I am using Avast Free 18.4.2338 and PC has just updated to Win10 version 1803 today. I had problems with UI not firing up after the 1803 update, but after a couple of re-boots that seems fixed. I am more concerned about Smart Scan, which is now different from before the Win10 1803 update.
There appears to be a mismatch between what Smart Scan does and what it is selected to do.
So no replies, must be a sunny weekend.
I thought I had spotted something not right, but guess there are more important issues affecting the product.
It would be good to know if what I have found is “by design” or is indeed a flaw.
Does that on mine also and I have a very minimal installation. I either do a custom install or update the program from the UI, but I can’t recall if you can even deselect the sensitive data component.
To protect Sensitive data I believe you have to have a paid avast program that includes it (possibly Premier). So it looks very like it is there to try and flog you a paid version.
If it happened to find some unprotected sensitive documents - I would bet the Resolve All button would offer a paid option. For me it is just finding out of date Flash Version.
Sensitive Data Shield shows with padlock (exclusion) under Privacy tab on my Avast Free version. Like you say, running it will nudge to upgrade to paid version without doubt.
The problem being there is nowhere to stop that component from being loaded or to remove it. If it wasn’t there it couldn’t possibly do this scan (and it takes time).
In all honesty on-demand scans are much depreciated, I rarely bother outside of beta testing (I don’t do much of that now) or as a result of a topic in the forums, such as yours.
With a resident (on-access) scanner the need for on-demand scans is much depreciated. For the most part dormant/inert files are being scanned, the other active files are going to be scanned by the resident shields when they are activated.
Some of the options in the Smart Scan may be an exception as they aren’t done by any other shield/component.
The funny thing is that I want it to run in Smart-Scan but it doesn’t show up here.
Seems the Avast Free users stole the Sensitive Data Scan from Premier… ;D
Thanks Asyn for referring to it as a bug. I hope this now gets referred to the Devs.
The Sensitive Data component is not avalable to Free users so why include it in Smart Scan. It is unwanted by me and unlike other components cannot be switched off in settings.
It is a real nuisance because if you run Smart Scan and hit resolve issues it pulls up a sales page of Update or Keep Free version, but ths page is faulty as it is not possible to select keep Free Version as clicking that box on the left side does nothing at all. So the only action available is X this window then X again the free trial Window. I seem to remember Bob instructing another user to do this to escape the dead end. This is a second bug IMO and will just confuse and frustrate less tech savy users just wanting no bells free antivirus.
I hope the Devs can sort these bugs out without creating more issues, as things seem to be getting worse with each new version.
Thanks,
Ed
Yes this settings is broken now. We plan to completely scrap this setting and rather make it possible to create a custom scan based on Smart Scan. But the main SmartScan will have the items fixed.
OK, it makes sense to have the settings all in one place. Though in this case, scans in the Smart Scan of components that supposedly haven’t even been installed, yet have the functionality to run a scan !!!
Components that aren’t listed and installed in the Avast Installation shouldn’t be able to run in the Smart Scan. If a component hasn’t been installed (for reasons of the user) it shouldn’t mysteriously be able to run in the Smart Scan (not very smart).
Why is Smart Scan now broken? It was sort of fine before. Not perfect though, as I have encountered the Sensitive Data scan once before, after an Avast version update. That time, after I rejecting the “upgrade” cross selling offer, it went away. Not this time though.
Surely Smart scan can be fixed to pull up just installed components, not all components, available to Free version. Martin’s dev proposal seems a retrograde step to me. I find the Smart Scan green button is handy on UI to manually run essential scan elements once in a while, but is not a good feature as it stands.
Dissapointed that this “Smart Scan” issue has not been fixed in 18.5.2342. Scan of sensitive data is still included and cannot be deselected in Smart Scan settings.
I have just upgraded from Avast Free v18.4 to v18.5.2342 - and I am no longer seeing the “Unprotected Sensitive Documents” scan occur as part of Smart Scan. No new config options are present, but the Sensitive Document warnings have stopped.
If you are still seeing Sensitive Data warnings from Smart Scan (using v18.5)
you could try re-saving the default Smart Scan Customisation options
this may clear the incorrect config option that got set by the faulty version.
I turned on “Scan All Files” - then saved the change (by clicking the OK button)
and then went back and turned it back off and saved again.
