Hey,
I’m trying to configure avast to have zero internet connections. Unfortunately, I don’t know how. In avast settings area I already set the two community options to off, as well as I set on the modem dial-up option. I still have at least one connection from AvastSvc.exe, connection to e. g. r-253-058-045-005.ff.avast.com. If I close it, another one will pop up some time later.
I’m running XP SP3 with several days system uptime each period.
There is no firewall except the windows built-in one, which is to my knowledge not helpful with outbound connections.
How can I get rid of these connections, please? Are there hidden options somewhere? Or some .ini files? Or did I simply overlook something?
avast need the connection to work at its best.
Why don’t you want avast to receive streaming updates and other things ?
You do know that avastsvc.exe is essential for avast to work?
avastsvc.exe is what allows avast to scan, receive updates and protect your system.
The best way to deny internet access is to disconnect from the internet.
You can configure Windows Firewall to include outbound connections (HIPS).
Control Panel>System and Security>Windows Firewall>Advanced Settings>Outbound>go from there.
@Eddy:
I know, Eddy. And I don’t put into question, that streaming updates are state-of-the-art. That is clearly the case.
But I prefer not to discuss why I need it, please. I just need it, and I really would like to know how I can achieve it.
Thanks for your post, anyway!
@Para-Noid:
I cannot find this outbound option in windows firewalls>advanced.
And yes, I know the Service is essential. There is nothing against it. I don’t intend to stop it or mess around with it. It just shouldn’t be talking.
The XP firewall has no outbound checking.
If you want outbound scanning/rules, you need a third party firewall.
… and guess what: There is no third party firewall, and cannot be one… then it would have been too simple 
Wrong see http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-firewall-protection.htm
And http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/how-install-comodo-firewall.htm
Check my signature I’m running Comodo Firewall.
The only way to “not” have avastsvc.exe is to uninstall avast.
That only begs the question, “why do you “not” want to be protected?”
Not having protection is very illogical, not to mention dangerous.
There are many third party firewalls.
Even avast is offering it in several of the paid versions.
I’m sorry, that was misunderstandable. Of course there could be third party ones. I wanted to express that currently there aren’t any installed, and it should be kept like that.
And again, I don’t want to deinstall avast or whatever. It is even updated once the system boots up. Everything is fine, I only need to know how to make the Service stop talking. That’s it.
You would have to uninstall of the shields with exception of the file system shield and even then that won’t stop all internet access.
The avast Virus Definition Updates are set to automatic, without that enabled your signatures will soon be out of date, leaving you more at risk. That would be the instup.exe connecting to do those checks as far as I’m aware. Then there are the streaming updates and I’m not 100% sure which file would handle that. Next there is the avast emergency update check, a scheduled task activation for AvastEmUpdate.exe.
The file system shield (controlled by the avastSvc.exe is the main scanning engine) and some of its functionality requires checks against the avast cloud database.
The avastUI.exe also communicates settings and how you use the UI to help with future
Short of disabling avast completely there are no settings to completely stop internet access.
As you can see Avast is designed to be a resident on-access scanner, it isn’t designed to be crippled and the more you cripple it the less worth it is.
If you want a on-demand scanner only, there are alternatives
Again, all those functions are good and generally desirable. But for special cases it should be possible to make avast stop talking. Besides being relevant to me, it’s good practice to let the user decide, whether a programs uses the internet connection or not.
I see there is no other solution than leaving avast. Which I do only sadly.
Thanks to everybody having contributed to this topic!
It is a real bad practice to let users decide if a anti-malware application uses the internet or not.
There is almost no user in the world who has any clue about applications/security.