Avast roll out recently or something?

10
Did a new version of Avast roll out recently or something?
Except for beta releases, 2016.11.1.2245 is the latest avast version.

Since I and others can listen to the podcast with the webshield enabled, there is something on your system not working properly.
What exact OS/SP do you have ?
Is there any other security (related) software installed ? (or was there)
e.g. other av, firewall, mbam, script blocker, add blocker etc. etc.
Are you using a proxy server ?

11

I’m not someone who plays around with computers past the defaults so there really shouldn’t be anything weird going on past what you’d expect a typical computer to have. The only “security” I have is ad block extensions and Blur (formerly known as “don’t track me” installed through Google Chrome, but again these wouldn’t affect other browsers or iTunes. I don’t run a proxy server.

Avast is the only anti-virus I have.