Shared folder _avast_ in %TEMP%

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

I am running Avast Internet Security program version 2014.9.0.2008, on a Windows 7 64-bit machine.

I note that there is a shared folder named avast in the %TEMP% folder.

If I delete this folder, it is recreated on reboot.

What is this folder please, and what exactly is it sharing and with whom?

Thank you for any information.

2

i guess you see the folder where avast unpack and scan files…

3

There’s also a file called streaming updates in the location where that temp folder is located. I forgot the exact name but it ain’t there anymore.

4

That this folder exists doesn’t concern me.

It’s that this folder is being shared…that greatly concerns me. That requires explanation if I am to continue to use the product.

5

Nothing is being shared with anybody.
As said, the folder is used e.g. to temporarily unpack archived files during scans.

6

The file that I was talking about called streaming_updates. dat located in the same location as _avast_in %TEMP% is now here. It wasn’t there yesterday.

7

Perhaps you aren’t understanding. The system IS showing this as a shared folder. It is a network share.

That is the cause of my concern.

8

It certainly isn’t a network share here… and it shouldn’t be (avast! doesn’t create any network shares).

9

Here is a screenshot. I have verified that I can actually hit this folder via the path shown from another PC on my network.

10

Interesting . . . Based on your screen shot I just checked my computer and found the same thing! This is with avast Free 2014.9.0.2008.

11

It’s not on my PC though.

12

Have you guys got Homegroups set up?

13

Yes . . . I do . . .

14

I have Homegroups turned off and the services for it disabled and stopped.

I did that after I noticed this, but it did not change anything.

I can delete the shared avast folder, but it will be recreated on reboot, and it is recreated as a network share.

15

Not on my computer either.

Sorry for messy screenshot.

16

I’m sorry, everyone–on further investigation, it is the entire home directory structure that is shared.

This is a Windows 7 behavior that I was not aware of (and don’t care for).

This doesn’t relate to Avast, and please feel free to close or delete this thread as you like.

I found this information at http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/56cbde14-79c3-4b64-b2a1-2d2141b6fed6/why-does-windows-share-the-users-directory-by-default?forum=w7itprogeneral.