High CPU usage for com.avast.proxy on Mac

Platform
MacBook Air
13-inch, Early 2014
Processor 1.7 GHz Intel Core i7
Memory 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
Software OS X 10.9.5 (13F34)

Avast Mac Security 2015
Version: 10.0 (43029)
Virus definitions version: 14102200

com.avast.proxy is consuming > 100% of CPU. I allowed to run overnight in the hopes that there was some process that needed to complete. Still running very high. Is there a solution?

UPDATE: If I quit the com.avast.proxy process, the process restarts with a very small (expected) usage. It then begins to creep up in usage over time. After about 15 minutes or so, it is > 50% and the CPU fans start to spin up. This appears to be repeatable.

UPDATE: Here is the information captured in the console;
10/22/14 9:49:05.844 AM com.avast.proxy[6441]: Starting daemon.
10/22/14 9:49:14.719 AM com.avast.proxy[6441]: swquery.apple.com:https: nodename nor servname provided, or not known
10/22/14 10:20:57.000 AM kernel[0]: process com.avast.proxy[6441] thread 252001 caught burning CPU! It used more than 50% CPU (Actual recent usage: 52%) over 180 seconds. thread lifetime cpu usage 90.015240 seconds, (17.339196 user, 72.676044 system) ledger info: balance: 90003328083 credit: 90003328083 debit: 0 limit: 90000000000 (50%) period: 180000000000 time since last refill (ns): 172814921722
10/22/14 10:21:03.522 AM spindump[6602]: Saved cpu_resource.spin report for com.avast.proxy version ??? (???) to /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.avast.proxy_2014-10-22-102103_AirGhizmo.cpu_resource.spin
10/22/14 10:33:31.532 AM com.avast.proxy[6441]: SIGTERM/SIGINT received. Exiting.

From /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.avast.proxy_2014-10-22-102103_AirGhizmo.cpu_resource.spin;
Date/Time: 2014-10-22 10:18:03 -0500
OS Version: 10.9.5 (Build 13F34)
Architecture: x86_64
Report Version: 18

Command: com.avast.proxy
Path: /Library/Application Support/Avast/*/com.avast.proxy
Version: ??? (???)
Parent: launchd [1]

PID: 6441
Event: cpu usage (microstackshots only)
Thread: 0x3d861 (52% cpu over 174 seconds)
Duration: 174.00s
Steps: 176

Hardware model: MacBookAir6,2
Active cpus: 4
Fan speed: 5075 rpm

Powerstats for: com.avast.proxy [6441] thread 0x3d861
Start time: 2014-10-22 10:18:09 -0500
End time: 2014-10-22 10:20:57 -0500
Parent: launchd
Microstackshots: 109 samples (61%)
Primary state: 108 samples Non-Frontmost App, Non-Background Priority, Kernel mode
User Activity: 0 samples Idle, 109 samples Active
Power Source: 0 samples on Battery, 109 samples on AC
109 thread_start + 13 (libsystem_pthread.dylib) [0x7fff88408fc9]
109 _pthread_start + 137 (libsystem_pthread.dylib) [0x7fff8840472a]
109 _pthread_body + 138 (libsystem_pthread.dylib) [0x7fff88404899]
109 imap_handler + 3135 (com.avast.proxy) [0x10001495f]
109 _platform_memmove$VARIANT$Unknown + 41 (libsystem_platform.dylib) [0x7fff84662b29]
1

Binary Images:
0x100000000 - 0x10001bff7 com.avast.proxy /Library/Application Support/Avast/*/com.avast.proxy
0x7fff8465f000 - 0x7fff84665ff7 libsystem_platform.dylib (24.90.1) <3C3D3DA8-32B9-3243-98EC-D89B9A1670B3> /usr/lib/system/libsystem_platform.dylib
0x7fff88403000 - 0x7fff8840aff7 libsystem_pthread.dylib (53.1.4) /usr/lib/system/libsystem_pthread.dylib

What IMAP accounts do you use? Only the gmail hosted one for ghizmo.com?

I have several. ghizmo.com, globalthought.org, and allotime.com. These are all gmail hosted.

What email client (exact version) do you use?

Hi Tumic,

Thank you for jumping in here. I use gmail for the three IMAP accounts I mentioned a moment ago.

As it turns out, I have resolved the problem however, I have been unable to recreate it. It seems that upon closing some tabs in Chrome, the com.avast.proxy process has settled down. It is not uncommon for me to have 25 - 30 tabs open at a time. I closed about 6 or 7 of them just because I did not need them any longer. None of the closed tabs were gmail.

I noticed that the problem went away so I reopened the tabs however the problem did not reoccur.

I will keep watch and see if it happens again and will post an update.

New information…

The problem of com.avast.proxy burning through CPU has not gone away. I have tried replicating the problem and possible offending Chrome tab by shutting down tabs one-at-a-time and the process never dipped and stayed > 50%.

I really need Avast to help out here or I will be forced to remove the program.

The problem is caused by a mailshield (IMAP) connection, so no wonder it has
not gone away after closing some HTTP connections. So the question remains
the same - what email client do you use and what email servers are you connecting
to?

Hi Tumic,

I use gmail via Chrome (38.0.2125.104) for my email client. I also have Outlook 2011 connecting to an Exchange account. Does this answer the question?

Thanks!

Tumic,

You are right on about the problem being related to Mail Shield. I shut that one down and com.avast.proxy returns to minimal usage.

Now we have at least a part of the whole story - the IMAP client is Outlook 2011. The Exchange server
is some local company server that is not public, I guess?

I know, this is clear since you posted the diagnostic report. That’s why I’m trying to get info about
IMAP accounts from you…

Correct. Outlook is used for access to corporate email. Note: I have shutdown Outlook and that does not drop com.avast.proxy’s usage.

Just wondering if Avast has a fix or diagnoses for com.avast.proxy mail shield taking up so much CPU?

Until we are able to reproduce the issue (which we are not with the provided info), there will be
no diagnoses or even a fix. A workaround is to disable the mailshield or at least create an exception
for the server causing the issue.

Hmmm… Okay… So Avast has decided to punt.

If you want more diagnostic information, I am happy to provide.

I don’t think this answered yet.