I have submitted about 60-70 malicious files in the past two months without a reply email or a detection of any of them. All of these files are detected by multiple other antivirus programs so they are confirmed to be malware. Is there a preferred way to submit files to avast? I know you receive thousands of files a day but when I used to submit files to Kaspersky and Avira I would receive a response within hours or at most a day and it would then immediately be added to their database. Many of these are PUPs, but still should be detected, I think the option for avast to detect PUPs is one of it’s best features. I have tried submitting files via email, through the program and website. Which is the most preferred?
Generally you don’t get a reply (though at times some have) unless they require more information.
The majority of submission methods are catering for single samples:
submission from the avast chest (you would first have to have manually added it to the chest).
from the avast user interface, Settings > Help > Feedback - Submit to labs.
or through the on-line contact form, http://www.avast.com/contact-form.php?loadStyles for: * Sales inquiries; Technical issues; Website issues; Report false virus alert in file; Report false virus alert on website; Undetected Malware; Press (Media), issues.
So your method of submission for multiple samples would be zipped and password protected (password in the body of the email) sent to virus (at) avast (dot) com - subject Undetected Malware.
Thanks for the reply David, but I know how to submit files, I just wanted to know the preferred method. I have submitted files all three ways and none of these files have been added to the database so i don’t even know if they are receiving them. I own a pc repair business and often repair severely infected computers and take the time to save these files and submit them, I check them first via Jotti’s, VirusTotal etc. to confirm they are malicious prior to submitting them so I don’t waste a techs time reviewing them. When I was a reseller for Kaspersky I had the personal email of one of the analysts so I could submit files directly to him because they knew if I submitted them it was worth their time to review them since the files were common malware that would effect end users.
The preferred method really depends on what you are sending, the main issue is sending multiple samples, these really can’t be filtered into any automated process.
Sending from the other 3 methods really are geared to single sample submission and I know that there is some filtering to try and automate the process somewhat or they really wouldn’t be able to cope with the volumes of new samples that are submitted/discovered/harvested (honey pots, etc.) daily.
The problem with virustotal you may not get a detection by avast on samples that when scanned by the on access scanners may be detected as the on-demand scan can’t replicate these other detection methods.
