Antivirus in 2015 for vanilla W2k?

[blackwingcat]

"after update.txt" seems not to be AVGSRMAX.exe but AVGCSRV.EXE, doesn't it ? 

 

avgsrvx.zip

 

Here we've run into a problem. Maybe this can help diagnose the problem?

Edited December 4, 2015 by blackwingcat

[Tommy]

I didn't even check that, that's weird. Because I opened the same file from Dependency Walker and did a profile on the file before and after the update.

[blackwingcat]

Dependency walker F7 profiles makes multi windows when you checked auto open child process.

I think Perhaps you saved the file of  top level windows another child process''s one.

 

I didn't even check that, that's weird. Because I opened the same file from Dependency Walker and did a profile on the file before and after the update.

[bluebolt]

...recently AVG--under the guise of a “Program Update”--has pushed out some horrid thing called AVG Zen.  It can be a little tricky to get rid of (you need to uninstall AVG Protection before uninstalling Zen).  Run a tool called AVG Remover to really do the job right.  Then you can reinstall 2012 (turn off Program Updates to bar Zen) or install an earlier version.

 

Just a heads-up, AVG 2012 is now installing Zen even if you have turned off automatic Program Updates (has done it to two machines so far).

 

Complaints on the AVG forums don’t appear to be stopping the rollout.  I assume it will eventually reach all AVG 2012 installations, effectively killing off that version.

 

More to the point, will it ultimately hit AVG 8.5 and AVG 9?

[dencorso]

No AVG Zen on paid AVG 2011 yet. I'll keep eyes wide open and let you all know whenever that changes.

[jumper]

Can the host server for the Zen update be blocked in our Hosts file?

[bearwindows]

In Windows 2000 SP4 (and XP/2003 ) I use Symantec Antivirus Corporate Edtition 10.1.9 (Client). However it does not autoupdate virus definitions

so I download them sheduled from

x86 version: ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/antivirus_definitions/norton_antivirus/rapidrelease/symrapidreleasedefscore15-i64.exe

x64 version: ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/antivirus_definitions/norton_antivirus/rapidrelease/symrapidreleasedefscore15-i32.exe
 

[Tommy]

 

...recently AVG--under the guise of a “Program Update”--has pushed out some horrid thing called AVG Zen.  It can be a little tricky to get rid of (you need to uninstall AVG Protection before uninstalling Zen).  Run a tool called AVG Remover to really do the job right.  Then you can reinstall 2012 (turn off Program Updates to bar Zen) or install an earlier version.

 

Just a heads-up, AVG 2012 is now installing Zen even if you have turned off automatic Program Updates (has done it to two machines so far).

 

Complaints on the AVG forums don’t appear to be stopping the rollout.  I assume it will eventually reach all AVG 2012 installations, effectively killing off that version.

 

More to the point, will it ultimately hit AVG 8.5 and AVG 9?

 

What exactly is Zen? I had some update happen why I was gone that said it would remove AVG9 and replace it with 2015, I think it was. But nothing happened and it's still on my system. I understand they don't want to support old OSs anymore, but to go as far as forcing an install and upgrade to a version that won't work on your system is taking it a bit too far as far as I'm concerned. Too bad they couldn't make a version compatible with Windows 2000 and I truly don't see why they can't. Even the latest Malware Bytes works on 2000 even though when you install it it warns you that you should install at least Windows XP Service Pack 2, but it still functions just fine with 2000.

[bluebolt]

Zen seems to be some kind of cross-platform interface or portal to use AVG across multiple devices.  I think Zen runs everything for you from behind the curtain, as others have pointed out there’s not really any settings available…

 

On AVG’s support forum the main complaints concern the jam-it-down-your-throat installation:  no notice, no choice, “no user permission.”

 

When I was originally getting it offered (deceptively) as a “Program Update” and would click the “more information about this update” link, the link just led to a page about AVG updates generally -- nothing whatsoever about Zen.

 

AVG says it’s part of a “campaign” push for Zen, and their responses to complaints are inconsistent or even wrong (e.g. it’s your fault because you clicked the free-offer button, no you can’t get rid of it, the update takes place automatically and there is no option to stop it, yes you can get rid of it by reinstalling but we don’t have an option to reinstall AVG 2012 version, you don’t want to run an old version anyway, etc.).

 

Zen nailed three more machines in the last couple of days, so I’ve now switched all my 2012 installations to AVG 9, which so far has been unaffected.  I noticed no complaints on the support threads except from 2012 or newer version users.

 

[jaclaz]

Also (JFYI):

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2015-09/17/avg-privacy-policy-browser-search-data

 

They are very honest and straightforward at it, but this does not mean that their policy is any good.

http://www.avg.com/us-en/privacy#what-do-you-collect-that-can-identify-me

http://www.avg.com/us-en/privacy#what-do-you-collect-that-cannot-identify-me

http://www.avg.com/us-en/privacy#do-you-share-my-data

 

jaclaz

[bluebolt]

Zen has now attacked AVG 9 builds, and the tricks get dirtier:  Zen installation may auto-start when you merely open AVG Update!  The attacks come and go, even on a particular machine; one day the Zen component tries to install, another day it may not.

 

As an experiment on a W2k machine with AVG 9, I allowed the Zen component to install, but it didn’t, so Windows 2000 Professional may not be vulnerable in this regard.  That would make one piece of good news in this ugly situation.  We’ll see if it holds.

 

[AnX]

I just use malwarebytes under 2000, works great.

[dencorso]

Zen has now attacked AVG 9 builds, and the tricks get dirtier:  Zen installation may auto-start when you merely open AVG Update!  The attacks come and go, even on a particular machine; one day the Zen component tries to install, another day it may not.

 

As an experiment on a W2k machine with AVG 9, I allowed the Zen component to install, but it didn’t, so Windows 2000 Professional may not be vulnerable in this regard.  That would make one piece of good news in this ugly situation.  We’ll see if it holds.

 

Please do enlighten me some more: are you talking about free or paid AVG?

[bluebolt]

These are all instances of AVG free; I don’t have any paid version of AVG.

 

Once a machine has been hit, and you uninstall Zen and reinstall your preferred AVG version (or simply manage to cut off your internet connection before Zen can install), Zen might leave that machine alone thereafter.

 

So the whole thing seems as hit-and-miss as can be.  Folks on the AVG forums have complained about the forced “upgrade” to Zen going back to at least June or July, so who knows how long it’s been happening.  It’s obviously not a completely general rollout, because none of my machines were affected until last month.  And, here in December, there are still new complaints showing up on the AVG support forums.

 

Just need to keep our guards up, I guess, and be prepared if a 3-4 MB “new component” shows up in the AVG updates--that’s probably Zen ready to pounce.

Edited December 22, 2015 by bluebolt

[bluebolt]

Now every time Zen infects one of my XP installations, I’m moving that machine to Avira (never used it before, but seems light and lean).  Unfortunately, Avira doesn’t work on Windows 2000 Professional.

 

I just use malwarebytes under 2000, works great.

 

I like Malwarebytes, too, but there’s no active protection with the free version…but at least there’s no active offense, which is more than I can say for AVG.