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William ReynoldsWilliam Reynolds 

Is this a false positive and why?

firefox update blocked by AVG?

AVG popped up with "threat detected" C:\PROGRAM FILES (x86)MOZILLA FIREFOX\UPDATED\FIREFOX.EXE Firefox had automatically updated to 45.0.2 2 or 3 hours before...Was this a threat or was firefox trying to update again?? AVG "removed the threat" AVG report said: Identity Protection Results "Threat Name";"Status";"Detection Time";"Object Type";"Process" "General behavioral detection, C:\PROGRAM FILES (X86)\MOZILLA FIREFOX\UPDATED\FIREFOX.EXE";"Secured";"4/12/2016, 12:22:34 PM";"File or Director ...
  This has happened 2 or 3 times now...ususally about 9:00am when we start using the computer..I'm not sure if C:\PROGRAM FILES (X86)\MOZILLA FIREFOX\UPDATED\FIREFOX.EXE  is a folder or an application when I go to exceptions...Do you think this is ok or is it something malicious...Firefox update to the above version when this "threat box" started popping up...I have added the above to exceptions, should I have added it or not? I looked in C: and followed path, but couldn't find this folder...it might be hidden
AvinashAvinash (Avast) 
Hello William,
Thank you for contacting us. Do you have Firefox installed and working fine? You should see the path in your C drive. Could you clarify whether you added the file path C:\PROGRAM FILES (x86)MOZILLA FIREFOX\UPDATED\FIREFOX.EXE to the AVG exceptions or not? If you have added, are you able to install the Firefox updates?
William ReynoldsWilliam Reynolds
I have had both Firefox and AVG free for a long time. I have been using both with no problem or "threat detection"..a couple of days ago the newest version of Firefox (45.0.2) automaticly downloaded and is working great.. about 2 or 3 hours after the Firefox update occured the AVG Identity Protection popped up an orange threat box.the file or whatever it is was put in quarintine.What it found is above.. I started to put in an "exception", but since it kept popping up as a problem when no updates to Firefox have been done (since a couple of days ago) I was afraid it may be something malicious..I ran a full scan and a rootkit scan with AVG and found nothing...Malwarebytes found nothing also
William ReynoldsWilliam Reynolds
the path I think is what you call it that AVG found as "suspicious behaviour" was:
C:\PROGRAM FILES (x86)\MOZILLA FIREFOX\UPDATED\FIREFOX.EXE  Sorry I left out the backslash also...if that makes a difference..I went to C: drive and opened the folders in the path  for "hidden files" also..there is no UPDATED\FIREFOX.EXE   listed if that is significant.
William ReynoldsWilliam Reynolds
I goofed when I typed this in the original question and it made  it confusing:
"This has happened 2 or 3 times now...ususally about 9:00am when we start using the computer..I'm not sure if C:\PROGRAM FILES (X86)\MOZILLA FIREFOX\UPDATED\FIREFOX.EXE  is a folder or an application when I go to exceptions...Do you think this is ok or is it something malicious...Firefox update to the above version when this "threat box" started popping up...I have added the above to exceptions, should I have added it or not? I looked in C: and followed path, but couldn't find this folder...it might be hidden"
     What I meant was that I had gone to the exceptions entry page and it asked if it was an application or a folder and I wasn't sure. I decided not to add it to "exceptions" because I wasn't sure what it was and was afraid it may be something bad..malware or something..Sorry for being confusing but I'm a novice and not sure of the terminology


 
Aravind GnanamurthyAravind Gnanamurthy (Avast)
Hello William,
We understand how something like this can really try your patience.
Please try adding the mozilla firefox link in exception list and check whether it works fine. Let us know the name and version of the AVG product installed in your pc?
Feel free to contact us for any further assistance. Thank you.
William ReynoldsWilliam Reynolds
User-added image
AVG Antivirus free.....the box hasn't popped up for a day...What is the link/path actually called is it a file or directory or what?(an executable file??) It asks when you add it to exceptions..also should I check mark all 3??? Resident shield,  Identity Theft and Manual and scheduled scan..a full scan and rootkit scan didn't flag it..Identity Theft is what flags it as possible threat..The only thing that worries me is that when I search for that file/path in the registry C: I don't see it even when I check mark show hidden files in folder options..
William ReynoldsWilliam Reynolds
User-added image
If I type in the path in search nothing is found in the registry. Is that normal??
Jay MackeyJay Mackey
I have experienced the same type of problem. The message that I get is"
Threat Detected: C:\PROGRAM FILES(x86)\MOZILLA FIREFOX\UPDATED\FIREFOX.EXE. I am able to select "Remove Threat" and it states that the threat has been removed successfully but next time I launch the application I get the same message. This path does not exist on my PC so what do I need to do to eliminate this threat permantly?
Rajarajan SooiyachanthRajarajan Sooiyachanth (Avast)
Hello Jay,
We apologize for the inconvenience caused. I have just sent you an email with the instructions to get connected with our senior technical support team. Please follow the email instructions to get additional support to resolve the issue. Thank you.
William ReynoldsWilliam Reynolds
On 4-15-2016 Your tech guy took remote control and did just a couple of things and said "you have no infection"...The guy said it was a "known issue" with Indentity Theft and an update would be released in a couple of days that would cure the problem . I'm getting the problem 3 or more times a day now...is this a known issue that will be fixed soon? I've run spybot malwarebytes microsoft safety scann, eset, windows malicious software removal tool, AVG complete scan and rootkit scan..If you look at the post below, I eventually restarted the computer and selected repair AVG from programs and then everything seemed to be alright for a while...I think the Threat Detection started after there was an update that morning from firefox..I will try to attach screen shots of what's being flagged....Is this a "known issue" and will be fixed soon with the update the remote tech talked about...OR IS IT SOMETHING NASTY THAT NOTHING FINDS...sorry, freaking me outUser-added imageUser-added imageUser-added imageUser-added imageUser-added image
I'm using the most recent version of Firefox and AVG free 16.51.7497
Alan BinchAlan Binch
William, The AVG AntiVirus Free Edition version shown on your screenshot is 16.61.7538 i.e. a later version.
AVG Guru
William ReynoldsWilliam Reynolds
please explain, what does "later version" mean...What is the most recent version number and how do I get it if I have an old version....I went to start button>control panel>programs>AVG selected it and a box popped up saying I could repair it or uninstall it.  I chose repair and it loaded and it took a long time to update...When I hit update in AVG now it says I have the most recent version 16.61.7539..it also found a threat when I ran a complete scan after updating .I will try to send sceen shots of version and corrupted file (what does that mean?) When I googled the rdrservicesupdater(1).exe  it didn't bring up anything..What is rdsservices? AVG found the same thing back in March   See screen shotsUser-added image
William ReynoldsWilliam Reynolds
Just ran another scan and it found nothing!  also the other Identity Theft threat detection that kept happening since I updated AVG...knock on wood
William ReynoldsWilliam Reynolds
I meant the "Identity Threat Detection" box hasn't popped up since I updated.. It had happened 4 times today before I updated to 16.61.7539...Am I fixed?
William ReynoldsWilliam Reynolds
here is screen shot of version
User-added image
AvinashAvinash (Avast) 
Hello William,
Yes, that is the latest version of AVG and it seems the issue was fixed in the latest update. Thank you.
ichi onlineichi online
This same problem has been happening to me for the past few wks. It happens EVERYTIME I close my windows - or at least every OTHER time, sometimes I get lucky.  I get the same exact "threat pop up" . . . a few minutes ago I finally tried to follow the path of the detected threat and found nothing. All my programs are up to date. . . I think, let me verify, but it is very annoying.
ichi onlineichi online
Here is my version:
User-added image
Balasubramanian SBalasubramanian S (Avast) 
Hello Ichi,

