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Problem with AVG Anti-Virus and AutoIt

blitzer99

By blitzer99
in AutoIt General Help and Support

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blitzer99

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I have a problem with the latest release of AVG Professional (version 7.1.371 released 14 Dec 05). It appears to report every AutoIt generated exe as a virus. It disables these executables, whether or not you want them disabled, and otherwise makes it practically impossible to develop AutoIt applications.

I have reported the problem to the AVG developers - hopefully they will fix this problem promptly. Does anyone else have this problem?

Computers don't solve problems, they just rearrange them.New string TRIM() functions for AutoIt3

seandisanti Universalist

seandisanti

Posted
Posted

I have a problem with the latest release of AVG Professional (version 7.1.371 released 14 Dec 05). It appears to report every AutoIt generated exe as a virus. It disables these executables, whether or not you want them disabled, and otherwise makes it practically impossible to develop AutoIt applications.

I have reported the problem to the AVG developers - hopefully they will fix this problem promptly. Does anyone else have this problem?

just for laughs, do a search of this forum for "virus scanner"
seandisanti Universalist

seandisanti

Posted
Posted

?? OK, so I appear to have two choices - stop using virus protection or stop using AutoIt. :P

or plan C, use good antivirus software that doesn't blindly flag all executables packaged with UPX, or that allows you to decide how to treat issues that it identifies instead of just deleting the files.
w0uter Universalist

w0uter

Posted
Posted

or plan C, use good antivirus software that doesn't blindly flag all executables packaged with UPX, or that allows you to decide how to treat issues that it identifies instead of just deleting the files.

omg i was gonna say that. but since you sayd it im gonna propose something else.

dont pack your exectuables with upx. (place a dummy executable over your upx.exe)

My UDF's:;mem stuff_Mem;ftp stuff_FTP ( OLD );inet stuff_INetGetSource ( OLD )_INetGetImage _INetBrowse ( Collection )_EncodeUrl_NetStat_Google;random stuff_iPixelSearch_DiceRoll

blitzer99 Wayfarer

blitzer99

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or plan C, use good antivirus software that doesn't blindly flag all executables packaged with UPX, or that allows you to decide how to treat issues that it identifies instead of just deleting the files.

I'm afraid to say AVG AV has a more sophisticated approach even than what you suggest. It gave me the option of deleting, ignoring or moving the exe file to its virus vault. I chose the ignore option. So what does it do? It does something to the exe file to make it completely unusable! It is not done via attribute settings, something more cunning. If I try and run the exe file Windows says that I don't have rights to run it any more (hey, I'm admin).

But wait, there's more. Even as I write this there is an automatic AVG update applied that seems to change things again. I can actually run some of my AutoIt executables now. But the other ones it has already found appear to be history. Time to roll out the backup.

Computers don't solve problems, they just rearrange them.New string TRIM() functions for AutoIt3

seandisanti Universalist

seandisanti

Posted
Posted

I'm afraid to say AVG AV has a more sophisticated approach even than what you suggest. It gave me the option of deleting, ignoring or moving the exe file to its virus vault. I chose the ignore option. So what does it do? It does something to the exe file to make it completely unusable! It is not done via attribute settings, something more cunning. If I try and run the exe file Windows says that I don't have rights to run it any more (hey, I'm admin).

But wait, there's more. Even as I write this there is an automatic AVG update applied that seems to change things again. I can actually run some of my AutoIt executables now. But the other ones it has already found appear to be history. Time to roll out the backup.

i'm sorry if i over simplified the explanation of why your AV sucks. Please refer to plan C

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SmOke_N Universalist

SmOke_N

Posted
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Posted

omg i was gonna say that. but since you sayd it im gonna propose something else.

dont pack your exectuables with upx. (place a dummy executable over your upx.exe)

Sorry, I won't even pretend I know what you're talking about.

Rename your UPX.exe to UPX_2.exe or something, then make a replacement for UPX.exe Named UPX.exe using notepad or something. I think that's where he's heading with that... I know he's done some hacking around in that area, so he's probably much more versed in it than I am.

Common sense plays a role in the basics of understanding AutoIt... If you're lacking in that, do us all a favor, and step away from the computer.

erebus Universalist

erebus

Posted
Posted

Sorry, I won't even pretend I know what you're talking about.

It's on the helpfile:

UPX.exe The UPX compressor (shinks the size of exe files).

By default a lot of 'lame' virus scanners tag anything UPX-compressed as a virus.

Not so sophisticated, don't you think?

My point of view: Use a traditional, with a high user base, virus scanner. Those new 'super-dooper' cheap, fast, fancy programs may be better in some cases but they lack of something very important: the experience.

