Help - Avast feezes on scan

system · 2006-12-21T23:04:41.000Z

I recently downloaded and installed avast4workstation1.0.6-1 rpm on my FC6 box. I ran a scan and found a Nutcracker virus in the file /usr/share/locale/pa/LC_MESSAGES/redhat-artwork.mo. I did a little searching on the net and found that there had been some false alarms regarding a nutcracker virus. So, I let the scan continue and at the file /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.1/config the scan locked up. It locked up the entire machine. ^C wouldn’t kill it and ^D wouldn’t kill the shell. I have 3 questions:
(1) is it true that virus detections should be taken with a grain of salt since there are sometime false alarms?
(2) What is going on with the scan locking up?
(3) Is there a way to avoid it from locking up?

Sorry for any ignorance on my part. I am new to linux and new to avast.

Thanks,
BAL

Lisandro · 2006-12-21T23:55:27.000Z

BAL post:1:

(1) is it true that virus detections should be taken with a grain of salt since there are sometime false alarms?

Well, to know if a file is a false positive, please submit it to JOTTI or VirusTotal and let us know the result. If it is indeed a false positive, send it in a password protected zip to virus@avast.com
Please, mention in the body of the message why you think it is a false positive and the password used. Thanks.

BAL post:1:

(2) What is going on with the scan locking up?

It shouldn’t lock up… What happens if you run avast as root?

BAL post:1:

(3) Is there a way to avoid it from locking up?

As a workaround, you can add these files to the Exclusion list into the program settings.

BAL post:1:

Sorry for any ignorance on my part. I am new to linux and new to avast.

You don’t have to be sorry. We’re all learning here

system · 2006-12-22T00:27:31.000Z

Thanks for the quick response. I will send the file to VirusTotal and let you know.
I am running the avast as root when it locks up. I have tried it several times and it locks up in the GUI enviorment and the command line at the same point.

Thanks,
BAL

chocholo · 2006-12-28T10:55:32.000Z

I think that you should add /sys/* into exlusions from scan. Same for /dev/* and /proc/* as these directories are not real files/directories but interfaces for communication with linux kernel/devices.

system · 2006-12-28T13:13:12.000Z

It’s a bug in the avast! engine library. It has been fixed.
We will release a newer version of avast4workstation package after New Year’s Eve. Please, add /sys directory into exclusions list.

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