The AvastUI just opened all on it's own.

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

I was sitting away from my computer but not out of view of the monitor and as I’m sitting there, mind you my computer had been idle for quite some time at this point, Avast just opens up on it’s own.

I’ve used avast for a long time and it has never done this before.

For clarification I’m using Windows 7 64-bit version 19.5.2378 (build 19.5.4444.503) and it just opened the standard avast interface “You are protected” screen.

2

I can’t say this is a cause in your situation, But I have in the past, on occasion had a UI open for no apparent reason however have ‘thought’ it might be an ‘internal update’ that happen in the background.
Keeping in mind that after regular up-front updates to Avast installation, the GUI always opens with my installations.
Just a thought.

3

Yeah, I was thinking it was something like that, as long as it doesn’t become a thing that happens frequently I can deal with it since Avast’s protection is so great.

Just scared me and made me very paranoid.

4

You’ve got Avast Self-Defense turned on?

5

I think I do, where do I check that again?

Edit: Avast Self-Defense is on but I have always had Hardened Mode off.

6

What Self-Defense will do is notify you of any unauthorized attempts to change real-time protections or program settings not made by you and ask permission to allow such changes. If you did not cause these changes simply deny and be done with it.

I’d recommend turning on Hardened Mode as an extra layer of protection. Reboot.

7

You think something serious might be wrong or just suggesting precautions?

8

Just suggesting precautions.

If you did not see self-defense spring into action (as it would if an outside entity opened your GUI from outside) you’ve nothing to worry about.

If Avast is operating as usual, and nothing was changed, no worries.

Entirely possible to click on the Avast icon in the taskbar by mistake when you meant to click something else next to it and and also Avast GUI can take some time to open on the desktop (two to three minutes in some cases, or, in another user’s case, ten minutes). I recall version 17’s GUI was very slow to open a while back.

You can test your real-time protection here (and don’t worry you are safe to do so): https://www.amtso.org/security-features-check/

This test suite is quite extensive in scope.