Thank you for providing the screenshot.
We request you to try repair installation of AVG program once and check whether you get the threat detected popup again.
To perform repair installation please follow the instructions mentioned in this link: http://avgread.me/1BVxDSY .
Please feel free to contact us should you need any further assistance.
ichi onlineichi online
happened again... I will try the repair, in the meantime, here is the actual pop up screenshot:

User-added imageUser-added image
Balasubramanian SBalasubramanian S (Avast) 
Thank you for understanding.
Please do try the repair installation and let us know the status.
JT GreenoJT Greeno
I am encountering the exact same issue with Firefox version 47.0  AVG indicated that FIREFOX.EXE was infected.  AVG would not allow me to select "Allow", and after selecting "Protect Me", AVG erased ALL files from my Firefox Profile (tabs, bookmarks, Add-Ons, Extensions, passwords, etc).

It would seem that AVG has made a HUGE mistake here.
AvinashAvinash (Avast) 
JT Greeno,
We regret for the inconvenience caused. You can restore the removed files from AVG virus vault.
Open AVG.
Click on Options and select Virus vault.
Then select the files you would like to restore.
Thank you.
Rajarajan SooiyachanthRajarajan Sooiyachanth (Avast)
Hello JT,
We apologize for the inconvenience caused. Do you use a paid or free version of your AVG program? If you are using an older version of your AVG program, then reinstall a new version by removing AVG traces using remover tool( http://aa-download.avg.com/filedir/util/AVG_Remover.exe ). Please restart to complete the uninstalling process. After running AVG Remover, you may need to manually uninstall any remaining AVG applications and also 'search' for a folder "AVG Remover"(usually in 'C' drive) and please delete it manually. And then install your AVG program by downloading from http://www.avg.com/us-en/download .Thank you.
Matthew PancakeMatthew Pancake
I ran into this problem as well, more than a few times. It appears AVG is pushing definitions that mistake update activity for malicious software. In my case, it's my pinned Gmail tab that also runs the Google talk plugin. It's likely that the plugin tries to update, and AVG wrongly identifies the activity. Once I deleted the tab from my session restore, everything was back to normal.

This is unacceptable behavior for any antivirus software. I like AVG for it's minimal resource usage, but if it's going to start giving me false positives I'll have to look elsewhere.
KishoreKishore (Avast) 
Hello Mathew,
We regret for the inconvenience caused. We wold request you to add the specified file to the exception list using the instructions on the article http://avgclick.me/AddException and check whether it resolves the issue. Please feel free to contact us for further assistance.
Thank you.
Topaz GBTopaz GB
That article says to eclude the entire C:\PROGRAM FILES folder ?
Rajarajan SooiyachanthRajarajan Sooiyachanth (Avast)
Hello Topaz,
If the issue persists even after using the latest version (2016) which is up-to date, then we suggest you to add exception, browse to the file, folder that you want to exclude  ("C:\PROGRAM FILES\MOZILLA FIREFOX" in this case). We also suggest you to report false detection in https://secure.avg.com/submit-sample .Thank you.
Brian WBrian W
I just read all the posts regarding this issue. I wish to raise a few points that I belive AVG is missing.

1 - AVG shouldn't detect any false positives with Firefox Updating - i.e. FIX AVG

2 - The "work around" suggested by AVG to add the path / file to the exeception list WON'T work!

     This is because the path .../Mozilla Firefox/Updated doesn't exist and AVG won't allow you to add a non-existant path / file to the exception list.


Now, AVG - instead of making excuses fix your software!

I have been a loyal AVG user and proponent for over a decade - now I'm rethinking it.
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