Behavior Shield causes hang in Visual Studio 11 Preview x86 compiler

Avast Business Avast Endpoint Protection
1

I recently encountered an issue with Behavior Shield (Avast business protection, version 6.0.1345) causing an application to hang. The application is Microsoft’s Visual Studio 11 Preview, running on x64 Windows 7. If Behavior Shield’s “Monitor the system for unauthorized modifications” is enabled, attempting to compile a simple x86 C++ application will hang. Adding “[PathToVS11]VC\bin\cl.exe” to the trusted process and still having the setting enabled list is one possible workaround.

I reported the issue to Microsoft Connect (https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/details/705092/vs11-cl-exe-hangs-using-100-cpu-when-building-via-visual-studio), and the issue is not theirs, but Avast’s. How do I go about submitting an official bug report so this issue in your product can be resolved?

Thanks,
Steve

Edit 12/13/2011: Added SKU and Version of Avast Product

2

Hi, reporting a problem through this forum should be sufficient (if it’s not missed). We’ll try to reproduce it in our environment. And we’ll contact you if there will be some questions (or we’ll be unsuccessful)

thank you

3

@StevenBone, do you still have those dumps you uploaded to MS? …because we were unable to simulate this problem. Thanks.

4

@pk, I did not keep a copy of them, although it is pretty simple to reproduce in our environment. They are quite large, however, around 250 MB zipped if I recall correctly. Since I have to do it over again, is there another process you would like a dump of? How can I get them to you?

Thanks,
Steve

5

when you’ll have those dump files upload them to our ftp.avast.com/incoming
It’s readonly ftp therefore you won’t see the uploaded files (we do ;))

thx

6

One of my co-worker wrote: “I tested this with empty c++ project. Compile was successful.”
You can dump cl.exe process only and upload it on our ftp (http://support.avast.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=18).
Do you compile the projects only on your local machine, or on multiple computers? Thanks.

7

I uploaded a dump and a sample solution to compile. If it were a managed C++ solution your coworker created, it does not hang. Try the one included to make sure the project type is correct.

The file I uploaded is called StevenBone_for_pk_cl.exe_hang.zip.

Currently I am the only one at the workplace using Visual Studio 11, and it is on my machine only. I had no problems compiling until central IT removed our old AV solution and pushed Avast via Active Directory.

I am also running it at home on my PC using a competitor’s antivirus solution (different from old one at work) without issue.

If you need anything else, please ask away!

Steve