Don't push your luck with them. Leave them aside for 4-5 years and come again to see what happened with their evolution. :P

MSLx Fanboy Universalist

MSLx Fanboy

Posted
Posted

What version of AutoIt are you using?

IIRC correctly, most of the virus scanning issues AutoIt has had was with scripts compiled pre-3.1.1 public (3.1.0.* line)

Writing AutoIt scripts since 

_DateAdd("d", -2, _NowCalcDate())
blitzer99 Wayfarer

blitzer99

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It's on the helpfile:

By default a lot of 'lame' virus scanners tag anything UPX-compressed as a virus.

Not so sophisticated, don't you think?

My point of view: Use a traditional, with a high user base, virus scanner. Those new 'super-dooper' cheap, fast, fancy programs may be better in some cases but they lack of something very important: the experience.

Don't push your luck with them. Leave them aside for 4-5 years and come again to see what happened with their evolution. :P

Yes, agree. My one scores a big "Duh" in this case. Maybe it's time to change. I have had a good run with AVG up to now. Tried others and they have come up well short too when the going gets tough and compatibility problems appear. Past experience with Symantec falls into this category. I'm considering NOD. Other recommendations?

Computers don't solve problems, they just rearrange them.New string TRIM() functions for AutoIt3

MHz Universalist

MHz

Posted
Posted

I highly recommend Avast!. Avast! is very AutoIt friendly. No Compiled AutoIt executable incidents yet, touch wood. Detection of evil stuff is very good also. False-positives are still at 0 to record from myself. I been using it for approx. 18 months. :P

JSThePatriot Universalist

JSThePatriot

Posted
Posted

I highly recommend Avast!. Avast! is very AutoIt friendly. No Compiled AutoIt executable incidents yet, touch wood. Detection of evil stuff is very good also. False-positives are still at 0 to record from myself. I been using it for approx. 18 months. :P

I was going to say the exact same thing. I have hated AV for years. I tried AntiVir, but Avast! is so much better.

I havent had a problem with it or even noticed a slight sluggishness in my system like I do with AVG, Norton's, or McAffee.

I just wanted to post and re-affirm that this is exactly what I would recommend.

JS

AutoIt Links

File-String Hash Plugin Updated! 04-02-2008 Plugins have been discontinued. I just found out.

ComputerGetInfo UDF's Updated! 11-23-2006

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Vortex Revolutions Engineer / Inventor (Web, Desktop, and Mobile Applications, Hardware Gizmos, Consulting, and more)

Mikey Seeker

Mikey

Posted
Posted

I have a problem with the latest release of AVG Professional (version 7.1.371 released 14 Dec 05). It appears to report every AutoIt generated exe as a virus. It disables these executables, whether or not you want them disabled, and otherwise makes it practically impossible to develop AutoIt applications.

I have reported the problem to the AVG developers - hopefully they will fix this problem promptly. Does anyone else have this problem?

Just tried the same AVG release as yours, no problem here. No problem with Bitdefender either.

LxP Universalist

LxP

Posted
Posted (edited)

I chose the ignore option. So what does it do? It does something to the exe file to make it completely unusable! It is not done via attribute settings, something more cunning.

No, nothing cunning. AVG doesn't modify a file that you have instructed to 'ignore' -- it simply blocks access to it until it believes that it's safe to run. During this time Windows therefore can't run it and will show an error.

I don't understand why I appear to be the only one on these forums that has had no trouble with AVG Free Edition and AutoIt ever. (Well, Mikey has stated no problems with AVG Professional.)

Edit: Perhaps it's because I only actively use the beta and never compile any scripts? Shrug.

Edited by LxP
blitzer99 Wayfarer

blitzer99

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I have a problem with the latest release of AVG Professional (version 7.1.371 released 14 Dec 05). It appears to report every AutoIt generated exe as a virus. It disables these executables, whether or not you want them disabled, and otherwise makes it practically impossible to develop AutoIt applications.

I have reported the problem to the AVG developers - hopefully they will fix this problem promptly. Does anyone else have this problem?

It looks like the problem in AVG is now fixed. The latest update (7.1.371 with virus definitions database 267.14.1/204) now no longer flags AutoIt 3 exe files. I was also able to recover my quarantined files from the AVG virus vault.

Many thanks to everyone for their help. I will be taking a closer look at Avast.

Computers don't solve problems, they just rearrange them.New string TRIM() functions for AutoIt3

trids Universalist

trids

Posted
Posted

..

I don't understand why I appear to be the only one on these forums that has had no trouble with AVG Free Edition and AutoIt ever. (Well, Mikey has stated no problems with AVG Professional.)

..

If it helps, I haven't had any problems with AVG either (Free Edition), and I've been using it for about 5 or 6 years. Maybe my updates simply have always skipped their slip-ups.

:P

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