Avast is always telling me a particular program is a PUP whenever it does a PUP scan. But that program is something I DO want on my system. How do I tell Avast to ignore that program in future PUP scans? It doesn’t seem to give me the option to add this program to its “safe” list.
Thanks!
John
Hi pintoj, you would need to add the c/program file to the exclusion’s in file system shield and to the (settings) exclusion’s.
You have exclusion lists for the custom scannings and for the whole program as well.
You can exclude PUPs from scannings too.
PUP is potential unwanted program, exactly what you’re facing in: if you want it, keep it. But in other cases it could do harm, so delete it. It’s a PUP 
The exclusions only allow me to put in a folder to exclude, they don’t allow me to specify a particular file. The program is not a PUP to me but it might be to others … which is why I am looking for somewhere in Avast to tell it not to alert me about this particular program.
Thanks!
John
Wrong. You can add files and folders, and also use wildcards “?” and “*”.
This is the definition of a PUP… Different opinions, different uses.
Which is the program name (or site)?
What about turning off PUP scan ? and only have PUP on right click scan…
then you can do it when you have downloaded a file and want to scan it
have you tested the file in question on www.virustotal.com to see what other AV say ?
You can copy and paste the complete path into the exclusions. When using the Browse function, it only goes down to folder level, accept that. Once you see the entry in the exclusions you can edit that entry. Click on the displayed path and change the * at the end for \file_name.exe where file_name.exe is the file you want to exclude.
OK, thanks for that tip! It wasn’t obvious that you could specify a program in the exclusion list since the broswer did not allow you to pick a particular file. Are you sure the exclusion list applies to PUPs too?
You’re welcome.
It doesn’t discriminate, how would it know what the file was without scanning it ;D
Actually I would think there should be a separate exclusion list for PUPs — it just is not a PUP for me. But I would want it scanned for viruses in case it ever got infected. I am guessing Avast doesn’t allow for that distinction right now. (Maybe in a future version???)
In case anyone is interested, the program it is marking as a PUP (but is not for me) is ipscan.exe. (Sometimes called Angry IP Scan) I use it in my office to see what machines are up and running in my office.
Why, it makes no difference if it is a virus, worm, trojan or pup, an exclusion is based on the file/path in the exclusion and not what is on the end of it. That would just make things more complex than they really need to be.
When you elect to scan for PUPs then expect to find them, but you have to be able to discern what is a tool used for good or evil.
If something is flagged as a pup and is something that you use as a tool, etc. then it couldn’t be simpler to a) take no action at the end of the scan on it or b) exclude it from scans if you wish to scan for PUPs.
pintoj, PUPs by nature are considered good for ones, bad for others.
You can exclude the file from all scannings or you can exclude the PUPs from scannings.
Whatever avast could do?
Maybe there could be a way to edit the list of PUP programs? This way I could exclude this program from showing up as a PUP but if it got infected I would still get warned about it.
No, you can’t. This is defined into the virus definitions for all avast users around the world.
You’ll be warned if you exclude PUPs and it is infected by other malware.
You won’t be warned if you make an exclusion of the file.