AVG query

[WouldBe]

My dad has AVG on his computer. Recently it seems to think it can scan all his computer in only 6 minutes. Is this actually possible?

Yesterday after doing a scan it came up with a message to say he had "an unsecured document listing his employment details" on his computer. No he doesn't. He's only had a computer for a few years and he's been retired for 20 years. Is this a scam to get him to pay extra for the document security feature? Is this actually legal? If not who can he complain to?

 

[8ball]

My dad has AVG on his computer. Recently it seems to think it can scan all his computer in only 6 minutes. Is this actually possible?

Yesterday after doing a scan it came up with a message to say he had "an unsecured document listing his employment details" on his computer. No he doesn't. He's only had a computer for a few years and he's been retired for 20 years. Is this a scam to get him to pay extra for the document security feature? Is this actually legal? If not who can he complain to?

i) There are different levels of scan, and maybe there's not much there that is flagging anything to AVG.
ii) Have you scanned for any text or Word documents relating to employment, and was there anything more in the message than that?
iii) To my slightly-dated knowledge, AVG are not known for being "scammy". Though tbf the software does seem to have become a little more annoying.

 

[WouldBe]

i) There are different levels of scan, and maybe there's not much there that is flagging anything to AVG.
ii) Have you scanned for any text or Word documents relating to employment, and was there anything more in the message than that?
iii) To my slightly-dated knowledge, AVG are not known for being "scammy". Though tbf the software does seem to have become a little more annoying.

Not done a scan for employment but he has no need to have anything like that on his computer. He only uses it for storing holiday photos, internet banking and looking for holidays.

Each time you do a scan with AVG it comes up with 5 sections:-
No viruses found
No problems with browser
Something else I can't remember but says it's OK
Documents not secured
Financial transactions not secured.

To 'fix' the last 2 'problems' AVG want you to pay extra per month / year to have them protected. I can't see why you should need special protection for those. If the antivirus is working properly nothing should be able to get in to access his documents and any financial transactions are always done through https websites.

 

[8ball]

Looks like those last 2 really are just "you haven't bought the add-ons" alerts, so I wouldn't worry.
Someone will likely come along and correct me if this isn't correct.

 

[WouldBe]

Looks like those last 2 really are just "you haven't bought the add-ons" alerts, so I wouldn't worry.
Someone will likely come along and correct me if this isn't correct.

It's just annoying that they keep pushing you to buy them.

 

[cybershot]

Bin it and use the in built Microsoft one.

 

[WouldBe]

Bin it and use the in built Microsoft one.

You would seriously trust microsoft software to protect against the holes in microsoft software?

 

[alex_]

You would seriously trust microsoft software to protect against the holes in microsoft software?

Yes, everyone else will do a much worse job

 

[8ball]

Yes, everyone else will do a much worse job

This is faulty reasoning and tests of the Microsoft stuff that I’ve read seem to bear this out.

 

[alex_]

This is faulty reasoning and tests of the Microsoft stuff that I’ve read seem to bear this out.

I only think this because cleverer people than me say this is right.

Slashdot ex firedox developer says most av is flawed

How AV can open you to attacks that otherwise wouldn’t be possible

Justin Schuh, the security chief for the Google browser, calling AV "my single biggest impediment to shipping a secure browser."

So most av products are full of security holes, plus in the enterprise they require seperate patching to the os.

Defender updates itself via the regular Microsoft channels, so usually it’s updated before you know there is an issue.

Alex

 

[alex_]

Dupe deleted

 

[8ball]

I only think this because cleverer people than me say this is right.

Yeah, I was saying the opposite for exactly the same reason so I guess we’ll just have to let the clever people fight it out.

 

[alex_]

Yeah, I was saying the opposite for exactly the same reason so I guess we’ll just have to let the clever people fight it out.

You got any references ?

 

[WouldBe]

Yes, everyone else will do a much worse job

And what protects against the holes in the hole protecting software?

 

[8ball]

You got any references ?

No, but I have a clean driving license and no unspent offenses on my criminal record.

 

[WouldBe]

Following his latest scan AVG recons my dad has 7 documents detailing his employment and airline tickets on his computer. He's not computer literate enough to have airline tickets on his computer. So I've dumped the scamming pile of shit and put Comodo dragon on which has picked up suspicious software that AVG didn't and his computer now runs faster.

 

[joustmaster]

Use the microsoft one, its better, faster, lighter and easier.

There are also a lot of fake/hijacked AVG installs out there...