Webshield blocks browsing in Win7

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Windows 7 Pro
Avast Free 8.0.1483

For the last year approximately, Avast has blocked all browsing. It affects all browsers. Turning off the Web shield immediately permits browsing.

With the latest update today, email is now blocked too. Turning off the Email shield immediately permits email.

I can’t see any settings to adjust. The only other app that may conflict is Online Armor firewall, but disabling it makes no difference.

Can anyone suggest what is going on here, please?

2

Try a clean install using 8.0.1489
Also what other security software do you have now or ever had?
If uninstalled, how was it uninstalled?

  1. download and save http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility
  2. download and save http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/avast_free_antivirus_setup.exe
  3. run uninstaller from step #1 (you will be prompted to run in “safe mode”, do so.)
  4. reboot into normal mode
  5. install avast from step #2
  6. reboot and register. :slight_smile:
3

Disabling the firewall may not have the desired effect as I believe the drivers would still be running.

Does Online Armor allow avastSvc.exe internet access ?

  • If it does delete the entry for it and reconnect to the internet, this should force the firewall to ask permission again.

You could also put Online Armor into learning mode or whatever it is called in online armor.

4

Thank you. I will try these approaches and see what happens. Will report back later.

In reply to your questions:

  • This is a fresh install of Win7 and only has Avast and Online Armor (I make a disk image of a clean new OS install, then wipe and re-install every now and then).

  • I don’t know if the OA firewall has any implication in these issues or not. By removing it, if nothing else works, then no doubt we’ll find out. It’s true that the most obvious candidate is OA.

  • All Avast functions are fully permitted in both the OA HIPS (program) list and the firewall.

What I propose to do is uninstall and reinstall Avast, using the method described by PN, then put OA into learning mode as described by DR.

Thanks.

5

The most common cause of apparent web shield blocking is in fact other applications (typically firewalls and sometimes other AV installed or remnants) blocking avastSvc.exe.

Firewalls on occasion seem to suffer digital amnesia when programs allowed to connect still can’t. That is why I suggested removing the entry for avastSvc.exe, which in removing the entry may clear that hiccup. So when you try to connect to the internet again it should recreate the entry when you allow it.

I would try that first, before reinstalling avast if for no other reason that this the quicker option and save a reinstall if it works.