Windows found this pua:win32/coinminer as a malware threat but not avast. What is it and how do I remove it. Windows also shows unwanted applications warning however it will not tell me what the application is.
Since you don’t give any details of the detection, file name or location it is hard to suggest why or what else to do.
I can’t see why Defender would indicate a malware threat without giving options to delete or ignore it.
Unwanted applications are only unwanted if you didn’t install them for a specific purpose, but for Defender to say you have unwanted applications without giving details isn’t helpful at all.
Why are you running Defender scans ?
I have mine disabled (as happens when you install a 3rd party AV) and don’t allow it to run periodic scans.
pua:win32/coinminer = PUA = potentially unwanted application
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potentially_unwanted_program
What is it and how do I remove it.[b]Coinminers [/b]
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/threat-protection/intelligence/coinminer-malware
https://blog.trendmicro.com/trendlabs-security-intelligence/tag/coinminer/
When is a pua a “pua”, so potentially unwanted?
Everything that came onto your device without your explicit intent,
so whatever you did not have installed willfully yourself is a potentially unwanted application.
Just as simple as that is formulated.
And accordingly such an application should be disabled and removed.
When that is too complicated for yourself to achieve,
ask assistance from a qualified malware remover here.
polonus
Here is what I found under affected items. Mind you I am not savy when it comes to infections on my computer.
I did open one of the web links noticed, zoom had issues with malware on download. I will uninstall zoom.
Here are the affected items
Affected items:
file: C:\Program Files (x86)\Avast Driver Updater\Avast Driver Updater.exe
file: C:\WINDOWS\System32\Tasks\Avast Driver Updater Startup->(UTF-16LE)
file: C:\WINDOWS\Tasks\Avast Driver Updater Startup.job
process: pid:22888,ProcessStart:132416841381738766
process: pid:4416,ProcessStart:132422174374333976
process: pid:4748,ProcessStart:132400504591624015
regkey: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\TaskCache\Tasks{16F426B1-CD50-4ADE-8EF2-C45AE3BC6769}
regkey: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\TaskCache\Tree\Avast Driver Updater Startup
taskscheduler: C:\WINDOWS\System32\Tasks\Avast Driver Updater Startup
taskscheduler: C:\WINDOWS\Tasks\Avast Driver Updater Startup.job
I dont know what all this means, but if you can put this into layman terms I would be greaful.
Thank you for the help.
In layman’s terms MS Defender this is a classic case of one security application believing what Avast antivirus is doing (e.g. its job).
Even so these aren’t giving actual file named, but PIDs or
Aside from the first line:
file: C:\Program Files (x86)\Avast Driver Updater\Avast Driver Updater.exe
Though Defender doesn’t actually say what the problem is !
Or is it related to your first post comment ‘pua:win32/coinminer’ ?
Even so all files like this processes/executable files would be digitally signed and Defender isn’t even considering this. Why, I guess it doesn’t like other AVs installed 
Or pretty much what I said in Reply #1
ZOOM only has issues with Malware when it’s not downloaded from the official site.
ZOOM is perfectly safe and contains no malware when downloaded from [b]https://zoom.us/download[/b]